Recommendation?

[Lawdwaz]

A friend called me to get my opinion on a rifle. A friend of his is looking to get ONE rifle (Good Lord, WHY?) to hunt everything he'll ever do. On the menu; deer, antelope, elk and some longer range shooting out to 500 yards on targets for giggles.

The question is what caliber?

He's not a reloader and recoil could scare a "one gun" shooter right out of the game.

My recommendation was the 280 Remington. Another other choice for a do-all would be the 308 Winchester.

Funny, neither of which I own! Had them both at one point or another but like vanilla ice cream, boring. <grin>

Ideas or opinions??

[hunter]

I agree with the 280, or 30-06. If he's recoil sensitive he could get a semi auto but won't be as accurate for long range target, but I guess he could get reduced recoil ammo. Might be better selection of ammo in 30-06. Just steer away from light weight rifles to manage recoil.

[Pygmy]

The 30-06 is never a bad choice for a one gun hunter.

There are lots of different factory loads and ammo is available anywhere in the world.

[SteveNY]

Based on what you have said, I would have to say the old 30-06 as well.

[Deerthug]

I would go with a 30-06. Good and powerful do all firearm.

[KenAxe-7]

270 Winchester Short Magnum.....nuff said.

[Sudzy8]

Can't go wrong with the 30.06. For long range shots or hunting out west I like the .257 weatherby.

[hb270deermanager]

Ya alot of great suggestions 270 or 30-06 are great reach out rifles

not bad on recoil prices are fair and the bullets are still middle of the

road price wise.

[BucktheBuck30-06]

I own more than one gun but for hunting i only use one gun..Whiych is a 30-06 and its great.Now getting a gun that will knock a target down at 500 yards with little to no recoil is going to be hard.I mean your either a shooter or not.I really don't think the 30-06 has a over powering recoil but thats just me.And on the note of having only one gun to hunt with thats a great idea for someone who is new to guns/hunting..I have been shooting guns my hole life and i still only use one gun for all my hunting witch is my 30-06..Idk sounds a little tricky i would give him a smaller gun to fire to get used to and then have him figure out if hes really trying to hit that hard!!

[Pygmy]

As Lawdwaz said, it is kind of boring for some of us gun nuts to have just ONE rifle.

However, many hunters have just one and use them to good effect.

I have a good friend who likes to hunt, but really has no interest in ballistics or whatever. Years ago, he bought a Rem 700 BDL in .270, with the idea that it would his one hunting rifle. He has used it for years, from PA to Alaska and killed big game from moose to pronghorns with no problems..

He uses Federal Premium 150 grain Noslers for the big stuff and Remington Green 130 grain Corelokts for stuff like antelope and deer.

He seldom misses and the only game animal that I can remember that he shot at and did not kill was a wolverine in Alaska that was carrying the mail when he shot at it.

[Dinsdale]

30-06 snooze fest....

How about something sexier.....6.5x55 in a CZ 550 Full stock

Shoots 140 gr bullets....proven popular Moose caliber in Europe.

Same BC as a 06 and similar max point blank range giving up just 25 yds or so at 260yds to the 06's mid 280's shooting 150 gr rounds.

Just thinking outside the box for you;<)

[Lawdwaz]

Beware the man who shoots one gun............................................

My Uncle could afford pretty much any shotgun going but his gun of choice is the good old Model 12 Winchester, 12 gauge of course. He can really shoot it too.

A friend who is now 83 and hasn't hunted in 10 years used a Remington 760, chambered in 30-06 (yuk....)

for years in PA. It also killed game in Colorado, Idaho and Ontario. You would not believe the deer that gun killed in Pennsylvania. Spike horns fill a few cigar boxes in his basement along with some 4pt & 6pt for good measure. (Thanks to Gary Alt, we don't have that problem anymore) Only CF rifle he ever owned.

[Lawdwaz]

30-06 snooze fest....

How about something sexier.....6.5x55 in a CZ 550 Full stock

Shoots 140 gr bullets....proven popular Moose caliber in Europe.

Same BC as a 06 and similar max point blank range giving up just 25 yds or so at 260yds to the 06's mid 280's shooting 150 gr rounds.

Just thinking outside the box for you;<)

Note my comment above. <<<grinning>>>

[Dinsdale]

Oh....and I'd top it with a QR Talley rings with 2 scopes....

A VXIII Leupold 2.5-8x32....nice light low profile for general hunting.....

And find a nice used Swaro PV 3-12x50 with a TDS reticle for playing sniper at targets and varmints.....

All done in one gun.

[Dinsdale]

Note my comment above. <<<grinning>>>

Just have him buy a Blaser....then he still has one gun and can just add a few barrels when he's hooked....can even share a few scopes between them.

You didn't say what a budget is<<<<grinning back at ya>>>>

[New York Hillbilly]

My opinion cannot beat 30-06 for all around everything rifle. With the selection of loads, everything from woodchucks to you name it.

[BucktheBuck30-06]

Yea 30-06 hands down.And it's not hard to find a sick looking 30-06..Like i said i own more than just a 30-06 but thats my only hunting rifle no need to get any more thats how nice my gun is..Never mis fired ive shot balloons out to 400 yards time and time again.It all comes down to personal choice..

[BucktheBuck30-06]

My personal opinoin is that the 243 is the nect best gun that will give you lighter recil and you can still reach out and touch em

[Lawdwaz]

243? Are you kidding me?? That's for kids & women!

Oh yea, I'll be carrying one this fall also........Shhhhhh.

[Pygmy]

243? Are you kidding me?? That's for kids & women!

Oh yea, I'll be carrying one this fall also........Shhhhhh.

Pansy, pansy, PANSY !!!

LOL..A .243..What a WUSS...<<grin>>...

Actually, Dinsdale's suggestion of the 6.5 Swede sounds pretty sexy to me also... I have always liked difference stuff, like .280 Rem and 9.3 x 62, and 7 x 57...

The onliest 30-06 I ever have owned is my Garand, but that chambering is always the one that comes to mind when someone wants ONE rifle to be used for everything, epecially with factory loads...

[bikrsrule]

something wrong with the 7mm mag? Better ballistics than the 06 and a bit less recoil..

[hunter49]

I say 270 spring or 30-06 . Kenaxe-7 the 270 short mag is nice if you want to spend all your money on the ammo. ( $45.00 + per box of 20)

[Pygmy]

something wrong with the 7mm mag? Better ballistics than the 06 and a bit less recoil..

Only thing wrong with the 7MM Rem mag is that it is not as versatile as the 30-06 regarding bullet weights and it burns more powder to get similar velocities with equal bullet weights.

Nothing WRONG with the 7MM Rem mag, but it can't perform as well with heavier bullet weights, in the 180-220 grains.. That's why most grizzly/brown bear guides will allow a 30-06 with heavy bullets, but most don't want a 7MM mag in camp.

I'm not trashing the 7MMRem mag. It is a useful and very popular loading.

I simply prefer more efficient loadings like the .280 Rem, which comes close to 7mm Mag ballistics with less powder and recoil.

[BucktheBuck30-06]

30-06 hands down!!

[bikrsrule]

I keep hearing about the 280, I just dont see ammo around for it and not many used rifles for sale in the caliber, I will check further though