Your expertise and experience please!

Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Messages
9
Location
Northern California
I have learned I cannot shoot a lightweight rifle offhand at all. Period. With that said I will be having a new rifle built to use as my everyday Ranch rifle. I would like to give you guys a list of my hopes and must haves for this rifle and was hopeing I can have some guidance on caliber choice.

- 8-9lb scoped rifle ready to hunt
- Will be scoped with Nightforce 2.5-10x42 nxs
- 50% of shots are taken quickly and off hand
- 50% of shots are taken using crude rests (limbs, backpacks, rocks, sticks, etc.)
- 70% of shots are taken inside 100 yards (ranch hunting)
- 30% of shots are taken from 150-400 yards
- Capable of 600-700 yards
- 22" to 24" barrel max for easy to swing and easy to get through brush during push's
- preferably low recoil, would like to not have muzzle break
- I reside in CA, so the majority of my hunting takes place here. In 2019 the whole state will be lead free. With that said I plan on just setting this rifle up with copper from the beginning to avoid problems later. Regardless of caliber the plan is to shoot Cutting Edge Raptors



What it will be used for:
Whitetail, Blacktail, and Mule Deer
Hogs (we kill 300Lb + hogs every year)
Black Bear

Hopeing for a rifle I can count on for my everyday 0 - 600 yard hunting. Kevin with MCR is currently building me a full custom .300wm for my 600-1200 yd hunting. It will come in at 11 lbs and that will be too heavy for me as a every day toss in the jeep ranch rifle.

I prefer to shoot all my game behind shoulder for minimum meat loss. Would like a big enough cartridge so I never feel undergunned or worried about a big hogs shoulder shield, but a small enough cartridge where it doesn't kick like a mule.

What would your choices be!
Thanks guys for your input!
 
280 Ackley may be a good option, you could shoot the 135's at a pretty good velocity I bet, and the recoil would be mild. And it would kill anything in California. You could also use the Barnes 168 lrx bullet too. Would be a good pig killer IMO
 
A 6.5x284 wouldn't be a bad option with the 127 barns lrx either. Just some ideas.

or.....you could move out of California and not have to worry about the non-lead ridiculousness.
 
Codyadams,
I know, I know. Moving out of Ca is on the bucket list. Hopefully sooner then later. Actually looking for jobs in Idaho. Have to find a job worth moving for!

My gunsmith recommended the .280ai. Wasn't sure if it was the right choice or not. But I do agree, great all around cartridge. When I thought I knew what I wanted, it was between the 30-06 and .280. Shortly after I got gunshy knowing I can't afford to keep building rifle after rifle, so I want to make sure I pick the right caliber
 
Codyadams,
I know, I know. Moving out of Ca is on the bucket list. Hopefully sooner then later. Actually looking for jobs in Idaho. Have to find a job worth moving for!

My gunsmith recommended the .280ai. Wasn't sure if it was the right choice or not. But I do agree, great all around cartridge. When I thought I knew what I wanted, it was between the 30-06 and .280. Shortly after I got gunshy knowing I can't afford to keep building rifle after rifle, so I want to make sure I pick the right caliber

The .300 Win Mag is my go to chambering from antelope to elk size game up 1K yards.
 
Couldn't agree with you more. I currently have 2 300wm's and 1 300wsm. I also have another being built as a heavy long barreled rifle.

Just looking for a non magnum, low recoil, short barreled cartridge that will fit all my needs

Not sure if any of the above has muzzle brakes on. I know you prefer without but an effective (and plenty of them out there to choose from) muzzle brake reduces the felt recoil significantly, mine are to that of a .243s. I understand it's not for everybody due to increased noise level and muzzle blast; I didn't start using them until 2003 and I never looked back.

I am not recoil sensitive but most of my rifles from .223/5.56 to .338 WM now sports muzzle brakes. An effective muzzle brake not only reduces felt recoil but also reduces muzzle rise/fall ... spotting your target on impact is priceless.

Weight is your friend when it comes to felt recoil. My latest project build (.30 Lara) at 12 lbs hardly recoils as is a joy with a suppressor.

Anyways, for a short barreled non-magnum chambering, you might want to consider the 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser, it has been around longer than our venerable .30-06 and it's still going strong specially in Europe.

I have a Carl Gustaf carbine with 18" barrel in 6.5x55 that I started my boys hunting with at age 10.

Good luck!

Ed
 
Well not very sexy

But it would be hard to beat the lowly. 308 for that

22" barrel, nice fat 30 cal bullet, I am sure there are plenty of 30 cal bullets to chose from, acceptable recoil, lots of rifles out there to chose from.

For a rough and ready throw in the jeep ranch gun I would look at the savages

I would also pick a scope with capped turrets. Those target turrets sure are sexy and great on a range gun but I believe they are too vulnerable to being bumped for a truck gun.lighter weight too. I would pick one of these. Put the CDS dial on it and you are ready to go.

https://www.leupold.com/hunting-shooting/scopes/vx-3i-riflescopes/vx-3i-3-5-10x40mm-cds/


https://www.leupold.com/hunting-sho...scopes/vx-3i-4-5-14x40mm-30mm-side-focus-cds/

https://www.leupold.com/hunting-shooting/scopes/vx-6-riflescopes/vx-6-2-12x42-30mm-cds/

Oh and as for offhand shooting. Learn to use a sling and practice. Really not that hard to master.
 
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The 270 Winchester is another good choice. Flat Shooting, available at any gun shop or box store, relatively light recoiling, and versatile enough to do the job you require of it. It seems that Cutting Edge does not make anything more than light weight .277 bullets, most likely geared to the 6.8 SPC and similar. There are plenty of other LF Bullets on the market that will do the task for you though.
 
Thanks guys! I have a lot to go through and read about.
Feenix-
I have muzzlebrakes on all of my .300's except for 1. They are all great rilfes, but all very very light. As stated above, I have a hard time shooting very light rifles accurately when in a hurry to get rested, and on target. I don't have this problem with my heavier 8.5-9lb rifles.
 
Forgot to mention, recoil is not a problem for me at all. 99% of my rifles are magnums and my one non magnum rifle is a lightweight .243. I think having a 8-9 lb, non-magnum rifle might be nice addition to have. No need for a magnum shooting 120-150 lb deer at 300 yards. Our hogs do get very big, but again, for the average shot inside 300, still no need for a magnum.
 

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Thanks guys! I have a lot to go through and read about.
Feenix-
I have muzzlebrakes on all of my .300's except for 1. They are all great rilfes, but all very very light. As stated above, I have a hard time shooting very light rifles accurately when in a hurry to get rested, and on target. I don't have this problem with my heavier 8.5-9lb rifles.

I will agree. I like a little weight forward. Helps me be a lot steadier. Bartleins #3 or #3b contour is just right for me.

Put that on a McMillan stock with the action of your choice.
 
My two favorite rifles are The Remington 700 Classic and the Winchester 70 Lwt Classic ( mine is the older push feed) I use the 280 in the Rem and 30-06 in the 70. I have a 2.8x8 on the 280 and a 1.5x5 on the '06. I like to still hunt, along the edges of aspen and black timber on game trails. I hunted the same way bowhunting. Any lighter caliber you choose is fine, even 243, but those two makes are very easy to hunt with, yet hold still. I am the same way with the ultra lwts! I had one of the first Ruger 77 Ultralights, in 308 with a 1x4 back in East Texas, early 80's. I thought I was set for in the woods, yet 300yd capable on the pipeline Right of Wat. Imagine my surprise when I could not even hit a 2 liter pop bottle at 200...from resting on the jeep! I was bummed...I killed a doe with it at 30yds, then traded it off. I have since tried lwts a few more times....and each time I rediscover that "I am no dang good with them, ha! I will say that the early Weatherby Lwt Accumark with a 3x9 in 240W made up nice...not too light nor heavy. I gave it to me Pastor in Texas for those whitetails. Good luck to you Pard...let us know what you settled on. PS. I grew up in Texas and every gun we had "was a truck gun" and they were not beat/scratched up ets...just keep cased until needed...fast draw! ha
 
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