Just two rifles...what calibers? varmints to bears

[EXPRESS]

I have decided to sell off a bunch of guns and by two rifles that I will stick with for good.

They are going to be Blaser R8, two rifles, one barrel.

Amongst the calibers they offer, http://www.blaser.de/fileadmin/editor/caliber-pdf/Blaser_Calibers_Bolt_Action_R8_EN.pdf

I am thinking of a 6.5x55 and a .338 win mag.

My reasoning is that the 6.5x55 will be good for everything from foxes up to and including red deer/elk and will wear a Mk 4 6.5-20 or a Vortex HT while the .338 will be able to handle all big game from the red deer or elk on. There is a minimal overlap.

I was considering a .300 win mag, but, keeping in mind it is going to have a 23" barrel, I think the .338 will be getter efeciency and will carry a heavier bullet with better BC further.

What do you think might be good candidates?

 

[MudRunner2005]

2 rifle system it would be hard to beat this combo. Reason why, you have rifle #1 for your short-range work & targets, because the barrel will last ****-near forever. And rifle #2 for your long range work with 180-195gr Bergers when they become available.

1) 16-24" barreled .308 Win with a 1:10 or 1:11.25 twist with 5R rifling.

2) 26-30" barreled 7mm STW with a 1:8.5 twist with 5R rifling.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Or you could go with a 7mm-08 & 7mm STW.

Or .308 Win, and .300 Ackley

Or .260 AI, and 7mm STW

Or .25-06 AI, and .300 Ackley (this would make a formidable pair from varmints to moose & bears).

 

[Varberger757]

I have decided to sell off a bunch of guns and by two rifles that I will stick with for good.

They are going to be Blaser R8, two rifles, one barrel.

Amongst the calibers they offer, http://www.blaser.de/fileadmin/editor/caliber-pdf/Blaser_Calibers_Bolt_Action_R8_EN.pdf

I am thinking of a 6.5x55 and a .338 win mag.

My reasoning is that the 6.5x55 will be good for everything from foxes up to and including red deer/elk and will wear a Mk 4 6.5-20 or a Vortex HT while the .338 will be able to handle all big game from the red deer or elk on. There is a minimal overlap.

I was considering a .300 win mag, but, keeping in mind it is going to have a 23" barrel, I think the .338 will be getter efeciency and will carry a heavier bullet with better BC further.

What do you think might be good candidates?

Maybe I misunderstand you, but when you choose a Blaser R8 then it would be more logical to have one rifle and two barrels, wouldn't it? The R8 is one of the best riflesystems due to the opportunity of interchangeable barrels! lightbulb Of course you'll find the 300WM with a 65 cm/25,5" barrel in the R8 like all the other magnums, European and American. Since you are living in Europe (Italy) too, you should have at least one European calibre. The choices are immense ... Take a nice 270W for small and mid - game seize, and the powerfull European magnum in 8mmS/.323, the 8x68S.

 

[EXPRESS]

Sorry, that was a typo. One rifle, two barrels. Actually three, but the third is a Safari barrel which I won't count in this setup.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Something in the 25-06 to 270 range and a 375 h@h. A good 7mm like an stw for kicks too. The smaller round would be useful for varmints with proper bullets... deer, etc. with heavier for caliber bullets. The 375 would be great for larger deer and all the way up to the big 5 with the correct bullet choice. If you toss in a big 7mm or 30cal., you could go out there as far as you want on mid sized game with a proper bullet.

 

[snowpro440]

I would get the .308 and shoot light bullets for varmits and heavier for deer to 600-800 yards and you would get great barrel life with this caliber, then a second choice would be the 300WSM or bigger for bears and such or longer ranges . Just my thought if you only want 2. Then again .223 and .308 would work for sure.

Here's a video of a .308 shooting an elk on youtube @875yds.

 

[406precision]

260
and
300 norma would be my pics

Jordan@406

 

[liltank]

6XC varmint up to deer
338 Blaser for better magnum performance for stag and up.

 

[EXPRESS]

Liltank, the .338 Blaser looked appealing, but I can't find any real data or usefull info for it.

The main reason for not picking it is for the practicality of being able to find ammunition for the .338 win mag anywhere you go. I like the case design, with that shoulder and no belt it just "looks" accurate to me. However, finding dies seems to be impossible, so it's a custom job.
The .375 Blaser mag has just %3 more case capacity that the .375 H&H, and they claim a %5 increase in performance. The .338 Blaser mag is the same case necked down, which happens to have the same length as the .338 win mag case as well. So the real world difference would be quite small. If the cases are more efficient, which I can believe they probably are, there might be an extra 80 fps in it.

Also the 6XC is also an appleaing round. Still a little oddball, and just a bit light for medium game.

When I siad varmints, I was probably a bit misleading, because I didn't mean sitting out on a field and shooting varmints like prarie dogs, I meant shooting foxes and the like as they present.

 

[WildRose]

Liltank, the .338 Blaser looked appealing, but I can't find any real data or usefull info for it.

The main reason for not picking it is for the practicality of being able to find ammunition for the .338 win mag anywhere you go. I like the case design, with that shoulder and no belt it just "looks" accurate to me. However, finding dies seems to be impossible, so it's a custom job.
The .375 Blaser mag has just %3 more case capacity that the .375 H&H, and they claim a %5 increase in performance. The .338 Blaser mag is the same case necked down, which happens to have the same length as the .338 win mag case as well. So the real world difference would be quite small. If the cases are more efficient, which I can believe they probably are, there might be an extra 80 fps in it.

Also the 6XC is also an appleaing round. Still a little oddball, and just a bit light for medium game.

When I siad varmints, I was probably a bit misleading, because I didn't mean sitting out on a field and shooting varmints like prarie dogs, I meant shooting foxes and the like as they present.

If you were in the US I'd suggest either the .260, .243 or 6mm Rem.

Being as you are in Europe and I imagine some in Australia the Euro calibers and the 300wm make more sense.

You already have a big bore for the "big 5" so with your needs I think you'd be well served with the small gun being chambered in .222, .223 or .22 Hornet all of which I'd imagine are still widely available in both Europe and Oz or just stick with the 6.5x55.

Pair that with the 7mm Rem or 300wm and you have all your bases covered with calibers that are easily obtainable and perfectly suited to your needs.

Many of the rifle/shotgun combos I've seen in Europe "in the old days" and many that have come to the US from Europe were .222 or .22H paired with a 20 or 12g and those little monsters put a lot of game in the bag over the last century.

 

[Code4]

Looking at the calibre groups on the list you 'linked' I don't see the 6.5x55 and .338WM being compatible with the one action.

I would recommend the .243 for varmints and deer. The 9.3x62 for Bear and large soft skinned animals.

Ammo for both is available world wide and you will only need one action and bolt on the R8.

Nice choice of rifle. Avoid the R93. There is a reason there are so many available and so cheap. Blaser won't divulge why they changed the lock up mechanism.

 

[EXPRESS]

Both fit in the same action, you just swap out the bolt head. As a matter of fact, the Safari barrel I will probably get in .458 Lott, which still fits the same action. In the future I could see getting a small caliber like a .222 rem.

 

[WildRose]

Both fit in the same action, you just swap out the bolt head. As a matter of fact, the Safari barrel I will probably get in .458 Lott, which still fits the same action. In the future I could see getting a small caliber like a .222 rem, or maybe even a .22lr barrel!

I may be reading it wrong but according to this chart it seems you have it right.

http://www.blaser.de/fileadmin/editor/caliber-pdf/Blaser_Calibers_Bolt_Action_R8_EN.pdf

One of the biggest selling points of the Blaser bolt action I see in their adds is the wide availability of choices of caliber since as you say both the bolt and barrel can be quickly changed out.