The “New do all rifle” thread (great thread) got me thinking about what a do all rifle is or can be. There seems to be a bunch of threads around talking about general purpose rifles like they are suddenly something new or exciting. Except for the thread mentioned, the rifles featured also seem to be more specialized than general purpose. At least in my opinion. The truth is, that do all rifles, like me, are older than dirt.
Mine is an old custom left hand Winchester Model 70 7MM Remington Magnum built 20 years ago by Bill Leeper. It’s on its third barrel, and second McMillan stock (the original was swapped out when a new pattern became available more than 15 years ago).
It has had a lot of receiver work done to it including the regular action truing steps. But it has also had ejection port modifications which required new scope base holes in the receiver bridge. A custom magazine box, that holds four belted cartridges, and follower were fitted to the bottom of the receiver. Bolt handle modifications were done, custom bottom metal and a Winchester copy trigger fitted. Its stock is a McMillan Echols pattern and the barrel is a fairly slender #2 contour 24” in length.
An all around rifle certainly does not need to be custom. This rifle came out of the box as a 7MM RM and it could just as easily have done the same thing virtually unmodified. A Remington 700, Ruger 77, or Tikka etc as well.
Cartridge selection could run the gamut with equal success. My Grandfather did it with a 22 Savage Highpower, My dad with a Remington 700 7MM Remington Magnum, My uncles with Winchester Model 70’s and Remington 700’s in 270 and 30-06, my brother with a WBY MK V in 7MM WBY, my cousin with a Remington 700 and Ruger in 280 Remington. The list goes on.
I’m a far gone rifle nut so have used countless other rifles. But the desire to do that is diminishing. Here is a small sampling of what my 7MM has taken over the years. It works and with its current load selection it has a MPBR of close to 390 yards. For 90% of hunting conditions that is a huge asset.
Mine is an old custom left hand Winchester Model 70 7MM Remington Magnum built 20 years ago by Bill Leeper. It’s on its third barrel, and second McMillan stock (the original was swapped out when a new pattern became available more than 15 years ago).
It has had a lot of receiver work done to it including the regular action truing steps. But it has also had ejection port modifications which required new scope base holes in the receiver bridge. A custom magazine box, that holds four belted cartridges, and follower were fitted to the bottom of the receiver. Bolt handle modifications were done, custom bottom metal and a Winchester copy trigger fitted. Its stock is a McMillan Echols pattern and the barrel is a fairly slender #2 contour 24” in length.
An all around rifle certainly does not need to be custom. This rifle came out of the box as a 7MM RM and it could just as easily have done the same thing virtually unmodified. A Remington 700, Ruger 77, or Tikka etc as well.
Cartridge selection could run the gamut with equal success. My Grandfather did it with a 22 Savage Highpower, My dad with a Remington 700 7MM Remington Magnum, My uncles with Winchester Model 70’s and Remington 700’s in 270 and 30-06, my brother with a WBY MK V in 7MM WBY, my cousin with a Remington 700 and Ruger in 280 Remington. The list goes on.
I’m a far gone rifle nut so have used countless other rifles. But the desire to do that is diminishing. Here is a small sampling of what my 7MM has taken over the years. It works and with its current load selection it has a MPBR of close to 390 yards. For 90% of hunting conditions that is a huge asset.
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