Lets see some short range rigs

[clearwater]

Foggy whitetail hunt. Might as well bring something for closer in.
Mossberg in 375 Ruger
Plastic for bad weather
1.5X4.5 weaver scope for quick acquisition
Light at 7 lbs with sling and ammo
285 grain cast bullets easy on the shoulder

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

I do not have pictures of all but for me short range rigs are <100 yards guns.

My Lyman Great Plains .54 caplock would likely get the nod on deer or elk.

A shotgun with rifled slugs or even my Blackhawk in .357 magnum with 180 grain Bear Loads would certainly suffice inside of 75 yards.

My Winchester 1892 .357 Magnum (belonged to my great-grandfather) might get the nod for deer especially from a blind or stand out to ~100 yards.

If we were to extend that to say ~200 yards the .300 Savage with 150 grain handloads for deer or the .35 Whelen with 225 grain handloads for elk would be my choices.

Most of my guns constitute what I consider to be medium range big game rifles (good to ~400 yards). These would include .257 Roberts, .270 Winchester, .308 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield.

 

[Blkram]

While I wouldn't call these five "short" range rigs, but rather "mediums", using your example they may be included here:
First is my LH Ruger M77 MkII in 376 Steyr: I should have added that I have taken bull elk at 150 yards and bison at 100 yards with it.



Second would be my LH Ruger M77 MkII in 416 Taylor. I have yet to take game with this rifle.

Third is my LH Rem 700 in 358 Win. I have yet to hunt with this rifle.

Fourth is Winchester Model 88 in 338 Federal. I have taken a bull caribou with this rifle at 158 yards with this rifle.

And finally my LH Sako Model 85 in 338 Federal. This rifle has taken bull moose at 25 and 80 yards, bu;; caribou at 150 yards and a Stone ram at 123 yards.

For "short" range, I would have these two:
First being my Winchester Model 88 in 250 Savage, I have yet to hunt with this rifle, but it will produce 0.209" groups at 100 yards w/ HSM 100 gr SGK ammo!

Second being my Marlin 375 Win. This rifle has taken moose at 100 and 225 yards, bull caribou at 100 yards, and black bears at 5, 20, 35, 40, 70, 80, and 100 yards.

 

[gerry]

Foggy whitetail hunt. Might as well bring something for closer in.
Mossberg in 375 Ruger
Plastic for bad weather
1.5X4.5 weaver scope for quick acquisition
Light at 7 lbs with sling and ammo
285 grain cast bullets easy on the shoulder

View attachment 24340
View attachment 24342

Looks like an older Weaver obviously it's holding up well. Is it waterproof still, what is your load out of curiosity? Very neat set up.

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

I should also add my Winchester 1894 .25-35 WCF! Obviously good enough for deer, I would also use it on elk inside of 125 yards.

Here is a pic of my friend Josh shooting rock chucks with it!

 

[JD338]

For short range....
44 Rem Mags
Marlin 1895Guide 45-70

JD338

 

[RL338]

35 Whelen for short range

 

[Slimfinn]

Winchester 94 -30-30win
Ruger 77/357
Winchester 94 - 375win

 

[Thebear_78]

Leverguns-
357 marlin with 3-9 w/post reticle
44 smith wessen with red dot
Winchester 94 30/30 with peeps
35 whelen Winchester 95 with peep
411/9.3x62 custom Winchester 95 w 2.75 scout

Bolts-
458 Lott on p14 action with peep sights
416 ruger 77 Alaskan with 1.25-5 ziess
9.3x62 scout on p17 action 2.5x leupold

Of the rifles above the marlin 357 has killed far and away the most animals. I can’t count the number of standing corn and swamp whitetails it has collected.

 

[Wolfshead]

I have a couple.
One with peeps and the other scoped.
Winchester model 94 30-30, with Williams peep sights, 6.5 lbs.
For when I need to see better and reach out a little further, my Tikka T3x compact .308 Win, with a Vortex 1.75-5x32 - about an inch longer than my 94 and seven pounds unloaded.
I LOVE my 94, it is so balanced in my hands, and so easy to take for a stroll. The peep sights allow me to still use it, but with my aging eyes it is not as easy as it used to be. I will not put a scope on it as I feel that it takes away from the aesthetics of the rifle. Others may fell different.
So I now have my Tikka and I am confident out to 300 yds if need be and dialed down to 1.75 it is easy to acquire my target in the close woods. I got the Tikka specifically to take the place of my 94 when appropriate.
Handload for both.

 

[Blkram]

I should also add my Winchester 1894 .25-35 WCF! Obviously good enough for deer, I would also use it on elk inside of 125 yards.

Here is a pic of my friend Josh shooting rock chucks with it!

I forgot to include my Win Model 94 SRC in 25-35...and Model 94 Big Bore in 356 Win!

 

[Guy Miner]

Funny how that "range" stuff works out. Probably my shortest range muley was at about 20 yards, with my 25-06 which was set up for 400 yard shots... However some of my rifles are absolutely at their best at modest ranges.

Like Dale/Filmjunkie, I've got a traditional 50 cal cap lock muzzle loading rifle, a T-C White Mountain Carbine. I took two mule deer with it back in the mid 1990's and have hardly even shot it since then. Two shots, two mule deer. I'm satisfied with it. Kept it in case I ever hunt the muzzle loader season again.

Marlin 45-70 with a 2.5x Leupold in Quick Detach rings and with a barrel-mount Skinner aperture sight. Usually load 350 gr soft points at about 2000 fps.
Glenfield 30-30 with an old 3x Leupold. No scope on it in the photo. It shoots well.

Ruger Number One in 375 H&H with a 1.5-5x Leupold isn't really limited to short range. I've shot several black bear with it, farthest was a bit over 300 yards, the shortest was at about 15 feet. That one had been wounded by another hunter and I went into the brush after the bear. Probably not the brightest move ever, but it had to be done.

44 magnum Ruger Bisley Hunter with an Ultradot in 30mm Ruger Rings.
44 magnum S&W 629 with a Dawson Precision fiber optic front sight.

I've also set up three Henry rifles at work for short range, a Henry 360 Buckhammer, Henry 45-70 X-Model, Henry 30-30 X Model.

Regards, Guy

 

[clearwater]

Looks like an older Weaver obviously it's holding up well. Is it waterproof still, what is your load out of curiosity? Very neat set up.

Yes, still waterproof. It originally lived on a Savage Model 24 combo. (Sold that because the 222/20 gauge wasn't legal for anything except grouse according to the local warden. I don't read that in the regs exactly but grouse season overlaps with turkey and big game)

Load is 285 grain gas checked cast flat point with 34.5 grains x5744. 1750 FPS.

 

[FOTIS]

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

Leverguns-
35 whelen Winchester 95 with peep

Would you mind sharing photos of the Whelen? This setup (1895 in .35 Whelen) makes a lot of sense to me. In fact if I was well-heeled enough I would go out and build one right now!

Did you rebore the existing barrel or get a custom barrel?

 

[Thebear_78]

Would you mind sharing photos of the Whelen? This setup (1895 in .35 Whelen) makes a lot of sense to me. In fact if I was well-heeled enough I would go out and build one right now!

Did you rebore the existing barrel or get a custom barrel?

I don’t have a picture of the whelen on my phone as it’s at the smith getting a skinner bolt rider peep installed but it’s the twin to my 411/9.3x62. Only difference is the peep is mounted on the scout rail for the 411 and it has a 2.75 Burris scout on. It. The 35 also has the standard stock and a stainless replacement barrel.

 

[TexasLife]

Closest I have to a "short range rig". Good to 150 yards w/6" barrel and 200 yards w/10".

 

[SJB358]

Awesome pictures fellas. Great thread.

Some rifles used in short range pursuits..






















I can make all kinds of excuses for all kinds of rifles to be used in specific places, but all in all, for short range stuff where you're in the woods a nice optic on a light/well balanced rifle makes a great one for me, and SS/Fiberglass stocks make alot of sense too when stuff gets wet.

 

[JD338]

Awesome pictures fellas. Great thread.

Some rifles used in short range pursuits..




















I can make all kinds of excuses for all kinds of rifles to be used in specific places, but all in all, for short range stuff where you're in the woods a nice optic on a light/well balanced rifle makes a great one for me, and SS/Fiberglass stocks make alot of sense too when stuff gets wet.

That pretty much sums it up.
Nice collection Scotty.

JD338

 

[Blkram]

At the end of the day, a "short range rig" may just be the firearm you have in hand when the opportunity arises at a close distance.
I know of the 3 dozen animals taken with my 7MM STW to date, 4 of them were taken within 50 yards, and 10 were taken within 100 yards. So is there really a wrong answer? I don't think so.
But many of us have firearms of various makes, models or design, and calibres and cartridges that one would typically choose and use specifically for short range work. And it is nice to have a specific tool for this type of work, and that is great too!
Puts a slightly different context to the old phrase "Fill your hand".