New all around rifle ideas

Slimfinn

Handloader
Nov 28, 2018
870
669
So hunting season just finished up here in the big sky state. Ive put many miles on the past 6 weeks in search of elk and deer and successfully harvested 3 ruffed grouse(while cutting firewood). All that is left to chase now is wolf, other predators, and year end sales.
The thought has crossed my mind about a new rifle to have as a grab and go, shoot anything, bang around, back up, loaner rifle. I'm starting to come up with a check list of features Id really like to have;
Under $800
Really thinking about a 25-06 so want a 24" barrel
3 position safety, or 2 position that locks the bolt and has a bolt release
4+ round capacity, flush with the stock, floor plate or detachable mag
Under 7.5 pounds
Accurate
Quality stock
I think i want stainless or coated

Let the enabling begin!
 
Well, it's not the safety you want, but I sure have enjoyed seasons with my 25-06 Rem 700 CDL. Has a 24" barrel and I have had a 6x Leupold on it for over 10 years now.

Accurate. Easy recoil. Flat shooting. Kills stuff really dead. Not kinda dead. :grin: It's been wonderful on mule deer, pronghorn and coyotes. Farthest coyote kill was about 420 yards.

I settled on the 115 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip and Retumbo as my handloading combo some time ago, though time to time I do tinker with other bullets.

So - I can reinforce your choice of cartridge, but I don't think my rifle is quite what you seek.

Regards, Guy
 
I'm with Guy in thinking Remington might get you the closest to what you are looking for, off the top of my head I can't think of anything else in that range. The 25-06 is a cool round though that's for sure.....
 
The 25-06 is a great cartridge. We had a Remington 700 Mountain rifle in 25-06 that was a fantastic rifle. Only thing I wished on it was that it had the 24" barrel instead of the 22" barrel Remington put on standard calibers. The Ruger Hawkeye is a really solid rifle with the Mauser style controlled round feed. My son has a Ruger MKII in 6mm Remington that is a really nice rifle. Ruger has in my opinion too one of the best scope mounting systems out there. As Guy said the 25-06 is a great deer, antelope, sheep, black bear rifle. I used 120 gr. Partitions in the 25-06 but the 110 gr. AccuBond would also be a good one to try.
 
The reason I was looking into a locking bolt is, this season I noticed with my daughters ruger american was that the bolt was catching and starting to open as we were walking around, not sure if it was her bumping it or it catching on the brush. Do you notice this happening with your Remington's?

Doing some research, and it not needing to be brand new I've found with a 24" barrel, nothing quite checks all the boxes, or readily

Browning X bolt
Weatherby Vanguard
Remington 700
Winchester 70
Ruger Hawkeye/mk2
 
Didn't realise the Browning X Bolt came with a 24" barrel that would be a top choice too. The Ruger would be awfully heavy from what I have seen. Haven't had a problem with my Remington rifles with the bolt opening but obviously it can happen.
 
Finn - I haven't had any trouble with the bolt opening, BUT yes, it could happen.

I'd be happy with either the Remington or Winchester. :)

Guy
 
My 2 cents worth:

I have 2 Thompson Center Venture rifles, both guaranteed 1MOA, both 24 inch barrels. My all around choice(s) .280 Rem and then .270 Win.
I like both for their flat shooting capabilities, and if loaded with a light bullet, I can use either for coyote, and use regular bullets for deer, and for heavy for caliber bullets on elk, and/or moose.
The total cost for getting decent Scopes and the whole setup has been $550 for each rifle.
The TC Venture is a very well made rifle, and uses the A-bolt configuration.
To me, .25-06 is great for varmints and deer, but kinda on the light side for elk.

Sent from my motorola one using Tapatalk
 
Slimfinn":1u7rrykv said:
The thought has crossed my mind about a new rifle to have as a grab and go, shoot anything, bang around, back up, loaner rifle. .....
Let the enabling begin!

You going to put a scope on a "bang around" rifle?
 
Thanks guys I'm on the hunt and a gun show coming up next weekend too, for me to check out and a couple more shops in town.

RaySendero":t24sxteq said:
Slimfinn":t24sxteq said:
The thought has crossed my mind about a new rifle to have as a grab and go, shoot anything, bang around, back up, loaner rifle. .....
Let the enabling begin!

You going to put a scope on a "bang around" rifle?

Yes I am, not planning on banging it that hard or very often, but expect it to happen

HAWKEYESATX":t24sxteq said:
My 2 cents worth:

The TC Venture is a very well made rifle, and uses the A-bolt configuration.
To me, .25-06 is great for varmints and deer, but kinda on the light side for elk.

Sent from my motorola one using Tapatalk

T/C does not chamber a 25-06, and I agree it is light for elk but that's not its intended use.


Went to one of the stores over lunch to see what they had and was surprised on the selection they had;
Kimber Classic Select Grade
Tikka Forest
Remington SPSS
Winchester Featherweight
and maybe even another 1 or 2 other
Wife was with me and you should have seen her smile when she held the Kimber, I admit it is a beautiful rifle(issue I noticed going to bring up in a new post) and so far from the bang around I'm looking for but, if there is permission from the boss...only box's it checks are 24" barrel and holds more then 4 rounds, what am I even thinking. I don't think I'm going to get here to walk to the gun counter with me anymore, last trip ended with a Kimber K6 DASA on layaway
 
The last time I checked, the TC VENTURE did offer a .25-06. Now, the COMPASS doesn't. The Compass only has the standard G11 calibers.
I believe the Dimension also offered the .25-06, if I'm not mistaken.
The VENTURE also has an adjustable trigger, to lighten the pull.
I believe the Venture also comes in a satin silver finish to deter corrosion.

Sent from my motorola one using Tapatalk
 
Well, came across this and the price was too good to pass up. Pawn shop was doing Christmas sale and it was 30%off i know it had been on their shelf for over a year, Browning X-bolt 243. There is one tiny rub mark on the barrel, bore is clean, stock doesn't have a mark on it, and the EGW rail.
 

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Nice find. Stock up on some 95 gr BT seconds and IMR 4350 powder and you should be set to go.

JD338
 
JD338":3trqs343 said:
Nice find. Stock up on some 95 gr BT seconds and IMR 4350 powder and you should be set to go.

JD338

Yeah I have been trying to decide on what to load, Midway has 90gr ELD-X on sale so may give those a try.
But for now I have some factory Norma with 100gr oryx that wouldn't group in my daughters rem700 243, I'll shoot up those and have some good brass anyway.
 
Slimfinn":3jw6gvek said:
JD338":3jw6gvek said:
Nice find. Stock up on some 95 gr BT seconds and IMR 4350 powder and you should be set to go.

JD338

Yeah I have been trying to decide on what to load, Midway has 90gr ELD-X on sale so may give those a try.
But for now I have some factory Norma with 100gr oryx that wouldn't group in my daughters rem700 243, I'll shoot up those and have some good brass anyway.
Good brass indeed.
Just keep checking Shooters Pro Shop for their sales on overruns and seconds and stock up on BT, PT and AB bullets.

JD338
 
Finn,
Years ago I shot a lot of 243 Win. The "club" load that 7-8 guys were shooting in a league was as follows-
70 gr SMK and BT
39.0-39.5 grs IMR4895
Win case
Fed GM210 or CCI 200 primer
Shot well under MOA for everyone!

JD338
 
7828 or RL22 and a 95 grain Ballistic Tip has been so good they’ve been boring.

A sleeper bullet is the 105 grain HPBT. Excellent BC, and will work well on deer on deer. Usually will work in 1-10 twist guns as well.

Congrats on your new rifle. With the great Bullets out there it doesn’t leave or give much up to a 25-06.
 
Mounted a zeiss terra 4-12 i had, and took it to the range this morning. It was chilly and breezy, but it was fun to shoot. This was the last 5 shots with the norma 100gr, pulled the one to the right
 

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