Best All Around Rifle?

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Based on the OP's use I'd go with the 223.

I like to shoot and I don't reload or want to. I'm a firm believer that you must continually practice to maintain your skills. You can do that for reasonable money with the military chamberings, because all of the big manuafacturers make a white box version of 223, 308 and 30-06.

You can kill a lot of coyote/varmints for not a lot of money with a AR 15 with a chrome lined barrel. A chrome lined barrel is more than accurate enough for your use and will last 2-3 times as long as some other guns using other varmit calibers. I'm really hoping that the 6.8 spc (or .270 short as I like to think of it) will take off or better yet be adopted in some form by the military. Then I'll build a new upper for the AR.

If you do go with a bolt gun you can't go wrong with the Tikka T3. Everbody I know or have met that owns one loves it. My nephew has one in 30-06 that is unbelievably accurate (even in the real world, not just the internet).
 
If I had to pick just one, I'd pick my Win Mod. 70 EW in .30-06 Spfd with my Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 RapidZ600. Luckily, I don't have to pick just one.

FH
 
chad1043 said:
What range are you going to be shooting?
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To me, "all around" = ALL reasonable hunting ranges... And that's what i expect from my hunting guns.

That's why i don't carry a so called "brush gun", why would i, when i can carry a rifle that will do it all...

My "go to gun" will do it all, as should ANY "all around" hunting rifle...

DM
 
My question was actually for the OP.

DM, You stated that nicely without actually providing a certain rifle you would use as a "All Around Rifle". What would be your "all-around" rifle... exactly?
 
Overall from the OP's comments I think .223, as far as platform depending on
if it is going to be bench style or from a good rest/bipod a savage model 10, 11, or 12.
If some carry in the field with potential for long strings of shots (prairie poodle or other such vermin) I'd lean toward the 11 with it's heavier tapered barrel than say a sporter barrel. Otherwise the varmint/bull barrel of the 10/12 models may be more appropriate.
 
Range I don't really have an answer for. But living in illinois, the biggest thing I can hunt with a rifle are coyotes

Sent from my Samsung Mesmerize
 
After doing some thinking, what do you guys think of building a varminter AR? I've always wanted one, and building should be cheaper, correct?
 
chad1043 said:
My question was actually for the OP.

DM, You stated that nicely without actually providing a certain rifle you would use as a "All Around Rifle". What would be your "all-around" rifle... exactly?
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To ME, "all around" means it's my do all "go to" hunting gun and yes i have one. First off it needs to break down for easy travel/storage/paching/cleaning,

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It needs to have an EXCELLENT scope that can be taken off and snapped back on. ALWAYS going back to being sighted in "perfectly",

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It must be of a big enough caliber/cartridge to cleanly take any and all big game, at all ranges that anyone should be shooting at those animals and be ACCURATE too!

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It must be light enough to carry all day, so mines at 7 pounds,

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And mines been doing the job for me from the first big game animal i shot with it many many years ago,

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To the last one i shot a few weeks ago,

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Now all you have to do is find the one that fits YOUR needs, and works for YOU!

DM
 
I'm looking for a rifle to plink with, and do some coyote/varmint hunting.
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For my needs stated, what would be my best caliber to go with. I'm guessing a .223, .22-250, or .243?
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If you are not interested in anything larger than coyote, then I would go with the .223. Its a widely accepted "varmint" round with many different loadings, and cheap plinking ammo is easy to find, too.

There are a huge number of .223 bolt actions available in your price range. My first choice would be a Savage Model 10 or 12, configured the way you want (stock and bbl), although Browning, Remington, Ruger and others all make good guns in this caliber, too. If you prefer a semi-auto there are at least a couple options for decent quality AR-style carbines that can be found with a little searching for less than $600 (I'd go with the S&W M&P 15 Sport as I own one and know its a great buy for the money. There are at least one or two other good quality pre-built AR in that price range, or you could assemble your own from parts).
 
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Keeping in mind your opening post, a .223 (or 5.56 mm) seems like a very good option. Now that the ammo and semi-auto rifle shortages are over, 5.56mm is flooding the stores and there are shelves full of AR-15 rifles. Some of the rifles are close to your budget.

I am not recommending that you build your own, though I'm sure that you could do it. If you do want to consider that in more detail be sure to get Brownell's catalog supplements for AR-15 M16 & AR-type .308. Everything you could possibly need plus how-to videos etc. are contained therein. Visit brownells.com.

Good luck.

PS: being originally from northwestern Illinois near the Rock River, the Rock River brand has always intrigued me! Though I know little about it.
 
The 243 is one caliber that is very accurate and you can load as light as 55gr or up to 100+ so there is an all round gun Savage 11 or Winchester 70 Good luck
 
Whiteoak is awesome, and Bushmasters are fine, too. If you are interested in an AR varminter, there are lots of options for getting it exactly how you want it. They can be very, very accurate.

IMHO, for your actual stated purposes, I wouldn't even consider another caliber but .223/5.56, whether you go bolt or semi.

You will get more accuracy per dollar with a bolt (like a Vanguard, Tikka, Howa, or Savage), but you can get extremely accurate semis that are a lot of fun to shoot. Pick the style you want to own, that turns you on. Then concentrate on finding that exact right rifle, if you are looking at bolts, or exactly what you want your rifle to look like, how long you want the barrel to be, etc, if you go with an AR.

Then, spend your money, and have fun!
 
shod you be lucky enough to find one, a 98 swedish mauser in 6.5x55 makes a very accurate exotic and usually reasonably priced choice. I handload 85 and 90 grain bullets with great success for target and whitetail shooting. Would be great for varmints too!
 
sixgunner455 said:
Whiteoak is awesome, and Bushmasters are fine, too. If you are interested in an AR varminter, there are lots of options for getting it exactly how you want it. They can be very, very accurate.

IMHO, for your actual stated purposes, I wouldn't even consider another caliber but .223/5.56, whether you go bolt or semi.

You will get more accuracy per dollar with a bolt (like a Vanguard, Tikka, Howa, or Savage), but you can get extremely accurate semis that are a lot of fun to shoot. Pick the style you want to own, that turns you on. Then concentrate on finding that exact right rifle, if you are looking at bolts, or exactly what you want your rifle to look like, how long you want the barrel to be, etc, if you go with an AR.

Then, spend your money, and have fun!
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That's my train of thought, I want to have fun with the rifle! I think I might start off with a prebuilt Bushmaster or RRA varminter (not counting out building). After that, I can always buy a shorter carbine upper, or something else.
 
All round rifle....... Ok, for me that is: 1) the 30 calibler family, and 2) a semi-automatic.
I chose an AR-10 rifle for my all round rifle. Another option would be a 30-06. Both 308 and 30-06 can be used for varmit all the way to big game in North America with reasonably priced ammo. I'm not saying the <.308 diameter rounds won't get the job done, I just think the .308 family covers it better.
 
Now don't shoot me just yet, but what about the Mini 14/30? I've always wanted one, but have been told they have horrid accuracy. Reading about them, it seems as the older models had problems with accuracy and not as strong of a barrel, and the new ones are much improved. I figure the Mini 14/30 would be a perfect fit, I'm looking for an all around fun gun. Don't need anything to shoot sub-moa, just do some plinking and the occasional 'yote hunt. Any insight is welcome. Would the Mini 14 or 30 be better fit for me? How common is the 7.62x39 to find, and what is the price compared to the .223/5.56? Accuracy of either?

EDIT: I'm torn whether to get a the cheap option above, or just say screw it and get an AR and end it. If I would, I don't know whether to go the tactical route with a 16" barrel, or get a varminter with a 24" barrel (or the predator with a 20" barrel).
 
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Tikka T3 lite in .223. The only loads I have found that won't shoot less than 1.5" are steel cased commie rounds. I have a Savage 12FV that is as accurate but it weighs around 10 lb. and that is just too much to lug around hunting coyotes.
 
i bought a savage axis in 223 yesterday, just for yotes. couldn't pass on the "sale" 235.00 price tag. mounted a 3-9x40 scope and zeroed it with hornady 55gr a-max bullets this am. every 3 shot groups was under an inch at 100 yards. as one would expect from such an inexpensive rifle, action, trigger, and over-all appearance was rough, but the thing shoots great (which at the end of the day is all that matters to me). ymmv.
 
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