Hunting rifle coverages: varmints to heavy hooves

Status
Not open for further replies.
High Plains

High Plains

Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2021
Messages
236
A few weeks ago I posted the list of my four rifles to hunt the world. While a myriad of cartridges can be loaded for varmints and deer or deer and heavier game animals, I think the favorites, for whatever reasons, guide us to believing we can make the shot based. That confidence is from knowledge of cartridge/load ballistics, the controllable variables (or those we are aware of) and even those that bug the snot out of us. For me, that one happens to be reading a mirage and trying to compensate for it.
Favorites are:
Savage 340 in 222 Remington
FN Mauser in 6.5mm Creedmoor
FN Mauser in 280 Remington
VZ-24 in 7mm Weatherby
Weatherby Vanguard in 300 Weatherby
Weatherby Mark V in 300 Weatherby
Hawken 50 cal muzzleloader
 
High Plains, I couldn't tell if you handload but if you do what are your favorite .222 loads?
 
I have a Savage 340B in 222 and a new Savage Walking Varminter in 222. Like them both and they both shoot really well with the same load:

Speer Varmint 52grs FBHP
22.2 grs N133
 
Milt1 said:
High Plains, I couldn't tell if you handload but if you do what are your favorite .222 loads?
Click to expand...
Two great loads with a 52 grain Nosler HPBT:
23.5 grains of H-4895
22 grains of W-748
My dad has a slightly older version of the 340 and the W-748 loads group identically in his rifle and mine.
 
For varmints up tp deer in a pinch; any centerfire 22. I chose 223 simply because I also have several AR's and it simplifies ammo. Strictly as a hunting cartridge there are good arguments for others.

For deer on up to everything short of dangerous game pick any centerfire cartridge that suits you 26 caliber up to 35 caliber. The 24's and 25's are great cartridges for deer size game, but don't shoot bullets heavy enough and with SD's suitable for adequate penetration on the bigger stuff. I know they are used for bigger game at times, but that doesn't make them the best choice. Once you get to 26 caliber the bullet choices are much better for bigger game.

For dangerous game I'd pick 375 Ruger over 375 H&H. It is a touch more powerful, but primarily because it fits in a true long action rifle. There are more options for less expensive rifles in 375 Ruger than 375 H&H. The 375 H&H requires either a magnum action, or a long action that has been modified to make it fit.

Realistically I'll never hunt dangerous game but the 375's are versatile enough to still be used on game like elk, bear, or moose. And if necessary shoot flat enough to be used at ranges in excess of 300 yards. Very similar trajectory to 30-06.
 
My hunting rifle coverage has some overlap:

Small Game: .22lR Ruger 77/22 or Ruger 10-22
Varmints (equals coyotes for me): ,223 Rem M700 XCR Tactical, Rem M7, Homebuilt Aero SPR build
Deer: .260 rem in Rem M7, .270 Nosler M48, .300WM in Rem M700
Elk: .300WM in Rem M7, 8x68S in Steyr Model S, .350 Rem Mag in Rem M7
Dangerous Game: Not planning on it. I realize it's a huge gap should something get loose from the KC Zoo, so I'm assuming risk.
 
I was born on a farm and almost all of my life I have lived in a rural area. To me there are two types of firearms, those for everyday use as tools and those for large game hunting such as deer and hogs. A 22 long rifle or a 20 gauge shotgun is always loaded at my house and ready for any kind of varmint problem and I view them as tools. I never look at my high power rifles as tools and when I pick up a rifle for target or hunting it is a special joy. When I go to my gun cabinet for a high powered rifle I am more likely choose a 30-06 or a 338-06. I also have a newly barreled 280 Remington that I will be using this spring for hogs and maybe deer in the fall. I am picky so it will have to be really user friendly before I will use it as a hunting rifle.
 
Last edited:
Small game through small deer - 22-250. It can be loaded anywhere from 1500fps to 4000fps.

Larger deer- .243 up close or 270 WSM at distance.

Elk- black bear - 270 WSM.

Moose and larger, including brown bear, 376 Steyr. If I had to choose one i owned, the 8x57 is the biggest, excluding the 50 Beowulf.
 
In my own safe I suppose the best two candidates would be a 223/556 or 7mm-08. The former would be a bit light for deer but would work with the right bullet and carefully selected shots, while the latter would be on the heavy side for small game but is about ideal for medium game. I suppose something like a 243 would split the difference better.
 
For varmints to deer a Remington 700 in .243 Winchester.

For hunting in bottoms, brush and broken terrain, a Marlin 336(S) in .30/30 (or my new CVA break barrel .44 Magnum :) ).

For mountain hunting and the open prairies of my (adopted) home state my Ruger M77 in .270 Winchester or Remington 700 in 7mm RM or my Kimber in 6.5CM.

For pesky pigs, that is the one place I might use one of those anemic .223/5.56 modern sporting rifles though rather than putting dents in them I would probably use my Savage Scout .308, my Marlin 30/30 or for more fun the Marlin 1895 .45/70.

For brown bear PROTECTION (as opposed to hunting, no law says I cannot hunt with it ;) ), Marlin 1895SBL with heavy loaded ammo.
 
As I read through this thread I try to understand how it differs than the 4 rifles for the world?

For varmints which is coyotes and feral pigs for me, my 243 would be my go to. It is also covered by my 7mm Rem Mag. All of the coyotes that I have shot have been while hunting something else. 300 win mag works great on coyotes, just don't hit them in the shoulder blades:confused:
Deer big and small (whitetails and elk) I like my 7 mag. Bigger stuff than that I would have to buy a new rifle (darn a reason to buy a new gun :D).

I have loved trying new cartridges and rifles for hunting all of my hunting life, but truth be known at this point in my life my 7mm covers my rifle needs. Of course when the barrel is finally shot out it may wear a tube that throws a different cartridge.
In being able to make all types of shots using one rifle for everything has some merit. It would need to be able to be used in all types of terran that you hunt and set up to do so.

Thanks for the thread.
 
I cheat whenever I can, I built two switch barrel guns, a 225 Win Mag / 357 Super Mag Martini Cadet and a M-70 Classic in 7mm RM / 338 Win Mag. For a backup, I built a MRC 458 Lott. I prefer to do the job right.

I was told I could not build a 357 SM on a Martini Cadet, so I built two. Then built a switch barrel.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

D
  • Locked
Need some info hunting rifles and caliber choice
Replies
22
Views
785
sig220mw
S
B
  • Locked
Hunting Rifles
Replies
11
Views
915
Cosmoline
C
High Plains
  • Locked
“My rifle does the job, too” (My usual response)
2 3
Replies
57
Views
4K
AFDoc
AFDoc
T
  • Locked
Elk rounds
Replies
13
Views
499
CoRoMo
CoRoMo
G
  • Locked
4 Varmint Rifles’ Accuracy at 300 Yards
Replies
18
Views
3K
Geno
G
Back
Top