Walk a bout carbine

[Hookeye]

For a modern rig, an AR in 6.5 Grendel w a 1 to 4x atop

For class, w a bit of weight, a Ruger #1A in .250 Savage.

Have had Model 7, 600 and 660s.
20" is as short as Id go. 18.5" 243 was blasty

Have not handled the Steyr CLII SX in short version. Thought maybe one of those in .308 as my do all. The reg PH was a boat anchor.

 

[Hookeye]

I bought a bayonet for one and I don't even have one!

One day I will, as long as I can stop buying knives. Oh, and bayonets.

Yeah man. I have a minty Stg 57 bayo that needs a rifle.

Thinkin about one in .308. Fair chunk o change though

 

[Buckeye63]

Yeah man. I have a minty Stg 57 bayo that needs a rifle.

Thinkin about one in .308. Fair chunk o change though

I remember those carbines at $150 sometimes less
That was years ago though…
Same time I was buying Mosins for $39-$60

 

[Buckeye63]

For a modern rig, an AR in 6.5 Grendel w a 1 to 4x atop

For class, w a bit of weight, a Ruger #1A in .250 Savage.

Have had Model 7, 600 and 660s.
20" is as short as Id go. 18.5" 243 was blasty

Have not handled the Steyr CLII SX in short version. Thought maybe one of those in .308 as my do all. The reg PH was a boat anchor.

The 6.5 Grendel in a Ruger Ranch would be just about perfect.. if it wasn’t for the expensive ammo
Aldo would make great Whitetail rig

 

[Necessary_Nutrient]

I finally scoped my own “walk about” Carbine today, got the rifle a couple months ago.

Howa 1500 Mini Action Carbon Stalker in 7.62X39. I would have gone with 6.8 SPC but it is not offered.

18” Barrel, Leupold VX Freedom 2-7X33. Weight of the rifle is 4 Lbs, 11 Oz. With scope mounted, its 5 Lbs, 10 Oz.

 

[Pete D.]

Walkabout carbine? How about an m1.?

 

[ThomasT]

Post #2 should have ended the discussion. I have a Ruger American 7.62x39 on my watch list now. I have a bunch of ammo for it too. I like that I wouldn't lose my brass if a I reload for it. To buy the gun and a good scope will cost me $600+ dollars. And I still don't know what it will do that the couple of 30-30 Marlins I already own won't do.

I have an older Remington Model 7 in 7-08 with 18" barrel that would do what you are looking for. Its short, light and accurate. I reload for it and it has accounted for 7 deer and one Coyote so far. Its about as perfect a walking around rifle and caliber as you could ask for.

I also just bought a Henry 22 mag lever action and I'm lovin' that gun. I need to add sling swivels so I can shoulder carry it. IIRC it weighs in the 5 pound range and is a big step up in power over the common 22lr. I wouldn't use it on a deer but a hog or coyote would be fair game out to 75 yards or so. It shoots well enough I was shooting the heads off of turtles in my buds pond out to 40+ yards nearly every shot.

One other gun I would use for your fence checking is my H&R Handi Rifle in 223 caliber. Man what a shooter that gun is. It will stay in the 1" range at a 100 yards all day long.

 

[Necessary_Nutrient]

I also just bought a Henry 22 mag lever action and I'm lovin' that gun. I need to add sling swivels so I can shoulder carry it. IIRC it weighs in the 5 pound range and is a big step up in power over the common 22lr. I wouldn't use it on a deer but a hog or coyote would be fair game out to 75 yards or so

.22 Mag for hogs out to 75 yards? I don't think that's a great idea at all. The write below might be overcautious but has been killing hogs for 4 decades.

Best Guns for Hog Hunting of 2023, Tested and Reviewed | Outdoor Life

Q: What is the best cartridge for hog hunting?
Most any good deer cartridge will do the job, but keep in mind that big boars can be tough to put down and keep down because of the thick cartilage shield protecting their vitals. I’m not a fan of .223 Rem. for hogs. Yes, lots of people kill hogs with the .223 and similar cartridges, often using head shots, but such cartridges are not ideal for many hunting situations. I view the .243 Win. and quarter bores like the .25-06 Rem. as a minimum for hog hunting. It’s hard to go wrong with the best deer hunting cartridges like the 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Win., .308 Win., and .30-06 Springfield. Cartridge choice is actually less important than choice of bullet. With hogs, you want a bullet that’s going to expand, penetrate deeply, and hold together.

 

[Ignition Override]

Upon further reflection:

Would this or a similar version of the FAL "Para" rifle in .308 (many of them are manufactured here by DSA), which is used against heavily-armed African poachers, work ok in American woodlands? The first sentence says "Man and rhinoceros, the (?) best friend".
DS Arms - Rifles

The caption, in this photo, looks exactly like Afrikaans, a Netherlands/ "Dutch" dialect.

 

[troy fairweather]

I finally scoped my own “walk about” Carbine today, got the rifle a couple months ago.

Howa 1500 Mini Action Carbon Stalker in 7.62X39. I would have gone with 6.8 SPC but it is not offered.

18” Barrel, Leupold VX Freedom 2-7X33. Weight of the rifle is 4 Lbs, 11 Oz. With scope mounted, its 5 Lbs, 10 Oz.

View attachment 1156134

Is that the stockys carbon stock, if so they were $300 a while ago I don't even have a mini howa but really wanted one of those stocks.

 

[troy fairweather]

For years I've always wanted to put together a sako l46 with a 6mm-222 of 6x47 barrel, though that would cover a lot of tasks and be nice walking with. Wish my cz 527 wasn't worth so much I've really consisted pulling the x39 barrel and getting a 6mmArc barrel spun up. The howa mini would be good to, I'd like to pick one up soon in 6mm arc and the light contour barrel.

 

[Necessary_Nutrient]

Is that the stockys carbon stock, if so they were $300 a while ago I don't even have a mini howa but really wanted one of those stocks.

That’s the factory stock offering from Howa on their 1500 “Carbon Stalker” model. The action and barrel appear standard but that stock is light! They offer it in several action lengths and a number of calibers

 

[dobedo]

.500 S&W BHA Carbine 8+1 rounds go big or go home.

 

[Necessary_Nutrient]

How heavy is that 500 Smith lever action?

 

[NorthBorder]

That's a da#*d expensive walkabout. And just too beautiful. I'm good with my Rossi 45 carbine.

 

[ThomasT]

22 Mag for hogs out to 75 yards? I don't think that's a great idea at all. The write below might be overcautious but has been killing hogs for 4 decades.

I agree a 22 mag would be a bare minimum for hogs. I wouldn't purposely go hog hunting with a 22 mag when I have a safe full of better rounds. It would be for a target of opportunity. If you look on You Tube there are many videos of people killing hogs with 22lr rounds and dropping them where they stand with head shots. If you look at the ballistics of the 22 mag you will see it has more energy at 100 yards than the 22lr has at the muzzle. And the mag round has far better bullets the the 22lr with its soft lead bullets. So it should work as long as you can pick your shots.





There are more if you look.

 

[mavracer]

.500 S&W BHA Carbine 8+1 rounds go big or go home.View attachment 1156461 View attachment 1156462

Dang for that kinda dough I coulda bought a Brouning model 71 rifle to go with my carbine and still had enough left over for my 1895 Marlin 45/70.

 

[Necessary_Nutrient]

I agree a 22 mag would be a bare minimum for hogs. I wouldn't purposely go hog hunting with a 22 mag when I have a safe full of better rounds. It would be for a target of opportunity. If you look on You Tube there are many videos of people killing hogs with 22lr rounds and dropping them where they stand with head shots.

There are more if you look.

The two videos you show were rested brain shots from maybe 10 yards. A pigs brain is quite small compared to its head size, their skulls are 40% thicker than human skulls. Those were good shots and clean kills but I’m guessing that YouTubers are reluctant to show videos of hunts where they miss and the hog or other animal screeches off to die an awful death much later.

Head shots are chancy at best, and as we’re talking about walking hunts I think it’s clear that vital organ penetrating shots with adequate rifle rounds are the humane approach. This presents a fairly large target zone, can often kill VERY quickly, and ensures a brief period of suffering in most situations.

 

[Buckeye63]

I used to own a Stevens boltaction in 22 mag years ago
I was amazed how much more powerful it was than a 22LR ..

 

[ThomasT]

I used to own a Stevens boltaction in 22 mag years ago
I was amazed how much more powerful it was than a 22LR ..

Do you remember the Marlin Pamplets they used to give out at the gunstores that had all the Marlin line up listed? Then they had a stack of Walnut blocks set up that they shot with a 22lr and a 22 mag then they split the wood and showed that the 22 mag went about 3 times deeper than a 22 round? Use a FMJ bullet in a 22 mag and those suckers dig deep. Stay away from the CCI plated lead bullets in 22 mag. They are great if you want a bullet to stop inside a coyote to save fur damage but they don't penetrate like the real jacketed bullets do.

 

[dobedo]

How heavy is that 500 Smith lever action?

7 pounds 10 ounces

 

[ThomasT]

Well .. I decided to stick with what I’m most comfortable with . Actually my main hunting cartridge 30-30 .. and my old beater 30AS

I think you made a wise decision. Use what you already have and know. Use the money saved to get set up to reload the 30-30. I'm a big 30-30 fan and have around 450 rounds loaded and enough stuff to load another 800 jacketed rounds and a bullet mold so I can cast the bullets if I want. I know you mentioned the problem of getting primers but I am starting to see them in stock more often. Thankfully I bought lots of them when they were cheap so have all I need at this point.

I have a Marlin 30-30 made in 1982 IIRC with the cross safety and a Glenfield 30AS with the half magazine tube I have had for a couple of years and still haven't shot yet. I had one before and remember it being a very accurate rifle. Mine also came with a Marlin branded 4x scope that has three heavy crosshairs and a thin wire from the center up. Is a neat scope I think has a little value to it.