The Perfect Rifle

[model86]

Some would argue there is no truly perfect gun of any kind. Well...when I think about it I've never had a gun that was perfect from the factory but I've had several that were close.

The one I'll mention here is the current Winchester Safari Express chambered for the 375 H&H cartridge. I do believe the present model 70 guns Winchester is making are the best ever, yes, even better than the pre-64 model 70's.

This Safari Express has one slick action. Whatever they did to make it slicker than the old model 70, I don't know. They call it, I believe, "anti bind" and they named it right.

It's a heavy gun but needs to be. I don't believe I've ever had a gun, out of many, I felt was as reliable as this gun. That's my first and most important question about a gun: "Is it reliable?"

Another recent purchase and gun that might belong in this discussion is my Browning X-Bolt chambered for the Winchester .308 ctg. Man they got things right on this gun! The tang safety, the recoil pad, the short bolt throw, the excellent rotary magazine that feeds straight into the chamber, nice trigger, and light weight. Although I have not shot this gun much it appears that it's very sturdy plastic magazine that is contoured to the round bottom of the fore stock if the best removable magazine I've ever seen--on any type of gun!

Well I can't leave out what is perhaps my favorite gun of all time and that's my super excellent Browning model 86 carbine chambered for the 45-70 Govt. One of the very best guns ever made.

model86--and hence my "name"

 

[jmr40]

I think the Winchester Classics made from 1992 until the factory closed in 2006 were the best of the Winchester 70's simply because they still used the older bullet proof trigger design. Granted some of the rifles built during the last couple of years of production had issues. And out of the box those triggers needed some tweaking. Otherwise those guns combined all of the design features of the pre-64 with much better build quality. Other than the different trigger the new production rifles are just as good. And those triggers are better out of the box. But the design isn't nearly as rugged and foolproof as the original.

I have 2 of the older Classics in SS as well as a new production EW. Mine are SS versions in McMillan Edge stocks but if someone were wanted walnut and blue steel in non-magnum calibers I'd recommend the Featherweight. I have no need for a 375, but those Safari rifles sure are nice.

From left to right. Classics in 300 WSM and 30-06. Rifle on the right is a new production EW in 308.

 

[Coltdriver]

Those recent manufacture Model 70's look good too. I tried real hard to find a Model 70 EW in 270WSM but none were to be found when I was looking. I opted for a Sako instead and that is the only thing I could find that was comparable in form and function.

 

[Coal Dragger]

Perfect for what?

 

[DDDWho]

As we poor people banter back and forth about what to us is the perfect rifle I would submit this H&H double rifle as near perfection in beauty and perhaps function

 

[tark]

As we poor people banter back and forth about what to us is the perfect rifle I would submit this H&H double rifle as near perfection in beauty and perhaps function

Amen The only thing that might come close is a J. Purdy & Son

 

[Robert]

While I love my 375H&H Safari Express I always have to mention that my was terrible out of the box. It patterned like a shotgun. The bedding was worthless and the crown was not cut right. A trip to the local smith had it bedded and had the crown recut. Now it shoots like a dream. That being said I'd not hesitate to buy another Winchester.

 

[dranrab]

Lately I have been drooling over the Winchester EW 264 Win Mags. Winchester makes a fine rifle.

 

[mjsdwash]

As we poor people banter back and forth about what to us is the perfect rifle I would submit this H&H double rifle as near perfection in beauty and perhaps function

How can it be perfect if you can only drive it on sundays? sure is pretty though

 

[swampcrawler]

Personally, I don't believe there is a universal "perfect rifle" that's perfect, or anywhere close to it, for everyone.

But for me, my uses and style of hunting, terrain, etc, it's a TC contender in 357 Maximum.

It's short, light, accurate, low recoiling, deadly to 200 yards or so, easy to load for, and the round can be loaded like a 38 special for very cheap summer time practice.

Yup. Perfect for me.

 

[MCMXI]

I bought a pair of Winchester Extreme Weather rifles in 2012/2013 in .308 Win and .300 Win Mag. While they were markedly better than the Savage Weather Warrior I bought in 2011, they had poorly machined receivers, bolts would "bang" on closing, they were heavy, had average barrel channel fit and weren't particularly accurate. I sold them for a little more than I paid for them. I'd probably buy a Winchester again and spend more time looking for a good one if it weren't for Kimber rifles. I'm done searching for great hunting rifles since I've found them in the form of the Montana and Talkeetna.

 

[Varminterror]

Perfection is obviously subjective to the person, and objective to the application.

For my wife and I, perfection is very different than it might be for most folks. We're avid Ruger revolver fans, and in needing ONE RIFLE to serve all around the world, but not be too grossly overpowered for service on whitetails in the states - in other words, a rifle suiting for bread and butter hunts as well as caviar hunts - we went for a pair of custom blueprinted stainless Ruger M77 Hawkeye's. In choosing cartridges, we knew we needed belted magnum as the base, so hers is a 7RM, mine a 300wm, but hers with a 338wm switch barrel as well as a 416ruger barrel, mine with a 458wm barrel. Irons on the DGR barrels, Leupold VX-3i 4.5-14x50mm mil-dot's for stateside, Vx-6 1.5-6x for overseas. They'll eventually have custom exhibition grade Turkish walnut stocks from Macon, plus a handful of other goodies and upgrades around the horn.

For us, these two would sifficienty let us hunt whatever we want, wherever we want, without having a pair of DGR's sitting in the safe at home all the time doing nothing. Putting whitetail memories on the same rifle as bush memories... Nothing really "Ruger" about them left except the actions. For us, that's perfect.

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

For me, my perfect rifle is a full-on custom job I had built in 6.5 X 55mm Swedish Mauser. It fits me, its a left handed bolt gun, and it's accurate as all get out. At the time I had it built the only commercial choices were either a Mauser G3 or a Blaser. Having the custom made wasn't any more expensive & I was able to control all the factors that were important to me.

My sole objection to the Browning X-Bolt is the lack of material surrounding the magazine well. I don't know just how thick it isn't, but I've seen thicker knife blades.

900F

 

[model86]

I think the Winchester Classics made from 1992 until the factory closed in 2006 were the best of the Winchester 70's simply because they still used the older bullet proof trigger design. Granted some of the rifles built during the last couple of years of production had issues. And out of the box those triggers needed some tweaking. Otherwise those guns combined all of the design features of the pre-64 with much better build quality. Other than the different trigger the new production rifles are just as good. And those triggers are better out of the box. But the design isn't nearly as rugged and foolproof as the original.

I have 2 of the older Classics in SS as well as a new production EW. Mine are SS versions in McMillan Edge stocks but if someone were wanted walnut and blue steel in non-magnum calibers I'd recommend the Featherweight. I have no need for a 375, but those Safari rifles sure are nice.

From left to right. Classics in 300 WSM and 30-06. Rifle on the right is a new production EW in 308.

 

[model86]

jmr40

I'd forgotten about the new trigger. How is it, specifically, less reliable than the pre-64 type?

I will say I could do without a magazine floor plate. Weakens the gun in that area. Remington model 700 ADL, which has no floor plate, could be next on my buy list. Had one of these years ago in 7mm mag.

model86

 

[horsemen61]

For me the perfect rifle is a model 70 in 30 06 if I can't kill it with a 30 06 why am I hunting it.

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Personally, I don't believe there is a universal "perfect rifle" that's perfect, or anywhere close to it, for everyone.

But for me, my uses and style of hunting, terrain, etc, it's a TC contender in 357 Maximum.

It's short, light, accurate, low recoiling, deadly to 200 yards or so, easy to load for, and the round can be loaded like a 38 special for very cheap summer time practice.

Yup. Perfect for me.

I'm right with you well almost for me a T/C Encore in 30/06

 

[Casefull]

 

[Casefull]

My lightweight kimber is my favorite in .308. "Perfect" would be for each shooters needs and wants.

 

[BrocLuno]

Tikka T3 in 308 Easy to carry, easy to point, slick as snot, will do anything walking in this area

 

[tark]

When I think of beauty, elegance and just plain class, it is hard to beat this old Ross M-10 Sporter in .280 calibre. The original 7mm Magnum. First cartridge to exceed 3000 FPS. The action is the slickest and smoothest straight pull I have ever seen, and I have seen em' all. With a round in the mag, pointing the muzzle downward will result in the bolt chambering the round with just its own weight. Being a straight pull, follow up shots are lightning fast.

Ross' military rifles were failures but the sporters were universally praised. Ammo today is a strictly make your own proposition, but the trouble is worth it. The round shoots a .287 diameter bullet and is midway in power between a 280 Remington and a 7MM Remington Magnum.

 

[eastbank]

i had two militery rosses and they shot well with the right loads, chambers were large and cases lasted longer if only neck sizing was done. but i can see why the enfields were well liked by the english soldeirs, certain things made the enfield better for trench warfare than the ross( better extraction,larger magizine). eastbank.

 

[tark]

I'm not a hunter, Eastbank, but it looks like you are, judging from the picture over your name ! When the 280 Ross came out in 1907, with it's 145 gr bullet at 3145 FPS, it was a revelation. Back then they thought velocity was a cure all for everything and the cartridge was used on animals it should not have been. Ask Mr Grey and his experience with an irate lion......oops. You can't....it ate him !

I did loan the rifle to a friend, who reported that it did just fine on a big Illinois whitetail. The leaf sight is a joke....it is marked 0-500 ! Another misconception from the early days of high velocity bullets. The rifle itself is very accurate, back when my eyes were better I got several groups under an inch with 150gr handloads. The flip-up peep sight is broken.

I might make a custom mount and scope it some day. Iron sights on a flat shooting caliber like that are like iron sights on a 7MM Magnum. They waste a lot of the gun's potential because of their inherent limitations. The rifle had been re-blued and the stock refinished before I got it so it's collector value is gone. The bore has a very slight darkening in the grooves, from gas cutting by the undersized .284 diameter bullets the previous owner was shooting. Should use .287- 288 for proper results.

The gun is a relic from a bygone era when men were men and used iron sights....and scopes were for Pirates to gaze at their potential victims.