One rifle, one cartridge, one load for everything

['Boo]

One rifle for everything I pursue would be chambered in .338-06 loaded with a 210 TTSX.

Easily a 400 yard cartridge in good hands and hits moose and other big critters like the hammer of Thor. On deer it puts a big hole through and through with a lot less meat damage - think eat to the hole - than any of the 300 magnums.

 

[0faustus0]

There was a time .... when nearly every trapper in the Boreal forest had a Winchester 94 in 30-30 .... and that was his only gun all winter long ... and to keep his pantry stocked ... and till spring arrived and which allowed for the journey to resupply from one of the trading posts.

If the 30-30 worked for so many trappers and bushwhacker in the past .... what is wrong with it today?

 

[AlbertaJohn]

There was a time .... when nearly every trapper in the Boreal forest had a Winchester 94 in 30-30 .... and that was his only gun all winter long ... and to keep his pantry stocked ... and till spring arrived and which allowed for the journey to resupply from one of the trading posts.

If the 30-30 worked for so many trappers and bushwhacker in the past .... what is wrong with it today?

A horse and buggy worked back in the day but you don't see many of them now do you?

 

[skokie]

Marlin 1895CB (9+1 capacity) in .45-70 Gov, Buffalo Bore 405 gr JFN at 2000fps. Lyman Tang Peep sight.

 

[remington jim]

Hard to argue with the 30-06 thats for sure, however there are a few more great contenders.

Always there is Pete - RJ

 

[DOUGLAS D]

There was a time .... when nearly every trapper in the Boreal forest had a Winchester 94 in 30-30 .... and that was his only gun all winter long ... and to keep his pantry stocked ... and till spring arrived and which allowed for the journey to resupply from one of the trading posts.

If the 30-30 worked for so many trappers and bushwhacker in the past .... what is wrong with it today?

Not entirely correct.
They had 32-40’s and 38-55’s and 33WCF’s and 32 Specials and 44-40’s and 45-70’s and they used to get drunk as lords while sitting around coal oil lamps arguing which was better.
I knew a lot of them.

 

[remington jim]

Not entirely correct.
They had 32-40’s and 38-55’s and 33WCF’s and 32 Specials and 44-40’s and 45-70’s and they used to get drunk as lords while sitting around coal oil lamps arguing which was better.
I knew a lot of them.

I Bet you DID ! RJ

 

[DOUGLAS D]

I Bet you DID ! RJ

Yup!
This forum is pretty mild stuff compared to those discussions.
The 38-55 used to win most time because he was bigger/ louder/ and could hold 26 ounces and still stand.

 

[0faustus0]

Not entirely correct.
They had 32-40’s and 38-55’s and 33WCF’s and 32 Specials and 44-40’s and 45-70’s and they used to get drunk as lords while sitting around coal oil lamps arguing which was better.
I knew a lot of them.

Lol ... good point ... I am just trying to imagine those trappers ... arriving in the spring at that distant and isolated Hundson Bay trading post .... trying to buy ammunition in those calibers ..... and realizing that that post did not stock those calibers ....

30-30 was more or less all they had.

 

[Joel]

If that dont sound like a mountain man/trapper I don't know what does. Wish I could have been around for that.

 

[BlackRam]

I would have a tough time paring it down to one of the following:

First, my custom LH Sako AV in 7MM STW scoped with a Leupold VX-3 4.5-14x40 B&C, shooting factory Federal Premium 160gr AccuBonds - have taken 36 head of game over the past 25 years, ranging from antelope to elk, from 15 to 475 yards; or
Second, my customized LH Sako 85 in 338 Federal scoped with a Leupold VX-3 3.5-10x40 B&C, shooting 200 gr AccuBond handloads - have taken moose (80 yards) and caribou (150 yards) with it so far. (my custom LH Rem 700 in 338-06 scoped w/ a Leupold VX-3 3.5-10x40 B&C in QR rings and bases for use with the open sights, shooting factory Wby 210 gr Partitions or handloads w/ 215gr SGKs, would have made the second choice except the rifle is heavier than the Sako in 338 Federal, by 3 lbs)

 

[Ardent]

Everything? .375 H&H with a 270 TSX. Did that for a long time.

 

[DOUGLAS D]

Everything? .375 H&H with a 270 TSX. Did that for a long time.

Screw that! Next Hippo that charges me gets a 500 grain solid at 2200 fps.
Just sayin is all! (;

 

[BigUglyMan]

300 Winmag with 180 Grn Particians.

Or the '06. 95% of people would be just as good or better with the 30-06 and would certainly shoot it better. The 300 is more rifle than most shooters can effectively handle.

 

[pete dobinson]

One rifle one cartridge for this continent or Africa are two different things. Africa isn't in the cards for me. So for this continent I will recommend for others the 30-06, having said that, I don't take my own advice. I reload and have done as long as I've been hunting and I would prefer a cartridge less mainstream. I also prefer to pack a non magnum bolt faced rifle, I find them too bulky for the hunting I do. I mainly hunt deer sized game however I like a cartridge capable of moose or elk out to 400 yards if needed. The rifle I would choose would probably be a Kimber or a M70 with a custom barrel chambered in 280 AI or 7mm RPM. jmo

 

[Longwalker]

I could hunt all my local big game quite efficiently with my Sako AII Deluxe, 3-9x50 Zeiss, .308 Win with 168 gr. TSX at 2700 FPS. Pronghorn, Whitetail, Mule Deer, Black Bear, Elk and Moose. But it wouldn't be as much fun as using specialized rifles and cartridges and loads.

 

[iron cat]

There was a time .... when nearly every trapper in the Boreal forest had a Winchester 94 in 30-30 .... and that was his only gun all winter long ... and to keep his pantry stocked ... and till spring arrived and which allowed for the journey to resupply from one of the trading posts.

If the 30-30 worked for so many trappers and bushwhacker in the past .... what is wrong with it today?

You are absolutely correct!
Almost every trapper I ever met ( me included ) had three guns- a shotgun, usually 12, a .22, and a " heavy rifle",almost always either a .30/30 M94 or a Lee Enfield in .303.
I had other rifles and shotguns, but those were what I used on my traplines
Cat

 

[track]

Bolt action (Model 70 or 700) 30-06, 165 grain Nosler Accubonds.

 

[hawk-i]

Hard to argue against the 30-06 but if there could be only one I'd step it up to 30 caliber mag of one type or another.

One can always down load if so desired.

 

[Eagleye]

Having only one rifle for everything is a sobering thought.

However, if that had to be.....a 30-06 with 180 Partitions
would be fine for anything in this part of the world. EE