What are you using this year?

[Greg Nolan]

This is always a tough question. Idaho mule deer for sure. Probably not California or Idaho elk. Waiting for a hunt next year in Wyoming. So based on that I'll probably use the 270 Wby mag. with 140 Accubonds and the 300 Wby mag. with 180 Accubonds for backup. If I can get a Idaho wolf tag I'll probably take the 7mm RUM because it shoots far and makes UGLY holes. :twisted:
Greg

 

[DeerTracker]

For Deer: Rem 700 ADL 243Win, my new Rem Mdl 7 7mm08 if I can ever find a load that shoots well in it or my Ruger 270Win, Marlin 336 30-30 or my 300WSM if thats what I have in my hands at the time.
For Antelope (if I get drawn): Either my 243, 7mm08 or 270
For Elk: My Rem 700 300WSM shooting 180gr AccuBond handloads.

 

[rjm158]

Where I live whitetail deer is the only big game animal available. Still debating, but my primary choices are:

Browning BLR .358 Win.
Savage 16 .325 WSM
Winchester 70 7mm WSM
Tikka T-3 .270 WSM
Tikka 695 .300 WM

Still experimenting with loads but have several promising ones. I will likely try to kill a deer with each one, the Good Lord willing.

Ron

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

3475 FPS.


Wow. Do you have a 30" barrel or what? The most I could muster safely from my 7mm rums was about 3350 fps

Yes, that is with a 30" barrel!!

Just like you, I was getting 3350-3375 out of my 26" barrel before the upgrade.

How unwieldy is that buddy?

Only thing I ever hunted with that had that long a barrel also had a full choke.

If not too bad I might consider a custom with a 30" tube

It not as bad as you might expect, when properly set up.
I carry it centered in a front-carry sling, so I only have two inches extra sticking out on both sides as compared to a 26" tube. The barrel is a #5 contour, so it puts the weight farther forward then I would like. Difficult to shoot off hand, but not bad from the kneeling. I'd like to move it's center of gravity a couple of inches to the rear, so I've considered add mercury recoil reducer to the buttstock for the extra weight, or switching out to a heavier stock. Perhaps a McMillian A5, or something of that nature. But since it my long distance praire rifle most of my shots are from the prone, so it's not that big a deal.

 

[caribouhunter]

savage 16 in 7mm wsm 150 gr scirocco at 3100 for deer and bear
rem 700 lss in 300 ultra 200 AccuBond at 3000 for moose

 

[IdahoCTD]

For deer I usually use my .30-.338 or .416 Rem, depending on the distance I anticipate shooting. I did build another .30-8mm Mag and 7STW that I haven't had time to do much with short of breaking them in. I also have all the components to build a couple .338 Edge's, I just have to fire up the lathe.

Extra deer will probably be my .458 Lott or one of the above rifles that got left out chasing bucks.

For Elk it will most likely either be the .338 Edge or my .338 Baer but I always keep the .416 close.

For moose in AK I'll probably take my .375RUM and the .416 but if my buddy borrows my .375RUM I might take my .458 Lott along.

 

[C.Smith]

Deer: 50 Caliber Muzzle Loader
Elk: 7mmRM Savage 160 accubonds
2 & 4 legged predators: Colt 6940

Corey

 

[YoteSmoker]

For deer and elk, I will be using my M70 7mm Rem Mag SS/Laminated Boyds stock with 4-16 4200 Elite and 160 Partitions. My back up rifle will be my Encore 7mm Rem Mag with 3-9 Redfield Revolution and 150 TTSX. My wife will be using her Encore 7mm08 with 3-9 4200 Elite and 140 Accubonds.

For predator hunting I will primarily use my 22-250 Encore w/ 4-12 Swift and Hornday 60 hp. Right before my deployment, I picked up my first AR-15 M4 design with 16" barrel in 223 that may become my primary rifle once I have time to get a load going for it. I also use a 22 Hornet Encore barrel with a red LED scope light mounted to a 3-9x40 Bushnell Trophy that is dedicated to night time predator hunting.

For small game, I will use my CZ 452 American 22LR w/ 4x32 Weaver Classic with CCI Velocitors. My shotgun is a 1940's Savage 340 Semi (copy of Browning A-5) 12 ga with #6 for squirrel, pheasant, rabbit and #5 for late season pheasant. My wife will use her Savage MK II 22 LR with an old 4x Bushnell Scope Chief and Remington Yellow Jacket ammo. She also has a pink camo M500 20 ga pump that she uses to hunt rabbits and squirrels with #6 shells.

 

[1Shot]

I have got too many rifles also to make just one choice. I usually take a number or weapons with me on my deer hunts. For sure my Custom Rem Sportsman 78 action (poor mans 700 made in the 80s) Shilen #6 26" SS barrel in 25-06 shooting 49 grs IMR 4350, Rem case, CCI 250, 117 Sierra Pro Hunter 3000 fps will go. For sure my T/C Contender Pistol 14" barrel 30-30AI shooting 33 grs IMR 4198, WW case, Wolf LR primer, 125 Ballistic tip at 2670 fps will go. For sure my Rem 700 Custom 21 1/2" Heart barrel 308 Win shooting 46 grs IMR 4895, WW case, CCI BR-2 primer, 125 Ballistic Tip 3000 fps will go. Most likely my Custom Rem 700 27 3/4" Shilen #5 barrel 264 Win mag shooting 66.5 grs Retumbo, WW case, CCI 250, 130 AccuBond 3350 fps. That leaves a few more to think about. I get to hunt nearly a month every day except Sunday so I mix up what I hunt with depending on what stand I use.