Alaska/all around rifle

[hoff1ck]

I feel like I’ve exhausted the search function here and on google over the past few days and am still having trouble deciding on what route to take. Understand there’s plenty of opinions and options out there too.

As a bit of background I’m a bow hunter through and through. I own a few rifles, shoot occasionally, just never had a huge need otherwise because 90% of the time I’m shooting an arrow during the fall.

I have a mountain goat hunt planned for Kodiak island depending on when I draw, so the primary purpose for a new rifle will be goats in Alaska. That said, I also have points for elk, antelope and mule deer in various states. I bow hunt elk annually out west, but would be ok with returning to Wyoming/Montana with a rifle in the future when time allows. Future deer/antelope hunts would likely be rifle. Would like something I can take for goats, but then have as an option for these other future hunts too.

Feel like I’ve done the most reading on the 6.5/7mm PRC, 7mm rem mag and 280 AI. I’m not sure I’m far enough down the rabbit hole to have much of a budget yet, but for conversation purposes I’d guess up to 1500ish for the gun as needed. Talk to me about what you guys like, things to consider, etc. If there’s a thread close enough to mine that I’ve missed, feel free to point me there too. Appreciate it fellas.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Its Rokslide, so they are all going to recommend a Tikka. I am not a tikka fan.

I have a 6.5 PRC and a 280 AI. Both phenomenal cartridges. I would go 6.5 prc for ease of finding factory ammo. Short action, so you can save a few ounces if you decide not to go with a tikka (tikka uses the same stupid medium length action for all cartridges).

 

[RWT]

I would strongly recommend a threaded barrel for a suppressor regardless of the chambering you choose. The suppressor allows shooting to be enjoyable.

IMO the 6.5PRC may be the best option. I like the 280, but ammo availability may be an issue. I do want a 7PRC. I just don’t need a 7 PRC. The 308 and 6.5 CM are plenty for me for anything I want in the lower 48.

Tikka’s are nice I now own one due to this forum. However, aftermarket for them is less than others and chambering are limited. I always thought they were ugly, but it does shoot very well. Trigger is amazingly easy to adjust and improve on for a factory trigger

Bergara is hit or miss. I’ve had great luck with 3 of their rifles in 6.5 CM but terrible with a 223. Waiting on their decision as I sent it back based on their MOA a guarantee. Lots of aftermarket since it is a Rem700 footprint. All 3 of the 6.5’s shoot 5 shot MOA and 10 shot under 1.5”. The 223 was a dog with fleas and best groups were 2.5”.

Seekins are a very nice option and likely will meet all your needs. They are on my list.

Consider the Springfield waypoint. Good stock, action is decent, trigger is good, barrel is the question. They either are shooter immediately or your stuck trying to fix it.

Aero souls is new, but looks reasonable and should shoot well based on their other offerings.

Christensen arms are too hit or miss for me. IMO they are similar to the Springfield. They either shoot or are dogs and you chase your tail trying to get them to tighten up the groups.

If I had to do it today I would pick up a Bergara Premier Canyon in 6.5 PRC or a Seekins. Checks all the boxes, weight is right, trigger is good, action is 700 clone, barrel is above average and stock is made by AG composite or in house.

I like Trigger tech triggers. They are the best option for me.

 

[JCS271]

Since you are primarily a bowhunter, and the rifle is mostly a tool for occasional utility use, make your life easy. Get a decent all weather 30-06 or 300win and never look back. Factory ammo is available everywhere with loads to take anything (large or small) in North America.

 

[brockel]

I’d grab a tikka t3x lite stainless in 6.5 prc

 

[PNWGATOR]

Bullets matter more than head stamps.

Wound channels matter.

Delivery systems matter.

Dig in and give the process the critical thought it deserves.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Personally, I prefer a .30-06 Springfield as the best all-around caliber for Alaska, but that's because I dislike recoil and I hate muzzle blast, and the venerable '06 will easily and handily slay any terrestrial big game animal in North America.

 

[Mojave]

A lightweight rifle that shoots 1.5 MOA with a tough bullet like the Accubond or Partition.

7mm-08, 308, 30-06, 280, 7mm something, 300 something.

Even though it is a tiny difference I would rather have a 30-06 with a 180 grain Accubond with 4 or 5 in the magazine, than a 300 Win with the same bullet and 3 in the magazine.

Big bears live on Kodiak. Really big bears. They are normally moderately well behaved. But, when they are not I'd rather have more shots.

 

[hoff1ck]

Bullets matter more than head stamps.

Wound channels matter.

Delivery systems matter.

Dig in and give the process the critical thought it deserves.

That’s definitely my plan. I really enjoy the process of setting up a bow and tuning, so I think building a rifle will be enjoyable for me too. I’m usually a gather the data type of person, make a choice and keep moving, but for some reason I’m having trouble settling in on this one. At the end of the day maybe they’re all similar enough it doesn’t really matter either.

 

[Mojave]

The entire reason the Fuchs bolt action double rifle even exist is because the inventor ran a A-Square dry on a Cape buffalo hunt and almost died.

More rounds is more rounds.

If you had an accurate rifle in 338-06, 35 Whelen, 9.3x62 or 400 Whelen that held 5 that would be my choice.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

A lightweight rifle that shoots 1.5 MOA with a tough bullet like the Accubond or Partition.

7mm-08, 308, 30-06, 280, 7mm something, 300 something.

Even though it is a tiny difference I would rather have a 30-06 with a 180 grain Accubond with 4 or 5 in the magazine, than a 300 Win with the same bullet and 3 in the magazine.

Big bears live on Kodiak. Really big bears. They are normally moderately well behaved. But, when they are not I'd rather have more shots.

My Winchester m70 extreme weather 30-06 holds 5 in the box. It is very nice to have 5 vs. the 3 that my tikka holds.

 

[HandgunHTR]

My Winchester m70 extreme weather 30-06 holds 5 in the box. It is very nice to have 5 vs. the 3 that my tikka holds.

You know they make a 5-round mag for the Tikka, right? j/k

For goat hunting, I would be looking for something light that can reach out and touch something. An Aero Solus/PTG/Bighorn Origin action in a HNT26 chassis chambered in 6.5PRC would be hard to beat for that application. It would also work for elk, moose, caribou, or deer.

 

[LightFoot]

There is nothing in AK that will not fall to a .30-06 with 180 Partition.

Tikka or Browning or Bergara or whatever (except Christensen).

I just moved up to AK, so take what I say with a grain of salt…

Any 7mm or .30 cal with a a quality bullet within the velocity threshold and place in the “boiler room,” will be more than adequate.

FWIW, my 300 Win Tikka and 185 Berger is every bit as precise and accurate as my custom rifles that cost more than 3x as much. I would not hesitate to use it for sheep, goat, moose, caribou, or black bear. I would go to a monometal or bonded bullet for brown bear or bison.

Then again…

That TMK from a 223

>>>——JAKE——>

 

[Thegman]

Personally, I prefer a .30-06 Springfield as the best all-around caliber for Alaska, but that's because I dislike recoil and I hate muzzle blast, and the venerable '06 will easily and handily slay any terrestrial big game animal in North America.

That'll do, for a lot a good reasons.

My thoughts are that there a lot more options that will work than won't...but...

Not clear on where you live, but if you're going to be in a situation where you need to buy ammo in AK on short notice, DON'T pick any chambering that's even remotely unusual. 30-06, 308 are likely available. In the last shortage it seems like 6.5CM was easily available as well, strangely enough. One of my buddies insists on using a 300WM and doesn't reload. Even he was having a hell of a time finding any ammo, at all, and when he could it seems he was paying around $80 a box.

 

[effinalders]

I would approach it in reverse. Figure out which rifle you like the best that falls within your budget, then see what cartridges it is offered in and go from there. I think comfort, weight, and features are more important than cartridge or caliber.

I decided I wanted a Kimber Hunter a while back after reading on here about removing the gel and having a really light weight rifle. I wasn't particularly interested in the cartridges it was chambered in when I was looking, but I found that it had previously been offered in a handful of other cartridges. I went looking online and found a new old stock in the cartridge I wanted (280ai). However, I would have been just as happy with several of the other cartridges it was previously offered in and really wouldn't have been missing out on anything if I had just settled for one of the cartridges that I wasn't interested in when I bought it (and in fact have since bought another rifle in one of those cartridges).

 

[thinhorn_AK]

That'll do, for a lot a good reasons.

My thoughts are that there a lot more options that will work than won't...but...

Not clear on where you live, but if you're going to be in a situation where you need to buy ammo in AK on short notice, DON'T pick any chambering that's even remotely unusual. 30-06, 308 are likely available. In the last shortage it seems like 6.5CM was easily available as well, strangely enough. One of my buddies insists on using a 300WM and doesn't reload. Even he was having a hell of a time finding any ammo, at all, and when he could it seems he was paying around $80 a box.

If you had told me ten years ago that 300wm ammo would be hard to find in AK I’d never believe it but sure enough there was a stretch of a few years where it was non existent up here….sort of like 338wm and 375HH are right now.

 

[grappling_hook]

I own a few rifles, shoot occasionally, just never had a huge need otherwise because 90% of the time I’m shooting an arrow during the fall.

What non-magnum centerfire rifles do you already have?

 

[hoff1ck]

What non-magnum centerfire rifles do you already have?

Largest caliber I currently have is a Savage 111 in a 270. Otherwise I live in the straight wall zone in Michigan and shoot most of my deer when I rifle hunt with a 450 bushmaster.

 

[effinalders]

The .270 will do everything you mentioned in your first post. If you compare ballistics between any of the cartridges you mentioned, I think that you will find that they are more alike than different within rrsonable hunting distances, this includes the .270.

So, you could spend $0 and use the rifle you have already and be confident that you are carrying a cartridge that has been doing everything you are asking for decades.

That being said, it would be downright hypocritical of me to advise you not to buy a new rifle if that is what you want. Just be aware that you would be getting it because you want to and not because you need to.

 

[grappling_hook]

Largest caliber I currently have is a Savage 111 in a 270.

Perfect! Looks like you are all set. I got the goat in my profile pic with a Savage 270 a few years ago shooting 150gr partitions (I've since moved down to a suppressed 6.5 creedmoor for my last two mountain goats, and I'll be using the cm again this year).

Assuming you are a non-resident without close family in the state, you'll need a guide, so you may wish to check in with them.