One rifle for everything I want to do

[amce]

Hi

Am a newb on this forum and would appreciate some advice. I've made the decision to have only one rifle. I have three uses for it:

- hunting moose, red deer, fallow deer and wild boar in Sweden. For all of these the regulations require a bullet that weighs at least 9 grams (139 gr), imparts 2700 Joules (1990 foot pounds) at 100 metres (109 yards) and is expanding or one that weighs at least 10 grams (154 gr), imparts 2000 Joules (1475 foot pounds) at 100 metres and, of course, expanding,

- varmint shooting (feral pig, feral goat, fox) and deer hunting (same species as above) in Australia. The varmint shooting will be at a longer range - maybe between 200 and 300 metres or greater,

- long range target shooting for practice and skill building.

I've decided on the rifle - a Sako 85 Varmint (not the stainless steel one), and the scope - a Vortex Viper PST 4-16x50 FFP Mrad (although I am a little bit on the fence here - the 6-24x50?), but not on the calibre.

Of the available calibres Sako offers there are three that I'm interested in and that fit the Swedish requirements:
the .260 Remington (Sako has released a cartridge this year that fulfills the above regulations), the 7mm-08 Remington, and .308 Winchester.

Any and all suggestions and advice would be welcomed.

Cheers

 

[The Surgeon]

I shoot a .308 Win and a .257 Whetherby. Both meet your regs. There are several fine calibers that will fit those requirements.

If I had to choose between the three, I would go first with the 308, 2nd would be the 260, and the last would be the 7mm-08.

 

[MHO]

+ 1 on the 308.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

308 win is the most versital choice

 

[cowboy]

Nothing wrong with any of your choices but if you go with the 308 you will have chosen the best of 3 good calibers.

 

[Loner]

I would go with the 6.5. Downrange it will far outrun the .308 and punish you less
doing it. .260 or 6.5x55 would be high on my list.

 

[amce]

Thanks all. One thing that worries me with the 7mm-08 is the availability of ammunition. I don't want to hand load. Will be travelling back and forth between Sweden and Oz and want to be able to buy off the shelf. Also, have been checking out manufacturers' sites but have as yet not found any practice or target rounds in FMJ for example.

Choices abound for the venerable .308. On the other hand the 7's flatter trajectory and lighter kick are alluring.

Decisions, decisions ..........

Cheers

 

[Oliveralan]

I agree what with what has been said so far... basically i would say choose between the .260 remington and .308 win. However there are 3 reasons that would for me, push the .308 win into first place:

1. Availability of factory ammo, always a good thing, as sooner or later something happens to everyone's ammo on a hunting trip!

2. More energy at the distances you stated, if not throughout with heavy 180-210gr bullets.

3. Better barrel life, since this will be your do everything rifle, i could imagine a .260 would get wore out rather quickly, or at least significantly quicker than a .308 win.

 

[trebark]

While I generally agree that among the three calibers you have to choose from, the 308 and 260 stand out. I would lean towards the 308 as there is MUCH more factory ammo available, including FMJ 'practice' ammo.

My one concern would be moose. A 308 with a heavy bullet would work well on moose with a well placed shot. However, as the distance gets longer and retained energy drops off, you might want to consider something a bit bigger.

How about 30-06 or 300win mag? Both are readily available in factory ammo and carry a bunch more wallop than the 308.

 

[vendetta333]

i agree thats why the 30-06 is the old timer with all the knowledge of the 30's, but he said he wants to shoot varmints too, those would vaporize any varmint, and punish one too much to be worth it.

 

[amce]

Once again guys, thanks. Just to clarify a little, all hunting in Sweden will be at pretty close range - maybe out to 125 - 150 metres and that's where the moose are.

The long range stuff will be restricted to the rifle range and for home in Oz - "a land of sweeping plains".

Cheers

 

[vendetta333]

what about a magnum small bore, like a 257 weatherby? or the 6.5x284? i do have to say man, no offence, but finding a rifle to pull double duty for varmints and moose is kind of a funny concept. jus sayin

 

[amce]

Thanks for the input. Just want to explain the situation again. The "varmints" I will be meeting in Oz are feral pigs, goats and foxes.

Sako chamber their heavy-barreled short action varmint rifle in 22-250 Rem, .243 Win, .260 Rem, 7mm-08 Rem, .308 Win and .338 Federal.

I'm sort of on the fence about the 7mm and the .308. Norma has a 7mm-08 Nosler BST (140 gr and 2156 ft.-Ib. at 100 metres) that fulfills the regs for moose in Sweden. Federal has a number of loads including a 150 gr.

Like the flatter trajectory of the 7 and, as some of you have pointed out, it'll punish me less when I'm out after the ferals.

Think it'll be the 7mm-08. Thanks again for your time and interest.

Cheers

 

[Denny2277]

Do yourself a favor and look at the 270 WSM. Very flat shooting and a great long range rifle. Just sayin!