Ultimate rifle

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If I had a $10K budget and didn't already own a rifle I could pick from a half dozen rifles under $1K that would do everything in your criteria. Actually I could pick from 1/2 dozen in my safe. I'd spend the other $9K-$10K on hunting trips.
 
Ultimate rifle? no such thing, depends where youre at. A 45 70 when youre starving and got a shot at a squirrel..... a .22 when you got a bear on your ass? Maybe a good shotgun and you got bird shot and slugs.
 
I'm not sure what the "ultimate rifle" would mean for me. On one level mine would be an HK433 which probably couldn't be had in the US for any amount of money barring a change in regs. I wouldn't have much use for $50,000 safe queen and don't really need anything like that. No knock on anyone that does lust after such a thing. I also don't really think any single rifle could excel at all possible roles. For example the kind of rifle you need to shoot at 1,000+ yards isn't going to be ideal for CQB or home defense, and the ideal gun for stopping a charging Grizzly probably isn't the one you'll use to drop an a pronghorn at 500 yards. Nor will it be a good truck gun or backpacking rifle.
 
I would say an FN FNAR or AR-10/SR25 clone in .308/.300WM or AR-15 in 5.56.

AR10- Ideal for target/long range/defensive use. It will handle any game animal on this continent in a wide array of available chamberings, but would be far from ideal for smaller varmints and such.

Or...

AR-15- w/ 18"-20" bbl, precision rifle build. Ideal for target/long range/defensive use. While this will handle deer, predators, varmints and 2 legged aggressors, it wouldn't do everything in that it would be far from ideal to take on a grizzly or African hunt.

These are the most versatile, wide range of use type rifles I can think of. While they may not do "everything" they are highly versatile. With a slight bias in favor of the AR-15. There are just too many configurations and options that can be easily changed to adapt to your specific mission/criteria. With the ability to swap uppers if you wish and the versatility of the flat top to change optics for cqb/VPO. You can run a HPVO/LPVO with a non magnified red dot for CQ at the same time. The options are literally endless......
 
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jmr40 said:
If I had a $10K budget and didn't already own a rifle I could pick from a half dozen rifles under $1K that would do everything in your criteria. Actually I could pick from 1/2 dozen in my safe. I'd spend the other $9K-$10K on hunting trips.
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Pretty much the approach I'm taking now. My mortgage on my property is done next December and I've still got a few years to work (maybe). I was looking at buying more land, but it's expensive now and there's only so much I want to maintain. So I've started buying Pts in various states, researching guided hunts, and making a "bucket list".

I'm still searching for the "ultimate" Rem M7 build, but it's getting less urgent.
 
I personally don't think there is one ultimate rifle, each one I own, except for one or two nostalgia rifles, has it purpose. I prefer bolt actions but do own a sporting semi-auto in case it is ever needed, I have shot it and am proficient in its use so I can bring it into action should that need arise. I also have a 9mm PCC that I can use along with pistols and revolvers for home defense.

For me, I consider long range at 1000 yards (the length of our local range) savage BA Stealth in 6.5, mid range, Howa 1500 Varmint in .223 with 69 grain bullets, for closer range, Ruger precision in 22 mag and for those days when I want to shoot closer still a Savage BTVSS in .22lr. all these have scopes and I use them for putting holes in paper or ringing steel. I also love my Marlin 30-30 lever for all around use and have used it hunting deer (I suspect a lot of folks have).

I don't want to forget the black powder rifles and revolvers for fun days of just blowing some smoke and seeing what I can still hit with open sights.

I also don't believe their is one Shotgun that is the best, although you could say a 12 or 20 gauge pump is pretty universal. I have singles, pumps and O/Us from .410 to 12 and again, each has its own place in what I like to do.

To each his own, and I know it is just my opinion, but, I would rather have a dedicated tool for the task at hand than a crescent wrench for everything.

D
 
Phaedrus/69 said:
I also don't really think any single rifle could excel at all possible roles. For example the kind of rifle you need to shoot at 1,000+ yards isn't going to be ideal for CQB or home defense, and the ideal gun for stopping a charging Grizzly probably isn't the one you'll use to drop an a pronghorn at 500 yards. Nor will it be a good truck gun or backpacking rifle.
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I used a bit of mental gymnastics and semantics to say The AR15s I’d use in most of your scenarios are “carbine” or “pistol”, leaving ultimate rifle for just long distance stuff
 
I built it 25 yrs ago.....
VZ24 Mauser in 338-06. This cartridge is powerful enough for anything in North America, without the recoil of a magnum
I guess the only drawback, if it is a drawback, its pretty much handload only.
My pet load with it is a 225 Hornady SST over 55.4 gr or VV N-150. 2650fps at the muzzle, and that Douglas barrel puts em in there under 1/2" at 100.
That is my deer load, they go right down no matter if its 50 yds or 250 yds.
 
The OP gave pretty specific parameters: deer and elk hunting, some targets, 600-1000yrds, with a relatively delimited but not extravagant budget of $10,000.

• Defiance Ruckus action, DLC everywhere
• Proof Research carbon fiber wrapped barrel 26” 1/9” twist chambered in 300 PRC
• Manners Compact Gen2 Compact stock w/cheek riser
• Seekins long format bottom metal and 300PRC mags
• TriggerTech Diamond flat shoe
• Seekins rings (lighter than Spuhr)
• Thunderbeast Ultra 7
• Area419 4.5” ARCALock rail just in front of the magwell for tripod
• Harris HBR-S
• Should have just enough room for a Tangent Theta 5-25x56mm with G3XR reticle

Only headache I have there is the choice between AI Lapua length DBM for 300PRC, standard magnum AI DBM + 300win mag instead, and the Seekins long format 300PRC DBM.

Admittedly, I’m too frugal to spend so much for such a hunting rifle/rig. I’d have to come into enough money such I bought all of my other toys, had a ridiculous retirement (not talking just an egg, but a whole grocers’ shelf) for myself and next two generations, paid for my sons and nieces’ and nephews schooling, and still had hundreds of thousands of dollars with which I simply couldn’t fathom what else I could do. I love nice rifles, but I’m far too pragmatic and utilitarian for hunting rifles to put $10,000 against one just for kicks.

I MIGHT be able to justify building this rifle for my son in a couple of years, however...
 
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^^^^That is an ultimate rifle

Any particular reason you’d go with .30 instead of 7mm? Just harder hitting?

With the can I’d assume recoil would be significantly abated.
 
Varminterror said:
The OP gave pretty specific parameters: deer and elk hunting, some targets, 600-1000yrds, with a relatively delimited but not extravagant budget of $10,000.
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No, he said:
redneck2 said:
... Maybe some deer/elk. ....
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(My emphasis added.) Hunting is an optional parameter. We're not all hunters here. We are all shooters. So doesn't have to be a hunting rifle. Why I chose a bullpup.
 
Your "ultimate rifle" sounds like the "one rifle" concept I and others have chased over the years. In the US, the only calibers that need apply are:
o 7mm Rem Mag
o .30-06
o .300 Win Mag

Now, if you want a dedicated long distance precision rifle, understand that some of the attributes needed (long heavy barrel, large optic, probably a bipod) will interfere with the kind of hunting, shooting, and defensive use most of us use our rifles for. The 7mm Mag, '06, and .300 Mag are not the latest, greatest cartridges, but they can, in a pinch and with good ammo, take anything on the continent. They also will be found in backwaters where cartridges with "Creedmoor" in their names may not even be known, much less stocked.

Personally, if I could only have 1 rifle, something like this Mauser might be my choice. Not ideal for truly long or very short range, it still is a versatile piece capable of doing almost anything we might want a rifle to do.

A dedicated long range precision rifle is less my idea of an "ultimate rifle" than something more akin to the Scout Rifle concept.

John
 
Does it need to be 1 rifle?

Call a smith like short action customs, GAP or LongRifles Inc (my favorite, but I’ve only done one) and discuss with them, also invest is some really nice glass (Leupold mk5 3-18 for example)

2 rifle option, 1 Seekins ph2 in 6mm/6.5cm and 1 in 7mm mag/ 300 win mag with matching scopes


I would seriously consider two rifles, one heavier and small caliber for targets and smaller critters, the other lighter for hunting

suppress it/them
 
z7 said:
Does it need to be 1 rifle?

Call a smith like short action customs, GAP or LongRifles Inc (my favorite, but I’ve only done one) and discuss with them, also invest is some really nice glass (Leupold mk5 3-18 for example)

2 rifle option, 1 Seekins ph2 in 6mm/6.5cm and 1 in 7mm mag/ 300 win mag with matching scopes


I would seriously consider two rifles, one heavier and small caliber for targets and smaller critters, the other lighter for hunting

suppress it/them
Click to expand...
Thomson does a switch barrel combo that I have frequently seen for no more than $500 through CDNN. They seem to be out of stock, but the rifles are clearly out there. You could choose something like .22-250 & .308 to cover your 0-500 meter needs below 400 lbs, and get a dedicated long range rifle in a "thumper" caliber like .300 WM...which is an oddly accurate cartridge more than capable of taking elk.
 
I could see something like a Win Model 70 action with a carbon fiber 300WSM/7WSM 26" barrel, carbon fiber stock, nice titanium suppressor after market trigger and the rest spent on glass. Something like Swarovski or Schmidt & Bender.
 
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