Hunting Rifles for Ken

(A friend asked my opinion on hunting rifles.  He was interested in a .30-06 for deer hunting.  I told him it was an excellent choice and, if you couldn’t get it done with an ’06, you probably couldn’t get it done.) 

Here are my primary hunting rifles.  I also have .22s for small game, a .416 for really big game, and shotguns for birds and whatnot. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRhUtXF09Ls

If I were to reduce to only one of my rifles, I’d go with the .300 mag.  It has iron sights in case my scope goes tango uniform in the middle of a hunt.  It also has better long range capacity than either of the carbines.  And, it can throw heavier bullets than the .308.  I like the repeater because it allows for quicker follow up shots than the single shot.    

The .308 is my primary because it’s light and handy.  The action on a .308 is an inch shorter and a pound lighter than a .30-06.  Out of the 20 inch barrel, the .308 throws the lighter bullets almost as fast as a .30.06 would out of a similar carbine.  However, the ’06 will throw much heavier bullets out of a longer barrel much faster than a .308 would. 

I don’t have iron sights on my .308 but it’s not a handicap as I have backup rifles in case the scope goes out.  Likewise, if I need to do some longer range shooting or go after heavier game (although the .308 will kill anything on the planet), I can go to one of my other rifles. 

As far as calibers go for medium to large game, I like a minimum of 6.5 millimeter and 140 grains.  As caliber goes up, I tend toward the heavier bullets so I get good ballistic coefficient and sectional density.  In a .30 caliber, I like 165 to 200 grain bullets.  For longer range shooting I like 2700 to 3000 feet per second muzzle velocity.  That speed combined with a  good ballistic coefficient will get you a terminal velocity in excess of 1800 FPS past 300 yards.  That terminal velocity insures good bullet expansion. 

If I were to start over with a single rifle, I’d get a bolt action repeater with a 24 to 26 inch barrel and iron sights.  I’d probably go with a .270 and use a good premium bullet like the Barnes X.  The .270 shoots as flat as my .300 but doesn’t kick as badly.  A 150 grain X bullet out of a .270 will shoot through both shoulders of an elk.  I’d mount a really good 2-8X or 3-9X variable scope on it for both close and long range capability. 

Years ago there were some Ruger 77 Express models in .270 on closeout.  I still kick myself for not picking one up but I didn’t need another rifle at the time.