Building or buying ONE nice rifle. Which caliber and why?

[SDHNTR]

I’m confused. You asked what caliber, then answered your own question with 7mm or .308.

Oooohhhhh, you mean cartridge?

Sorry, someone had to be that guy.

 

[LightFoot]

You could go on the Weatherby website and build a custom Mark V, 307, or Vanguard.

30-06 with factor Barnes 150 TTSX, Hornady 178 ELDX, or Federal 175 TA will take any deer, elk, antelope, or moose out to 500 yards.

My latest custom rifle was a 22” 30-06 which is more than adequate for anything but the biggest bears. I still might take it for a brown bear with 200+ grain bullets.


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[TradLife406]

22 or 6 Creed. 6 creed if where your hunting has laws written by Fudds. Don't need a lot of barrel length either. 16 is just fine.

 

[Coopsdaddy]

What is your budget?

 

[eLightfoot]

Sako 90 hunter 6.5creed $1699 EuroOptic
It’s nice, looks nice, and love it or hate it 6.5creed is probably the best do all there is

 

[deerhunter628]

I went with an Unknown Munitions Tikka build in 7mm PRC. I love it. Its a great shooting rifle.

 

[xnader]

What is your budget?

2k ish for rifle without glass/can etc

 

[RWT]

Seekins in 6.5 CM. Should shoot better than most people can and if you don’t like the caliber you can switch out barrels easily

 

[nm.otter]

2k ish for rifle without glass/can etc

Sako 90 for an off the shelf gun. Won't lose a lot of value if you change your mind.

 

[Deadfall]

Springfield has a couple exceptionally nice rifles.
Model 2020 waypoint and redline. Fluted carbon fiber wrapped adjustable triggers. They are shooters.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

270 Weatherby Magnum.

Three Round Group:

And NO. Nothing Tikka makes comes even close.

If I was going to go with one rifle/caliber, this would be it....glass too.

 

[rootacres]

Man the 6.5 PRC makes a compelling case for what you're trying to do. My dad and brother were both in your situation. They wanted to buy/build a one and done rifle. My dad ended up in a Gunwerks 6.5 PRC and my brother is a in a semi custom 6.5 PRC as well. They are mild enough to shoot well at distance and spot impacts while having plenty of juice for elk size game and smaller. That cartridge being backed by Hornady should have great ammo availability for decades.

My thought process is, build a kick ass hunting rifle for the lower 48. In the event I hunt brown bear, or Yukon moose or something like that. I would just buy another barrel or rifle for that hunt.

I built my do all rifle on a short action chambered in 7 SAUM. It shoots 168gr Bergers at 2950 fps. It's an elk hammer but recoils light enough to watch my impacts. My dad has done / has plans for some of the larger critters in Alaska. He has a 300 WM and 300 WBY to choose from for those.

 

[Rock’N Tacos]

You can get the Seekins with a 20" barrel in 6mmCM or 6.5CM. But they have a fairly fat barrel that you don't need.

It is my personal belief that you get nothing from the Browning or Weatherby that you can't get cheaper with a Tikka. I would personally struggle to buy in that price range - you're at the point where I'd rather just buy the Tikka at a lower price point or go a little higher and build something more custom. Or even buy a Howa barreled action and add a Stocky's stock to it and a BDL style floorplate, and you'd be in it for less money and have a rifle I personally would prefer over the Browning or Weatherby.

YMMV, a lot. Gun choices are highly subjective.

Are tikka’s less money than browning xbolts? Last I checked they were pretty dang close if comparing like features.

 

[Chris in TN]

Are tikka’s less money than browning xbolts? Last I checked they were pretty dang close if comparing like features.

I haven't priced a Browning in 30+ years, so I have no idea what they cost now. They simply don't appeal to me and honestly haven't done so since the Abolt replaced the BBR, which also had its own set of quirks.

I'm not saying they're bad rifles. They just haven't made anything that appealed to me in a long time. I owned one once and it shot great, it just didn't appeal to me. Traded it for something I liked more. Never looked back.

*shrug*

 

[rookieforever33]

Are tikka’s less money than browning xbolts? Last I checked they were pretty dang close if comparing like features.

Yes they are usually a little but more. Probably a liitle nicer in stock form also. But you better like it that way because there is not a ton of aftermarket support for Browning. The tikka is the king of aftermarket support. Many buy the cheaper optioned Tikkas for donor actions and semi custom them up for pretty good prices.

 

[BooneJ]

I have never had a “nice” rifle. My current go to rifle is a .30-.06 savage axis with a custom boyds stock. I want to build or buy one nicer rifle that can handle anything in north America and likely won’t ever shoot at an animal over 450 yards (big game not predators or small game). Mostly midwest whitetail hunting but I do go out west almost annually and fully plan to hunt mule deer and elk with this gun. Having a hard time deciding on a caliber, my .30-.06 has not let me down one single time and I love that caliber but I already have a couple of them so that makes me want something else just for variety and a little more downrange energy. Want something in the 7mm-30 cal range, I like the sounds of the 7 rem mag or 7 prc, love the performance of 300 win mag but don’t want a cannon that loud if I can avoid it, .308 seems like a slight downgrade from the .30-.06. I only shoot factory ammo, not a reloader. I am looking at going suppressed as well. Would love to hear your recommendations and why you recommend it!

I’m looking for one as well. Have a RUM and that thing is a boat anchor. Shoots really well but sure is heavy. I currently like the ballistics of the .270’s. .270 WIN, .270 WSM and the 6.8 Western. Any of these with the proper bullet will drop any North American big game no problem at 450. Keep in touch, I’d like to know what you go with.

 

[Rock’N Tacos]

I haven't priced a Browning in 30+ years, so I have no idea what they cost now. They simply don't appeal to me and honestly haven't done so since the Abolt replaced the BBR, which also had its own set of quirks.

I'm not saying they're bad rifles. They just haven't made anything that appealed to me in a long time. I owned one once and it shot great, it just didn't appeal to me. Traded it for something I liked more. Never looked back.

*shrug*

I have owned a dozen or so x-bolts and they have all been 10 shot moa/sub moa guns. Miroku makes an awesome rifle - its the gun version of toyota.

 

[ATL]

If you want a new and nice rifle I suggest going with a caliber other than the .30.06 you already have. For the ranges you expect to be shooting, a short action rifle in 6.5 CM, 25 CM, or 6 CM, with a 18”-22” barrel, would fit your needs very well. If you reloaded I would also suggest 7-08 or a fast twist .243 Win. as additional options.

The cheaper ammunition costs, less recoil/blast, and less wear on the barrel than a magnum, would allow for a lot of practice pre-season. I believe shot placement is everything, and a lower recoiling gun that you shoot often is more likely to assist you place good shots.

Make sure to save funds for a proven reliable scope in a good mounting system. Do not go cheap, this element of the total package is just as important as the rifle.

For a long action rifle, the .270 Win. and .25-06 are good choices.

I practice what I preach. Once I built a nice 6.5 CM, my two .30-06 rifles have not left the safe in over six years. I am much more confident with the 6.5 CM for everything I hunt.

Good luck picking a new rifle.

 

[IronNoggin]

If I was going to go with one rifle/caliber, this would be it....glass too.

All Rounder alright.

On the optics, here's the post I made about that way back nine years ago:

Changed my mind on the scope - decided that I really really like my cheek weld to stay where it is, and don't want to have another add-on to make that work.

So decided to roll with a Leupold VX-3L 4.5 - 14 x 50mm scope. Took a little looking, but managed to locate one in new condition for a price I can live with. Looks like:

The little crescent cut out of the bell allows for mounting on a Weatherby Mark V with their LOW rings. Just the ticket methinks!

As for mounts and rings, going with the obvious - Leupold's Dual Dovetail for the Mark V in 2 piece.

And she well does her job as a consequence!

Cheers