If you could only own one rifle

[SJB358]

Yeah, this is not something I would ever admit outside of you all, but I could hunt everything with my M70 338WM and my load of 250 PT's and never be too bad off. I love my Whelen, but I like the Winchester more, so it win's in the one rifle mix.

I don't know many folks with one rifle. I certainly don't condone that behavior either. I know a certain guy that shoots a 300RUM and you could not convince him of anything other than that rifle for just about everything! Can't blame him either, it is a beast and if built in a proper rifle would be an excellent companion for anything here in our world. Scotty

 

[mcseal2]

That is tough.

For me it would be mainly used on coyotes and deer size game, with an elk hunt thrown in every few years. Since it would spend more time shooting yotes and riding in the feed truck than anything else, I'd lean toward something that wouldn't tear my shoulder off when shooting from odd angles, and was short enough to be handy. That rules out all my favorite magnums like my 264, and it still needs enough thump for elk and black bear, with maybe a moose someday.

I guess I'd have to go with a plain old 270 win in a stainless A-bolt or M70 classic with the trigger adjusted to 2lbs and a limbsaver pad installed. I could get decent speed from a 22" barrel and kill most anything I wanted to with a well-placed 140gr AccuBond. I'd find a really accurate load and then build a turret to match the Leupold 4.5x14 CDS scope I'd install. I'd go with the finest reticle I could for precise shooting on yotes also. Since I'm only going to have one, I'd rule out the 280AI, 6.5-06, or 280 Rem because I think they really need at least 24" of barrel. Since I'd be building a turret for 140gr bullets I wouldn't shoot anything heavier anyway, and if my reloads got lost on a hunt the 270 is easy to find ammo for.

By the time a big game season rolled around I'd be really comfortable with it from shooting coyotes with it. I also think if I shot anything bigger full-time my flinch would hurt my results.

Also I guess if I ever had money to go hunt somewhere that big bears live I'd also have the money to buy another rifle.