I am looking for a good Caribou hunting rifle. My dad
recommends a 7mm Mag. Gander Mountain recommends a 300 mini mag. So far I am going with the 7mm mag only because of the availibility of ammo. Probably a Ruger with a Leapold VariX 3 center fire bolt action. I also plan to use the gun for some "Out West" hunting someday. I have a 30/30 for deer already but I am looking for something that will reach out further with dropping power. Any suggestions?
The last 2 caribou I shot were both killed in thier tracks with a 7mm rem mag. I don't think you can find a better round for caribou. I have watched them shot with .308 win, .270 win, .338 win mag, .358 win, .3006, .35 whelen. A .270 is also excellent. A caribou bull usually weighs less than 300 lbs on the hoof and shots range from 100-400 yds. The ruger is a great rifle but I think you get more value from a leupold VX II than a VXIII. The 7m rem mag does not have much more recoil than a 30-06 but is better suited to longer shots.
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What TerryM said - good advice.
The 270Win., 280Rem., 30-06, 308Win., etc., are all good caribou cartridges, but the
7mmRem.Mag. will give you a little more reach/more punch at the longer ranges.
And, if you want something to go west with in the future, the 7mm Mag. is a great elk
and moose rifle as well, and not the least bit too much for antelope & mule deer also. Hard to think of anything it isn't good for. Maybe a little light for big bears (griz & brown). Ammo selection is excellent too. Forget Gander's recommendation. Go with a tried & proven cartridge, the 7mmRem.Mag. The Ruger77 will serve you well also.
I've had several Rugers - no problems. They're good rifles.
As for scope, the Leupold VXIII, 2.5-8x would serve well, but also the VXII, 2-7x.
Good luck on your hunt.
I've shot my share of caribou over the years with just about everything, and the 7 mag. really is more gun than you need for them, but it does work well!!! In the 7mm Rem. mag. i'd use 150 grain bullets for caribou, and you should like it a lot!!!
I harvested the caribou in the picture with a 30-06.
I have a 280 Rem. so if I was going to hunt caribou thats what I'd use. I don't think I'd be under gunned at all. If I didn't already own a rifle that I could use I would get either a 7mm Rem. Mag., a 7mm Rem. Ultra Mag., 300 WSM, or a 300 Win. Mag.. If I was planning on hunting out west I would get the 300 WSM or 300 Win. Mag. If your dad likes the 7mm Rem. Mag. and it works for him, it will work for you (and everyone else) as well. The Leupold VX-II scopes are basically last years Vari X-III scopes. They have just about all the samethings that the Vari X-III had for the cost of the old VX-II scopes. I don't think you will find a better "bang-for-the-buck" then a Leupold VX-II scope, Just my $.02!
For future use and overall a great cartridge you might consider the 300 win mag. Its found almost anywhere for ammo. And has a bit better selection of bullet weights. I'm not saying the 7 rem mag is bad, its a super choice, but for versatility for a lifetime gun the Win mag might be a better choice.
Thats assuming you don't reload. And its even a factor if your ammo might get lost or run out....
Remember that the Cabelas etc...... will expect you to be buying a rifle every so often. And if you didnt mention or think of the words Elk, Moose, Big Bears etc.... that might have changed an opinion.
One thing I did not see in a way rural outpost in Alaska last fall was any of the short mags ammo. But 06,300 win, 375HH, 7.62x39 were all in good supply. And a few others.
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The Caribou is not as hard to bring down like elk-moose,but for a cross-over gun thet would do everything,you are on the right track with 7mm RM and 160 gr bullets for everything.The only othe I would recomend would be the 300 Winnie or the 30-06,180 bullets for both.
If you wan't to get flashy try looking at the 7mm WSM or the 300 WSM or the 35 Whelen or the .338 Win Mag,these guns are capeble of killing Caribou and elk and more.
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Caribou Hunting Rifle
