Opinions on a second/back up elk rifle?

[Northslope Nimrod]

I currently hunt elk with a 30-06. I love the round and am pleased with the performance. However, some days I hike very far in very steep terrain. At times I have carried my 30-30 and have grown to enjoy having a lighter/smaller rifle to carry into tough areas. However, my 30-30 ejects out the top and a typical scope mount does not work. I have stopped carrying my 30-30 because I have determined that a scope is a MUST for me. (long story...but I now refuse to hunt without a scope). I also want the ability to shoot up to 300 yards. So, what is a good caliber and rifle model for my puproses? (ie: lightweight, perhaps smaller than the '06, enough energy for elk, enough distance, and accepts scopes without doing a corner mount)

 

[dakotasin]

remington 700 mountain rifle.
from a purely practical standpoint, ya might as well stick w/ the 30-06.

option 2 would be a weatherby ultra-light. since its a weatherby, ya might as well round it out by chambering to 7 roy or even 270 roy. but again, for practicality, 30-06 would suffice.

 

[Matt G]

I also want the ability to shoot up to 300 yards.

For a backup rifle?!? Perhaps you should just make sure that your backup rifle is a solid, reliable rifle of a reliable caliber.
IMHO, .30-30 is underpowered for elk.

My dad and I took a short No 5 Jungle Carbine SMLE with us as a backup elk rifle. I ended up carrying it when I realized that, in the black timber where we ended up hunting, my long-range .300 Win Mag Sendero was not very helpful. The handy .303 rifle with 180g loads was a pleasure to hunt with. Ours had iron peep sights, but one can get scope mounts for them. For a real speed rifle in the pseudo-scout genre (they're about the fastest bolt actions around), intermediate scope mounts are available.

 

[Dr.Rob]

We keep a back up rifle or two in camp 'just in case.' My elk rifle doesn't have iron sights... if I break a scope it's useless until I get back to civilization.

I hunt in pretty dense forest... while there have been rare opportunities for long shots, the usual shot is well under 100 yards.

Many many elk have fallen to the old 30-30, I suggest it's still potent when stoked with 170gr bullets.

Heck my 'back up rifle' is a 12 ga. shotgun with slugs.

Our 'camp gun' is a Marlin 336 in .30-30.

Now if I was going to BUY a rifle, just to have as a back up I'd look at the CZ 550 American... CZ makes a really nice rifle in a variety of calibers... I wouldn't change caliber... I'd make sure it was sighted in with whatever I was using in my primary.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I always take a back-up rifle when elk hunting -- why risk driving all the way from Arkansas to Colorado, and find your hunt is spoiled because your rifle is broken?

My primary is Bigfoot Wallace, a custom '03 Springfield in .35 Brown-Whelen. My backup is Fionn MacCumhaill, a 1939 Model 70 Winchester with a 3X9 scope and a Redfield peep sight snuggled under the ocular lens of the scope -- sort of backup sights on the backup rifle.

I have often thought about getting a Winchester Classic Featheweight in 7mm-08 and adding back-up iron sights.

 

[askikr]

i use a pre 64 winchester model 70 featherweight 30-06 for mulies. i find it a bit cumbersome to carry through thick areas as well. my back up is an ak47 l im not sure if an ak would be very effective against elk though.

 

[Northslope Nimrod]

Perhaps what I need is a 30-30 that will carry a scope. I was hoping for something with a little more range, but then it seems we are getting into larger/heavier guns. Is there a lever gun with a slightly faster/flatter caliber than 30-30? My cousin sometimes carries a .44 mag lever gun...but that is going the other direction (ie: less distance).

 

[Matt G]

Lightweight Browning Lever Action in .308 would be nifty.

Savage 99 in .300 Savage, for classic, ambidextrous rifle. Oh wait-- it's no good for scoped.

Marlin's 336C comes in .35 Remington, and is side-eject and pretapped for scopes.

 

[Northslope Nimrod]

Help! I've hit a brick wall.

The Remington 700 Mountain rifle was lightweight but it does not come in a left handed action! The Browning BLR is basically the same weight & length as my Remington 700 30-06. I hate to buy another 30-30 since the primary use of the gun will be for taking elk. I believe it is sufficient out to 150 yards but then you pushing it and I prefer to have over-kill rather than just enough. I am really limited being left handed.
Any lever action calibers (other than Browning BLR) that have more range than the 30-30? I need something that will push 200 yards and be effective for elk. (I have given up on 300 yds)
**(Update: Actually I found that Remington does have a Custom Left Handed Mountain Rifle....I'll have to straighten them out at the store....But I'm still not sold on it....the barrel is very thin and would heat up fast)

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Savage 99 in .300 Savage, for classic, ambidextrous rifle. Oh wait-- it's no good for scoped.

That would be news to my dad, who hunted for most of his life with a scoped Model 99. When he was in Sumatra, he took a tiger, and in Ethopia, he killed lion, cheetah, kudu and a lot of other nice trophies.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Guys for light weight Elk rifle that is easy carry and handles like a glass wand there is no other choice than a Kimber-84M. It is the king of small light weight big game rifles. Mine is a .308Win pushes 180 NPT federal He's at just under 2700fps and weighs like 6.5 Lbs with a scope.

One seriously cool rig that can be had for realistic money.

 

[Northslope Nimrod]

I'm gonna call on the Kimber tomorrow. I checked it out online. I hope they make it for Lefties. They only come in a few calibers. BUT...should I decide to buy a new lever gun, which caliber would you suggest? I have looked up the ballistics on just about everything. I am leaning toward the Marlin 444 or the 30-30. I'm still in a quandry. I wish those darn Browning BLR's were lighter & smaller.

 

[epijunkie67]

What about any one of a variety of light rifles in 45-70, 444, 450, or 35 whelen? I don't hunt elk but under 250 yards it seems any of those would do a fine job.

 

[Matt G]

**(Update: Actually I found that Remington does have a Custom Left Handed Mountain Rifle....I'll have to straighten them out at the store....But I'm still not sold on it....the barrel is very thin and would heat up fast)

I must confess that I am utterly clueless as to why this would be a problem in an elk rifle???

 

[rbernie]

Savage 99F in 308 or 358. Any Savage 99 made after a certain point (mid-fifties?) was factory D&Ted for scope mounts. Being a levergun makes then relatively ambidexterous, so long as you don't mind the spent brass ejecting 10" in front of your nose. The F(eatherweight) model weights in at sub-7lbs; it's a really handy package. I've not owned one yet that wasn't a solid MOA shooter.

I also have a Marlin 30-30 with a 16" barrel and 2x scout scope setup. It's quite a handy rig for carrying in the brush, if not exactly a 6.5lb wonder. I'm no expert on hunting elk (never done it) but I'd not imagine that a robustly-constructed 170gr bullet moving at better than 2100fps would fail to get the job done if shot placement were reasonable.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Savage 99F in 308 or 358. Any Savage 99 made after a certain point (mid-fifties?) was factory D&Ted for scope mounts.

The .300 Savage is also a good caliber in the 99 Savage. Here are some nice choices from www.gunsamerica.com :

Savage 99 -300 Savage
GA# 976600401
$450.00
Savage model 99...300 Savage...shell counter...cocking indicator...excellent condition 95%...good bore...4 power scope (included)...Serial #606xxx...early 50,s mfg....buyer pays $30.00 shipping & ins to FFL only
Seller: TITSOON
FFL Dealer: No Area Code: 541 GA Sales: 28


99 F .308 LEVER ACTION
GA# 976631132
$599.00
Savage 99 F made in 1961 22 inch bbl .308 internal rotary magazine with counter ,lever action, wood is checkered bluing at 99% original butt plate previous owner put his driver license number in the buttstock sn 1049xxx $599
Seller: JOSEPH DOMINICK
FFL Dealer: No Area Code: 717

Savage 99 .300Sav Lever
GA# 976496255
$385.00
***Reduced $25*** Previously owned. Gold bead front sight, rear sight has been removed. Brass rotary feed magazine. Blued lever. Thin, 1" Pachmayer Whiteline pad on it. Checkered grip and forend. S/N: 5606xx. Quick release swing swivels. Has Bushnell SportU 4x32 scope installed on Weaver bases. Has had tang receiver sight on it at one time, but not
Seller: CLIFFS GUNS, SAFES & RELOADING
FFL Dealer: Yes Area Code: 208

99A 358
GA# 976633530
$1,950.00 (Note: High price, but .358s are hard to come by)
MODEL 99A 358, 98% BARREL AND RECEIVER, 98% WOOD, WILLIAMS PEEP, LOOKS ALMOST NEW
Seller: WILDWOOD INC.
FFL Dealer: Yes Area Code: 207

 

[dakotasin]

the barrel is very thin and would heat up fast

the barrel is where most of the weight of any given rifle is. ergo, all light rifles are gonna have thin barrels. some guns have lighter actions than others, so you can save a little weight, there, too. eg, a rem 700 action is lighter than a win 70 or ruger 77... but the bulk of the weight and its savings are coming from the barrel.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

But I'm still not sold on it....the barrel is very thin and would heat up fast

The old-timers used to have a saying, "One shot, meat. Two shots, maybe. Three shots, nothin'."

You won't fire enough rounds at an elk to make barrel heat a problem.

 

[Northslope Nimrod]

As for the barrell thing....I will concede. BUT, the local store now tells me that they can't even get me a lefty in these bolt actions. Thus, can anyone talk me into sticking with a 30-30? Or, which Marlin....a .444 or .450....and what is the difference?

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Ask your local FFL holder what he'll charge to do the paperwork if you find your own rifle.

From www.gunsamerica.com

110GLXP (left-hand, .30-06)
GA# 976570258
$495.00
This Savage 10 GLXP is a Left-Handed bolt action rifle wich fires the .30-06 round. It is blued with a 22" barrel. This brand new rifle has an AccuTrigger and comes with a 3-9x40 scope and a hardcase.
Seller: JAY’S GUNS

FFSAVAGE MODEL 11GL
GA# 976578194
$400.00
SAVAGE, 270WSM, LEFT HAND, MODEL 11GL, WOOD STOCK, BLUED BARREL, NEW!!!, IF YOUR LEFT HANDED YOU NEED THIS RIFLE. YOU WILL NOT SEE A BETTER VALUE.
Seller: PADUCAH SHOOTERS SUPPLY
FFL Dealer: Yes Area Code: 270 L Dealer: Yes Area Code: 850 GA Sales: 11

700 BDL LH
GA# 976618119
$425.00
Model 700 BDL; left-handed; 30/06; hinged floorplate; leupold rings and base; wood has few dings; $425 plus shipping
Seller: GEORGIA LOAN AND SALES
FFL Dealer: Yes Area Code: 229

70 LEFT HAND Sporter 30-06 New
GA# 976612658
$679.00
JUST OUT for 05...NIB, Factory New & unfired Winchester MODEL 70 CLASSIC SPORTER, LEFT HANDED rifle in versatile .30-06 Spfd cal. Trim satin-finish Walnut stock features cut-checkering plus a LH cheekpiece for superb balance & precise alignment. Perfect for the proven Controlled Round Feed (CFR) action w/ claw extractor. Classic red Win. pad. Bl
Seller: HARRIS SPORTING /
FFL Dealer: Yes Area Code: 314

 

[Matt G]

A .450 Marlin is a whole different class than the .444. The .444 is basically just a long, faster .44 mag. The .450 Marlin is (ballistically) a cartridge designed to meet the ballistics of the uber-hot overpressure .45-70s that people load up for the Guide Gun. You can also get a .45-70 Guide Gun and either handload or buy Garrett or Buffalo Bore rounds for it, and you'll about match a .450.

They're not very flat rounds, but they're super elk-getters, and come drilled and tapped for scopes.

Savage 99s can't mount scopes over the action.

 

[mustanger98]

Or, if you'd rather have something bigger than a .30-30 and still have the ambidextrous qualities of the '94 Winchester, go with a '94 bigbore in .375Win. if you can find one. If you can do without a scope, I'd suggest a Williams FP/TK.

 

[rbernie]

Savage 99s can't mount scopes over the action.

Sure they can. Not only do they have a 'normal' side eject but for the last, oh, forty years of their production they came factory drilled and tapped for top-mounted scope bases.

Here's a 99A in 308 on AuctionArms with Weaver bases installed, here's a Savage 99 with top mounts and a scope in place, and here's an AuctionArms auction for the bases themselves if the Savage 99 you buy doesn't already have a set installed.

Sure looks to me like scopes work just fine over the action......

 

[H&Hhunter]

Savage 99s can't mount scopes over the action.

Matt.

Son it's never to late to stop smoking crack!!!

Over the action is the only way you can mount a scope on a 99.

I've got an absoloutly gorgeous 99EG with the scnobled forend and 26" barrel in .308.

But it wears ghost rings as I find them to be just so useable!

 

[phantomak47]

My savage 99 in 300sav. was made before 1955 and I had it drilled and tapped. It ejects from the side, so it doesnt hit the scope mount.

I hunt old school!!