Probably going to thin the herd...

B

bobnob

Handloader
Nov 3, 2012
678
11
I'm going through some rationalisation of my modest rifle battery and looking to divest a few, and consolidate into a small handful of hunting rifles.

In line to be offloaded are my trusty 270 Win Zastava, the little BSA in 250 Sav AI, a couple of clunky, old and heavy 308 Wins, a sporterised 303 Brit Lee Enfield and sundry others.

Looking to retain three current staples, my Zastava Stainless in 30-06 with Walnut stock and 23.5" bbl; the Marlin GBL (JM made) in 45-70 and the modest but handy little RAR Compact in 223 Rem.

Will also hang onto my modest old LR Omark in 308 Win for banging steel gongs with the boys and knocking off pigs from a distance, staking out water holes of an evening.


To round out the modest battery, I'm looking for one more hunting weight rifle with a barrel around 22 inches and no more than 6.75lb naked. Stainless and either synthetic or composite stocked. Middle of the road re price (think something in the Sako A7, Win M70 bracket) and able to cop some treatment without fretting over a ding or three.

Intended purpose is quite general; lots of walking around stalking pigs and deer, some shooting from a vehicle, a little from a stand.

Pigs and deer of all sizes are the primary game.

What do you guys think?

Was inclined toward the Sako A7 in 308, but interested in the new Kimber Hunter in 6.5CM. The Montana is out of the price range as it the Patriot. The MRC all weather unit maybe a tad heavy.

Suggestions if any? Have some fun with it, it's someone else's money!
 
Why not look at the Cooper in a 6.5CM they are a fine shooting rifle and I do not believe that they are heavy.
Also Model 70 in a 280 is very underrated calibre and will not down deer size animals including the Moose & Elk (y).

Blessings,
Dan
 
sask boy":23347tnt said:
Model 70 in a 280 is very underrated calibre and will not down deer size animals including the Moose & Elk (y).

Blessings,
Dan
Click to expand...

Not? Not? NOT? How could you, Dan? You've dissed one of my favourite rifles ever. I'm heartbroken. Heartbroken, I say. The .280 would be a great cartridge. Chambered in a Model 70, it is first rate. The one I now own is my second, and who knows, there may be a third in the offing.
 
Hah Mike he got a rise out of you didn't he?

Should have mentioned I'm thinking short action, hence the 270 is off down the road. I love the cartridge and it's been my go to general use round for a good few years now... But...

It just seems I can get much of what it does, done with a little less powder, a bit less weight etc. plus I'll still keep the 30-06 for when I need more power and bullet weight.

I keep coming back to the 308 because I'm all set up with brass and heaps of bullets etc, but willing to be swayed. 7-08; 6.5 CM, are all in the mix.

What else?
 
Hey, I have to respond to Dan. He is all messed up, shooting rifles with the bolt on the wrong side and living in the flatlands. I know he has some difficulty distinguishing between the right word and almost the right word. I know he was trying to say that the .380 will knock down about any game. He'll be back shortly to take a lick or two on me.

I do like the 6.5 Creedmoor; it is a well-behaved cartridge. The same is true of the 7mm-08 (and, not so incidentally, the .260 Remington). Pretty much all cartridges built off the .308 Win are proven cartridges. Funnily enough, I've never owned a 7-08, though I've certainly sold a few to people. I do own most of the remainder of the cartridges built on the .308, and all are a joy to shoot.
 
I'm thinking the 308 with the 125g NBT or 125 AccuBond would be a nice mild pig and goat load with plenty of punch launched around 3100fps, with something in the 165/168g bracket at 2650-2700fps or so for large deer species.
 
125 gr bullets in a 308 are a joy to shoot. Haven't tested them on deer yet, but wouldn't hesitate to use them. Both the Kimber and A7 are nice guns. I'd be willing to bet the A7 is accurate. Both my Tikkas are very accurate and they are made along side the sako.

I too would like to have a 6.5 mm gun, but it's hard to go wrong with a 308 too. Maybe try some 125 gr bullets in the 308 you already own, see how you like them. The Sierra 125 PH was a little more accurate in one of my 308's than the BT. Let us know what you end up with
 
Gene I hadn't even looked in that direction. I shall do so now thanks.


The other thing I was thinking was stick with the 30-06 Zastava and dabble 6.5C via a Ruger American Predator. A very modest outlay to see what all the fuss is about. In fact with the gear I am laying off I could certainly grab something in the A7 / XBolt price range AND an RAR and slap some middle of the road glass on them as well.

Having said that I'm in the market for another 22 LR as well. These boys of mine have caught the bug!

Pic of aforementioned Zastava for effect...

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27013265-8900-4441-80DC-A142283A0938_zpswbrxbdrl.jpg
 
No 270 Win anymore, is that even allowed? :lol: love the look of your 30-06, stainless/walnut is a very nice combination.
 
Very handsome; I am with Gerry on enjoying the looks of walnut and stainless.
 
Hey Gerry I know.... can't believe it myself but time to try something new in the form of some different rifles and maybe a new cartridge or two.

I'm also finding with commitments, its a little hard to get away for longer hunting trips, and I'm enjoying playing around with trying to shoot steel farther out which I can do with a spare hour. This will require a bit of extra gear here and there as well.

I suspect another 270 Win will be along at some stage though...

8)
 
Well if you enjoyed your 270 and 250 AI, and are thinking of something in 6.5, you can't go wrong with either the 260 Rem or the 6.5 Creedmoor, but you could always go with the 6.5 x 55 as well. as described in an article quite some time ago, "it performs like a 270, recoils like a 257 Roberts, and is more accurate than either"

With hand loads in a newer action you can realize the cartridges full potential, but if looking to stick with factory ammunition, most is kept to sedate velocities, while Norma does load it to its full potential (just harder to find)

The Tikka is available in the 6.5 Swede and is less $ than the Sako A7. A young girl placed second or third at the 1000 yard shoot here in BC several years ago with this same factory rifle/cartridge combo, with less than a year's worth shooting experience. Same shoot was won by the owner of same rifle, that coached the young girl.

Also nice to know that this rifle is also available for those of us in our "right minds", otherwise referred to by some here as "wrong sided"! LOL
 
Thanks Blkram that's not a suggestion I've turned aside at this stage even though I'm thinking short action at this time.

The 270 and 250 both go to the dealer this morning... :cry:

It'll be all right!

Won't it?

(y)
 
I have two rifles I'll never let go, my 257Bob and my M77- 30-06. The 257Bob just flat out is my most accurate and the M77 30-06 is my go to hunting rifle..
The 270 & 250 sounds like the same rifles for you.
 
Bought the Sako A7 in 308.

Gonna go 6.5 RAR as well.

A couple of old 308s, a 270, a 303, the 250 AI and a shotgun have laid down their lives in sacrifice!

Excited....
 
Go for it! You "already know what you know", right? Only way you are going to experience these other rounds is to commit to them! You ain't getting any younger my friend, ha. I'd "personally" also like to see you wring out a nice 6.5, either Creedmoor or Swede ( since you want a short/shorter action) I personally did not like the 260 Remington, but the 6.5/284 I had it rechambered to was a bolt of Lightning! I never used heavier than 120/125s and it was pure dee poison! :) I did have feeding issues with it, so IF I ever did it again , on a short action, I would do the 260 Remington Ackley on a 24" barrel. They claim it will run with the 6.5/284 with the lighter bullets. I'm sure the 6.5 Swede properly loaded would do the same, but I'm just not sure it will work in a short action...anyone know? I played with the 6.5 Creedmoor just a tad in a rebarreled Mod 7 action rifle. It seemed to me to be a "modern 257 Roberts" Good luck to you Pard!
 
Thanks P,

As the kids come on line with the pig and deer hunting, I figure a light handling and soft shooting 6.5 CM will be a natural step up from the little 223, and a great excuse to play with the .264 cal which I've had little time with.

While I get organised the A7 in 308 will supplant several existing and outgoing rifles as a general purpose go-to. You're right, I'm not getting any younger and my shooting time is getting limited for the time being. I'm trying to simplify some of the logistics, and I have so much 308 brass and .308 bullets this is a walk up start.

Will report back!
 
Well you certainly can't go wrong with the 308! My old hunting partner out here has used the same Browning BLR in 308 since he bought it back in high school...1970! He has killed everything out here, including bison, right down to what we call "Squeaks" (little sage rats) He has tried the 180 on elk, didn't like it, his favorite has been the 150 corlokt...some years just factory ammo too. I always felt the 125 Sierra Pro Hunter would be a good one, maybe a tad tougher than the 125 Ballistic Tip. The 125 AccuBond should be a good one. Of course, you live "in the Land of one of my favorites...The Woodleigh! :) I'd have to try their round nose in various weights....love it! I hope I didn't depress you with the "you're not getting younger" comment...I meant "our remaining time VS our remaining opportunities becomes "compressed" after awhile, ha!
 
No mate its all good re the gettimg older thing! . The limits on my time are all generally caused by good things.

You're right the Woodleigh is one worth considering. The 130g Bonded version would be great launched around 3100fps on all manner of game.
 
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