the ultimate Yukon rifle ... your thoughts

Boomer said:
I wonder why that guy has been so silent on the issue; he must be traveling or hunting again.
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You're probably right. :)


Boomer said:
A certain custom Winchester M-70 in 9.3X62 that I recall seeing.
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Yep, and it is a dandy!



Pre '64 Model 70 action in a Brown Precision stock, 21" Shilen barrel, weighs a tad over 7 1/2 pounds as you see it with Leupold 4X and backup irons. NECG banded ramp front, and a receiver site on the rear base that is always there, ready to be folded up when the scope is removed.

Puts a magazine full into less than five inches at 300 meters. That's 328 yards, Gentlemen, and the 270 gr Matrix drops less than eight (that's right eight, not eighteen) inches at that range when sighted in three inches high at 100 yd. Fat enough, fast enough, and flat enough for anything you can hunt here.

Best of all, it was a total surprise gift from a friend, so will always be in the corral.



The rear sight is the same as this one on the other '62.





Having said all that, for someone who is not a handloader, a 30-06 or 300 Winchester Magnum with 180 gr Partitions would be hard to beat for an all around Yukon rifle.

Good to be back!
Ted
 
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30 06 will take down anything in North America. I hunted with one for my first 18 years. I now am using a tikka in 7m REM Mag.
 
Seems like one could carry 220 grain loads for bears and flatter 150 grain loads for caribou if one elected to tote the .30-06 all the time. A .338 or .375 usually adds more weight and length, not to mention recoil and blast, but I can't see why either wouldn't be a good choice too. That 9.3x62 seems like it should be more popular.

I really like the Leupold 4x33mm, though the 1.5-5x20mm is pretty nice too. Can leave it at low power in the thick stuff.
 
The Yukon offers open country, and thick, steep country and flat, so where and for what comes into the equation for the best rifle, just as it does anywhere else. If one is hunting bison in thick cover, or grizzlies in the willows, a large bore diameter can be considered beneficial, even though the .30/06 180 makes the legal minimum for bison. If on the other hand Dalls are one's primary interest, a flat shooting small bore would seem to be a logical choice, and therein lies the conundrum, finding a single cartridge that adequately addresses such a broad spectrum of use. Do it all cartridges tend not to be as good at any one particular thing as niche cartridges, and the further one strays from the optimum, the less useful they become in niche situations. A medium bore size that can drive a mid-weight bullet to 2600 fps will provide the flat trajectory desirable for longish shots. It will also be available with heavy for caliber bullets that provide a sense of well being when making your way along a bison trail in the thick stuff.

A more important element than it's cartridge, should be the rifle itself. Its features should result in a light, quick handling rifle, that will not unduly result in fatigue while afield. IMHO, it should be equipped with iron sights, as well as a low powered variable power scope mounted in QD rings. In such a rifle, a big case .338 or .375 might be seen as being too much of a good thing, where a 9.3X62 or a .350 magnum is more user friendly, if you're concerned with such things. If recoil is a serious problem for you, then a .30/06 with bullet weights from flat shooting 130 gr TTSXs to bone crushing 240 gr Woodleighs has much appeal, where a .300 magnum has similar disadvantages as the big case medium bores, that being a larger, bulkier, heavier rifle, with more recoil. Again, IMHO, a bore diameter that's smaller than .30 caliber is not in the running. The all-around rifle should be one you shoot well, and to that end it must fit you, not only the LOP, but also it's comb height, and eye relief, which can be tricky in a rifle that is to be used effectively with both irons and optics, as QD rings are not available in an extended style, and not everyone appreciates a long one piece rail on a big game rifle. While I normally prefer CRF actions and fixed ejectors, the rifle I'm having built with the Yukon in mind is being configured around a 700 Remington action. If the rifle has a short forend, in an effort to reduce it's weight, placing the forward sling swivel on the radius of the forend tip will prevent a cut hand, and this sling stud location is my preference on my hard kickers as well.

A thick cover bison trail . . .


Open vistas with enough cover to conceal a grizzly or a moose until you step on him . . .


The Model 7 KS in .350 magnum is one answer chosen by Yukoners of much experience, C-FBMI's on the right was kindly lent to me . . .


More important than any other consideration though is soaking up the Yukon, which may well be the ultimate outdoor experience . . .


 
Boomer your pics show exactly the situation why I put together my shortened to 21" barreled Rem 700 LSS (stainless, black grey laminate stock) chambered in 375RUM.

When loaded with 260gr Accubonds @ 3020fps and I have my Leupold VX3 4.5-14X40mm B&C reticle scope mounted I am setup perfectly for those long shots I do not shoot beyond 500 yards only due to not practicing/shooting further.

When loaded with 350gr TSX @ 2450fps and I have my XS Sights tall Weaver backup ghost ring sight installed I am good for the shortest possible distances but wouldn't hesitate if a 200 yard shot presented itself.

I have a Leupold VX3 2-8X36mm B&C reticle scope sitting in the safe that I have been thinking of zeroing on this combo as well so I don't have to think about swapping the scope/ghost ring sights around.
 
Posts like that Boomer provided to us is what makes CGN worth being a member of. Thank you so much for that glimpse of what life, or should I say living, is really about.
 
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