If you Could Have Just One...

[lancetkenyon]

For Arizona 257 Weatherby mag

I love my .25-06 Ackley, and deer hate it.

[Hoss50]

I like my 257 Weatherby for AZ. I hope to make some animals hate mine soon.

 

For overall as a 1 gun for everything up to Moose it is hard to say. I like the 300Win & 300Wea.

[308Nut]

You say maybe even a moose. Are you talking about shiras, Canadian, or Alaska/Yukon moose?

 

While you don't need a super magnum or any magnum for big arctic bulls, you do need mass and material. Raw Sectional density is very important but having a good amount of weight and mass is also very useful. IMHO, a 30 cal is more comfortable for big bulls than smaller calibers. Can you kill a big bull with the smaller calibers? Sure can. 30s with heavier pills are just more forgiving when shoulder bones are concerned. If you do go with .26, .277 or .284, I'd recommend taking ONLY broadside shots through ribs only. That's not a bad policy anyway but sometimes all you get is a shoulder for a target.

 

IMHO, the 284 win or 280AI is about as good a balance as you can get between coyotes and elk and everything in between. In a pinch, will do fair on a mature arctic bull. If you think you 'might' hunt moose someday, I certainly wouldn't build a gun based on moose unless I planed on hunting them regularly, which I do. Hence the reason I have a 300 win mag and a 308 win. They're very forgiving but my buddy's 338 flat unplugs them. Not saying go 338. Like many, I hate recoil too. I only shoot the 300 win when I have to and spend most of my time behind the 308 which tackles them with ease. Even through shoulders.

[452b264]

A Shilen DGR action or a rem. 700, greybull stock, #4 barrel, VX 111 LR/ 4.5X14X50/MOA or Sightron 6x20x50 FFP/MOA.

 

Caliber, 280 AI or 7mm rem. mag.

[biglakejake]

my how things have changed. wow. and with me not building these days for myself or others i am getting more and more behind the times. .280 AI isn't contrarian anymore and nobody mentioned how the .30/.378Wby is the greatest caliber ever devised.

 

things are looking up....!

 

sheepdreams what are your thoughts this month?...

 

lee

[DBArcher]

This year I have really become a fan of the 300 win mag, really put the hammer down on my bear and my mule deer. That being said, Im not a fan of the recoil produced by it and im thinking of leaning back into a 308. I don't shoot long range, 500 being an absolute max and the 308 will do it.

[jgraffaz]

300 win mag tika t3 with a vortex viper, can't beat it.....its just under 1500$

[lancetkenyon]

300 win mag tika t3 with a vortex viper, can't beat it.....its just under 1500$

That is your "one and only dream rifle"? Just asking, not knocking. Great gun for the price point.

 

Kind of like saying you would take a 2003 V6 Mustang over a new Lamborghini Veneno Roadster. If you are going to dream...dream big! You can cut corners to save $$$ in the real world.

[naturebob]

Just had a muzzle break put on My Tikka 300 win mag when I was down in Wyoming. Took away at least half the kick......BOB!

[SheepDreams]

I am in penny-pincher mode right now, so I have been looking at a T/C Venture in either 280 or 300 Win Mag. I have had other rifles in both calibers and liked them both. Wanting it to be light weight, I am leaning more toward the 280. I had a light 300 and it wasn't much fun to shoot. Scope will be a Vortex Viper 3-9X40. I don't know anyone who has a Venture, so I don't know if they are as good as they feel. As far as dream mountain rifle, mine would be a 700 action, .280 AI with a #3 24" bbl.

[az-6.5-284]

300 wsm animals hate it

[208muley]

I recently picked up a kimber mountain accent in 280ai. While I am still learning to shoot at distance I can say I absolutly love this gun!!!! With factory nosler 140s I am getting .5 amo to 800 on sand bags. Recoil is mild and to shoot all day is actually fun. A buddy of mine has the same rifle he is hand loading w 168 vld and getting .25 moa to 1000. So I guess I am gonna start hand loading. With the 168s the rifle would be good for everything including moose but shots should be closer if I am reading the energy data correctly. Oh yea one more thing, the rifle only weighs 6.4 lbs so it's a dream to carry. Good luck on your quest it's fun and listen to the experienced guys on here, not me, there is some really helpful guys here!

[DesertBull]

I already have hunting rifles.

 

Would love to have a fully tricked out Wilson Combat 1911

[sjvcon]

Yeah ... or a Nighthawk Custom ... sweet pistols.

[billrquimby]

All of the calibers suggested will work, but it would be hard to beat a 7mm Remington Magnum for an all-around rifle for everything in North America except brown and polar bears. The largest moose are not "tough" animals and a 175-grain Nosler Partition will put one down easily if you put it in the kill zone.

 

If recoil is a factor, although the 7RM's is not uncomfortable) you might consider a .270 Winchester with 150-grain bullets for moose and 130 grain bullets for everything else. (Just ask Lark.)

 

I've shot nearly every caliber from .17 to .600 at one time or another, and the recoil of the .300 magnums is at the very upper limit of my comfort level.

 

Bill Quimby