Help me pick my next hunting rifle. - Page 1

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Help me pick my next hunting rifle.

Posted: 11/22/2014 7:13:45 PM EDT

I currently have a savage 111 in 25-06. I use hornady american whitetail in 117gr.

Hunt quite a bit around this time of year, mostly west texas whitetail / axis with some occasional hill country hog hunting throw in there. Most shots are 100-200 yardswith an occasional one or two around 300 -350 yards.

Here are the stipulations...

-I don't NEED anything else, but I want one... I'm single and only have to justify it to myself which is pretty easily done.
- it has to be available in left handed
- I have access to a 30-06 so I don't want to buy that caliber (dad has one)

I was toying with the idea of .308 or 300 win mag but I'm very open for suggestions.

What would be a good, larger caliber option / progression considering I've already got a 25-06 and plenty of .223?

Posted: 11/22/2014 7:22:10 PM EDT

[#1]

Look for a Winchester Model 70 in 308, or 270.... JMO

Posted: 11/22/2014 7:29:21 PM EDT

[#2]

I had considered a .270 originally but wanted something "unique" so got the 25-06. I feel like a .270 would be too close to what I have now.

Posted: 11/22/2014 7:30:47 PM EDT

[#3]

300 WM? Why do you hate your shoulder?

Posted: 11/22/2014 7:37:58 PM EDT

[#4]

Get one of the new AR10's in .308 Im sure some company makes it for a lefty or make modifications so you can operate it the way that works best for you.

Posted: 11/22/2014 9:11:20 PM EDT

[#5]

This may sound strange, but one idea that has been percolating in my brain is a 7.62 x 39 bolt action. I know it's not really a bolt gun caliber. But it is a good round for deer, and you can get cheap stuff for practice and plinking. And then there are better loads for hunting. I would think in a bolt gun it could reach out to 300-350 without too much problem.

It would be kind of hard for me to justify this as I have a .30-30 and with the leverevolution ammo it carries a little better downrange. Although I haven't tried it. But you can't beat the price of plinking ammo for 7.62 x 39. I'm always all about the cheapest rounds. I also am thinking about a bolt gun in .223/5.56, like the Mossberg.

A .308 would be hard to beat but probably doesn't perform much better than what you have. Besides the fact that .308 can be had cheaper than .25-06.

Maybe you need a sniper rifle clone. M40 or M24. Etc, etc. But that's not really a hunting rig unless you are young and strong and hunt from a stand a lot.

Posted: 11/22/2014 9:12:15 PM EDT

[#6]

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Get one of the new AR10's in .308 Im sure some company makes it for a lefty or make modifications so you can operate it the way that works best for you.

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Wanting another bolt action.

That was the thought process behind me wanting a .308. I plan to build an AR10 so a .308 bolt would be a nice companion.

Posted: 11/22/2014 9:14:32 PM EDT

[#7]

Look into the 6.5 x 55 is a great deer caliber

Posted: 11/23/2014 8:48:40 AM EDT

[#8]

I'm in the same boat as you. Looking for a .308 in a LH bolt action.

Choices are very slim. I don't want to spend a lot of $$ because this gun would not be fired as much as my AR's.

I currently reload for .300blk so I want to stick w/ 30 cal.

I'm seriously considering buying a RH gun just because the overall choices are better and it would give me a reason to practice offhand shooting.

Us lefties are the only ones in our right minds-- I wish the manufacturers would understand that!!

Posted: 11/23/2014 9:35:43 AM EDT

[#9]

7mm-08 is a great cartridge, and if you ever want to get into long range, ther eare bullets you can push SS to 1600 yds

Posted: 11/23/2014 10:35:53 AM EDT

[#10]

Find a .308 with a 18-20" barrel.

Posted: 11/23/2014 11:07:41 AM EDT

[#11]

Id say 7mm Remington mag to get some more horsepower without killing your shoulder and ammo/brass is easy to find. If you want to do something a little different you could re barrel a long action rifle to 338-06 or 35 Wheelen. Brass is easily made from 30-06 brass if you reload and there are factory ammo options. You could do the same in a short action with the 308 case and go to 338 Fed or 358 Winchester.

Posted: 11/23/2014 11:30:49 AM EDT

[#12]

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7mm-08 is a great cartridge, and if you ever want to get into long range, ther eare bullets you can push SS to 1600 yds

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This is my reccomendation as well 7-08 is an awesome round and extremely capable of taking larger game with the right bullet.

My vote is a Winchester model 70 super grade in 7mm-08

Posted: 11/23/2014 12:30:44 PM EDT

[#13]

The model 70 in 308 is what I consider a real universal rifle

Posted: 11/23/2014 2:50:24 PM EDT

[#14]

I've been thinking of the CZ 527 in 7.62x39.

Posted: 11/23/2014 3:22:50 PM EDT

[#15]

.300 WSM.

Posted: 11/23/2014 4:46:11 PM EDT

[#16]

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The model 70 in 308 is what I consider a real universal rifle

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Another vote for this.

Topped with a VX3 or similar.

Posted: 11/23/2014 4:50:23 PM EDT

[#17]

Winchester mod 70 in 300 win mag. Awesome out of the box trigger, great accuracy, and control feed.

Posted: 11/23/2014 6:50:47 PM EDT

[#18]

I am a big fam of the 300 Win Mag.

Posted: 11/24/2014 9:00:36 AM EDT

[#19]

Love my 270WSM for a long range deer killer.

Posted: 11/24/2014 9:36:08 AM EDT

[#20]

If OP has the .25-'06, and access to a .30-'06, then he does not need another rifle in either caliber or in between. That is merely duplicating his present capability. I suggest he go the other direction: big bore. Consider a 35 Whelen. Its that same '06 case as the others but with a thumper 35 cal.bullet. Or better yet, a Marlin lever gun in .45-70. It will handle relatively light 325 grain bullets that are easy on the shoulder, up to the Buffalo Bore .45-70 "Magnum" loadings of 405 grain bullets at almost 4,000 ft. lbs. of energy. Top it with an illuminated low power variable and be confident to take care of business with any two legged or four legged critter in all of North America or just about anywhere else out to about 250 yards.

Posted: 11/24/2014 2:52:30 PM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:
If OP has the .25-'06, and access to a .30-'06, then he does not need another rifle in either caliber or in between. That is merely duplicating his present capability. I suggest he go the other direction: big bore. Consider a 35 Whelen. Its that same '06 case as the others but with a thumper 35 cal.bullet. Or better yet, a Marlin lever gun in .45-70. It will handle relatively light 325 grain bullets that are easy on the shoulder, up to the Buffalo Bore .45-70 "Magnum" loadings of 405 grain bullets at almost 4,000 ft. lbs. of energy. Top it with an illuminated low power variable and be confident to take care of business with any two legged or four legged critter in all of North America or just about anywhere else out to about 250 yards.

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I like your thought process. I plan to get a 30-30 lever action soon'ish but a 45-70 is not out of the question.

I would like to get something in the 30 caliber range, so the 300 WSM, 300 win mag and even the .308 isn't out of the question.

As mentioned, I like the idea of the .308 b/c I can share ammo with my future AR10 build.

Savage is the only maker that I have seen that makes a lefty model in the 300 WSM, unless I am missing something?

Posted: 11/24/2014 3:15:57 PM EDT

[#22]

Ruger American 270

Posted: 11/24/2014 3:35:22 PM EDT

[#23]

I just bought a Savage Axis II in .308 w/ Weaver 3x9 scope from Cabela's not long ago. $350 after a $50 rebate. Decent hunting rifle for a great price. Not sure if they offer them in a lefty version. For what it's worth, I'm left handed, but usually prefer right-handed rifles - so long as the stock has an "ambi" cheek weld.

Posted: 11/24/2014 3:55:45 PM EDT

[#24]

If you want to start playing the "long range game" get a 700 in 308, like a PSS or 5R, with an appropriate scope. I know you are partial to the lefty design, but keep in mind that the mil only issues right hand rifles, and I trained more than a few lefty snipers when I was active duty that did just fine with them. If your hog shots are fairly close, go marlin 3030 with a 4x scope.

Posted: 11/24/2014 10:38:14 PM EDT

[#25]

.308 is boring. Get a medium bore cartridge, something .33, .35, or .375 caliber.

Posted: 11/24/2014 11:03:24 PM EDT

[#26]

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Quoted:
.308 is boring. Get a medium bore cartridge, something .33, .35, or .375 caliber.

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9.3x62mm

Posted: 11/25/2014 4:27:38 AM EDT

[#27]

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9.3x62mm

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Quoted:

Quoted:
.308 is boring. Get a medium bore cartridge, something .33, .35, or .375 caliber.

9.3x62mm

Or .358 Norma Magnum.

Posted: 11/25/2014 9:19:54 PM EDT

[#28]

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Or .358 Norma Magnum.

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
.308 is boring. Get a medium bore cartridge, something .33, .35, or .375 caliber.

9.3x62mm

Or .358 Norma Magnum.

That's what I'm talking about. I'd like a full-stock CZ 550 in a medium bore cartridge.

Posted: 11/25/2014 9:27:40 PM EDT

[#29]

Sako 85 Black Bear 9.3x62

or .308

Posted: 11/26/2014 12:35:48 AM EDT

[#30]

7WSM firing 162 amaxes.

Posted: 11/27/2014 9:05:55 AM EDT

[#31]

I am going to throw out a suggestion for you to ponder. The beauty of the situation is that you have a Savage 111 and a nut and with a pretty small investment you can make it just about anything you want. There are multiple suppliers now of pre-chambered barrels and bolt heads and it is VERY SIMPLE to do. I have several for mine.
For instance. 25-06 has same bolt head as 270, 308, 7mm08, 243 and many others. This means all you have to do is change the barrel using a headspace gauge and a barrel nut wrench and new barrel. Also means for about $350 per caliber, you have a semi-custom rifle. Yes, you can also do short action cartriges in the long action.

Posted: 11/27/2014 9:06:46 AM EDT

[#32]

You had mentioned that being unique trips your trigger a little. Might I suggest something that may have to come in a semi-custom package such as the 338-06.
If like me, the problem that this thread is going to be for you is it is going to plant a lot of "want" seeds!
Have fun with your search,
Tuco