My hunting battery

[peitech]

I got started hunting later in life and joined the CF shortly after. I have tried to build my hunting battery to cover all the bases (posted to and hunting situations). I do have a few 22s a 20 O/U and 12 pump but that is for another forum.

Savage BVSS 223 rem 6-24x40 4200 elite. Just light enough in recoil that you can watch the bullet impact on target through the scope.

Marlin XS7S 243 win 4-12x40 Bushnell, Boyds classic pepper laminate stock. The stock upgrade really helped me like this rifle more. 75 gr V-max and Varget giving me good results. Still working on a deer load.

Remington 700 BDL 270 win 3-9x40 3200 FF with Leupold QR rings. Just seems to work as my deer rifle. 60 gr H4831 chronies 3060 fps with 130 gr bullets and 1 1/4 groups. Comforting to have open sights, but haven't needed them yet.

Weaterby Vanguard 338 win mag 3-9x40 nikon, B&C medalist stock. 73.5 gr RL19 push 225 Accubonds 2820fps with 1 1/8 inch groups.

Started with the 223 on PEI (22 was the caliber limit for hunting), added the 270 for deer (similar trajectory), the 338 for a step up (300, 308, 30-06 seemed too close to the 270 to be worthwhile) and the 243 for a combination walking varmint (BVSS is too heavy) deer rifle (lighter recoil for the kids). Stayed with fairly common cartridges, and tried to match the rifle to the job (weight, accuracy, action strength etc).

Interested in seeing your hunting battery, observations and reasons for choosing.

 

[BigUglyMan]

Well it's a good start.

 

[Kilo Charlie]

Don't have pics to post right now.
My battery is quite small. I have three .22 rimfires for small game. A Mossy 500 12 gauge for waterfowl with a second, 24" cylinder barrel for small game or shooting slugs close up. A Browning A-Bolt in .280 Rem is my go-to centrefire. I also hunt with a Hawkeye in .257 Roberts and a Marlin 336A in .30-30 Winchester.

The rimfires require no explanation; neither does the 12 gauge.
The .280 I rely on because it will cleanly kill anything up to moose and elk as far as I can shoot. In 35+ years of hunting, I have shot one deer at 125 yards and one at 175; all other big game has been shot inside 100 yards, so the power level of that rifle is considerably more than adequate for my hunting conditions.
The .257 and .30-30 will do the same but I restrict those to deer only. My Marlin has a 24" barrel and is scoped and shoots 1.5 MOA easily, so I consider it a good 200-yard deer/caribou rifle.
I have no intent to hunt grizzly, so don't need something appropriate to that task. If I want to hunt wolves/coyotes, the Roberts will do an exceptional job. If I decide to go for a bison tag, the Territorial requirement for a minimum 200-grain bullet may make me want to get a bit bigger rifle; all I have now that will shoot 200-grainers are a .308 Winchester and a .300 Savage, neither of which I have hunted with yet.

 

[j.krug]

Great looking guns and nice photography work too.

 

[Kelly Timoffee]

I only own a Canadian Tire slingshot.

 

[blargon]

You're all set for Canada and most of the world...

 

[brybenn]

I have many scatterguns and rimfires but for rifle hunting my list is almost complete
204ruger savage 25. Need
2506 stevens 200. Have
300 savage. Rem pump have
300wm savage 111. Have
35whelen. Need
450/400 ruger 1. Need
4570 double. Have
50cal muzzle loader. Have

However ill most likely buy a 375hh and give up the 35whelen and 450/400

 

[swervinmervin]

i only own a canadian tire slingshot.

h:s:

 

[gtrussell]

pick

I only own a Canadian Tire slingshot.

Kelly,if you can only have one,that is the one to have!

 

[Charlie38]

My battery.

RWS 460 .22 cal pellet for grouse and vermin. 900fps. Quieter than a 22LR when hunting deer etc and a grouse happens along.

Stevens 223 Rem, Bushnell 3200 4-12x40 for yotes. 50gr Nosler Ballistic Tips @ 3240fps. This will be sold soon too. Wolves here, I want a bit more punch for them hence the 6mm.

MISSING My new to me Parker Hale 1200C in 6mm Rem. Be here soon It will be replacing my Stevens 223 and Vanguard 257 WBY. as a deer/vermin gun. Going to load 90gr Nosler Ballistic Tips for coyotes/wolves/vermin and the 90gr Nosler Accubond @ 3200fps for deer/elk (lots of elk here,could bump into one deer hunting). They should shoot to the same impact point as they are identical except inner construction and tip colour (handy).


Weatherby Vanguard SS 257 WBY, Bushnell 4200 2.5-10x40. 120gr Nosler partition @ 3300fps. Deer gun. (side note: clip conversion for 30/06 works for 257WBY too!)

303 British, my first gun ever. Given to me at age 12 by a family friend who is no longer with us.
I plan on shooting a deer with it this year. 180gr Sierra I think.

Tikka T3 Lite 30/06, Leupold 2-7x33LR. 180 gr Nosler partition @ 2800fps. After Bighorn sheep hunting with my 257WBY I needed a lighter mountain gun. Why 30/06? Because you can buy ammo ANYWHERE for it if you happen to forget yours. And it just plain works Once my 257 WBY is gone (next week to my buddy) I will drop down to the 165gr Partition or Accubond to flatten out trajectory and use this as my general purpose deer/sheep/goat/elk rifle.

MISSING Custom Remington 700 Classic (was 300 H&H), H.S. Precision Stock, scope unknown at this time (Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14x44 AO MC RZ 800 possibly), currently being re barreled to 300 WBY with a 26" Gaillard SS match grade . 36 Muledeer/Whitetails, 3 Mountain Goats and 3 Black Bears have fallen to it in the 300 H&H configuration. It will be my primary elk/moose rifle. Going to load the 200gr Nosler Accubond @ 3000fps. Its my baby !


Browning BLR 81 358 Win. (steel), Leupold VX3 2.5-8x36 DOT. 225gr Nosler partitions @ 2470fps. It's my general go to gun. It replaced my 444 Marlin, longer reach and better bullets. (I had a 284 Win same as this gun but sold her)

Custom Parker Hale 1200C 35 Whelen, Leupold VX2 3-9x40LR, 225gr Nosler Accubond @ 2700fps. This rifle has a 24" Shilen match grade barrel & a glass bedded Bell & Carlson stock. It is the reason I sold my 350 Rem Mag (next pic). It will shoot under an inch at 200yds 3 shots with the Accubond! Elk, moose & bear gun. It replaced my 338 Win Mag & 375 H&H Mag. I like it that much!

Remington Model 7 CDL 350 Rem. Mag (SOLD) Included because she was a sweet gun!

Soon to be on order is a Weatherby Fibremark in 340 WBY.
This is my main battery right now, I add and subtract from it all the time. I have owned 61 centrefire guns total from the 223 Rem up to the 375 H&H. It's a sickness lol!

 

[peitech]

Nice pics!!! Yep, just starting would like to add a few levers, maybe a Ruger No.1. Interesting to see how others are set up though. (I second calling shenanigans on the Cambodian Tire slingshot)

 

[Boomer]

I got started hunting later in life and joined the CF shortly after. I have tried to build my hunting battery to cover all the bases (posted to and hunting situations). I do have a few 22s a 20 O/U and 12 pump but that is for another forum.

Savage BVSS 223 rem 6-24x40 4200 elite. Just light enough in recoil that you can watch the bullet impact on target through the scope.

Marlin XS7S 243 win 4-12x40 Bushnell, Boyds classic pepper laminate stock. The stock upgrade really helped me like this rifle more. 75 gr V-max and Varget giving me good results. Still working on a deer load.

Remington 700 BDL 270 win 3-9x40 3200 FF with Leupold QR rings. Just seems to work as my deer rifle. 60 gr H4831 chronies 3060 fps with 130 gr bullets and 1 1/4 groups. Comforting to have open sights, but haven't needed them yet.

Weaterby Vanguard 338 win mag 3-9x40 nikon, B&C medalist stock. 73.5 gr RL19 push 225 Accubonds 2820fps with 1 1/8 inch groups.

Started with the 223 on PEI (22 was the caliber limit for hunting), added the 270 for deer (similar trajectory), the 338 for a step up (300, 308, 30-06 seemed too close to the 270 to be worthwhile) and the 243 for a combination walking varmint (BVSS is too heavy) deer rifle (lighter recoil for the kids). Stayed with fairly common cartridges, and tried to match the rifle to the job (weight, accuracy, action strength etc).

Interested in seeing your hunting battery, observations and reasons for choosing.

Cartridge wise you've covered the bases pretty well, but your rifle selection hasn't benefited from the same level of forethought. I couldn't help but notice that all of your rifles are physically very similar, where you might benefit from a bit more variety. For example, a short barreled brush gun topped either with irons or a low powered scope.

If I was getting a .222/.222 mag/.223 bolt gun, I'd try to locate one with a small action like a SAKO, the old Brno 465 or 680 Fox, a Cooper, or perhaps a Krico. IMHO, these small .22 CFs are fine with glass about 6X, and I'd leave the big powdered optics for the .243 which makes a better long range rig.

Its the handloader who truly makes a cartridge versatile, and a powerful cartridge can do more things well than can a moderate cartridge. Despite that belief, I would be happy with either your .270 or a .338 as both are good candidates as general purpose big game cartridges.

A .375 has a fine reputation as a big game cartridge, but it doesn't stop there for the handloader with cast bullets loaded to 1200 fps. . .

The game you are likely to take with your .338 could be easily seen with a low powered scope, say a 1-4X, a 1.5-5X, or perhaps a 1.75-6X. When the bottom end of the scope is 3X, the tighter field of view puts you at a disadvantage when the shooting gets down to blood on the shoes ranges. At the very least I'd want the scope mounted in QD rings and have iron back ups available incase you had to make a follow-up in the willows after your 300 yard shot.

Its too bad that so few hunters know about or are willing to try a shooting sling rather than a carry strap. When shooting from supported field positions, slinging up can increase the potential of a first round hit by 30%! The Safari Ching Sling from Galco is available in both leather and synthetic, its fast to use, and doubles nicely as a cobra strap.

 

[two-dogs]

[/QUOTE]

Hey, nice T-shirt!

 

[Boomer]

Hey, nice T-shirt!

 

[two-dogs]

WoW-WoW-WoW!!! My jaw is on the floor Boomer, and I do believe it is going to remain there all day! Now that is the true meaning of beauty! We dabel a little in Jeeps around here, but nothing like your machine. Looks like you live in God's Country, too. What beautiful back ground sceenery in all your fine photo's. You is one lucky man! What brand of trax are those, Matt Trax or ?

 

[Kelly Timoffee]

Well since the demise of the LGR I decided it was best to rid myself of the hassles of firearm ownership all together.

I still re-load and work on firearms for others and kept my archery equipment.However as soon as something happens to cause grief enjoying those hobbies then away they go also.

Kelly,if you can only have one,that is the one to have!

 

[Dogleg]

Selling them all, then ocassionally borrowing one the night before hunting season is the way to go. Without a registry to keep me safe, ownership is just too dangerous. Factory loads should be OK for the guns I borrow.

 

[peitech]

Thanks for the comments Boomer. For the future a couple levers (probably 30-30 and 45-70) with appropriate sights. Gotta have something to want....

I like my 243 Marlin but it doesn't compete with 223 Savage in accuracy (~1.25 vs >.75 inch groups). The Marlin is going to double as the kids first deer rifle, so wanted to keep it light (8.2 vs 11.4lbs). The 223 is mostly a target rig but also a gopher gun, they're pretty small @ 300 so the big scope helps.

Usually hunt with my scopes set at the lowest power. If this scope breaks on my 338 I will go to a smaller power.

If I'm after something smaller I use my 20 O/U or a 22 lever, so I don't think I'll download either the 270 or 338. I have taken a grouse or two with these (aim just over the head and it's pretty clean).

Cool pics from your neck of the woods though.

 

[Boomer74]

I switched from Energizer after I killed the bunny...