Rifles for the brutal hunt.

I have hunted mountains, timber, in pouring rain, and at -30, and I have never beat up a rifle to the extent that you describe. But if I had to take a rifle that I knew was going to get beat up, it would be the Vanguard that I just purchased for $399.


Good idea!, that stock will keep you warm on those cold mountain nights. ;)
 
Brutal, would seem to be the correct word...........those sound like the most expensive deer in the world......broken stocks, bent muzzles, destroyed scopes, and you say you're having fun? I have been on some tough hunts, cold hunts, wet hunts, high hunts and have been quite successful, but I have never broken a firearm or scope. I have fallen, I have slipped and rolled, and I have had a horse go out from under me and rolled a couple snow machines, never have I broken my rifle. I have seen rifles broken and I do know it happens from time to time, but certainly not with the frequency that you portray............could it be you are doing something wrong?

I was kinda starting to think that, maybe it's been dual purposed as a rifle/machete though.

There is a short barreled lee enfield in the safe that has been delegated for pushing bush, with the scope and mounts it is a $300 rifle I guess, cheap enough not make me cry if it was lost, stolen or broken, but it is short, sweet and efficient.

May I suggest something like the eberlestock backpack, or even the cheaper "Swat" brand ones on the interwebs for about $150, you would free up your hands for some of the bush your climbing through, though risk damaging the bore unless you reinforce the back of the pack with something, it may not be as quick to pull and shoot, but if your in bush thats thick enough to dent scopes and break stocks you probably can't shoot much in that location anyhoo...
 
Have you ever gotten a deer while "dogging"?

From what you describe, if there is any point to being armed, I'd take a $100 break action shotgun with slugs.
 
My roughin it rifle is and always will be my custom sporter 1911 vintage no1mk3 enfield 303. Has served me very well on all the hunts it's been called to duty in the 20 sum years I've been a hunter.
 
I have hunted mountains, timber, in pouring rain, and at -30, and I have never beat up a rifle to the extent that you describe. But if I had to take a rifle that I knew was going to get beat up, it would be the Vanguard that I just purchased for $399.

Exactly what I was thinking. Small investment and no performance drawbacks. Up to now, my choice was a Win 94AE , 30-30, with either iron sights or 2-7x glass depending on my mood that season.
 
rem 7600 in 3006.. i'd like to get some laminate wood on it but i'm afraid of the ear chewin i'd get from the old timers LOL and i also use the black tape trick ! seen too many people/dogs with tree bark,mud,snow in the end of their barrels

Doggin while you have the legs for it !!!! wooot !
 
I have the same Mod70 30.06 that I've hunted with for 35 years. Except for the odd ding/dent in the wood, it looks in very good shape. I store it in the case and oil it every day that I handle it. If its raining I cover the muzzle with finger condoms, sandwich baggies, or fingers cut off from a latex glove. I run the bush just as hard as everyone else, and perhaps its just a bit of luck that "sh*t happens" has never happened to my rifle.
 
I packed a No1 mk3 or a Valtro PM5 for several years in the central interior of BC... I took a few tumbles end over end with both rifles over rocks and logs, submerged them in mud and rivers, used them from +40 to -30c and never had an issue... My new'ish "go to" rifles are a Savage 116 in 30-06 and my Encore in 45-70...
 
Stainless bolt action with a good quality synthetic stock. An HS stocked Ruger 77 would be a pretty solid set up. Try the Leupold scope covers (for their scopes only). What a world of different.
 
Fer getting down & dirty in nasty bush & weather, the Lee Enfield has always been my first choice.(Not to mention my 1st. centerfire.) I place the LE ahead of my second favorite rifle for heavy duty work, the Mosin Nagant 91/30, but only because of the Enfields' speed of operation over the Mosin. A good MN can shoot amazingly straight to distances that defy average folks understanding of what a decent, iron sighted rifle can do.

That said, my most often used rifle back in the day was my Cooey model 39. Got more deer, camp meat & pests with this bugger than any rifle I've ever owned.:)
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For the kind of punishment you are dishing out I would take a Mosin carbine. Bought and sold one this spring. Sold it because I didn't think I had a use for it, now you are making me go hmm...
 
As I force my way through brush with my Savage 116 in 30-06, I curse that 22" barrel regularly. It's rare that any shot over 300M is available, usually under 200M. Thinking about a 35 Whelan barrel, 14" maybe.
 
Interesting thread so far,
Yes, the camp joke is that the venison is the most expensive meat imaginable, and yes, I've shot both deer, and black bear, while dogging. Yep, even while purposely making noise, you can walk right up on a deer, that is staying put like a rabbit. If you don't see it, and you probably won't, as you get complacent while making noise, it will surprise you, and you won't get a shot. If you are good, you know that that deer will only run a short ways, and if you turn silent, you can often get a shot, or at least a second look, by stalking it.
Most of my dogging deer however, have been shot when they stand up, and freeze for a second before bounding off.

My worst beaver pond encounter was a perfect face plant. I slid down a wet moss covered rock face like i had done in the same spot year after year before, but this time it had a touch of ice, and I slid too fast. Instead of stopping at the bottom like usual, the momentum carried me foward off the little ledge of ground at the bottom, and though I tried to stand and turn to grab a tree, I ended up face first with the '94 in the half frozen beaver pond. Took my boots off and drained them, wrung out my socks and walked on.

The guys had lots of laughs when I walked out an hour later. No deer seen either. Hmmm, this is exactly the same spot where the frozen rifle incident took place 30 years later.
 
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