Rifle Advice

**inspiringK** · 08-13-2012, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by thebikingengineer

Just an update for everyone, I ended up picking up the Howa Scope Package in .308. I've got to wait 8 more days to pick it up (gotta love California), but I'll let you all know how it shoots after that.

Congratulations on the purchase and a great choice for calibre, many a successful day of shooting has been had by 308 owners.

**Topgumby** · 08-13-2012, 11:57 AM

Totally unrelated to the OP, but one of the illogical and consistent minor yearnings of my life has been the desire to own a rifle chambered in 6mm Swedish Mauser.

Maybe one day.

**auk1124** · 08-13-2012, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by thebikingengineer

Just an update for everyone, I ended up picking up the Howa Scope Package in .308. I've got to wait 8 more days to pick it up (gotta love California), but I'll let you all know how it shoots after that.

Congrats, you made a great choice. The short action Howa has one of the slickest bolts that you can get in a modern rifle. Trigger is decent and adjustable, and if you want to upgrade it later on (not much need to, on a true hunting rifle), Timney makes a bolt-on aftermarket trigger that is sweet.

**jkingrph** · 08-19-2012, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by Topgumby

Totally unrelated to the OP, but one of the illogical and consistent minor yearnings of my life has been the desire to own a rifle chambered in 6mm Swedish Mauser.

Maybe one day.

That would be 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser! Nothing illogical about it, It is a very effective, accrurate and mild shooting caliber.

**thebikingengineer** · 09-03-2012, 06:37 PM

Just took my Howa to the range for the first time. It shoots like a dream (myself on the other hand, not so much). I've got a bit of work to do sighting it in, but it's solid as anything I've ever shot. Saw a fair number of other nice .308 rifles while I was at the range, I'm already making mental notes for the future.

**SO758** · 09-03-2012, 10:36 PM

I would go with the .308. Good all around heavy caliber that can deal with most anything you care to hunt.

**kirk 988** · 09-04-2012, 06:04 AM

Originally Posted by auk1124

Congrats, you made a great choice. The short action Howa has one of the slickest bolts that you can get in a modern rifle. Trigger is decent and adjustable, and if you want to upgrade it later on (not much need to, on a true hunting rifle), Timney makes a bolt-on aftermarket trigger that is sweet.

i dont really agree on the bolt they are smooth but have nothing compared to a few M77's ive shot

**Rattbones** · 09-04-2012, 06:38 AM

I had a similar discussion here with my hunting buddies last year. I went with the 270 win because it is ballisticly superior to other similar rounds (308, 30-06, 223). It gives me a wide range of hunting options here in Colorado. Putting Deer and Elk both on the menu.

**brianw** · 09-07-2012, 07:16 PM

All my rifles are old calibers. 8mm Lebel, .35 Remington, and 30/40 Krag. Great choice on the .308

**garyg** · 09-07-2012, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by Rattbones

I had a similar discussion here with my hunting buddies last year. I went with the 270 win because it is ballisticly superior to other similar rounds (308, 30-06, 223). It gives me a wide range of hunting options here in Colorado. Putting Deer and Elk both on the menu.

I'm a .270 fan also, though it is overkill for whitetails here in the Great Lakes, and if I ever get out West again it will do and I'll know how to use it.

**Graybeard57** · 09-07-2012, 07:47 PM

Great post. Thanks to everyone sharing their opinion. I'm reading and learning, and enjoying it a great deal.

**LittleLebowski** · 09-08-2012, 04:54 AM

Originally Posted by jkingrph

That would be 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser! Nothing illogical about it, It is a very effective, accrurate and mild shooting caliber.

Yup. Fantastic caliber.

**noelekal** · 09-08-2012, 07:33 AM

6.5X55 is a very appealing and endearing cartridge. Ought to be more popular. I had one briefly and let it get away in a trade. Ought to get another.

**LittleLebowski** · 09-08-2012, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by noelekal

6.5X55 is a very appealing and endearing cartridge. Ought to be more popular. I had one briefly and let it get away in a trade. Ought to get another.

The .243 (if you reload for it) .260 Remington, and 6.5 Creedmore do what the 6.5x55mm does but in short action offerings. The 6.5x55 can outperform them ifyou handload and work up a proper load for it. That being said, I won't talk you out of a 6.5x55mm. I love my CG-63 Swedish Mauser.

**jkingrph** · 09-08-2012, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by LittleLebowski

The .243 (if you reload for it) .260 Remington, and 6.5 Creedmore do what the 6.5x55mm does but in short action offerings. The 6.5x55 can outperform them ifyou handload and work up a proper load for it. That being said, I won't talk you out of a 6.5x55mm. I love my CG-63 Swedish Mauser.

I would love to have one of the CG-63 versions, but got into the game too late. I do have six very nice M 96 long rifles, and one Mauser Obendorf dated 1900, all matching two digit serial numbers. It has been at some time arsenal converted to their short rifle configuration. Still a very nice rifle.

Another nice little 6.5mm caliber is the 6.5 Grendel, just recently standardized. It was developed as a long range caliber that would function through a standard AR/ M-16 action/magazine. I have three rifles in this neat little caliber in different configurations and have been having a good deal of fun with them over the last few years. Initially factory brass was very expensive (think Lapua) and hard to find, so I purchased 2000 rounds of IMI(Isralie Military Industries) 7.62x39 (AK 47 round) brass and resized it to shoot through my 6.5 Grendels. I simply use a lighter than normal charge, load and shoot, The fireforming rounds function my action just fine and come out as finished 6.5 Grendel rounds, the only difference with the factory cartridges is that these use large vs small primers.

I do not have a range anywhere nearby to try it but have read on the 6.5 Grendel forums that some folks have been shooting this little mid velocity, light recoiling round out to about 1200 yards.

I am throwing a 129Gr Lapua bullet at about 2300fps and getting fantastic accuracy out to about 250 yards, my longest available range and have no doubts it will go much further.

**GladiusGSF** · 09-08-2012, 04:00 PM

Down here the .243 is a do all cartridge for us....nice flat shooting round as well out of a BBL Remington 700......

**accunlmtd** · 09-09-2012, 06:59 AM

I believe the "best" all around , do-everything is the 375 H&H mag. I have one in a Ruger #1. I have used it on everything from Prairie dogs (OK, a bit over-kill), to African Eland. and it does it all well. For the U.S, one can't beat the 30-06 for the do-all. There is a reason it has been around for 109 years and is going strong ( It started life as the 30-03 (1903), and was improved in 1906 to become the 30-06.
For short range...it is hard to beat the 45-70. In a modern rifle, it is a perfect 150 yard sledgehammer.

al in colorado

**Acmemfg** · 09-09-2012, 08:44 AM

A prairie dog with a .375 H&H?? What did it do, VAPORIZE it????

**Acmemfg** · 09-09-2012, 08:49 AM

Granted a Florida deer (AKA dog with antlers) can be taken with anything shy of a Daisy Red Ryder. Not sure I'd want to use a .243 for any decent sized feral hog though.

Puny deer and nasty hogs...what other game (not including gator) can be found routinely in Florida that would necessitate using a rifle?

**LittleLebowski** · 09-10-2012, 05:47 AM

Originally Posted by Acmemfg

A prairie dog with a .375 H&H?? What did it do, VAPORIZE it????

I've shot p-dogs with a .50 BMG (EDM Arms Windrunner). You just see a huge explosion of dirt. Even a .223 or 22-250 can pretty much turn a p-dog into bits using ballistic tips or hollowpoints.