The general purpose rifle

[Hoodie]

I find it interesting how many folks think this is a good theoretical internet banter but not much more than that.

I almost think the opposite.

1) Common stainless/synthetic bolt action
2) Pretty much any centerfire cartridge from .223 up to .300 win mag
3) Durable optic with a low end power of no more than 3x.

Given those criteria, I think most people could do pretty much any NA big game from up close and personal in the timber out to 500 yards or so (assuming appropriate training).

I used to get hung up on optimal barrel length and stuff, but I've killed my last two bucks from the ground in the timber at 40 and 90 yards with a 24 inch barrel. No real issues.

 

[Maineotter]

For me general purpose is 10 yards to 200 yards. Walking the woods to hanging in the gun rack in my Tacoma. Coyote to deer. I love my Remington Model Sevens for that. Both stainless synthetic dnz one piece game reaper rings vortex viper 3-9s. One 7mm-08 one 308. I wish they were more accurate but I can hit the boiler room confidently inside that range. Light and compact. I know y'all here love 223 243 6 or 6.5 but I live in Maine. Dense brush. High velocity smaller diameter bullets aren't my cup of tea because lots of my shots are in thick woods. Id rather shoot bigger diameter slower bullets. If I had to pick a third rifle for general purpose Id toss a 243 in the mix though

Edit: I do hate those scopes. Its a work in progress

 

[Matt5266]

Tikka 223 suppressed
Stockys VG2
Maven scope

 

[Moose83]

I have a safe full of rifles that could fit as a one gun and done!

I hope we don't start in on fishing rods.

I'm very streamlined on that front.... ugly stik all the way! Lol

 

[hunterjmj]

My rss lives in my pickup most of the year. I can swing into the range, shoot prairie dogs, coyotes or deer while traveling around for work.

 

[justinspicher]

Do you mean that for most people the actual width of the purposes they need to cover isnt so wide or the needs so specific that “general purpose” has a lot of meaning? If so I agree.

I mean that most folks are constantly chasing the next best thing and if they used that time and money on a single rilfe/caliber, they’d be way better off.

As much as folks want a general purpose or do it all rifle, they won’t actually commit to it.

 

[Maineotter]

I'm very streamlined on that front.... ugly stik all the way! Lol

But then you figure out the Ugly Stik lite has wayyy more feeling for light bites then you start going back to graphite then you want a trout rod then you want a striper rod
To be fair I ran a 6' ugly stik exclusively for years and I can tell you theyre a sledge hammer on 6" brookies and wayyyy too light for 20 pound stripers

 

[bigunit]

Easy pick for me. Tikka t3 stainless lefty in 308
Stockys vg2
Burris ff2 in talley rings
6lb 10oz unloaded. Srs arca/pic rail on forestock. The gun loves 155 scenars and 150ttsx both ar around 2950fps. It shoots very well like all my tikkas. I bought an accupoint 3-9x40 for it but theres no arguing that the burres ballistic plex works well for this rifle and load. Nothing that lives around here that i wouldn't trust this combo on and it's worked on a few elk, a bear, a few deer and a couple of moose.

 

[PanhandlePilgrim]

My general purpose rifle is a Tikka CTR 6.5 CM. I bought it with the intent to make it a 6cm but after doing some load work I found great accuracy with 140 eldms going 2850. I love shooting it and quickly became my favorite rifle especially after I found a Manners EH1 stock for it. And of course, it is suppressed.

 

[Ajsomp]

AR variant all day long. Don’t get me wrong, I love my bolt action tikkas. But I can do a lot with a 12.5-14.5 AR in either 223/556 or 6arc. My guns are set up to shoot under night vision, add a clip on thermal, and everything in between.

 

[Unclecroc]

Those bullets have to be going mach 12 coming out of that barrel

A modest 3600 fps. It flattens deer.

 

[Loper]

it seems to me that most of the replies on here are about their general hunting rifles. However, when I hear their term purpose rifle, I think of a rifle that can be used both for hunting (big game, varmints, etc.) as well as in defensive situations. i don’t want to speak for everyone, but i think many would agree that a 16” AR15 with a fast twist 223/556 barrel would be the ideal general purpose rifle for most things. Not ideal for everything but would be capable for most every scenario.

 

[Mike D Texas]

Mine is a [emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]” Tikka Roughtech in .[emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]]]]] with an SWFA [emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]]-[emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]]] Gen [emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]].


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[RockAndSage]

AR variant all day long. Don’t get me wrong, I love my bolt action tikkas. But I can do a lot with a 12.5-14.5 AR in either 223/556 or 6arc. My guns are set up to shoot under night vision, add a clip on thermal, and everything in between.

^ This. Was surprised it took this long for someone to mention an AR. I have to have a need or reason to go out of my way to be more civilized in choosing anything else to hunt with. It's literally the only rifle/carbine I use for all but the rarest situations. That said, I have a Tikka CTR on the way in .223 AI, and will likely get a Raven/Tikka built in either .22CM or another really hot .22 centerfire. But if I were forced to only choose one rifle for everything and forever, I can't imagine it being anything other than some type of AR.

 

[Moose83]

it seems to me that most of the replies on here are about their general hunting rifles. However, when I hear their term purpose rifle, I think of a rifle that can be used both for hunting (big game, varmints, etc.) as well as in defensive situations. i don’t want to speak for everyone, but i think many would agree that a 16” AR15 with a fast twist 223/556 barrel would be the ideal general purpose rifle for most things. Not ideal for everything but would be capable for most every scenario.

I can see the logic in this... but I'm Canadian and my government sucks!