What to get.
 

I wan't to buy a new rifle. (who doesn't). But I can't decide what caliber to get it in. Perhaps you guys can help me narrow it down. I own:
ruger 30-06
winchester 30-30
remington .308 (retired safe queen)
savage .22
I'm not really looking at shotguns at all. I've really thought about 7mm just cause I like them or a 300 win mag just to own a cannon.

Any thoughts by you guys would be helpful.

RE: What to get.
 

I like the 7MM. Mag, but I see you have a 30-06. My next Rifle will be a .270 or .280, They are flat shooters and are a light rifle..
Good Luck

RE: What to get.
 

With three 30 cals. I think its time to look at a .284.

7mm Mag for a canon.
280 Rem. if you want to go off the beaten path (its a very overlooked round).
7mm-08 if you want to replace the safe queen.

RE: What to get.
 

Get a 270 winchester in a Ruger Hawkeye. Take it to a gunsmith and have them put a forward mounted scope mount on it and get a longer eye relief scope and you will have the ultimate do-all rifle. thats hopefully in the foreseeable future for me.

RE: What to get.
 

I would think that with three 30 cals, the 7mm's are fairly redundant.

I'd get a .243 Win...

RE: What to get.
 

I'd say .243 or 25-06

RE: What to get.
 

IMO the 280 is best 7mm going

RE: What to get.
 

Think twice before you commit a lot of money to the scout concept. I've had several that wanted that,then later went back to conventional style after the newness wore off.

RE: What to get.
 

Yes, but... Is there a really good reason to buy a .280, or a 270, or a 7mm Mag, or a 7mm-08, when you already have a .30-06 and a .308? Why get something that is so alike to what you already have? I'd go for a little separation. Get something significantly different from what I already have.

.243 Win.

.338 Fed.

Maybe a .223 in an AR Platform... while you still can...

RE: What to get.
 

I have no knowledge of the .284 or .280how off the beaten path are they?I'll have to look that one up. My shots wont be past 200 yards really. And they will at times need to punch through light brush.

RE: What to get.
 

bigpapa - if you have a 30-06 there is no need for a 300 mag. Yes it will be more potent, but not too much. If its a 'cannon' you're looking for then start looking at the 338 Win Mag and up.
If you decided that a 'big' gun isn't for you - and by looking at what you have, you may want to consider something a bit easier on the shoulder. If you pan on just punching paper or varmints then something like a 22-250, 223 or the like. If deer sized game is on the slate then something on the order of a 260 Rem or 7-08 Rem.
Let us know what you decide.

RE: What to get.
 

I would go for a 25-06 if I were you. Sweet shooting caliber, I will probably buy one some day, although I really won't need it.

RE: What to get.
 

X2

RE: What to get.
 

THe 284 I was referring to was the caliber otherwise known as a 7mm. The 280 Remington isn't really off the beaten path that much. It a really popular round that like the 270 is a necked down 30-06. The bullet weights range from 120 to 175 with a few more variants hanging of the ends. It is very popular with longrange shooters because of the high ballistic coefficent the bullets carry in other words it will carry its speed and energy better and fartherthen ones with low bc's. Its a real jewel and most people who shoot them will swear by them.

RE: What to get.
 

I'll hunt with my ol browning a-bolt in .284 win until it or I can't hunt anymore(likely me),then pass it down.

RE: What to get.
 

why a 280 or 7mm-08... already has a 308 and 30.06. I would go bigger. The stuff you own will do quite nicely all the way down to varmints. a 280 or something like it is redundant to me.

RE: What to get.
 

i actually have a ruger frontier rifle and i love the scout concept. the only problem with the frontier rifle is that the barrel is 16.5", and the muzzle blast is awful! but hey to each their own right?

RE: What to get.
 

.22 Hornet
.222
.223
.22-250
.220 swift
.243
.240 weatherby
.257 weatherby
.257 hot tamale
or
any of the .300 mags
or .338 win mag
or .338 Lapua

RE: What to get.
 

All of these choices from a guy that only has a 22 Hornet!:DAnd does well with it!;)I would stay away from wildcats or not too common calibers personally.Go with a standard like 243,25-06,270 or 7mm class and there's plenty of choices and advice to help make it a good choice.

RE: What to get.
 

Here in northern Louisiana we have lots of pipeline access which provide extra long shots, so I have a savage 110fp 300 win mag, I shoot 168 grain nosler reloads and get consistent kills out to 600+ yards, I use a Bushnell 4200 Elite Scope 6-24x50 30mm tube, with a mil-dot reticle. I've also hunted with the Savage 7mm mag and Savage .308 both tactical setups.

RE: What to get.
 

I completely agree.
What's the point in purchasing another rifle that will only duplicate what the 308 and 30-06 already does. IE: .270, 280, 7mm-08, 300 mags, etc...


I vote go lighter to something like a .243, 22-250, .223 or go bigger and get into the 338's which include the 338 Federal, 338 Win mag, .338 RUM, and many others.
Or, another idea is a big bore lever gun like a 444 Marlin or 45-70.


Oh, BTW, get the 308 out of the safe and shoot it. Don't you know that guns hate to be retired to being safe queens.What a boring anddegrading life for a gun! ;)

RE: What to get.
 

marlin 45-70, great gun,fun to shot,stops deer in there tracks

RE: What to get.
 

my short list after viewing other suggestions:

1) 260 Remington (can be had in AR platform)

2) 338 Federal (can be had in AR platform)

3) AR-15 in .223

4) Marlin 1895G in 45-70

RE: What to get.
 

600+ yards..you must be a hellof a shot.

RE: What to get.
 

here is my 45-70

RE: What to get.
 

My vote is for 7-08 or 7x57.They're identical performance wise.I have an old Ruger M77 in 7x57 and love it but I'm not sure which rifles are still chambered in it these days.

RE: What to get.
 

I'm leaning towards the 7mm-08 or .243. Is there a great difference between the two?

lol I still have a hunkering for a 7mm.

RE: What to get.
 

I'd also have to lean toward a .243...Assuming you are hunting GA deer, within 300 yards it's all you need...

Now...On our farms here in NC, between, brothers/cousins/nieces, etc...We have used just about every cartridge listed...
We kill between 40-50 deer a year on these farms, so I've seen the damage each of these do and have tracked deer from
each...On lung shot deer you will not see a difference on how far the deer travel...

They all work...Some have sure gotten mighty expensive to buy ammo for...
The past few years I have bought a few boxes of 100gr CoreLokts from WalMart for $11.88-$15.24 a box...

You can spend more if you want, but the .243 will do all that needs doing to a whitetail...
I'd spend more on a scope....And a bigger freezer...:D

I've converted four 30-06 users to .243s in the past 5 years, sounds like you might have enough experience to graduate to one as well...

You can thank me later...:)

RE: What to get.
 

.257 Roberts

RE: What to get.
 

One big advantage for a 243 is ammo cost.Popular rounds like the 243,270,30-30,308,and 30-06 cost far less than most others.The shop in my town gets $10 more for a box of .280 Rem vs the .270 Win.Wouldn't take long to recoup the cost of buying a reloading package vs factory ammo at that rate.

RE: What to get.
 

I'd go .243 Winchester! "Magnumitis" is so addictive, you are probably leaning towards a 7MM Mag, .300 or .338 magnum!
But, if you are not wanting to hunt something bigger than Whitetail size game,try a .243! You'll realize that for deer size game, there is really no need for anything bigger! And, you'll wonder why you've punished yourself with heavy recoil and magnum prices for so long!

RE: What to get.
 

jag wasnt it long ago you were busting my chops cause all I used was a .243 ?
If that was you I am glad youve seen the light. .243's are awsome deer killers. Been using one for 25 years. But I just sold mine, it was a heavy barrell and I didnt like all that weight. I will get another.

RE: What to get.
 

i would just go get a 7mm rem mag they are in my opinion one of the most versitile hunting rounds you can shoot. if you reload you can go anywhere from a 120gr all the way past 200gr. i use mine for everything from coyotes(explosive) all the way up to elk(i would say moose but i havnt got a chance yet) in my opinion you shouldnt get a 300 since you already have so many 30 cals but thats just me talkin

RE: What to get.
 

What are you going to use it for? There isn't much you cant hunt with the 06. If its a wood stock model, I might suggest getting something stainless and synthetic for nasty conditions. That 06 will punch all the brush you want. If you want to be off the beaten path, get a Ruger #1, or maybe a BAR. As for caliber, take your pick.

RE: What to get.
 

Who make .284's part 200 grains. I can't find them past 180. 200 is abit beyond the 7mm magit really couldn't get it going fast enough to have any real benifit.