Your Hunting Rifle

[brybenn]

Accurate enough for the job kinda depends on the job, don't it? That must be fun.

A Win 94 in 30/30 or similar is considered the woods gun for a lot of folk, and I doubt any of em are gonna beat a 5" group at 100 yards from the position they actually shoot from in the woods, likely standing, so hey.

Most of the deer I shoot with muzzleloaders are within 30 yards so it works for me. Deer offer a large kill zone

 

[Spruster]

..........................

 

[mikeyb]

Most important thing for me is first shot/cold bore consistency. When I head to the range I'll shoot 10-round groups with my .22 or .223 for "accuracy", while waiting for my hunting rifle barrels to cool between shots. Good handloads or factory ammo should always shoot to point of aim on the first shot, and repeatably so after cooling down. I want my hunting rifles to do that no matter what the weather is like, no matter what kind of rest I'm using, no matter what my mood is that day or how high the sun is in the sky or whatever. Cold bore consistency is an absolute must.

After that, triggers! I like a light trigger. <2 pounds is perfect for my tastes. I have a lot of nice triggers, from factory Tikka and Bergara/CVA triggers to Triggertech, Jewel, and Timney. Excellent for my tastes in a hunting trigger.

Third would be overall package. Most guns fit me as I'm the stereotypical 5'9" guy with a 42 jacket size. So give me a bolt action rifle in a rigid stock, under 44" overall and under 8.5 pounds scoped in an appropriate cartridge for the game and I'm happy.

 

[BlackRam]

For a pure hunting rifle, this is my favourite. A 7MM Remington Magnum. It is utterly reliable. Has a barrel no longer than 24” that does not sport a brake, has a stock that is completely inert that is designed to point where you are looking whether offhand, prone, or anywhere in between. It has a scope that weighs less than a pound, and has never lost zero. There are no turrets to deal with, or objective lenses big enough to trip over. It is consistently accurate, and has a trigger that is fantastic at 2.5lbs. At 8.5lbs loaded and slung it balances perfectly.

But that’s my choice. Not anyone else’s.

Times 2!
Definitely points that I didn't list in my post!
Only variances would be:
1) I prefer a 3 lb trigger so I can still feel it with light gloves on during colder weather; and
2) An impervious coating to protect against foul weather (teflon or Cerakote)
Nice rifle!

 

[MK2750]

Been reading debate lately on whether a cold bore shot is truly a cold bore or cold shooter issue. Interesting stuff.

Clean bore being outside of the group, that ones a lot more for sure. But cold?

For example

ht tps://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/cold-bore-or-cold-shooter.4047138/

There is cold as in unfired and there is cold as in -20 to -30, like when the Whitetails are moving in Alberta.

In a different life I drove a small freezer truck. My favorite rifle was a Parker Hale 303. It was a re-barreled Supreme model and would shoot right around an inch under normal circumstances. It would throw a flyer 4 or 5 inches out when frozen solid. Needless to say it was no longer my favorite although I did still hunt with it as the cold flyer was consistently predictable enough for bush hunting.

I came to the conclusion after trying many rifles for myself and friends that free floated was the only way to go and pillar bedded in a quality synthetic stock was even better. So it is the stock in relationship to the barrel and action not the barrel itself. I should have worded that differently in my post.

I like to try my rifle several times during the season. This year it was particularly cold for a stretch and then pretty much normal for a stretch. I tried 2 shots on 4 occasions from -20 to +3 and all were within an inch. It is a Sako Finnlight bedded into a McMillan Edge stock. Another rifle that was extremely accurate from warm to frozen solid was a 7600 I had. Of over a dozen wood stocked rifles I have owned over the years all showed some drop off in accuracy from warm to frozen, even when free floated and bedded.

I was raised back east and shot a lot in that environment. This was never a factor. Moist air and relatively mild temperatures make for pretty consistent pressure points.

 

[Joel]

Right on! I hadn't thought of that!

So, it comes down more to stock/action fit and stress changing with extreme cold?

 

[dan belisle]

There is cold as in unfired and there is cold as in -20 to -30, like when the Whitetails are moving in Alberta.

In a different life I drove a small freezer truck. My favorite rifle was a Parker Hale 303. It was a re-barreled Supreme model and would shoot right around an inch under normal circumstances. It would throw a flyer 4 or 5 inches out when frozen solid. Needless to say it was no longer my favorite although I did still hunt with it as the cold flyer was consistently predictable enough for bush hunting.

I came to the conclusion after trying many rifles for myself and friends that free floated was the only way to go and pillar bedded in a quality synthetic stock was even better. So it is the stock in relationship to the barrel and action not the barrel itself. I should have worded that differently in my post.

I like to try my rifle several times during the season. This year it was particularly cold for a stretch and then pretty much normal for a stretch. I tried 2 shots on 4 occasions from -20 to +3 and all were within an inch. It is a Sako Finnlight bedded into a McMillan Edge stock. Another rifle that was extremely accurate from warm to frozen solid was a 7600 I had. Of over a dozen wood stocked rifles I have owned over the years all showed some drop off in accuracy from warm to frozen, even when free floated and bedded.

I was raised back east and shot a lot in that environment. This was never a factor. Moist air and relatively mild temperatures make for pretty consistent pressure points.

Agree, stability is important for any long range shooting. I've had hunting weeks that went from +10 down to -35. Having a rifle that will hit to point of aim (or reasonably close that you can calculate for) with large temp/humidity swings is an invaluable advantage. - dan

 

[Warden70]

1. Proper fit, feel, and balance. Meaning LOP, low scope mountability, and barrel length (20-22” for me) and must carry comfortably.
2. Looks good to me (deep blueing and nice wood).
3. Quality of workmanship - precision machining, good tolerances, accurate and practical.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Must Haves:
1. Bolt action.
2. Consistent accuracy. No skinny, pencil type barrels but still an overall light weight.
3. Light, synthetic stock, but very rigid so that there is no flex in the barrel channel to allow for bipod shots.

Avoid:
1. Mossberg, Savage, Kimber, Howa.
2. Heavy barrels.
3. Wood stocks.

 

[pete dobinson]

For a pure hunting rifle, this is my favourite. A 7MM Remington Magnum. It is utterly reliable. Has a barrel no longer than 24” that does not sport a brake, has a stock that is completely inert that is designed to point where you are looking whether offhand, prone, or anywhere in between. It has a scope that weighs less than a pound, and has never lost zero. There are no turrets to deal with, or objective lenses big enough to trip over. It is consistently accurate, and has a trigger that is fantastic at 2.5lbs. At 8.5lbs loaded and slung it balances perfectly.

But that’s my choice. Not anyone else’s.

I would be happy to hunt with that rifle if it was right handed.

 

[Hmatt]

Goes boom when I tell it to

 

[Spruster]

Interesting
no one has mentioned magazine / clip
removeable or floor

 

[DGY]

Interesting
no one has mentioned magazine / clip
removeable or floor

I don’t care much for detachable magazines, that said I like the Browning BAR system mag in floor plate! Other than that is hinged floor plates on my other rifles that are not single shot!

Question for you, what’s up with the posts with the ……………..

 

[EJG]

Interesting
no one has mentioned magazine / clip
removeable or floor

I did a little earlier in the thread. I use aics or AI type mags on most of my rifles. Reason is at least 5 shot capacity which is handy when taking a few deer in a short space. Also when checking areas by truck, hoping in and out removing cartridges with magazine is much easier. One thing I don't like with the 30-30 marlin.
One rifle I use a lot. The carbon barrel and carbon stock makes it bearable weight wise. Pic, took 4 deer in less than half minute. Due to changing weather getting closer wasn't an option.

edi

 

[track]

I did a little earlier in the thread. I use aics or AI type mags on most of my rifles. Reason is at least 5 shot capacity which is handy when taking a few deer in a short space. Also when checking areas by truck, hoping in and out removing cartridges with magazine is much easier. One thing I don't like with the 30-30 marlin.
One rifle I use a lot. The carbon barrel and carbon stock makes it bearable weight wise. Pic, took 4 deer in less than half minute. Due to changing weather getting closer wasn't an option.

edi

You don't impress me, buddy, with your extreme long range killing rig. "Getting closer wasn't an option", now that is a lie, especially with your little distance chart on the stock. Go learn some field-craft/hunting skill, then I'll call you a hunter.....pathetic!

 

[JIMMY 808]

Don’t think he’s really that far away.

 

[pathfinder76]

You don't impress me, buddy, with your extreme long range killing rig. "Getting closer wasn't an option", now that is a lie, especially with your little distance chart on the stock. Go learn some field-craft/hunting skill, then I'll call you a hunter.....pathetic!

Interesting prospective.

 

[Ardent]

EJG lives in a place where there are no longer any significant natural predators to keep deer in check and there haven’t been for centuries, which should be obvious from the suppressor. I totally understand his perspective and the way they hunt there, which is far different from Canada. Australia, New Zealand also frequently hunt the same way, it’s population control.

I see the point that long range shots are being sought and enjoyed, and in that environment, if it keeps deer in check I’m not against it, or someone enjoying it.

 

[Sun_and_Steel_77]

You don't impress me, buddy, with your extreme long range killing rig. "Getting closer wasn't an option", now that is a lie, especially with your little distance chart on the stock. Go learn some field-craft/hunting skill, then I'll call you a hunter.....pathetic!

So you're a bowhunter then?

 

[hoytcanon]

You don't impress me, buddy, with your extreme long range killing rig. "Getting closer wasn't an option", now that is a lie, especially with your little distance chart on the stock. Go learn some field-craft/hunting skill, then I'll call you a hunter.....pathetic!

Nobody get their panties in a bunch over Track's comments... occasional his Turrets gets the better of him, but he loves guns and shooting and hunting like the rest of us... including EJG... different parts of the globe have different traditions borne of different necessities, and require different tactics... we shouldn't compare our little chunk of dirt to anyone else's.