What is your "big woods" rifle?

[Buckmaster7600]

What makes a rifle a "Big Woods" caliber? The term woods in itself usually means shots under 150 yds ( most times less then 100 ). I have never been in the 'woods' where I could see more then 150. My 7mm-08 is more then enough for a deer in all the areas I hunted this season north and south. I can't see more then 100 yds in any of them. Would I use that rifle to try and hunt bear? Nope. I would get a 7mm Mag or a trusty -06.

So....................

What is a "Big Woods Rifle"?

A big woods rifle is what you make of it. To me it's light short and fast handling. A 7mm-08 is a dandy cartridge.

[Pygmy]

Only shoots from a supported position?  You don't know much about military snipers I guess.

 

As far as your gun choice, suit yourself.  Makes no difference to me.

Oops....Open mouth....Insert foot....

[shawnhu]

Lets put it this way, if you are the average rifleman, and you're trying to put a bullet through the heart of a deer at 200 yards, with an 18" barreled 6 pound rifle, you're going to have a much lower chance of doing it than if you were shooting a 9 pound rifle with a 24 in barrel.

That reticle will be hard to steady in a short, light rifle, especially if you don't have a steady rest.

How much harder? Depends on what rifleman skills you possess.

I don't see any military snipers using short barreled rifles for long range work overseas. The police use them for close quarters work, but never for long range shooting. I wonder why.

So now we're talking about long range shooting?

X-Calibur Lighting Systems

http://facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

[shawnhu]

A big woods rifle is what you make of it. To me it's light short and fast handling. A 7mm-08 is a dandy cartridge.

It's why I got my savage 11, LWH. Featherweight barrel and milled out action and fluted bolt. Around 6lbs.

X-Calibur Lighting Systems

http://facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

[Buckmaster7600]

Lets put it this way, if you are the average rifleman, and you're trying to put a bullet through the heart of a deer at 200 yards, with an 18" barreled 6 pound rifle, you're going to have a much lower chance of doing it than if you were shooting a 9 pound rifle with a 24 in barrel.

That reticle will be hard to steady in a short, light rifle, especially if you don't have a steady rest.

How much harder? Depends on what rifleman skills you possess.

I don't see any military snipers using short barreled rifles for long range work overseas. The police use them for close quarters work, but never for long range shooting. I wonder why.

This was at 175yds with my 6lb rifle shooting free hand and he was trotting right along, so I guess I should have missed?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited December 13, 2015 by Buckmaster7600

[bubba]

Encore in7-08

[Mr VJP]

Like I said, shoot whatever you like, makes no matter to me.  Nor do your claims of your "glory days" other than I'm dubious.

 

Short barreled rifles are very trendy.  Enjoy it.

 

Edited December 13, 2015 by Mr VJP

[DirtTime]

When I think about hunting in any woods, I plan on never really having a shot past 100 yards. Not just "big woods", any woods. I chose my rifle on price, and how well it fit me when handling it. I also like the 7mm-08 as a deer caliber anyway, so that was a bonus.

A 'big woods" rifle is whatever you feel like carrying that day, if you have more then one rifle. If you only have one rifle in a lighter caliber ( I do suggest nothing much smaller then a .243 though ), don't be fooled into thinking it's not enough for the big woods. It's plenty. 

 

[nyantler]

I want a 7600 in 44mag. That short stroke and minimal recoil would be a fast shooter. But it would most likely be like my 44carbines and I tend to shoot more times that I need to because you can shoot so fast with it.

Because I shoot a single shot... I have no idea what shooting too fast is... LOL

[DirtTime]

I want a 7600 in 44mag. That short stroke and minimal recoil would be a fast shooter. But it would most likely be like my 44carbines and I tend to shoot more times that I need to because you can shoot so fast with it.

 

Do they make the 7600 in 44mag?

 

 

Just looked and I can't locate one.

 

http://www.remington.com/pages/news-and-resources/centerfirebycaliber.aspx

Edited December 14, 2015 by ....rob

[nyantler]

A big woods rifle is what you make of it. To me it's light short and fast handling. A 7mm-08 is a dandy cartridge.

Light and short... exactly my thoughts... being a tracker my shots are usually 50 yards and in... perfect for the short barrel... light is good because of the amount of walking I do, carrying around a heavy weapon can get tiring.

[mlammerhirt]

The 100 yard plus shots are available....took my buck this year at 120 ish on a hillside of hardwoods.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[nyantler]

Some of you have me wondering what you consider "Big Woods"...

[DirtTime]

To me it's where there are no houses or towns for at least 40 minutes. Benson is big woods to me as an example.

[Buckmaster7600]

Do they make the 7600 in 44mag?

Just looked and I can't locate one.

http://www.remington.com/pages/news-and-resources/centerfirebycaliber.aspx

No they don't but if they did I would own 2.

[sbuff]

If it's not my X7 muzzloader it's my ruger mini 30, been hunting the south western adk for 30 years, I think my longest shot has been 75 and most are 50 yards or so.

Edited December 14, 2015 by sbuff

[nyantler]

To me it's where there are no houses or towns for at least 40 minutes. Benson is big woods to me as an example.

That would be the size of a garage in comparison to what I consider big woods... big woods to me is a set of woods where you can walk the rest of your life in all directions if dropped off in the middle of that woods.

Edited December 14, 2015 by nyantler

[thphtm]

Am I e wrong in thinking that big wood,s hunting would be long distance shooting as compaired to the heavy wooded areas of the Catskillls which averages 50 to 100 yards.

Sent from my VS880 using Tapatalk

[DirtTime]

Am I e wrong in thinking that big wood,s hunting would be long distance shooting as compaired to the heavy wooded areas of the Catskillls which averages 50 to 100 yards.

Sent from my VS880 using Tapatalk

No you are not wrong. The ADK's are the same in most areas. You may get an area that has a blowdown or small field that offers a few hundred yards, but they are not plentiful. Maybe over looking a small lake or pond you will get long ranges. 

[A Sportsman]

Another vote for the short and light gun.

If you are hunting mountains it's much nicer carrying the lighter weight all day. Also the barrel doesn't snag on branches as you walk. I hunt with a ruger .308 m77 compact. 16.5 inch barrel.

As far as shot distance, as stated by some, shots are almost always under 100. And usually less than 50 or 60. At that range, with a good deer caliber, whatever you lose in velocity with a short barrel is inconsequential.

As an admittedly not great shooter, When I see a deer that I intend to shoot one of the first things I do is look for a tree or rock or whatever I can use to steady myself. In a woods stalking situation, with no pre cleared shooting lanes, and a moving deer, even those short range shots are not gimmes (not for me anyway).

Lastly, big woods to me means you can walk all day and not run out of land. I like to think where I hunt in Catskills is big woods. It's huge forever wild state land. Tens of thousands of acres. Of cousre the dacks are much larger. sometimes I may stay low elevation, never more than a half mile off the road. Am I not in big woods if I do that? I think It's silly to try and define big woods like that.

[nyantler]

Am I e wrong in thinking that big wood,s hunting would be long distance shooting as compaired to the heavy wooded areas of the Catskillls which averages 50 to 100 yards.

Sent from my VS880 using Tapatalk

All the ADK woods I hunt are heavy woods... not many long distance shots.

[dbHunterNY]

I've got a 742 woodsmaster in 30-06 but I'd likely carry the win 94 30-30 or my browning abolt 30-06 with a short throw bolt.

 

if I had a choice it'd be a 7600 with a custom fluted 19.5" BBL and custom trigger job.  their stock triggers suck.  30-06 loaded with 210gr accubond lr bullets.  it'd have a 3-9x40mm trijicon scope with adjustable illuminated green post reticle.  wood stock and blued finish would be fine.

[DCOUTDOORS]

my favorite rifle is my trusty rem 700 in 3006  this gun is a tack driver. sub moa. i can thread the needle with this rifle to get the bullet where it needs to be without hitting any brush. if its raining or snowing i use my stainless rem 7oo in 300 win mag. another fine tack driver.

 

                                        

[Padre86]

.308 FN SPR.  24" heavy barrel profile, free-floated...more than a little too heavy for any type of woods hunting, other than maybe still hunting, but I'm still young (somewhat) and love to target shoot as well so I've justified it in my mind.

 

Maybe when I'm older, a little wiser, and richer, I'll get myself a more appropriate rifle for backwoods hunting...until then I suck it up and lug this beast around:

 

 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Remington 700 BDL in .30-06. Topped with a 3-9 Vortex.