By: Sam M

Sam M — Tue, 28 May 2019 09:12:32 +0000

In reply to Steven Ashe. Thanks for sharing!

By: Steven Ashe

Steven Ashe — Tue, 21 May 2019 11:23:32 +0000

My Dad and four brothers all came home from WWII wanting to get back to hunting, but especially to shooting ground hogs, a grand sport in Maryland back then, when some local taverns had competition regarding who could bring in the most “Whistle Pigs”. When civilian rifles again were available, following the WWII lay off of any civilian rifles being produced, my Uncle Arthur got a new Winchester Model 70 in 220Swift. Dad opted for a Remington 722 in 222Rem. Both were mounted with 10X Varmint Master scopes and both were very accurate for that day.
Growing up around those guys, I wanted only rifles that were accurate and with which one could get high MV to cut down on bullet drop down range.
After owning and using many rifles, my pick for the four calibers that are a must for anyone’s battery of hunting rifle cartridges are: 22 Long Rifle, 22-250Remington, 280Remington, and while at my age I no longer have any plans to go after dangerous game, for those who would want to go for dangerous N. American game, I’d suggest a rifle in 300WinMag.
Briefly my reasons for picking each are:
(1) Having a rifle in 22 Long Rifle needs no explanation.
(2) 22-250Rem. Since I have owned and shot a fair number of varmints with various varmint cartridges, I believe that the 22-250 is superior in reaching out and killing, at a greater distance than most riflemen can handle. I only pick it over 223Rem. because of it’s greater effective range.
(3)280Rem. Using modern bonded bullets, we no longer need the greater bullet weight to cleanly and humanely kill elk, moose and other larger deer types. A 7mm 160gr. Barnes Solid will provide a wide, deep wound channel that will drop the largest bull elk within 400 yards. Why 400 yards? Because if a hunter knows good field craft, he can get that close to a bull elk, or closer, in order to make the shot. Further out, gets into the realm of long range target shooting, as being that far away from game, robs the game of any chance of using his natural abilities to avoid getting shot. Ballistically, using bullets as heavy as 175gr. shows that the 7mm bullet is superior to the same weight 30 cal. bullet.
(4) 300Win.Mag. Again the choices of modern, bonded bullets means that we no longer need the heaviest bullet available in order to get a wide wound channel and penetration needed to cleanly kill the largest bear in N. America.

By: Sam M

Sam M — Sun, 24 Mar 2019 08:49:35 +0000

In reply to Hoyden. Ha, that's a good eye! The Truth is that many of them are not left-handed bolts, I often flip the image because I like the aesthetic outlook better.

By: Hoyden

Hoyden — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 02:48:42 +0000

In reply to Hoyden. *lead*

By: Hoyden

Hoyden — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 02:48:06 +0000

Sam, where did you find so many left handed bolt guns (and lever)? Photoshop?

For $400, Ruger’s American is a solid economy rifle in most of these calibers. I’ve had a .243, and currently a .30-06. Reliable, well built to the budget, nice trigger, and accurate enough to suggest a scope that is more expensive than the rifle. While any hollow polymer stock is utilitarian at best, if you don’t mind a little extra weight to dampen recoil, they fill easily with lead shot and polymer or mortar based mixtures; check YouTube for how-to’s. (Or just shove a sock filled with led weights into the shoulder stock and screw the butt plate back on!)

Everybody should have a lever Henry, Unerti, or Marlin 336, because, you know, ‘Murrica.

Comments on: Fast Five: Best Hunting Rifles

By: Sam M

By: Steven Ashe

By: Sam M

By: Hoyden

By: Hoyden