most common hunting rifle

[Handyman]

This is sort of a , if you could only have one , question . In the recent thread " one hangun , one shotgun , one rifle " , it looks like most would choose the Remington 870 and a 4" 38/357 revolver [ also my choice ] . My question is , if you could only have one hunting type rifle , would it be a 308 , 30-06 or 30-30 ? Would it be a bolt , pump , or lever ? Wich one of these do you think is the most popular/common ? My guess would be that a 30-06 bolt would be the most common followed closely by the 30-30 lever and the 308 would be a distant 3rd . Please don't say it depends on what or where you are hunting , I just want to know wich is the most popular .

 

[Geronimo45]

A Remington bolt-action in .30-06... should be sufficient to take most game in North America.

 

[Werewolf]

Geronimo beat me to it...

A Remington model 700 BDL with synthetic stock in 30-06 would fill the bill as an all purpose hunting rifle in NA.

On the other hand if yur talkin' livin in the boonies and could only bring one rifle I'd be real conflicted between that 30-06 and a good bolt action .22LR.

 

[wildburp]

Best Gun?

None of those are effective against the voracious North American chipmunk; they are too small and move too fast. So, what are you hunting?

wb

 

[OpFlash]

None of those are effective against the voracious North American chipmunk; they are too small and move too fast.

Sounds like a job for a shotgun to me.

 

[rockstar.esq]

Field and Stream did a survey on just this topic. The most common rifle was a Remington 700 followed by the Winchester 70 followed by the Ruger 77, a Savage 110 was in fourth I think. The most popular caliber was actually .270 Winchester followed by 30-06. .308 Winchester was somewhere in the top ten but not as high as you'd think. Ignorance and bravado aside, the .308 Winchester will do just fine in the 30-06's stead. The braying about 200 grain projectiles is from handloaders who're ignoring the standard 30-06 load is a 150 grain projectile. The folks carrying on about how "versatile" it is will often cite the 55 grain sabot "accelerator" load which has a massive reputation for crapulent accuracy which sort of goes against the whole point of a varmint gun.

Bolt actions are more common across the country mostly due to the fact that package guns are commonly availible for lower cost than their semi-auto and lever action counterparts. Plus lots of hunters are wooed by claims that bolt guns are more accurate. Assuming of course that you're pursuing big game at sane distances, the required accuracy for this purpose would be handlily delivered by lever actions built a century ago. Pie plates at 100 yards are approximately the size of a deers vitals. If you can hit that 10 for 10 you'll do fine up to the range that 90% of the big game is shot in the continental U.S.

 

[FireArmFan]

Most Popular would probably be a 30-06 in Bolt Action. but I'm Content with with Remington 7400. 30-06 but in semi auto.

 

[AStone]

After over a year of researching all manner of calibers (.243, .270, .30-06, .308, 7mm08, .260...) in bolts, pumps and levers, my thoughts on this issue are nicely represented by the following post (#131) from this thread.

Most of the ranchers I know here in Colorado use a 30-30 for virtually everything...and open sighted at that. Just like their fathers and grandfathers did. They laugh at the hunter tourists that think they need super calibers to kill deer and elk. Does require some skill though.

Um hmm.

Nem, who is soon to buy a Marlin 336 in .30-30.

 

[TallPine]

Actually, you all might be surprised that the most common rifle in Montana seems to be a bolt action 22-250. People use it for everything from coyotes to elk. At least a lot of the ranchers that I know have one leaning by the back door or banging around in the pickup cab.

 

[Essex County]

I think that maybe the most common hunting rifle may still be a Winchester or Marlin30-30. I noe think the most USED hunting rifle is a ,270 or '06 bolt gun.....Essex

 

[High Planes Drifter]

I guess I'll be the odd man here. I'd go with a Marlin 336 in .30-30. Here in Louisiana, we dont have elk, moose, etc. The largest game here is whitetail, hog, and on rare occasion black bear and cougar. .30-30 is sufficient medicine for those.

 

[JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone]

Well, it sure as hell wouldn't be a Remington!

My 03-A3 in 30-06 or a SS XLR 444 Marlin. If I can't have them, then I gotta stick with my Marlin 336 in 30-30.

-Steve

 

[Lambo119]

My choice would be an old Sako Finnbear delux (bolt) in .338 Win Mag. But for the purpose of this thread I would have to say a Bolt .30-06 would probably be the most common. Just my opinion though.