looking for Practical/Mountain rifle

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Trevor60

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I am hoping you guys can help me narrow down my choice for a hunting rifle shooting factory ammo.

I am looking to purchase a Practical/Mountain rifle. In the 6-8 lbs range I am primarily looking for a .30 cal the choices are 30-06 or 300WSM. I have a 308 tac rifle but it weighs 15 lbs and I am getting tired (read older) humping it through the bush

This will be my North American Big game rifle. From moose on down to white tail, I have no intention at this time to hunt the big bears. I will be hunting From BC to Quebec and the northern US states.

I am initially looking at Tikka but others have suggested the Winchester M70, or other options

I my put a brake on it for recoil management and follow up shots where needed.

I do not plan to reload for this rifle I already have my plate full for reloading for comps as I spend 1,000 of rounds down range in various disciplines. So factory ammo offerings are the preferred choice. If you have a favorite factory ammo choice I am all ears.

Let me know your thoughts and why you chose what you did.

Thanks
Trevor
 
Trevor, I have bought three Marlin XL7 rifles in 30-06 since they came out. They weigh 6.5 pounds, have a great trigger, a real recoil pad, and all shoot 180 gr factory ammo into less than an inch and a half at 100 yd.

Brand new for less than $400, put a decent $4-500 scope on it, in good mounts, and for under a grand you will have a very good mountain rifle that you won't have to worry about getting scratched and beat up........and it will get scratched and beat up.

Have posted this picture a few times before, the best group I shot with my Marlin XL7 in 270 Winchester:

DSC05798.jpg


Don't see how you could go wrong with an XL7.

Ted
 
I really don't think such an animal exists. A "mountain" rifle is a pretty specialized piece of kit where it's all in the name of weight reduction.
If you're looking for an all around lightweight carry rifle there are a ton of good choices around 6.5-7lbs by almost every manufacturer out there...all depends on your price point and caliber choice.
 
For what you want to do i can suggest my best outfit... A Steyr Scout 308 with Hornady Superformance 165gr SST @2850 fps (3000 pounds of energy) topped with a S&B Zenith 1.5X 6X42 flash dot... The total weight includind 2X5 rounds ( loaded magazine, one in the stock ) hidden bipod and sling is 8 pounds 2 onces, accuracy is incredible and it is all in perfect balance... Cheers. JP.
 
While Ted's idea is a good one, and he's proven the gear himself....I'd go with a new Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather in 30-06 or 300WSM........put a 3-9X Leupold on top and you're good to go.
Should come in less than 8lbs.
 
If I was looking for a new hunting rifle, I would be looking at a Browning Micro Hunter. Lots of calibers to choose from including 300WSM http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/detail.asp?value=B&cat_id=035&type_id=020 I don't like variable scopes so I would go with a 4x leupold scope. That's what I'd do, if I was to do it again.
 
I like my X-bolt Stalker with 2.5-8 Leupold, with the browning rings she weighs in at 7lbs, 2oz all up, ammo not included, that is lighter then my 270 Remington Mountain rifle with the same scope. Shoots phenomenally well, chambered in 300 WSM.
 
I like light rifles, and have several that are 7.5lbs or less. My lightest rifle is a Winchester winlite with the Mcmillan stock from the factory. Its in 270 and wears 3-9 leupold ultralight scope. Shoots extremely well and weighs 6lbs 15oz.unloaded.
I'm sure you could find a similar gun in 30-06.

I have a couple x-bolts also. They're great rifles too. Light and accurate.

I have 3 Remington Mountain rifles. Mine have been accurate, and they carry well.

I have 2 Husqvarna Lightweight rifles. They're tough and reliable, and shoot surprisingly well.

I own 1 Tikka T3. Its the Hunter model, so it weighs a bit more than the other ones mentioned. But with a Bushnell Elite 3-9 it still only weighs 7 3/4 lbs.

There's lots of choices out there that I'm sure you'll be happy with.
 
Ted, I often wonder why we bother replying in these threads?
I guess reading the latest propaganda, oops I mean advertising, in a book beats long time personal experience every time.
Bruce
 
The Tikka T3 Lite Battue comes in 300wsm, it's 6.25lbs, and has iron sights. The bolt is stainless and the trigger is single action.

If that gun were stainless, I'd have one in 308 right now.
 
H4831 said:
Ted, I often wonder why we bother replying in these threads?
I guess reading the latest propaganda, oops I mean advertising, in a book beats long time personal experience every time.
Bruce
Click to expand...

You know what Bruce, maybe you just shouldn't respond then. You seem to think that once the very few "old boys" respond no ones opinion matters after that :rolleyes:

Your opinion and experience is valuable here, but it is most certainly not the only opinion that matters like you seem to think.
 
Actually, almost all sporting/hunting rifles from all the major manufacturers weigh 6.5-8 lbs, so you should find it very, very, very easy to find something to your liking in this weight category.
 
crazy_davey said:
You know what Bruce, maybe you just shouldn't respond then. You seem to think that once the very few "old boys" respond no ones opinion matters after that :rolleyes:

Your opinion and experience is valuable here, but it is most certainly not the only opinion that matters like you seem to think.
Click to expand...

Actually, I didn't reply to the request, did I?
It just seems to me that a person wanting information, in any field, would be wise to listen to someone with a known track record, like Ted has, in the field of mountain hunting and shooting.
 
H4831 said:
Actually, I didn't reply to the request, did I?
It just seems to me that a person wanting information, in any field, would be wise to listen to someone with a known track record, like Ted has, in the field of mountain hunting and shooting.
Click to expand...

And how do you know that anyone else that replied to this thread doesn't have that same experience? Please tell me how the OP is supposed to know how much experience Ted has? Please don't assume that just because you know that the rest of the 80,000 members we have know who Ted is or what he has done.

I know exactly what you meant in the above post, you respond that way quite often...
 
H4831 said:
Actually, I didn't reply to the request, did I?
Click to expand...

No. But you did respond with a smart a$$ comment like below.

H4831 said:
Ted, I often wonder why we bother replying in these threads?
I guess reading the latest propaganda, oops I mean advertising, in a book beats long time personal experience every time.
Bruce
Click to expand...

The comment speaks for itself.
 
That is a good one, Guido. Have had two of them, a 7x57 and a 30-06. They are indeed quite accurate, very light, and the gill brake on them really works!

Velocity is somewhat reduced, because they only have 19 1/2 inches of rifled barrel, but are still enough in a tight spot. A very well-known biologist, and friend of mine, up here, borrowed my '06 for a sheep hunt. After killing two sheep he and his hunting partner were charged by a grizzly while dressing the rams. Long story short, he kept the rifle, and will never part with it. :)

Ted
 
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