Magnum rifle, need or want?

As the title asks do you have a magnum rifle? I'm taking 300 Win mag and up! Now I'm no Carlos Hathcock or Chris Kyle by a long shot but there may be a time when one needs more bore to deliver the goods at very long range. Large dangerous game comes to mind. Elk have a 400 yard comfort zone. I feel it should be prudent to have the right tool for the job. BTW, I have some 8mm Remington magnum ammo but no rifle. Need to do something about that! LOL. OK, flame on!

 

Buy what you want, afford what you buy.

 

Hunting big game or defeating barriers and a what range? Define what you want to do and then watch Sniper 101. Rex Tibor gets into cartridges and bullet selection pretty quickly. If you are really wanting to be proficient at long rang watch the entire series EDIT: requires practice, discipline, assessment, and correction:


BTW here is Rex nailing a beer can at over 1200 yards on the first shot so he knows a little about the subject:

 

45-70 new rifles can handle new high velocity shells 250 to 500 grain bullets,
here is a reloading page for strong new action rifles shows a 400 grain bullet over 2,000 FPS and you could shoot .410 shells If I recall correctly.
https://www.barnesbullets.com/files/2014/11/45-70RugerNo1.pdf

All that big game talk is silly Africa is loaded with poachers that take all the big 5 with an L1A1 and FMJ ammo it might take a hand full or a magazine but it drops them all the great white hunters took all African game with 7.5 Swiss 7MM Mauser 6.5X55 with military ammo bullet placement is key.

 

With proper loads it can be used for both. Range depends on target.

 

For years I had no interest in magnum rifles. Why beat myself up when hunting in North Florida woods is seldom done over 100 yards?
Then my .308Win rifle was stolen. A buddy had a Winchester Model 70 in .270WSM he could sell me cheap - he's a dedicated Remington guy. So I bought it, got the dies and my buddy gave me a bag of new brass. I do my loads in the midrange, so recoil is manageable, well less than factory loads. I killed two deer that first season, both neck shots that dropped them in their tracks! I became a believer. Those shots were under 100 yards, but the paper company logged out our hunting lease, and our maximum possible shot was out to 400 yards. This rifle is accurate and reliable. I like it.

 

Magnum for me is a way of life when it comes to those Monster Colorado Rocky Elk, so its usually a .338 Win Mag, or a .375 Weatherby Mag, and those get it done! For bigger, or more threatening HUGMOUNGOUS Grizzlies, its a .45/70 loaded hot with a 375 grain solid, while not a magnum specifically, its well known for being quite capable of putting down any thing that walks, slithers, swims, or crawls on fins, feet, or paws! For the 2 legged predators at a long ways off, its a .338 Lapua Magnum through a suppressor, .338 doesn't just put a big hole in them, it takes them apart! If I really need, I have a .50 BMG, if that doesn't get er done, I need to get a new hobby! LOL

 

Need or want? I've never seen the need, rarely ever get a clear shot at anything around here beyond 600 yards unless it's down the middle of a highway. The .30-06 and the .308 have always filled my needs. Tonight I'm in so much trouble with the shoulder that I can barely lift a fork, so shooting large caliber rifles is out of the question.

 

I love the boomers and have all my life. My favorites are the .300 and .338 Win Mags. Load up or load down and either of those will take anything you're gonna come across in the woods. I've taken Deer, Elk, Moose, Caribou, Black Bear and Browns all with a .300 and home loads. If I happen to come across a piece of 2" plate the Barrett can handle that as well

 

PWEET...THUD!!! =meat in the freezer!

 

Have this argument myself about .45-70 all the time...I probably DON'T need one, but I keep finding excuses and getting into situations where it is the right tool for the job. Get what you want amigo.

 

Don't have a .45-70 but I do have a .45-90 . For long range though .338 Lapua is my go to or a .300 WSM though for anything out to 600+/- I'd prefer the 6.5x47 Lapua or the 6.5 Creedmoor just for recoil and economy of shooting and yes both of those will reach to 1000+ but the .338 bucks the wind better.

 

IMO a 6.5x55 will take critters up to a moose out to any range (and further) than you want to pack it back. If you are in big bear country a 338 Win magnum will kill the bear before it can kill you back. That said, get what makes you happy.

 

.375 H&H mag.

Kills on one end, maims on the other.

It will drop a moose with one shot.

 

30-06 in various actions fills my needs. Near by is a 1000 yard range, I've only shot the 200 to 600 yard section because the 1000 yard is mostly closed now days.
Most civilians have not a clue that in the past Mil firing range started at 200 yards with iron sights.

I have not shot the example I am about to report because I got into that type shooting after open heart surgery and my body would not hold up to the heat and stress of a 600 yard range which means spending time in the Butts on rotation.

NTL I have seen a shooter with hand loads and a Match M1 put 5 rounds @ 200yards into a center target that you could cover with your hand. But she was an excellent shot and had all the tricks down and a ton of range time.

So I have to snicker to myself when a "Deer Hunter" brings in a 100 yard target, shot with a scope and the holes are all over the place.

Just know it can be done better.

 

YUGE fan of the 6.5X55 Swede, not much it cannot do, the only down side is its pretty much a hand loaders cartridge, very few quality factory loads available for it! IF you are a hand loader, the Swede plays by a different set of rules, it can do things it shouldn't, and gets away with them because those 6.5 bullets are so good at bucking wind and are extremely aerodynamic! im hearing guys claiming the 6.5 Creedmore to be slightly better, but they are comparing to standard Mil spec Husquvarna rifles, not Carl Gustav CG series, or other custom built rifles with better barrels and faster twist rates! I have a CG 63/80 custom from the late 80s that I built, it will hang with a 7mm Mag all day long, and flies even better to the targets! performance on game is about the same as the mighty 7mm, up to a 140 gr pill, the Swede does just as well, although a touch slower, but you almost never need a bigger pill then 140 gr, and that's where the Swede really shines! The recoil is also quite a bit less then say a .308, but a little bit more then a .243. If you plan to compete, the Swede is a very good choice, and for hunting, especially in nasty conditions, the ballistics out perform most other choices! And while your hand loading, might as well build its big brother, the improved and even nastier 6.5/06! That takes you well into magnum territory with out the recoil, and gets it pretty close to 6.5/284 with out burning barrels and punishing shoulders!Best part is you can use .25/06 brass to make new, or any of the 06 brass to size down, and can even make standard Swede as well as Mauser brass!

 

Dammit - you aren't going to be happy until you make me build a rifle... already planning on a 338 Lapua build using a Remage barrel system (uses a Savage type barrel nut on a Remington 700 pattern receiver for head spacing without a machine shop) when I sell the machine gun. Might have to build a 6.5-06 at the same time.

 

Let me know when you wanna get started, I can get BEAR to sell you one of his actions with bolt. His 03 Springer actions are super nice! Might wanna go Savage 110 all the way, I prefer them with the floating bolt head, just upgrade the extractor and your GTG!

 

Technically speaking do you want it dead or really dead?
I think that's the difference.

 

Dangerous wounded game up close and personal with a Browning A5 loaded to the gills with slugs.

Some old heads used to rechamber 8X57 to 8X63 or 8mm-06 another was a 8MM Mauser barrel change to 35 cal to 35 Whelen, look up extending the magazine in a Mauser basic cut and weld folower remains the same or get a magnum follower.

People have taken a P14 Enfield and built it into a 45-70.

There are plenty of pawn shops with some exotic calibers but before you buy you need to research the round and how much the dies and brass cost a cheap rifle is like a free puppy it's hidden cost is way more than one thinks.

If anyone wants a true magnum but has reservations just remember that overall rifle weight is relevant to recoil getting it up to 10 pounds with glass rings bases to leading the stock with lead shot, you want shot so it can move with recoil, One of the best accessories is a Kickeze recoil pad.

Some thinking undercuts the basic tenant of killing power, the bullet is more responsible for this effect heavier bullets penetrate deeper the bullet design is important so the bullet does not break up and too much expansion does not allow for the deeper penetration needed to anchor the game in place because if it runs your chance of loosing your game increases. there is a sweet spot for every caliber where you get the velocity and the penetration with less rainbow effect of trajectory for example the 30-06 is 180 grain bullets. Comparing the 150 to 180 are within inches for impact increasing to 220 grain you almost double the bullet drop longer ranges the effect is exponential. at some point a bullet drop scope is a real help out to 500.