Seeking Recommendations for My Next Hunting Rifle

[Turkeytider]

If legal in the state you're hunting, no reason not to go for it.

I was being facetious. Too many better calibers, IMO, than .223 that would increase the chances of a DRT shot if/when everything doesn`t go perfectly as far as shot placement is concerned. Obviously, there are those who would disagree with my opinion

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

I was being facetious. Too many better calibers, IMO, than .223 that would increase the chances of a DRT shot if/when everything doesn`t go perfectly as far as shot placement is concerned. Obviously, there are those who would disagree with my opinion

Take the time to read the *entire* 223 thread and your opinion may change based on real data, arguments, and real-life post mortems presented.

The OP doesn't need anything larger than what he already has.

 

[coletrickle]

OP, I’m in the exact same position, gearing up for my first western hunt. I purchased a Howa superlite in 6.5cm and topped it with a Trijicon Credo 2.5-15. My budget is higher than what the equipment cost, so I’ll be spending it on factory ammo. Many would ask why not go bigger if you’re specifically buying a rifle to go west. To that I say, I’d rather have one rifle that I’m ultra confident with that I can shoot at home and on trips. I intend to sell my 7mm-08 whitetail gun and just have the 6.5 for everything moving forward.

 

[JAG1]

I'll second the Seekins - absolutely stellar rifles.

Agree on this as well. Amazing rifles.

 

[collinjet]

Just wanted to share a quick update with everyone. I headed out to Idaho for my mule deer tag and ended up tagging my first western big game animal! I’ve always believed in the saying, “Don’t pass on the first day what you’d shoot on the last,” so when the opportunity presented itself, I took it. I dropped this mule deer doe at 410 yards using a 143 ELD-X over 41.8 grains of H4350.

Since my hunt wrapped up quickly, I stayed out in Idaho for a few extra days, splitting time between camping and a cozy cabin. Then I decided to surprise the buddy I was talking about earlier in Colorado, figuring we’d fish for a couple of days before I headed home. Well, he convinced me to grab an elk tag, and that changed everything!

Originally, I planned to use his Bergara in .300 Win Mag, but we discovered it had ejection issues after a few rounds at the range. Instead, I stretched my Bergara in 6.5 Creedmoor out to 700 yards at the range just for fun and decided to stick with it since I had a lot of confidence in it. When the moment came, I put two well-placed shots into this beautiful bull elk's heart at 360 yards. The first shot didn’t even phase him, but the second had him rearing up like the Ferrari logo before tipping over backward into a death roll down the mountain. Unfortunately, the fall snapped off his 5ths, but I couldn’t have been happier with the outcome!

Fast forward to Wisconsin’s deer season, and I kept the streak alive, taking a doe at 50 yards on opening day with a hard quartering shot. Opening days have definitely been kind to me this year!

I've been very impressed with how the 6.5 has performed for me!

 

[rockymtnsam]

Just wanted to share a quick update with everyone. I headed out to Idaho for my mule deer tag and ended up tagging my first western big game animal! I’ve always believed in the saying, “Don’t pass on the first day what you’d shoot on the last,” so when the opportunity presented itself, I took it. I dropped this mule deer doe at 410 yards using a 143 ELD-X over 41.8 grains of H4350.

Since my hunt wrapped up quickly, I stayed out in Idaho for a few extra days, splitting time between camping and a cozy cabin. Then I decided to surprise the buddy I was talking about earlier in Colorado, figuring we’d fish for a couple of days before I headed home. Well, he convinced me to grab an elk tag, and that changed everything!

Originally, I planned to use his Bergara in .300 Win Mag, but we discovered it had ejection issues after a few rounds at the range. Instead, I stretched my Bergara in 6.5 Creedmoor out to 700 yards at the range just for fun and decided to stick with it since I had a lot of confidence in it. When the moment came, I put two well-placed shots into this beautiful bull elk's heart at 360 yards. The first shot didn’t even phase him, but the second had him rearing up like the Ferrari logo before tipping over backward into a death roll down the mountain. Unfortunately, the fall snapped off his 5ths, but I couldn’t have been happier with the outcome!

Fast forward to Wisconsin’s deer season, and I kept the streak alive, taking a doe at 50 yards on opening day with a hard quartering shot. Opening days have definitely been kind to me this year!

I've been very impressed with how the 6.5 has performed for me!

Congratulations! That’s a good rule to follow, and glad you stuck to it.

What season were you in CO? We hunt 3rd rifle every year and got hammered with snow this year, but what’s even weirder is that we hardly saw any sign the week following the snow. They just weren’t moving like they normally do after some weather, it was really strange. Tag soup for me this year.

 

[collinjet]

Congratulations! That’s a good rule to follow, and glad you stuck to it.

What season were you in CO? We hunt 3rd rifle every year and got hammered with snow this year, but what’s even weirder is that we hardly saw any sign the week following the snow. They just weren’t moving like they normally do after some weather, it was really strange. Tag soup for me this year.

Thank you, Sir! This was opening day of 2nd rifle. Saw about 40 elk opening morning, had a huge 7x7 that we were making a play on but this guy popped out with a few other bulls and a cow. It was amazing to have friends who knew where they were and what they were doing, as back home in Wisconsin, I'm always the one trying to get people on deer.