What is the best rifle for everything

From witnessing the average hunter at the range shooting dinner-plate size groups at 200 metres, I can't help but be somewhat skeptical when I hear of folks planning 500 yard shots on game.

I know there are some practiced skilled shooters out there, but your average guy, particularly if he's been talked into buying the latest 338 TSM (Turbowhiz Short Magnum) figures all he has to do is point the gun in the vague direction of anything out to 700 yards and like a heat seeking missile, it'll kill his target.

Besides, except for northern caribou hunts, and maybe across a huge clearcut where do you see game at 400 or 500 yards?

Most of my friends don't even see deer when I point to them at 100 yards.
 
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Rugdoc said:
From witnessing the average hunter at the range shooting dinner-plate size groups at 200 metres, I can't help but be somewhat skeptical when I hear of folks planing 500 yard shots on game.

Besides, except for northern caribou hunts, and maybe across a huge clearcut where do you see game at 400 or 500 yards?

Most of my friends don't even see deer when I point to them at 100 yards.
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We hunt a number of locations where 4,5 and even 500+ yard shots are not unusual.
Clearcuts, open plains, Farmland, etc, etc.
That being said, those who hunt should not be blazing away at animals way out there without plenty of practice at long range.
You need to know the exact distance [laser rangefinder], and you need to know where your bullet is at any given range, and you need to know your own limitations.
I also believe that shots over 150-200 yards require a decent rest of some type.
There is a big difference between the "average" hunter and the skilled, practiced one.
Regards, Eagleye.
BTW, your friends need training to see game. Often you do not see the whole animal, only part of it.
 
For many, range in hunting is akin to weight in fishing...the numbers tend to get larger over time and were often misread to begin with. :p
 
Calum said:
For many, range in hunting is akin to weight in fishing...the numbers tend to get larger over time and were often misread to begin with. :p
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I generally discount everything a fisherman says by 33%, and cut all hunting yardages in half. Usually that's being overly charitable.

Haveing said that, 450-500 yards isn't very difficult to a decent shot with a bipod who has the time, place and money to develope that skill. Very few do, or will.
 
Rugdoc said:
From witnessing the average hunter at the range shooting dinner-plate size groups at 200 metres, I can't help but be somewhat skeptical when I hear of folks planing 500 yard shots on game.

Besides, except for northern caribou hunts, and maybe across a huge clearcut where do you see game at 400 or 500 yards?

Most of my friends don't even see deer when I point to them at 100 yards.
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In much of St-Lawrence valley, deer can be shot across fields and long shot are often possible. In the Laurentians, there are thousands of lakes, so moose are often shot across lakes for extremely long range shot (I used to own a 270 WSM because of this alone). In Northern Quebec, trophy hunters pack really big guns for caribou (7 STW).

In short, it depends mainly if the hunting area features agriculture (fields), lakes or is sparsely wooded (up north). Also hitting the vital zone of any medium or large game past 200 yards does require serious shooting skills and practice.

Many of my hunting buddies are under gunned and hunt very successfully with 270 Win and 308 Win rifles but these cartridges lacking killing power at longer range is easy to spot (an expert hunter required 3 308 Win shot to kill a moose at 300 yards). I've notice that younger hunters tolerate recoil better and tend to use 270 WSM, 7 Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag which give an extra 100 yards in effective range.

Strangely, almost no one uses 338 Win Mag or larger calibers in Quebec !?!?

Alex
 
I believe the original post was pertaining to the rifle, not just caliber. In my opinion, the 30-06 in a Weatherby S2 would be my choice for best all round rifle.

Mine has the wood stock, which is quite purdy to look at. The rifle is less than $650 and shoots like a damn. Yesterday shot 165's at 12" gong at 300 yards - 2" groups (sandbag resting).

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Now those of you whom post the "600 yard wonder shots" complete with the outstanding rifle....give your heads a shake. I won't outwardly call BS on your shooting skills, but a 600 yard shot in a critical area on a deer or moose, even with a telescope for glass, is a pretty difficult shot even with the use of a of a bench, tripod, etc.

The post was for an all round rifle, complete with reasonable yardage. I have never shot anything over 300 yards - moose, deer, bear, coyote or even the gopher. Nothing. If it was 600 yards in the bush, it was time to stalk and get closer.

For those normal folks using a 3 x 9 or 4 x 12 glass, look at something 600 yards away, say 18" in diameter (like an average hubcap) - which represents a kill shot zone for a moose....sort of. That's a damn small circle at that distance. Use a stick to support your rifle. Wow...lookit how hard it is to keep those silly crosshairs in that circle....you can even see your pulse move the thing outside the zone. Now picture yourself taking aim at a moose at 600 yards, heart pounding, breathing fast, resting on the first tree you see (hopefully no wind) or that stick you just picked up. Wowsers, those crosshairs just won't sit still. 600 yards my a$$...most people will either wound the animal or miss all together at that range.

For best all round, the 30-06 is readily available in any hardware store, gas station, or grocery store selling ammo. It is lethal to any North American animal within 300 yards and is tolerable to shoot. The ammo can be cheap to expensive - whatever turns your crank.
 
A parker hale or churchill .303 british lee enfield.

You said for "everything", from predators, to moose, to battle. I have a churchil #4 conversion and can hit a 10" gong at 200m with it no problem using the flip up ladder sight, And id have no problem making a 300m shot into a mooses' vitals either. Not super pretty, but i dont care for pretty "working guns". Pretty range guns are a thing of beauty, but not something i feel comfortable pushing bush with or taking into a soggy tent for days on end. Not to mention, the .303 has killed just about everything on earth yet is very comfortable to shoot, and the #4 action is one of the most reliable and quick to cycle actions ever made.

Otherwise, id say, the best gun for everything is not a rifle, but a 12 guage shotgun... pump action, 18" barrel with replaceable chokes, and a rail for a scope.
 
mikeystew said:
A parker hale or churchill .303 british lee enfield.

You said for "everything", from predators, to moose, to battle. I have a churchil #4 conversion and can hit a 10" gong at 200m with it no problem using the flip up ladder sight, And id have no problem making a 300m shot into a mooses' vitals either. Not super pretty, but i dont care for pretty "working guns". Pretty range guns are a thing of beauty, but not something i feel comfortable pushing bush with or taking into a soggy tent for days on end. Not to mention, the .303 has killed just about everything on earth yet is very comfortable to shoot, and the #4 action is one of the most reliable and quick to cycle actions ever made.

Otherwise, id say, the best gun for everything is not a rifle, but a 12 guage shotgun... pump action, 18" barrel with replaceable chokes, and a rail for a scope.
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Overall these sort of threads break down to individual preferences but IMHO you make good points. I have an ugly old Sported pattern 14 (w/original iron sights) that I just can't seem to bring myself to sell (or give away) as it just works to damn good and the ammo is pretty much available everywhere.

Perhaps someday I'll find a new shooter looking for a gun just like it.
 
A close friend of mine has a Model 700 BDL Remington stamped "7mm-06"
I believe these are not common.
It is a 280 Remington, of course.
I have been trying to pry him loose from it, lol.
Regards, Eagleye.
 
Just got mine, a savage 11 in .308 with irons and mounts. I plan to use it for everything from coyotes to moose, if I ever get the chance, as well as target shooting. Money is tight so I am minimizing the collection. Kind of wish I went with 30-06 but me and the moose probably won't know the difference.
It's pre accutrigger but already I have lightened it and shortened the creep a bit, but it's got a wacky mag release so no nice wood stock for me.
 
Well I have only taken one deer at 400 yards with my Tikka 695 7mm mag ( Leupold VX3 3.5X10X40). The rest under 300 yards. That said I like the 7mm mag as I know I could hit a deer size animal out to 500 yards with the time, rest...etc. The 7mm mag would be my go to for a "do it all" caliber. The choice of 175 grain bullets and down should take out anything delicious. :)
 
If I hadn't sold it, my Sako AV 300 win mag with a Zeiss Conquest 3x9x40 loaded with 168 gr TSX bullets was pretty versatile.

Weighed 8lbs 12 oz as I hunted with it.
 
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