Hunting Rifle Decision: Your Most Accurate Rifle or Favorite Cartridge

[General RE LEE]

Here’s an interesting one. My Tikka 6.5 Creedmoor UPR is my most accurate rifle. My 6 ARC Howa Mini is a sweet rifle and I give the edge to it being my favorite cartridge.

Would you take your most accurate rifle or the “adequate” rifle that shoots your favorite cartridge?

 

[hereinaz]

That seems to be edging towards my 22BR in my Howa Mini for a small cartridge and 25 SST for magnum in short action.

Short and fat is where it’s at.

 

[black dawg]

6.5 creed sako is my most precise and accurate rifle. Not light but not really heavy, and extremely shootable. Mil quick drops line up like it was invented for this rifle.
Also have 6arc mini, very light little more difficult to shoot well, precise enough, if it had a dialable scope on it it would probably go hunting more than the 6.5.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I wouldnt have any issues running around with just an open sighted 30-30. I'll take the gun/chambering that I prefer over a bit more accuracy

 

[sierracharlie338]

Depends on the type of the hunt but I generally pick whatever feels right at the time. I also cycle rifles just to spill blood with them at some point. Now that I think about it I don’t have a favorite that normally gets the nod. Maybe I should figure that out lol

 

[Steve300xcw]

I'd be curious how many animals that are posted on here couldnt have been killed with a 2.5moa gun. Talking hunting shots, not lobbing rounds across a canyon...

 

[houghton_hunter]

Have two sub-moa rifles, practice with both, so you never worry about which one is more accurate, choose the caliber that is your favorite for killing the game.

"Only accurate rifles are interesting"-Townsend Whalen

 

[Robobiss]

I also cycle rifles just to spill blood with them at some point.

I’m guilty of both doing this, and not doing this. I realized this morning while looking for a rifle to try to loan to a buddy that had an optic failure last night that I have a .308 and a 6.5 creedmoor that I have never shot anything with, nor taken hunting.

I thought about it for this weekend as both are zero’d and have good loads worked up for them. Then I remembered how much damn fun my tikka 223 is to shoot stuff with… Maybe they will get some blood on them next year!

 

[sierracharlie338]

I’m guilty of both doing this, and not doing this. I realized this morning while looking for a rifle to try to loan to a buddy that had an optic failure last night that I have a .308 and a 6.5 creedmoor that I have never shot anything with, nor taken hunting.

I thought about it for this weekend as both are zero’d and have good loads worked up for them. Then I remembered how much damn fun my tikka 223 is to shoot stuff with… Maybe they will get some blood on them next year!

I have a couple rifles that have not spilled blood. I have a 25-45 sharps that’s BEGGING to be used but has yet to get the nod lol. I lost my lease where I could shoot five deer a year so the number of animals getting whacked is much slower.

 

[Firestone]

My most accurate rifle is a 6bra. This year I have been hunting with a 6.5prc. The prc shoots pretty freaking awesome to though

 

[chicoredneck]

I have custom built 6.5 prc that is super accurate. It’s my favorite rifle to hunt with and have used it on everything from desert ewe to elk.

 

[Maxhunter]

6.5 PRC is my favorite.

 

[Caseknife]

Depends on the type of the hunt but I generally pick whatever feels right at the time. I also cycle rifles just to spill blood with them at some point. Now that I think about it I don’t have a favorite that normally gets the nod. Maybe I should figure that out lol

Exactly my MO. Lots to choose from and a couple yet to be packed on a hunt.

 

[Ajsomp]

I'd be curious how many animals that are posted on here couldnt have been killed with a 2.5moa gun. Talking hunting shots, not lobbing rounds across a canyon...

Even the best shooter shouldn’t be hunting with a gun that shoots 2.5 Moa, not with modern rifles and ammunition. Just no excuse. But that doesn’t mean most shooters are capable of being 2.5 MOA shooters, let alone sub minute.

While I don’t like the YouTube challenges because guys will practice the test vs training, there’s merit to having real conversation about what a system is capable of, vs what you and the system are capable of. Personally I would want the most accurate system possible to remove any additional variables. My rifle shots this year to date were 75 yards, 280 yards, and 180 yards. I could have easily gotten away with a 2.5 MOA gun (especially under 200) but I want the most lethal system possible.

For me it’s a toss up between my tikka 6.5 prc or my tikka 223- but push comes to shove it’s my 6.5 prc. I’m taking it to Colorado next week to chase mule deer (both out of requirement but also because it gives me the better edge for wind calls). It’s more capable than I am and capable of delivering beyond my effective range. I may shoot a bunch and be more capable than most, but I don’t have the luxury of being stationed in the mountains and don’t shoot in them all the time, so wind calling is one of my biggest challenges. And that 147 eldm is gives me a 7 MPH gun vs a 4 MPH gun. At 500 with a 12 MPH full value wind that’s the difference between ~.9 mil hold (6.5) to a 1.5 mil hold (223)

 

[ArcheryFool]

I’ve gotten lucky with all my rifles from cheap TC compass in 308 to a RPR in 6.5CM and a full out custom build with a pre fit proof in 6.5CM I’ve got all to shoot 1/2” with factory hornady or FGMM. With hand loads I’ve gotten even better accuracy and consistency.
Now my wife’s rem 700 in 243 is a different story, just took it out yesterday and it’s all over the place.
Time for a upgrade

 

[Bama67]

My most accurate rifle I have now is probably my 6mm Creedmoor Seekins PH2. It will shoot 5 rounds of box Hornady 108gr Match into a 1/2" easily
Good enough for me and I'm likely not going to bother loading for it.
My favorite rifle right now is probably the Tikka 223. its also dead nuts accurate but I'm a little better with the Seekins and can reach out a bit farther with more umph so I use that most of the time.

I also have Kimber's cheapest rifle, a Hunter in 6.5CM that shoots fantastic for its super low weight, sub moa, but it's harder for me to shoot accurately so I just deal with the Seekins weight. But after a long day of hiking and seeing nothing I do miss that Kimber lol

 

[General RE LEE]

I might have to get a Tikka .223. My Howa Mini 6 ARC just doesn’t have that precision I’m used to with Tikkas.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I might have to get a Tikka .223. My Howa Mini 6 ARC just doesn’t have that precision I’m used to with Tikkas.

Thats too bad. My howa mini 6 ARC drives tacks. I have only shot the hornady match ammo through it tho

 

[black dawg]

Thats too bad. My howa mini 6 ARC drives tacks. I have only shot the hornady match ammo through it tho

My 6arc mini shoots the hornady match really good, right at an inch or slightly under. So far all my reloads with the same bullet have been 1.5 to 2 inch for 10 shots.

 

[AZ_Hunter]

I have a couple rifles that have not spilled blood. I have a 25-45 sharps that’s BEGGING to be used but has yet to get the nod lol. I lost my lease where I could shoot five deer a year so the number of animals getting whacked is much slower.

Use it when you can. I have killed with a 25-223 (almost the same thing, but a shorter neck) and a 25-6.8spc. Both out of AR platforms. The 85gr BT and 90gr Gameking Hollownpoint make nasty wounds.

To answer the OP I don’t have a favorite and my preferences change depending on terrain and game. I used a 12.5” 6.8 for a couple kills including a bull elk, and like that rifle a lot. Right now my favorite is probably 16” tikka in 6.5CM cause it’s new so it’s fun messing around with it and I shot a cow elk with it this year. It will be center of attention until I get the next rifle, or circle back to one of my wildcat AR’s.