The Rifle We Should All be Looking for?

[Balrog]

I'm curious how many of those prefering iron sights and claiming ability to kill game at distance have actually made one shot kills with iron sights past 200 yards

This is the internet. You are one of the unfortunate shooters who apparently shoots more in the real world than here in cyberspace. Groups shot by internet shooters do not strictly correspond to the same group sizes shot by shooters confined to only the real world.

In general, to convert an internet group size to a real world group size, you have to multiply the internet group size by 3, and then add back in the 6" flyer that was conveniently excluded.

Here in the virtual world, we also consider there to be no difference in groups sizes when you compare an offhand shot in the rain at dusk on a moving animal to a rested shot under perfect conditions at a stationary target of known range.

Also, we assume that if you have ever done it once at the range, you will be able to do it every time in the field.

 

[Steel Talon]

I'll take my papaws 1917 Enfield 30-06 hand me down. Don't need the scope, I'll stick to the flip up vernier sights marked up to 1600 yards. One shot one kill = ]

Even with good glass, picking out a deer size animal at that distance would be a chore in itself. Much less hit it.... However Billy Dixon abuffalo hunter / scout is credited shooting a mounted Souix Indian at a mile with his Sharps 50.

Buffalo hunters prided themselves with their Sharps 50 for long kill shots to the head and heart but Buff are a 6ft x 9ft animal

 

[Motega]

Speculative fantasy thread? Anyway are you a hunter? Speaking as a traditional bowhunter with decades of hunting under my belt, 200 yards on a deer sized animal with or without a scope is going to be LESS common that 20 yards. Id it came down to it, I'd be using whatever I could get the most ammo for. If given unlimited ammo or the opportunity to stock up, the ONLY way to go would be a shotgun with sabots. Where I am anything further than a 75 yard shot is RARE. It is also rare that on any given day, if I have selected my hunting spot carefully I don't have at least a doe come within 50 yards. Usually multiple does at under 20 yards at the very minimum.

Having heart shot decent bucks with my .30-06 at close range I would NEVER do it again if I had my shotgun along. The last one, a small 4 pointer, took one through the heart and then through the liver without more than an inch of flinching. 180 grain Nosler. The third shot hit a far shoulder and he took off. Now I'm sure he woulda keeled over but that sucker was on the side of a 300 yard 40 degree cliff down to a creek and naturally he slid down most of it. My 870 would have pretty much dropped him in his tracks.
Can't comment about what it looks like at 200 yards after the cartridge has time to expand, but I'm looking for close shots where I'm spending a minimum amount of time tracking a deer if it is survival. A .50 caliber hole does that much better at close range than a rifle.
I'd use whatever optics were handy but have backup irons. Iron sights at 50 yards and under are great- in fact a scope sucks in the cold weather, it is constantly fogging.

 

[OhioChief]

Fun question. And in review of all my guns, including my shotguns (which may be the best choice of all), I'd stay with my AR15. I've got a few 22LR scopes if I had to use one, that would be fine. Since Bear isn't in my local hunting needs, a .223 would bring down what I need. light, and accurate. And is still a great gun for personal defense, so I don't see a real down side. I choose my AR15.

 

[OhioChief]

Oh, and since I have about 10,000 rounds already stocked up, the choice was easier. )

 

[earlthegoat2]

This thread was for fun but to also prove a point.

If you want background on me, I also have a rich history of getting close to game animals. I have never used a compound bow for hunting and I come from a state in which I lived in a shotgun zone. I know people can close the gap.

Like I iterated before, the 300 yd range requirement was probably a miscalculation on my part for being a criteria for this rifle. The idea is to get a dead reliable rifle capable of putting food on your table year round so you can eat. Going to the supermarket is not an option.

 

[fireman 9731]

The idea is to get a dead reliable rifle

Thats why I would prefer iron sights over a scope. I make no claims of being a crack shot, but with GOOD iron sights, 300 yards is no problem. Now that the distance requirement has been clarified I think we can justify them even more.

 

[wrs840]

I'm not much of a hunter, but I am a part-time farmer. Standing without support, I can hit a 5 gallon bucket fairly reliably at 100 yards with a 30-30 lever with iron sights and my 52 year old eyes. A used 336 is cheap to buy and feed, easy to transport, and reliable.

I just haven't found a tasty recipe for 5 gallon buckets yet.

 

[AuthorityDenied]

Scout scoped Mosin 91/30

 

[Picher]

You'd still be better off using a .22LR, because most animals available are not deer-sized, but squirrels, snakes, grouse, turkeys, woodchucks, skunks, raccoons, possums, and porqupines. You can also bait deer to come within 50 yards. I realize that it's not legal to shoot some of the above with a .22LR, but if that's all you have to eat...

Regardless, it would be a meager existence without fish and vegetables. As good a shot as I am and with as good equipment as I have, I'd probably starve in less than a month, especially in our Maine winters.

 

[Art Eatman]

Dunno how common it is nowadays, but in the way-back-when it was not uncommon for a wetback ranch hand to "sell" a nice buck to a dude hunter in camp. $5 per point, so there was an incentive program for a poor guy. Generally, the buck had been killed at a stock tank; the hand had sat there all night, waiting, with his .22 rifle.

And the dude had something to take home to show Momma, proving that he hadn't been just drinking whiskey, playing poker, or sneaking off to Boys' Town in Nuevo Laredo. Momma never noticed the bullet hole between the eyes.

Now, I ask you: If a ranch hand can sit there all night, waiting for a deer, why can't anybody else?

Shooting meat is easy, if you get cold-bloodedly and objectively practical.

Seems to me that if one's meat only comes from hunting, forget seasons, time of day and bag limits. There's a reason folks built some sort of cold-storage room, or smoked the meat or made jerky.

Sixty years ago, I was poor. I didn't like poor. Sucked. Once I got loose from Uncle Sugar's Army, a serious part of my deal was to never be poor again. You know what? It really wasn't all that hard, once I figured out that eight hours on salary plus four hours of "side work" made for a fatter billfold.

Don't got no cheap stuff...

 

[BrocLuno]

I'm with Art Eatman on this, but don't care about cheap stuff if it's the right time to use toss away items? I'm also one to say if you have to eat, just do what needs do'in.

22LR will put pot meat on the stove, but you'll hunt out the local area pretty fast, so you'll be moving on. And where is this magic place that this scenario is set in? If it's Wyo with big distances and big wind, this whole game just got harder. Out there on the cousins ranch, I guess it would be a 243 minimum?

Over here closer to the coast and looking for pig or deer, I'm guessing the shot gun with sabot slugs will do just fine. That little pump will knock things down in a baited feeding scenario. If it's turkeys or possum, rabbits or ducks, or squirrels - 22LR all the way.

But, once you have the pot meat, what is the rest of the stew going to be made out of? Where you going to get your veggies and bread? Gun's not a help there

 

[CraigC]

I live in country where I could live on wild meat 365days a year if I wanted. I have zero need for a 300yd rifle and thusly, only own one so-capable. In the woods or across pastures, there is little need for shots beyond 100yds and 150 would be considered a long shot. So I will forego the cheap scope and stick to an $80 receiver sight atop the levergun of my choice. Anything from a good pistol cartridge carbine in .357, .38-40, .44-40, .44Mag or .45Colt on up to the intermediate rifle cartridges in the .30-30 class like the .25-35, 7-30, .32Spl, .35Rem, .38-55, .375WCF, .307 and .356. With the .30-30 serving mighty fine in that role. My current favorite is a 1971 Winchester 94 NRA Centennial Rifle (24" model 64 config) with a Lyman 66 receiver sight or a 1901 vintage 1894 .30WCF 20" short rifle with a Redfield receiver sight. Or one of four big bore pistol cartridge leverguns. A peep-sighted boltgun would do as well but no better. Wouldn't need more than a .250Savage, .257Roberts, .260Rem, 6.5x55, 7mm08 or .308.

 

[rc109a]

I think a TC prohunter (or encore, rossi, H&R, or any other switch barrel single shots) in 06 with a spare barrel in 22mag would be nice (you can use the spare barrel as a crutch, splint, tent stake, etc). Most kills would be made with the 22mag, but the option is still there. Of course both would need iron sights. As far as glass I guess you could get by with the centerline scope and when it breaks there is probably a walmart close by (heck they are just about everywhere now right?...lol) and change it out for another (the reason for the iron sights). That is providing we are going cheap...