What rifle do you carry in the woods all day?

[kimbernut]

Rem. Model 7 in 7mm-08

Remington Model 7 LSS (Laminated Stainless) in 7mm-08 Rem.
Light, compact, handles well, great balance, and plenty of power without going overboard.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Whatever you carry, a good sling makes it easier.

I have carried a Savage 116 stainless/synthetic .30-06 more than any other of my rifles with a 1907 sling.

 

[GarandBragger]

I use my grandfather's Winchester 94 in 30-30. Probably the most beautiful shooting gun I've ever pulled the trigger on!

 

[DM~]

When I was wondering around all day long EVERY day, hunting for food or just adventure, I most times had my Krieghoff Semper in my hands,



Long shots, short shots, brush, open country or rain forest, big game, small game or even birds in flight, it easily covers it all. I don't need to carry one gun for this and another for that, this one is ready for what ever comes along...

It kept me from going hungry, many-a-time!

DM

 

[GBExpat]

Whatever you carry, a good sling makes it easier.

Absolutely! IMO, even a bad sling makes it easier.

All the rifles that I carry when wandering about sport slings. I gave up hand carrying field rifles in my early 20s.

 

[bannockburn]

Years ago my woods rifle was usually a .22 or else a 20 gauge shotgun. Nowadays if I were so inclined to take one with me on a hike it would probably be my Rossi Model 92 carbine in .45 Colt.

 

[HOOfan_1]

I've never been a fan of slings for some reason. Two years ago, I was hunting a HUGE tract of woods, which had a road which had an old...basically logging road looping through it. It was cold outside...probably in the low 30s dropping down to the 20s at dusk, so I was layers up...and I had a dove stool slung on my shoulder, and my 7-8 pound Remington 700. I took the stool to find a place to set up, but I always liked to make the circuit before I set up. So I usually paced myself between a slow walk and still hunting and walked about 6-8 miles in about 3 hours. My arms were jelly from carrying the rifle, and my cloths were soaked with sweat. A sling would have made it much easier, but I just never have liked slings.

 

[Armored farmer]

Recently when I'm bumming around the property with no particular agenda, I have been carrying a H&R Handi-rifle (my fav platform) in .204 Ruger. Unless it is hunting season, I'm probably thinking varmits. The little .204 is flat shooting and when paired with a decent 3x9 is accurate and will get out to 300yds in a hurry. Ballistic tipped bullets aren't likely to hop back up and skip onto neighbors property either.

 

[tahoe2]

when just bummin around in the woods, it's my 6-1/2# M94 in 30-30 (no sling) in a tactical shotgun scabbard across my back. (150 grn @ 2300 fps)
If actually hunting it's my 6-1/2# Spanish Mannlicher in 7x57 with the same type load (160 grn @ 2400fps).
Both are solid hitters and don't destroy meat.
Squirrels & rabbits get head shots only.

the top 2 in the pic;

 

[Picher]

If I'm just going for a walk near the blueberry fields, I'll carry my CZ 455, .22 WMR or a .22 LR handgun; most often, a Beretta 87 Cheetah.

A new .223, Rem 700 CDL Stainless Fluted is on order and it will probably be my favorite walkabout rifle.

If walking about in the spring and probably calling Eastern Coyotes, I like my .243 Win, Tikka T3 or Rem 700.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

If I think I need a non-specific long gun I nearly always take my FR-8.

 

[PRM]

My Rossi 92 357 magnum gets the most woods time these days. - shafter

+1 on this one. Been carrying mine for close to 25 years.

 

[Penoe Hunter]

Remington 700 Mountain rifle stainless arimid sock in 7mm 08 it was a special run for Gander Mountain weighs about 6 pounds

 

[35Remfan]

My favorite woods gun has always been my scoped Marlin 336 in 35Rem. But I am changing it this year to either a new Mossberg 30-30 or a well taken care of Win 94 in 30-30. Neither of these 30-30's has been purchased as of yet. I will probably not scope either.

If squirrel hunting it is my Ruger 10/22.

Macchina if I owed a Marlin 1894 with a quick detactable scope in 44mag that would be my woods gun.

 

[xXxplosive]

In the Maine woods.....Marlin 444 or Rem. 760 Carbine in 30-06.

 

[Cee Zee]

I have great squirrel hunting rifles that I use when I sit down and wait for squirrels to come to me. But for carrying it's just very hard to beat that 795 I mentioned. 4.5 lbs. and plenty accurate. How can that be bad? It's no kids rifle. It's just light and it's accurate enough to hit a squirrel in the head at 40 yards without a scope. I have a sling on it too because they make you a much more accurate shooter. I could carry my CZ 453 and wear myself out but I'd rather enjoy the walk and still be able to harvest squirrels with ease.

 

[Nickb45]

For hunting it's a model 700 ADL in 30-06


For hiking it's an 1894 44 mag. For little critter hunting it's an AR... Or the Marlin.

 

[Water-Man]

The one I've carried the most over the last few years has been a Tikka T3 Hunter 6.5x55 SE.

 

[Robert]

My Winchester Mod 70 Safari Express in 375H&H Mag.

 

[B!ngo]

This response is more of a 'would do' than a 'do' because here in N. CA there isn't a lot of opportunity for armed woods walking but if I did it would be with my left handed Tikka T3 Lite chambered in .223 with a Nikon 2.5-10 laser range finder scope atop it.
The firearm is accurate and smooth operating and the scope and light enough to offset the relatively heavy scope which is a marvel of technology.
A .223 is the jack of all, master of none round for the woods but it's a great pairing.
B

 

[Cee Zee]

This response is more of a 'would do' than a 'do' because here in N. CA there isn't a lot of opportunity for armed woods walking

Really? I'm surprised at that. My uncle lived there for a lot of years and the area he was in was nothing but mountains. He didn't even have electricity for about 15 years. Yeah he was a "back to the land" ex-hippy but he never lost his love for guns. I understood that he carried them around the woods pretty often. He was a firefighter and had to train on a regular basis in areas where the wildlife was pretty wild. Bears, cougars, etc. were a threat I thought. What part of the state do you live in? It's a big state. I'm surprised that it would be that much different though. Maybe he could get away with it more because of being a fireman. Actually he was a fire investigator for a long time so that might have helped too.

 

[hartcreek]

I have a dozen different ones that I carry depending on what I plan on hunting. I have a couple hundred year old model 90s that work great for coyote or rabbit. For Modern Hunting season it mat be one of two hundred year old 25-35s or .32 Winchester. I also can use a SKS or a Mosin or even a Reminton 721 in 30-06. If the odds are good for Forest Grouse I will use my 000 buck in one of my Mossbergs and carry some bird shot too. Heck I have even been known to stroll the woods with one or two of my large revolvers since they are plenty large and legal for deer and bear. I am sure that I will spend some time in the field this year walking around with just my Uberti Walker cuz that will get the job done too.

 

[Milkmaster]

Used to be my Savage model 24 in 22wmr/20ga. Now mostly it is a mini 14 with a sling on it. Plenty ammo, and it will take down most anything I need to shoot.

 

[1948CJ2A]

If I were going for practicality then I'd probably go with my 308 Browning a-bolt. It's my lightest weight rifle, has a 3-9x40 decent scope, a sling, and the cartridge is capable of taking down anything I could possibly encounter where I hunt.

If I were going for nearly the same practicality but showing a bit of favoritism, I'd go with my CZ 550 FS in 6.5x55 Swedish. I've got a little vintage Redfield 4x scope on it with a cheap milsurp leather sling and it just looks so damn cool!

When I'm still hunting in a blind I sometimes bring one of my mags out of the safe just to change it up. But they are noticeably heavier and not quite as much fun to carry as the 2 aforementioned.

 

[steveo452]

When out scouting for deer or just bumming around in the woods, I carry my Rossi 92 in .357 magnum. If It's Deer season I'll have my CZ 527 carbine in 7.62x39.