Northern Bush Rifle suggestions
- Thread starter Northmen
- Start date
It's definitely under-powered if you push it past its effective range, but the same is true of every round.
Again, you already have a long range rifle.
A 150gr 7.62x39mm cartridge at 75yds will do the same job as a 30-06 at 300yds.
Many many moose have been put down for decades and decades with a 30-30. There's no compelling reason you couldn't humanely use a comparable round to do the same thing, just use it as its intended.
Skip to the 24:40 mark:
theoutdoorsman
New member
- Location
- Peace region, BC
I'd place rifles for hunting and exploring into two categories. For exploring I'd go with a nickle plated 12Ga or Marlin 1894 SBL 44mag (shooting hard cast or 280gr a-frames). It is compact and light enough that it won't just stay in the truck or house instead of in arms reach (looking at you 45-70).
For hunting there are 100's of options - stainless/synthetic is best in the pacific north west. I'm partial to kimbers and sako's. 30,338,35, 9.3mm cal non-magnums are all good.
Had a steyr scout- amazing accuracy, impossible to disassemble and clean. Had a Fabarm martial 14" - nice and compact - not rust resistant when out river fishing in the rain.
Want a do-all rifle? get a custom stainless 358 win made with a 18" barrel and put a 1-4 /1-6 power scope on it.
For hunting there are 100's of options - stainless/synthetic is best in the pacific north west. I'm partial to kimbers and sako's. 30,338,35, 9.3mm cal non-magnums are all good.
Had a steyr scout- amazing accuracy, impossible to disassemble and clean. Had a Fabarm martial 14" - nice and compact - not rust resistant when out river fishing in the rain.
Want a do-all rifle? get a custom stainless 358 win made with a 18" barrel and put a 1-4 /1-6 power scope on it.
jmichelin84
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Big Land, nL
My father always carried a model 94 lever action 30-30 I carry a SKS or my Winchester XPR
I have had a whack of lever action rifles, ranging from the ubiquitous M94 .30/30 to Marlin's in .30-30, .35 Rem and .45/70, to big bore BLR's... but when shyte gets real, I prefer a bolt action rifle. I have several that I have carried while guiding, never worried much when on my own in the woods but a rifle on my shoulder often gives clients some peace of mind. Generally for ease of carrying (because they are rarely ever put into service), I like carbines, the more compact the better. I have a pair of Ruger M77 Mark II carbines's in .358 Win that are coming along quite often... and a dandy M77 Mark II SS .350 Rem Mag that gets the call regularly... in general, I prefer a low power straight tube scope on a general carry rifle.
Get whatever turns your crank. Honestly. I was born in Central Yukon in the 70'sand have lived and hunted here ever since. I pack and hunt with what-ever happens to be my current fling. Moose rifles over the years chambered in .270, 7x57, .308, 7mm, and last years from my 1899 .303 savage. All my dads moose, black, and grizzly bears were taken with his surplus .303 brit. I work a lot in the bush and have had about a dozen 'bear encounters'. None of which ended up in a dead bear (or me). For a few years I packed an 1894 Marlin in .44 mag. My current packing/bear rifle is a neat sporterized Enfield. I like to pack something short and light (Husqvarna 4000/4100 is a favorite). I took a fully wooded Enfield sheep hunting once (Canadian Ranger issue) and never again! But thats just my thing. Some guys seem to like packing something north of 8 lbs but not me.
The Savage 1899 was a very popular rifle in the Yukon in the days of the goldrush. I am real happy carrying mine around. It has a super slick, reliable action and is a joy to carry in the hand. Besides it looks real nice leaning in the corner of the cabin. But if Kel Tek RFD is your thing theres nothing wrong with that!
Have fun shopping.
Nice moose .... When I was out your way a couple times in the past, the host required that I hunt with an empty chamber. I had not problem with that and found it worked very well for the type of hunting done out there.
Is this fairly common in the Yukon?
thx
Northern Bush Gun =
close encounters
power to stop trouble
fast follow up shots
range for common hunting scenarios
compact so its handy even when going out for a crap
so about 40" , .30 or bigger, 6 3/4 lb range, lever action..........sounds like a 300wsm blr
close encounters
power to stop trouble
fast follow up shots
range for common hunting scenarios
compact so its handy even when going out for a crap
so about 40" , .30 or bigger, 6 3/4 lb range, lever action..........sounds like a 300wsm blr
"When I was out your way a couple times in the past, the host required that I hunt with an empty chamber. I had not problem with that and found it worked very well for the type of hunting done out there.
Is this fairly common in the Yukon?" host or g/o ?
common rule is mt chamber when in company, in our camps
Is this fairly common in the Yukon?" host or g/o ?
common rule is mt chamber when in company, in our camps
wayupnorth
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Northern Alberta
i live at the tip top of Alberta and if im just going out in the bush for play or tagging along with someone who is trying to tag out i take my Ruger Scout in 308 with a forward mounted Leopold.
if im out hunting then its my 300WSM, but thats for hunting at distance.
my dad carries a Henry lever 45/70 and uses the same 300WSM for distance that i do.
ive got a cousin up in the territories and he uses a Ruger #1 in 400 i believe and he has taken pretty much everything with that.
if im out hunting then its my 300WSM, but thats for hunting at distance.
my dad carries a Henry lever 45/70 and uses the same 300WSM for distance that i do.
ive got a cousin up in the territories and he uses a Ruger #1 in 400 i believe and he has taken pretty much everything with that.
- Location
- Southern Vancouver Island
That be my choice as well. With good, hardcast boolit loads these rifles are great performers.
Attachments
BlackPowderBurner
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- the chesterfield
Why complicate things? If you're going to be knocking about in the brush you need something reliable, with good power that you won't worry about scratching up. For less than $300, a No4 Mk1 sporter offers quick acquisition peep sights and a 10rnd mag of 180gr .303 that can be shot off as fast as you can run the bolt. If you drop it off a quad, down a ravine or smash the buttstock over a grizzly's head, replacement parts are cheap and available. Ammo isn't hard to find and the caliber offers excellent reloading and bullet casting opportunities.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
On extended back country adventures, a rifle that can be field stripped without the need of specialized tools has a significant advantage over the others . In this respect, bolt actions similar to the 98 Mauser are attractive. Some examples include current CZ 550s, Brno ZKK 601, 600, and 602 rifles, older Brno ZG-47s, Winchester M-70s, and Ruger's CRF models. On extended trips, rifles that have iron sights are a step ahead of those that don't, although a second scope in QD rings can be carried in a pack.
There are few rifles nicer to carry than a traditional lever action, but IMHO, their disadvantages outweigh their primary advantage. Their chamberings are not in the class of modern hunting cartridges, and range is limited to 150 yards or so. Then there is the question of fragility, both the tang and the magazine tube are subject to damage if the rifle is dropped. Should the rifle get dropped into mud, the traditional lever actions do not lend themselves to detailed disassembly in the field.
The lighter the rifle is, the less fatiguing it is to carry, but the greater felt recoil will be. Cartridge choice should be based on two factors, the size of the game you are likely to shoot, and your ability to handle recoil. Typically .30/06 class cartridges provide sufficient terminal performance, reasonably flat trajectory, and manageable recoil. This is true for many novice riflemen shooting 9 pound rifles, however, the uninitiated will find a 6 pound .30/06 rifle, with a hard butt plate a bear to shoot. If you can shrug off the recoil from a .30/06, a .300 magnum might be a better choice for you, but if a .30/06 proves to be too much of a good thing, consider a .270, if a .270 is too much, consider a 6.5X55. I do not consider a 7.62X39 cartridge suitable for use as a general purpose cartridge in the Yukon. To suggest a 7.62X39 is the equivalent of a .30/06 at 200 yards is not something I'd agree with, but even if it were true, where does that leave you when you're be faced with a 250 yard shot? Choose a full sized cartridge that will drive a moderately heavy for caliber bullet faster than 2500 fps.
An intelligent cartridge choice, the correct length of pull for your build and dress, and having sufficient eye relief between you and the scope's ocular are the best ways to mitigate recoil. Use caution if you intend to shorten the length of the barrel, as even small changes have a direct affect on balance, more so it appears than shortening the LOP; balance is more important to gun handling than weight.
Variable power scopes can enhance the versatility of your rifle, but they tend to have longer eye pieces, so sometimes lead to challenges when mounting with the correct eye relief, particularly if you use a stock with a reduced LOP. If you think you can outrun the scope when the rifle fires, your marksmanship will be poor and there is a scar in your future. A Picatinny rail provides the greatest latitude for ring placement on the rifle. An additional factor to consider when mounting your scope is the height of the rings. The scope should align with your eye when you face is indexed with firm contact on the comb of the stock. Consistent placement of your face on the stock is essential to good marksmanship. If you have to mash you face down hard on the comb, every time the rifle recoils, you will receive a nasty bump on the cheek bone that will rattle your fillings. Conversely, if the scope is mounted so high that you have to balance your chin on the comb, your shooting will suffer.
There are few rifles nicer to carry than a traditional lever action, but IMHO, their disadvantages outweigh their primary advantage. Their chamberings are not in the class of modern hunting cartridges, and range is limited to 150 yards or so. Then there is the question of fragility, both the tang and the magazine tube are subject to damage if the rifle is dropped. Should the rifle get dropped into mud, the traditional lever actions do not lend themselves to detailed disassembly in the field.
The lighter the rifle is, the less fatiguing it is to carry, but the greater felt recoil will be. Cartridge choice should be based on two factors, the size of the game you are likely to shoot, and your ability to handle recoil. Typically .30/06 class cartridges provide sufficient terminal performance, reasonably flat trajectory, and manageable recoil. This is true for many novice riflemen shooting 9 pound rifles, however, the uninitiated will find a 6 pound .30/06 rifle, with a hard butt plate a bear to shoot. If you can shrug off the recoil from a .30/06, a .300 magnum might be a better choice for you, but if a .30/06 proves to be too much of a good thing, consider a .270, if a .270 is too much, consider a 6.5X55. I do not consider a 7.62X39 cartridge suitable for use as a general purpose cartridge in the Yukon. To suggest a 7.62X39 is the equivalent of a .30/06 at 200 yards is not something I'd agree with, but even if it were true, where does that leave you when you're be faced with a 250 yard shot? Choose a full sized cartridge that will drive a moderately heavy for caliber bullet faster than 2500 fps.
An intelligent cartridge choice, the correct length of pull for your build and dress, and having sufficient eye relief between you and the scope's ocular are the best ways to mitigate recoil. Use caution if you intend to shorten the length of the barrel, as even small changes have a direct affect on balance, more so it appears than shortening the LOP; balance is more important to gun handling than weight.
Variable power scopes can enhance the versatility of your rifle, but they tend to have longer eye pieces, so sometimes lead to challenges when mounting with the correct eye relief, particularly if you use a stock with a reduced LOP. If you think you can outrun the scope when the rifle fires, your marksmanship will be poor and there is a scar in your future. A Picatinny rail provides the greatest latitude for ring placement on the rifle. An additional factor to consider when mounting your scope is the height of the rings. The scope should align with your eye when you face is indexed with firm contact on the comb of the stock. Consistent placement of your face on the stock is essential to good marksmanship. If you have to mash you face down hard on the comb, every time the rifle recoils, you will receive a nasty bump on the cheek bone that will rattle your fillings. Conversely, if the scope is mounted so high that you have to balance your chin on the comb, your shooting will suffer.
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I respect your opinion, but the ballistic data and evidence is on my side on this one.
He said he already has a long range rifle that he doesn't want to carry around all the time. This is a rifle for hiking around and exploring.
If faced with a 250yd shot and a 7.62x39mm (or, say, a 30-30), he is in the same position as if he had a 6.5x55 and a 500yd shot. Every caliber has limits.
If he is using open sights (which we both agree are advantageous in the bush), chances are that 250yd shot won't be a realistic option anyway. I know it CAN be done, but I believe it's beyond most hunters.
I agree there are more versatile rounds out there, but I contend that within the realistic 75-100yd shots he might be making while exploring and hiking, a 30-30 (or equivalent caliber) would be a good choice.
Plus, with the cheap ammo available, he might be more inclined to practice with it often and get to know the rifle well.
We might just fundamentally disagree, and that's ok too.
So according to your chart is the 7.62 an equal stopper of animals at close ranges at the 30-06?
Short range isn't an excuse to use an underpowered rifle in my books, especially in areas like yukon and northern bc/alberta
Yes, short light blah blah blah. So is my .338 wm that weights the same and has reciever sights.
I will say I own and hunt deer with one of these rifles and I love it. If I was carrying a gun for "walkabout" purposes which is not really something I do it wouldn't even be on my radar.
You know we can see your location right lmao?
Short range isn't an excuse to use an underpowered rifle in my books, especially in areas like yukon and northern bc/alberta
Yes, short light blah blah blah. So is my .338 wm that weights the same and has reciever sights.
I will say I own and hunt deer with one of these rifles and I love it. If I was carrying a gun for "walkabout" purposes which is not really something I do it wouldn't even be on my radar.
You know we can see your location right lmao?
I did not say that, and I would not say that. Because it's not true.
Yup! You know that doesn't change physics, right?
I haven't always lived in the GTA, if that somehow qualifies your opinion.
OP: you should totally buy a 5.5lb rifle in .460 Weatherby in case, in your hiking, you come across a 600yd shot that you don't want to pass up.
