rifles

[rifles]

what is in your opinion the best all around rifle for moose and deer?

[7 REM MAG]

7 mag in a bolt action

[rifle]

bolt action

[varmitr]

single shot, (like an encore)..if you miss, the reloading process allows you to do some mental calculations to compensate for variables. plus it forces you make one great shot and not two good shots.
my arguement being, if you cycle to quickly (auto, lever, pump and to a lesser extent; a bolt gun) the tendancy is to 'spray and pray' without thinking about what went wrong.

in direct contradiction to myself...i beleive somewhat that a single shot rifle should left to the experienced outdoorsman. in the same way a instinctive stick bow for an experienced vs a compound for a begineer bowhunter.
hope i could shed some lite on my theory

[lethalconnection]

In my opinion the 30.06 cause its such a versatile calibre. You can buy ammo ANYWHERE for pretty cheap, it has so many different types of bullets for lots of different animals, it has the knock down power to take down a bull moose and the speed and accuracy to take down a deer.

[gopherslayer]

I live and die by my .308. Not saying it is the "best" but IMO it is, but I have been shooting with it since I was 12. Will definately take down what you are after. Although, with the right shot, so do most hunting rifles.

edit...I do want a 7 mm really badly though :D

[Guns]

I seen a show Quest outdoors where rich waked a elk with a tc 300 cal one shot i think it was over 200 yrds down he came with one shot there was two nice white tails hanging with the elk he could of took one them too.:rollin ok off topic a little i know.

[bearbait]

7mm mag!!!in a tikka stailess lite...i love mine and can take shots to 500 yards..(with lots of practice a good range finder and awsome nikkon glass with bdc)..
ispend 3-4 hours a week at the range and put 2 boxs an outing through it and never have a sore shoulder...
rob

[7mm?]

Probably a realy stupid question, but what does the "mm" stand for when dealing with a 7mm mag?:rolleyes

[varmitr]

maybe the guest, should elaborate on the question...i read that he wants to know what the best action is, not the best caliber or brand

[7 REM MAG]

7mm= 7 Millimeter(size of bullet) also known as .284 there are many variations to the 7mm as well there is the 7 rem mag, 7 RUM-remington ultra mag. 7mm STW and a couple others

[Mike W]

FYI if you know someone with a T3 lite 7MM I would recomend asking him if you can shoot it as I personally dont like it. My father owns one and I've shot it at the range a few times dont like how much muzzle lift there is when fired, also it has a pretty hefty recoil and if you attemt to go to the range and fire 2 boxes of shells after not shooting for the winter you would have a hard time lifting your arm the next day.
On the other hand it is nice a "lite" for the bush.

I personally enjoy ruger and browning as a brand however if choosing a magnum caliber get a gun weighing over 7lbs.

I you go with a 30-06 or .270 I think the T3 lite would be a good choice as it is a good quality gun just in my opinion it is too lite for a magnum.

Best of luck
Mike

[7mm]

Thanks 7 REM.
Also, is the 7mm considered superior to the .300 magnums? I have been shooting a .270 and now I want something bigger. Any info on pros&cons for each would be much appreciated.

[bearbait]

as for shooting the 7 mag anytime....if your in the whitecourt area send me a pm and ill let you shoot mine....

[WCTHEMI]

I don't find my T3 Lite in 270 WSM to be hard recoiling, sure it has some kick to it, but nothing that isn't managable, but everyone has their own opinion on what is too much recoil. I shot a 338 Win Mag, kicks hard, but still not unmanagably.

[Duffy4]

Varmintr
is right. The question was about "what Rifle" not what cartridge.

I have been using a Savage 99 with a 2 to 7 power scope lately to hunt moose and deer in the bush. I don't expect to get shots over a 100 to 150 yards or so. Many times closer. This rifle comes up to my shoulder fast and gives me a second shot fast if I need it. This rifle does not need to be chambered in a really powerful round.( the rifle is chambered in .300 savage but the more common .308 win. would be about the same)

If I am hunting in the mountains or prairie I use a winchester bold action with a 3 to 9 power scope. (this one is in a relatively fast flat cartridge, .264 win. mag.)

Robin

[prairieboy]

The question did ask which rifle,in which case I would recommend a bolt action such as the tikka t-3,or a remington 700.For a cartridge,the 7mmremmag is a great choice.

[Tree Guy]

You guys are correct in saying that calibre has nothing to do with it. Personally, my favourite rifle is the on I first shot with my Dad. My favourite rifle is the one I shot my first deer with. My favourite rifle is the one that I first bought on my own!

It's funny how when this subject comes up, everyone's favourite is the one the shoot! It's kind of like how every female on the planet with brown eyes thinks that Van Morrison's 'Brown-eyed Girl' is 'their song'!:b

[Re: 7mm]

Hey rookie, if you want something bigger than the 270 then why look at the 7mm? The difference is hardly worth the effort. Move to the 30 cal. and then you can realistically get a bullet that is noticeably heavier to fling around. Personally, if I was going to go bigger for the sake of being bigger I would start with looking at the 338 calibres.

[Re: Moose/deer rifle]

guest, there is good reason there are more bolt actions manufactured than any other type of hunting rifle.

As far as brand goes - everyone has their flavor favorite. Apply the cost/benefit analysis, try and shoot a few and go from there.

[7 REM MAG]

shooter i believe your statment may be somewhat misleading. I made the exact same transition from the 270 win. to the 7 Rem Mag and the increase in knock down power is quite significant. i have shot deer in excess of 400 yds with my 270 that were hit very hard in the boiler room taking out 1 if not both front shoulders and they just kinda stumbled around for like 10 seconds. now with my 7mag i have shot deer also in excess of 400yds and same or very similar shot placement and BANG-FLOP miles of difference

[ROM35]

To me it boils down to frequency, recoil sensitivity, and distance. IE if 75% of hunting is for deer under 300 yards and 25% is moose and elk under 200 yards, you have the right gun (270). If 50% of your hunting is elk or moose over 200 yards you may benefit from something bigger.

On the efficient calibre fronteer I believe that points to a 300 WSM. I like bolt action or single shot also. I have had others jam. BIG BUMMER.

Most people will justify the gun they currently shoot including me.

R

[Re: Moose/deer rifle]

Do you think it was a different bullet choice or shot placement? A quick check of load data shows an increase in energy of about 200 lbs at 400 yards for the 7mm over the 270 - 15% increase. It also shows an increase of over 400 lbs for the 300 WSM - 35% increase. If you need a 400 yard elk/moose gun then get one - but the 7mm is not it.

[Moose/Deer]

300 Win Mag or 7MM Mag would both be good choices. The 300 is a big deer gun and you will want to make sure shot placement or good bye shoulder, back strap etc.

It all depends were you hunt. In the heavy bush and foothills i carry a 300 if hunting farm land i will carry 6mm however more often than not I depend on the 300 with 180 grain ballistic tips.

[Mike W]

The whole caliber thing has been beaten to death repeatedly on this site.

In most cases it is personal preference ....in regards to my previous post, I do not enjoy shooting my fathers T3 lite 7MM however he really likes it over his Winchester 30-06.

I myself have a Browning A-Bolt medallion in a 300 win Mag and absolutely love it feels great to shoot, great recoil control and a relatively light gun that is very accurate.

I also have a Ruger Mark II SS .270 win and also love the gun has a good weight to it (quite heavy for a .270) and is very accurate.

My 300 is scoped with a 3x9 and is intended for Moose and Elk well my .270 is scoped with a Vari-x III 4.5x 14 and intended for a deer gun capable of 400-500 yard shots. Now either gun will kill any of Alberta's Big Game.

I started out with the 300 and decided to purchase a 270 due to the damage it would leave on a deer with a 180 grain bullet...boiler room shots still create a blood clot stretching into the shoulder meat significantly.

If you are looking at Magnums I would suggest the 300 or 7mm ...the .338 is a BIG BOY and wouldn’t pick it as a good all around gun.

Brand name ...Browning, Weatherby, Sako, Tikka, Remington, Winchester, Mossberg, Savage and Ruger all make great quality guns however some of them also make not so great quality guns, stay away from the package guns from both Savage and Remington.

After that it comes down to price, synthetic/laminate/wood, Stainless vs. Blued, what gun shoulders the best, which one has a nice smooth action, which one comes in your preferred barrel length, magazine/floor plate and which one falls into you right weight range.

Best of Luck
Mike

[Okotokian]

This is always a fun game to play. I guess it all comes down to proportion of each type of game you expect to hunt (and situation), with the variable being your comfort or preference with recoil.

I wanted a gun that could take deer, elk, and moose, but recognized that the vast majority would probably be deer. Though I'm 6'3" and 230 lbs, I didn't want any more recoil than necessary. I ended up with a 270, as I've been told it can reasonably take all that game. Love shooting it. If I planned to take more elk or moose however, it wouldn't have been my choice. Probably 7mm, 30-06, 7mm WSM, etc. If it was ONLY elk/moose, bigger again.

[Ice Fishing Maniac]

I use my Sako m75 SS 300WM for all my big game hunting with 180gr Accubonds, but my 270WSM's are sure impressing me using 140gr Accubonds on big game also.

So I will suggest 270WSM, and a 30-06 , then a 300WM or 300WSM in a Tikka T3 LS model. Very good rifles for the price. Best bet would be to go and shoot a few calibers if you have access thru friends, and find what you are comfortable shooting.

[nafegavas]

Buy a deer gun, then buy a moose gun.

[copeekid39]

another question. I have 1500 can to buy a new rifle and scope
how are the thompson center encore's and is this possible with this budget? if not what does everyone think about the model 700 rem ss lam grey? thanks

[209x50cal]

I seen a show Quest outdoors where rich waked a elk with a tc 300 cal one shot i think it was over 200 yrds down he came with one shot there was two nice white tails hanging with the elk he could of took one them too. ok off topic a little i know.
That was done with a 165 grain bullet, my favorite 30 cal bullet weight. Surprisingly many people think that it is far to light for big game like elk.

[Mike W]

copeekid39

Great looking gun, a little heavy ...but you dont buy laminate because its light!
Can't go wrong with a Remington 700!! They have been around so long for a reason!!

Be sure to save some of that $1500 for a good quality scope....they make a big difference!!

Mike

[varmitr]

sorry to side track this thread,
copee, maybe you should start your own thread. you have a legit question
i also agree with mikew,
the glass is as important as gun. dont forget good bases and rings too. good quality glass will take you further in the long run than a nice gun with 'entry level' glass, with your budget, here is my points:
id suggest that you commit approx 60-75% of guns value on your scope and hardware. say 1000 on the gun and 500 on scope.
or i also would say to spend $1000 on glass, then 500 on a gun, because should you want to get another gun, the higher quality scope can transfer over.
im not saying you should get a zeiss or sowatsky right out of the chute, just not a walmart super special of the week