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If you had to choose one rifle for your hunting needs, and could be tasked with stalking anything from coyote, to boar, deer, and maybe even black bear... what platform would you use?

 

Caliber would enter into the discussion, as well.

 

Cheers,

FJT

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.30-06, the poor man's magnum.

You can always find commercial ammo for it and there are lots of reloading components and powders.

 

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If your question is not "1 rifle style for all of your hunting needs" - like a bolt action 223 for coyotes and a bolt-action 458 for grizzle bears, but instead it is "1 rifle period, for whatever you feel the need to shoot" - then I believe it would either be a Ruger number 1 in 7x57mm, or a Ruger number 1 in 30US. Both of those calibers should kill just about anything on the North American continent, and if I decided to hunt something that I did not think those could do the job, I would hunt something else. :)

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I favor bolt actions.  Since you are in California I'd avoid semi-autos and stick with a bolt action or level action.  Stick with a very common caliber in case you have to shoot copper bullets.

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A while back, a friend of mine and I were having this conversation.......We decided that the 257 Roberts Ackley was the absolute "All Around Cartridge" for North America.

 

I designed and built the "VAC" rifle......If I could only keep one.....

 

http://rvbprecision.com/shooting/the-vac-rifle.html

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Winchester model 70 compact in 7mm-08 will handle anything you mentioned above and then some. I’ve taken elk, bison, pronghorn in addition to those you’ve listed. It is very lightweight and you can carry it all day. The 7mm-08 is a .308 necked down to .284.

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Probably .30-06 or .308 bolt action. Everything from 55 grain Accelerators to 220 grain bullets.

 

That said, I've never hunted with either, but instead have used a .270 to take almost all of the big game I've killed in my life.

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2 hours ago, Frederick Jackson Turner said:

If you had to choose one rifle for your hunting needs, and could be tasked with stalking anything from coyote, to boar, deer, and maybe even black bear... what platform would you use?

 

Caliber would enter into the discussion, as well.

 

Cheers,

FJT

1. Remington 700BDL in .30-'06

2. Remington Model 8 in .35 Remington

3. Browning / Winchester Model 95 in .30-40 U. S. Krag

 

Good for anything on your list and I've taken elk with the .35 and the .30-40

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Ruger #1, .270 Winchester, with a Leupold 1-4X scope has gone into the field with me every fall since 1999.  Never failed me yet. I might want something else if I knew a grizzly was stalking me, but I am not going to give one a chance to do that.  Ammo available everywhere.  Mr. O’Connor knew what he wrote about.

 

Why a #1?  Because I didn’t want to look like everyone else.

 

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Interesting batch of responses! (I'll get back to you on the 30-40 Krag in an 1895 Winchester, later, 40-Rod!)

 

Lotsa love for the hard hitting, flat shooting .270; and I agree that the .30s are tough to beat for an All Around Rifle.

 

I'm intrigued about the 6.5, with which I have little experience. 

 

We should do a radio show segment on this; you all are a mountain of information!

 

Cheers,

FJT

 

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My answer:

Bolt action in .30-06. 

I have a Remington 700 in .30-06 .

I'm not much of a big game hunter.

 

Back in the day, I do remember reading several books and articles by the great Jack O'Conner. 

Jack's answer to FJT's question would have been:

"The Rifleman's Rifle," the Winchester Model 70 in .270 Winchester.

 

 

.

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My first rifle...a sporterized 03 Springfield in 30-06 of course. I restocked it in maple when I was about 20, in 1960. I have shot everything from antelope to moose with it. I have built around 100 stocks for customers before I retired from stockbuilding. 964835631_Springfield003.thumb.jpg.d763d15d94049db73dbccd6cbadb8dd2.jpg

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You can't go wrong with a .30/06 bolt gun. Aside from the romance, a .308 would be good too. It is loaded to higher pressures, and if you check the loading manuals will meet if not exceed the '06 with 150 gr range bullets.

JHC

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Bolt Gun in .270 Winchester,,,,,,

I like the Winchester M-70 with the Claw extractor and the Ruger  M-77 Hawkeye ....

Or 

Bolt guns in 25-06 Rem. , .300 WSM , 6.5 X 55, 9.3 x 57 or .375 Ruger...

 

Jabez Cowboy

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4 hours ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

Ruger #1, .270 Winchester, with a Leupold 1-4X scope has gone into the field with me every fall since 1999.  Never failed me yet. I might want something else if I knew a grizzly was stalking me, but I am not going to give one a chance to do that.  Ammo available everywhere.  Mr. O’Connor knew what he wrote about.

 

Why a #1?  Because I didn’t want to look like everyone else.

 

3FC647D8-AD9E-419F-AC9A-2990E430E592.thumb.jpeg.839ed778e409d34f6d0bd208686b0269.jpeg

 

Ha!  I gots one o' them...!  :)

 

No. 1 A-B, .270, 1979 vintage.  ^_^

 

You have a nicer scope.  ;)

 

1908128355_No1A.thumb.jpg.44d4380cb308e214d2029b4ce1c1d1e9.jpg

 

 

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One gun for the various game animals you mentioned, coyotes to black bear:

I would pick one of the following three rifles:

  - Winchester .30-30 Model 94, lever action.

  - Marlin .45-70 Model 1895, lever action

  - Norinco 7.62x39mm (model) SKS, semi-auto

 

(Any of the above would be used with appropriate factory ammo)

Because of the varied game, I would not use my Remington700 .30-06  bolt gun.

 

Cat Brules

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Re:My first answer.

I had this discussion with myself several years ago. (Say 1970 Pre computer days).

I filled a good size notebook with notes, copied articles, several ballistic tables, nomographs till the world looked level and several reloading tables..

My criteria were: Absolute max weight of 7 pounds, all of the bullet performance of the 150 gr 308/30-06 bullet at commercial cheap velocity, given reasonable weather conditions I could be capable of shooting 2 moa.  It would wear a quality weather proof coating, a good set of iron sites and a 3x9 scope with Ruger style tip off rings.

You would be amazed how rapidly the cartridge selection shrinks using the above restrictions. In my quest I shot several rifles owned by friends. One of the first was a 300 Win Mag. OK so I need an upper limit on recoil.

The big reveal.

Style:

1. Single shot with a big slobber leading to a Ruger #1.

2. Bolt gun. Anything that is simple and meets the criteria.

3. Other: I considered Lever, Semi Auto, slide to be too complex to be able to survive my treatment and gunsmithing skills.

Cartridge. 

1  .243  With a large negative in that I had shot a whitetail doe with a bolt gun with a solid rest shooting out the window of my pick up truck and did not recover her.  It was near the end of the season so I waited a few days and went back to the scene of the crime to see if I had simply missed or if some blame could be passed on to the bullet and/or gun. I found her but it had been long enough that even for the sake of science would I cut open the decaying chest.  However, there was a 25 caliber hole 3 ribs back from the shoulder blade and mid way up and down on the side that had been my aiming point.  I turned her over and found an exit wound just where I expected, 25 caliber in diameter. Bullet failure, did't hit a bone, did not expand.

2. 7 /08

3. 7/57

So, using my own requirements I have eliminated one of my selected three due to my perceived bullet failure.

I then went to several (many) Walmarts, pawn shops, service stations looking for 7/08 and or 7x57 ammo with no success.

I had never re-loaded any thing but shotgun so ammo had to be available.

Of my three I had selected 1 that is ineffective and two that were un available. Before the screams of pain that I am badmouthing the 243, I honestly think it was the choice of bullet was the 100 grain and I think it may too heavy for caliber.  89 gr was available and was probably a better choice that I didn't make.

OK, I have to make a choice right now? Light, availability of rifle and selection of ammunition. Move my shooting position to within 100 yards

OK.  If I buy that Marlin 336 would you throw in a couple of boxes  of 170 gr bullets?

 

March 2020.  A lot of the above still holds true.  I have the single shot 7/08 (Not a Ruger) with a 3x9 on it. Walmart carries both 7/08 and 7x57 ammunition. There are now a lot of light weight guns and bullet combinations that were unheard of 50 years ago. (Even some of the black rifles will work). I do have difficulty recommending anything below 25 caliber.

 

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13 hours ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

1. Remington 700BDL in .30-'06

2. Remington Model 8 in .35 Remington

3. Browning / Winchester Model 95 in .30-40 U. S. Krag

 

Good for anything on your list and I've taken elk with the .35 and the .30-40

 

One of the big lever actions would be a good choice!

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