For a hunting rifle what would be your choice of only one hunting rifle?

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I made that choice about 10 years ago:
Winchester Model 70 Super Shadow in .270WSM. It came from Walmart wearing a disposable Simmons 8 point 3-9X scope which I immediately replaced with a Burris Fullfield II B-Plex 3-9X. It was to be my sole hunting rifle for rock chucks, coyote, deer, and maybe elk. As time went by, I couldn't resist adding a couple of .223's for varmints, a .243 or two for rock chucks and long range prairie dogs, a 6.5x55 just in case one of my boys wanted to hunt with me, an AR-15 because it looked like they may eventually be banned by the newly crowned "king". So the one rilfe concept didn't really take. If I was to do the same thing today, I probably would just keep my new Marlin X7 in .270 Win. It is more accurate than my new Model 70 Ultimate Shadow in 270WSM, but I think I will keep 'em all. Of course, when my oldest son gets through rebarreling/rebuilding that original Model 70 Super Shadow with a Lilja stainless barrel, that will probably become the ultimate keeper.
 
All good answers.

Another way to look at it: instead of choosing the one and only rifle, think of it as choosing your first rifle for a given purpose. Other rifles will follow.

If this were your first rifle ever, and you also wanted to learn how to effectively shoot a rifle, consider that it takes a while -and lots of expensive ammo- to get there. The bigger the cartridge usually the bigger the recoil and the $. With that comes less practice and slower learning.

A 22LR bolt gun is a great 1st choice if you're not hunting big game or big varmints.

edit: for the animals you mentioned the 308 is fine.
 
338 Marlin Express for a Lever Rifle.

30-06 Bolt would really be my pick though. Or... a 308 bolt (180gr 308win will do for the real big stuff and a 150gr for everything else.
 
I agree with the .308, although I prefer the 30-06. Either is a combo of capability, availability, reseasonable expense and recoil. More capable, 7MM mag or best .300 Win Mag.
1000 yard payload if needed. But you can get by with many lesser cartridges. After all, most game is shot within 300 yards or for most should be. A 30-30 lever action will do it all too without breaking your back, shoulder or bank account.
 
.308 will serve well. my choice is the .30-06, but either provides the versatility, power, and availability that makes for a fine all around hunting rifle.
 
AMMO

When shelves were bare of many calibers last fall. 30-06 was still available.
Plus it will take any North American big game.
Many platforms are available. I prefer the bolt.
Good luck in your choice.
 
just did a gun count the other day , I have 15 center fire rifles and 3 smoke sticks that will take deer size game , only one 308win , but you're right , that is all you really need, however if you want to shoot a bit farther out there ,I'd say go with a 270win , seems I have 4 of them :), wonder why :D , I have in-laws out in Montana and the whole family hunts everything with 270's ,Elk, Deer, Bear, Goats ect,,, everything... I think that is all they own and they don't handload either, but last year I took out my 32rem, 7mm-08 and my 25WSSM , I think next year will be a 270win year ;)
 
Cartridge king is the 30-06. Impala to Eland, Antelope to Grizzly. It handles them all. But there are others that have done it too.

Rifle choice would be a Win Mod 70 in '06.
 
IBEWBULL said:
When shelves were bare of many calibers last fall. 30-06 was still available.
Plus it will take any North American big game.
Many platforms are available. I prefer the bolt.
Good luck in your choice.
Click to expand...
I also live in central WI (Wood Co) Fleet Farm, Wal-Mart, Dunham's , and most of the small shops all had 308win, 7mm-08, 30-30, 243, 270win, 25-06, 7mmWSM , 300WSM, 7mmRem mag, 300winMag , 35rem , along with 30-06 long before deer season opened , rim-fire and hand gun stuff was/is hard to come buy , I think I remember seeing some H&H and weatherby stuff too. most in multiple brands and cals.
 
Years ago, an average arsenal consisted of a "deer rifle", a shotgun, MAYBE a
.22 cal. rifle and MAYBE a handgun.
My first purchase for a "deer rifle" was a Pre-War Model 70 in .30-'06 that has served me very well over the years helping me harvest over 30 PA bucks with it. The rifle with reloads is capable of M.O.A. accuracy also.
 
A bigger caliber rifle might be needed for hunting in Africa etc. but the OP asked what our hunting rifle would be. If I happen to get a chance to go to Africa I'll get a much bigger caliber but that isn't likely for me. Where I live a 30.06 will do it all and you can load it down to .223 levels if you want or even less. It's a versatile rifle and plenty enough for anything I might run into in the woods. Even if I did get a rifle for Africa I doubt I'd take it out to shoot coyotes.
 
That's my ArmaLite AR-10T, 20". That's the route I went anyway; sold everything else to fund an ammo. inventory, reloading equip., and a beautiful scope.
 
Sav .250 said:
This question, in one form or another, has been asked countless times .
Everybody has a favorite so at best it`s opinion driven.
That being said, an original Win 71 in 348 cal.
Click to expand...
Back in the early 60's my Shop Foreman and Mentor owned a Model 71 that I got to shoot on occasion as in "sightning it in". A truly GREAT rifle/caliber combo especially in the 'big woods" here in PA.
My Mentor's son in fact, harvested Black Bears two years in succession using this same rifle.
 
I've thought about this before. If I has only one rifle to hunt with my whole life, I would contact Ruger to see if they could make their M77 Hawkeye Safari in 30/06 for me. Their Safari rifle isn't offered in 30-06 but I'd love one.
 
270. good for smaller vermin ( 130 gr.) up to moose/elk (150 gr). Flat shooting. Not quite as common as the military-but better ballisitcs. And you can usually find ammo now a days.
 
For those game animals caliber doesn't really matter. Everything from 260 up to and including 375 will work. It is just a matter of the ammo you load, the ranges you want to shoot, how much weight you want to lug around, and how much recoil you want to deal with.

For me it would be a SS, CRF bolt rifle in a quality lightweight stock with a quality scope in the 2-7X or 3-9X range. For an all arounder it would weigh between 7-7.5 lbs ready to hunt. That would include scope, mounts and sling. Lighter or heavier could be used for specialized situations, but if limited to one that is a good weight.

A few years ago I would have said 30-06, 270 or 280. Today I'd pick 7-08, or 308 with 260 in the mix and maybe even 243.

If forced to only have 1, this is it. This 308 weighs 7.25 lbs as it sets. Shoots well under 1", closer to .5 and with my handloads would work on anything I'll hunt out to 400-500 yards. Even if forced to use on big bears it will shoot 200 gr Partitions right at 2500 fps. Should work just fine at under 100 yards on anything.

2013cohutta018_zps80d98931.jpg
 
Years ago, an average arsenal consisted of a "deer rifle", a shotgun, MAYBE a
.22 cal. rifle and MAYBE a handgun.
Click to expand...

I'd say that should be a .22 and a shotgun and maybe a deer rifle. That's the way it was in my youth. There was no reason to own a deer rifle because there weren't any deer. They were hunted almost to extinction from the late 19th century through the Depression. I lived on a farm in a very remote area. We had bottom land and a river that ran all year long. The entire time I lived there I saw one deer. I saw it twice. It was a magnificent buck. By the 1980's you couldn't swing a cat without hitting a deer.
 
If I had to pick any of the rifles I currently own, it would be a Rem 700ADL in .270 win. It is instant death on deer with pretty much any 130 gr. bullet at 3100 fps. For elk, the 150 gr. partition will work out to 350 yards as long as the critter is broadside. With a 90 gr. hollow point at 3400 fps, rockchucks simply explode. Mine will hold 5/8" for 3 shots at 100 yards with any of my hand loads. Recoil is very manageable. My experience with the '06 is that it kicks a lot harder, does not shoot as flat, and the bolt actions I have shot are not as accurate. I do love my Garand. Just not as much.
 
Most shooters I have come across shoot a .308 better than a 30-06. If you are recoil intolerant the 30-06 will be the first calibre that will find you out.

With modern powders and premium bullets the .308 remains formidable.

Where I live the .375 is the one calibre hunting weapon. I would sell this rifle last if forced to do so.
 
Though a 308 or 30-06 would be more practical, I would miss my 30-30 lever action the most. The heart would likely win over the head on this decision. Marlin for the lever. As for the bolt, I'd probably choose Winchester.
 
Looks like the 30-06 is winning hands down and the .308 is running in second place, I would of thought the .308 would of been 1st due to surplus ammo. I see now love for the 8mm, 7.62x39, .223, 7.62x54.
 
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