One rifle, one scope, one cartridge, one bullet:

C

chuck nelson

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I read a thread titled the same on another site with the following question spawned from what I believe is a book written by Jim Reardon. I think it puts an interesting twist on a rather "oh brother" question. What say ye? I'm still mulling my pick.


"Reading "Alaska's Wolfman" got me to considering choices. Your principle food source and life pretty much depends on the choices you make. You can replace things, but can't run down to Cabela's and get something else easily or quickly. What do you choose?"
 
A .375 H&H with 3.5-10 x 40, shooting 270 grain TSXs. Rifle could be just about anything that works. Funny thing is, it not my favorite cartridge or bullet but together there really isn't much that it can't do. Not only do, but do a first class job.
 
22 inch barrel 30/06 shooting 180 grain Nosler Partitions at 2700 fps in a Mauser 98 action with a synthetic stock. 4x Leupold M8 scope in weaver rings, Low swing safety and bent, extended bolt handle.

That's my go anywhere, do anything gun. 8 1/2 pounds all loaded and ready. Nothing that walks, crawls, swims, or flies could get far if fairly hit.
 
45/70 Levergun with heavy cast flatpoint bullets handloaded to 1600fps or better, scope or no scope, but I'm not a fan of scopes on these heavy kickers. I've seen some pretty good scopes crap out on .45/70s using 480 gr. bullets at 1900fps.
 
I think for the scenario outlined above I would have a LH SS Model 70 with a 21" barrel in a McMillan stock chambered for the 30-06. It would probably wear an older Leupold long tubed M8 3X or 4X scope in Low Burris Zee's on Steel weaver style bases and sport iron sights. It would probably be set up to shoot the 165 TSX.
 
An older all steel CRF boltgun, preferably under 8 pounds, 6.5mm to 8mm cal., heavy N.P.'s or TSX's., 2 1/2 weaver or lyman with post reticle in QRW rings, fixed irons.

Ammo weight comes into it. As does needing some small game loads, the spares and cleaning kit too.
 
Start with a Model 70 Sporter Classic chambered in 270win, replace stock with a McMillian Edge Ultralight stock.

Have barrel cut to 22" and good open sights installed.

Load with 130gr TSX bullets.

Leupold 2.5 x 20 scope in a set of Weaver bases and standard detachable rings.
 
marlin 336 in 45-70 is a heck of a good idea, I would face anything in n america with that combo. let me sight it in with a good 350gr bullet with irons, then mount a 4x shotgun scope on it.
 
Dogleg said:
A .375 H&H with 3.5-10 x 40, shooting 270 grain TSXs. Rifle could be just about anything that works. Funny thing is, it not my favorite cartridge or bullet but together there really isn't much that it can't do. Not only do, but do a first class job.
Click to expand...

Dido! Got a rig set up exactly (except its a 3.5-10X 42mm) as you mention & thought of it when reading the original post!
 
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Trued 700
Gaillard barrel
Remington laminated stock
Kwik-Klip
2 pound 700 trigger
338-06
225 Hornady Interbond
3.5-10x40 Leupold Boone and Crockett
Leupold dual dovetail mounts

I am happy...

33806825pounds-0.jpg

33806target-0.jpg
 
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If pushed into the corner I could do all my big-game hunting with this rifle.

BSA Royal Featherweight (circa 1959) with 24" Bevan King SS barrel chambered in 338-06.

If pushed to use a single bullet, I would use the Barnes 210 grain TTSX which out of my rifle has a muzzle velocity of ~2825 fps and is very accurate.

The rifle is light - 8 pounds scoped with 4 cartridges in the magazine. The 24" barrel gives the rifle a bit of front-end "hang" for easy off-hand shooting.

I had the bridge drilled and tapped for Weaver-style bases and mounted the 3-9 x 40 Elite scope in the very solid - if not good looking ;) - Weaver rings. When first built this rifle ate 2 sets of aluminum Parker Hale rings - as well as a Leupold Vari-X II - with it's substantial recoil. . So far the Weaver/Bushnell have lasted several seasons and the zero has not shifted a bit since first set.

With the action bedded and the barrel free-floated the accuracy is good as any sporter rifle I have owned.

338-06_BSA_2.JPG
 
Well under the opening post premise that you are far from anyplace to get components, in Alaska's backwoods, you would want to be self sufficient as much as possible. Most Alaskans under these conditions pick leverguns in big calibers that they can cast big heavy bullets for safety, and self sufficiency. The corner store may not have a good selection of TTSX and MRX bullets.
 
Mauser, 30/06, fixed four power scope, back-up irons. Stock trigger. The stock could be synthetic or a plain, straight grained, walnut. Weaver steel bases. Leupold QRW rings. Regards, Bill.
 
Depending on whats happening in my life at the time I may have 2-8 different rifles and calibers in my safe sometimes I only have 1 the 1 that I have had since 1986 and it is the one I will have till the day I die 1955 Winchester Model 70 300H+H Zeiss 3.5x10x44 165gr bullet imr 4831 to the tune of 3100fps.+ .Bring on any creature that walks on the planet.
 
If I had to pick out one all-or-nothing rifle it would have to be a reliable 30-06 with 180gr Nosler Partitions and a 4x Leupold scope with iron sights as backup. Benefits of this as opposed to a heavier rifle (say Dogleg's 375) is that you could have a much lighter rifle which allows you to carry more gear or meat. a 10 lb 375 with ammo that weighs half again as much could be a detriment to your operations. The ought-six despite being old and somewhat boring, but she's gotten the job done for many many years. No reason to think that would change.
 
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