Hey my buddy is wanting to get into big game hunting. We are trying to find a rifle caliber for him. He is 23, kinda a smaller guy but in the Army, I had suggested 7mm Mag, .30-.06, .300 win mag as possible calibers for Deer, Elk, and black bear. Anyone agree with my suggestions or can offer your own preference? Thanks for the help!
Hard to beat an 30-06, 300 win, or 7mm mag. Figure out how much you want to spend, then look at what the major manufactures offer in that range, almost any new ruger, remington, browning, tikka, savage, etc... shoot better than most need. Get stainless synthetic if your hunting in the mountains, and don't skimp on the scope, you should have as much or more into the scope than the gun itself. Good glass is a must, especially if your hunting the wide open western country. A scope with multiple aiming points on the recticle, and some practice makes shots out to 500 a lot easier.
The animals you mention won't know the difference between any of those calibers out to reasonable distances (less than 400 yds). The 7mm and 06 are the most popular, meaning that you can find ammo for them easier and usually cheaper if that is a consideration. Ammo is really getting expensive these days!
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Venor ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
If I had to choose just one rifle, it'd be the 300 Win Mag. I love that caliber, and I've taken elk, bear, deer (both muleys and blacktail), pigs and pronghorns with it.
I know you can do all that with the 7 or 06, but I just love my 300!
Don't let "he's a small guy" think he needs a small gun. His size has nothing to do with what can HE handle. I'm a small guy (5'6" and 155lbs) and I normally sight in rifles for big guys because they are scared of the rifle's recoil (I tell them to get something they can handle). I own and shoot a double rifle that's legal for elephant and have no problem with it. So, what I recommend is let him shoot different rifles and see what he is comfortable with, then go from there. Anything '06 and up is great for most Big game hunting. If it is just mostly Medium game (deer), most anything legal is fine. My favorite deer getter is the 7mm-08. Low recoil, accurate, light rifle and kills everything I have shot with it, including 2 elk.
WW
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My wife says all I do is hunt. When I have any free time I go hunting.
One thing WWhunter kind of mentioned that is VERY important is getting a rifle that "fits" the individual. Different manufacturers have different stock configurations, etc. and will fit individuals much differently. I like my Browning A-Bolt Stainless Stalker and it fits me very well, but for a shorter guy it probably wouldn't be a very good fit. The Remington 700's have a much shorter stock and would fit a shorter guy better IMO. The Tikkas also seem to have a short stock to me. A rifle that fits well with a decent recoil pad isn't going to have much "felt" recoil. My friend has a Remington 700 in .270 win with a flat plastic recoil pad on it and it has much more "felt" recoil to me than my 7mm Rem Mag that fits me well and has a limbsaver recoil pad on it.
Just one more option to consider.
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Live on 51 acres in Lubbock county.
Own and hunt on 160 acres in Fisher county.
I shoot a .300wsm. Big game power with a short action. My .300wsm can knock it all down, and shoots flat. also most .300WSM come in smaller package then say the 06, 7mm, and 300 win mag, not all but most.
Also, i shoot 150gr bullets at deer and 180 at elk, the gun does allow for wide range of bullets that can be used. I love it!! And its not as popular as the others listed but it is gaining more popularity everyday.
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Mathews Monster
Savage .300WSM
TC
Rifle for friend
