"Normal" hunting rifles

These are in my safe
22 lr
223 rem
243 win
270 win
338 win mag
20 and 12 gauge
Pretty common stuff, but I feel like I can do everything I need to. And I'm sure there are at least a few variations of this list.
Probably 22, 12gauge 7mm/30-30/308/30-06/303 would do/ have done the same for others.
 
jtoews80 said:
Over the past 19 years I have hunted every year at least for WT deer and usually more. Being a firearms enthusiast and reloader I have been afield with most common calibers and alot of overbore or high performamce rounds too.


The past few years life seems way to busy and my time is needed for everything else. Leaving little time to shoot, load or hunt properly. This years hunting was pretty much shooting whatever wandered onto my alfalfa field.

Since 05 I've uses a 257 wby, 264 win, 270wby, 7 STW, 30-378, 308, 300 RUM, 300 WSM, 338 LM and a 44 mag. The only common thread between them besides being mostly overbore and having HP to spare is that for the most part, you can't find ammo locally and if you do, I can't justify $5-7/rnd. So, that begs the question:"If you're into high performance gear and don't really think much of the performance of a 243 or 308, how many of you keep 1 normal vanilla caliber around, so you can get ammo locally if you don't have time to load"?? Something Cambodian Tire has ammo for?? Oddly enough, you end up shooting most game at 300 yds or less when you jave a howitzer dialed in to 800 yds.

I have a t3 tact 300 win, but am sorta wanting a 7 mm rem sporter or even a t3 lite 308. Am I the only one who thinks like this??
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Funny, at the conclusion of this years hunting season I find myself at a similar crossroad.

I too have been enamored with the over-bore hot rod cartridges and have many of the same ones you have listed as well as some others. I have also lugged around an 11 pound "howitzer" Elk hunting only to end up shooting a Bull at 175yds. What really started me re-assessing the merit of some of the rifles that I own was the purchase of a Sako TRG22.

I discovered that it is immensely more satisfying to shoot one hole groups at modest velocity than pie-plate groups at hyper-velocity. Now the TRG22 is hardly a practical hunting tool but it illustrates what an accurate platform shooting high B.C. bullets at modest velocities can be capable of.

I'm considering selling off some of my hot-rods and having a medium/heavy sporting rifle built in .260,6.5x55 or .308 to fill the conservative/rational hunting rifle role that is currently absent from my gun safe.
 
A lot of your cartridge selection will be based on the terrain you are hunting. I can see having a real hot rod round for shooting out west in open terrain.

Here in N.S. the woods are extermely thick and your longerst shot will be under 300 yds and usually well under 100. My last few deer have been under 20 yds!

I use pretty boring rounds, started with 30-30 (who hasn't?) now using a .270 and .223 for coyotes.

These choices may not be exciting but they get the job done and don't cost a bunch to practice with.
 
My personal battery is now, a Rem 700 VTR 223 AI, SS Rem 700 22-250AI with a Gaillard bbl, Wby Vanguard sporter 257 wby all stock, Sako AV 7mm Rem and a 6.5 RUM that is just getting finished with a Pac Nor barrel and B&C A5 stock. OTher than that its a Marlin 60 and T/C Hawkin .54 . I could sell the 257 too, but it isn't likely worth much and its quite accurate for a factory rifle. The 6.5 RUM will have to really speed to stay a 6.5, it may well become a 338 later on.

Heck, I even sold my .45 and CZ 858 folder. The Fudd is growing stronger.
 
Rocket Surgery said:
I was looking at getting a 300wsm but after checking the local box stores i found that none of them carry the ammo. This is on Vancouver Island, so it may be better elsewhere.
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I love the 300 wsm. After a year of tweaking and many different loads applications, it is viable as a varmint gun with 110 gr bullets at laser speeds on up to the 210gr HPBTs for reach out and touch.

I buy components in bulk, and pay less then $2/rd for a .5 MOA load.

For general utility everything I need hunting gun, Marlin 30-30. Light, cheap, rugged, accurate enough, powerful enough, and ammo is available pretty much everywhere.

I don't own one, but you can't go wrong with a 30-06 either.
 
shredder0 said:
The .308 is probably the very best of all "normal" rounds as you call them. Ideal for all north american game that you will have ready access to. You will not need anything else unless you are serious about alaskan coastal brown bears. It's velocity virtually guarantees picture perfect bullet performance on any game with normal cup and core bullets. If there is such a thing as an accurate cartridge surely the .308 stands alone in the sporting world. At least Bob Nosler thinks so and he has the opportunity to shoot or witness many thousands of rounds from every cartridge concievable going downrange in controlled conditions. He states that at Nosler they use the .308 for thier accuracy testing on all their .30 cal bullets. There is nothing the 06 can do in the field that the 308 can not.
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Absolutely agree...except for the coastal brown bears...a 200 grain nosler partition will handle them easily!
 
I don`t use much factory ammo but if going that route 243. 308. 30-06. 300 win mag. Readily available at most rural Sask. CO-OP gas stations, some managers stock lots more it depends on the area residence and what they want. Not sure if yours do that or not in Alberta. Forget the Fudd crap i`m thinking of going to the dark side and getting a black rifle or poodle shooter.:D Maybe i`ll become a "TACTIFOOL", opps thats spelled tacticool.;)
 
pbonura said:
With a 7mm reg mag you really do not need anything else in NA unless you are hunting big big bears.
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I must be a dumb-azz cause I take my 280 Remington grizzly hunting. I get a kick out of the "my magnum is the all you need rifle to hunt anything in North America until" crowed. And yes I plan on taking the 280 on a Brown beer hunt if I win the 649.
 
I hunt with 2 cals. 30-06 and 308 but they are both dialed into what I load for them so buying in a store might not work so well anyways. I prep my brass well ahead of crunch time so when I need more ammo I have a pile of sized and primed cases. Stuff and shoot.
 
I am in eastern ontario and same deal.... I woudl use the 30-06 with fmj for yotes if our govt would let us..


:eek:

FMJ bullets out of a 30-06 in Eastern Ont is a bad idea :rolleyes:
Please watch where those ricochets are going:(

There's two reasons varmint type bullets are quite explosive acting.
One is to prevent pelt damage & the other is to control ricochets!
 
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