building a short/medium range rifle around a short/medium range scope

[4IDARCHER]

I have been a bowhunter only for the last decade or a bit more, I still shoot a bit, but not a tenth as much as I used to. Miss it a bit and thought why not get back into it, even if it is mostly for the range and "maybe" hunts. I have a really nice Remington .300 WM that realistically could handle whatever I choose to hunt but acquired a Leupold VX-hog scope recently. I first thought about building a .50 or .458 or like on an AR platform, but really AR's lack soul and having handled them for so long for work not too excited about them. Then I thought about selling, but started to re-think a bit.

So to the topic and question. If you could build up a short/medium range rifle that would work perfect with the VX-hogscope what would you build? I want a caliber that could handle deer, bear, hogs, and step up into the elk, moose class if pressed. At first I thought about the .338 federal cal, and the savage hog hunter as it was one of the few rifles chambered in this round. I don't think that would be a bad choice but looking for others as well.

Action type really doesn't matter, and I would like to stick with a factory loaded chambering. I have too much going on with young children and life and reloading it's high on my list right now. I would also like to stick with factory rifles, or at least semi-factory like legendary arms are something of that ilk.

 

[GKPrice]

lots and lots of options - you mentioned kids (budget?) you could do worse than either a Tikka T3 superlight in .308 or 30.06 OR a Kimber Montana in one of their assorted chamberings (if you choose the Kimber look up "Montana tinkering" after you have it, a great tutorial on the "easy" fixes) - as you don't handload yet staying with a well known round gives you a world of choices and availability (this WILL be an issue again soon enough) and with the new bullet technology there are .30 bullets that will arguably do the job a midrange 338 will do, at least well enough good luck !

 

[AZ Vince]

.35 Whelen

 

[robtattoo]

Hog Hunter or Ruger GSR in .308
Savage is more accurate, simpler & lighter; Ruger is more rugged & solidly built, plus it's a 10 speed.

It's all sexy & exotic & stuff, but when was the last time you saw .338fed in Walmart?

 

[robtattoo]

OR.....
Get you a Marlin 336 in .35rem or an 1895 in .45-70.

Both'll hold you out to 150yds with ease.
Light, rugged, handy as hell, versatile & both'll drop anything that ain't a grizzly.

 

[luke moffat]

I would go with the 308 over the 338 federal. Can still easily shoot 200 grain bullets to over 2500 fps even with a 20" barrel if you want to shoot heavier bullets but also can shoot 130 grain ttsx bullets as well at over 3000 fps and have a pretty flat shooting rig inside 300 yards that is perfect for deer, sheep, and caribou.

That said I am partial to the 308 and have taken and seen taken more than 2 dozen moose shot with the 308 alone. Plus a few grizzly bears as well. Heck my wife is taking her 308 to Kodiak next spring in hopes of filling her brown bear tag.

 

[colonel00]

Maybe I'm being too simple but what is so wrong with putting the scope on the .300WM you already have? Best/worst case scenario, you find out what you dont' like about the scope or gun but until then, it's really difficult for an outsider to determine what's best for you.

 

[robby denning]

Here's a review we published from Dustin Allen on the Tikka Light:
http://www.rokslide.com/2012-01-09-05-09-42/firearms/368-tikka-compact