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Do it all hunting rifle?

Lrdchaos

Lrdchaos

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 19, 2011
742
120
Oklahoma
Im looking for a do it all hunting rifle. It will be used for everything from hogs to Elk, in the future. My Lgs has a couple rifles that I’m interested in at decent prices. The first is a Remington 5r milspec 300wm and the other is a Remington Sendero sf2 7mm RM. I don’t reload and I’m not worried about shooting out the barrel on this rifle. I’m just looking for a rifle that will cover everything I might choose to shoot in North America.

Thanks in advance.
 
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" I justblookijg for a rifle that will cover everything I might choose to shoot in North America."

My 30-06 has been doing just that for 25 years & never let me down lol.
 
.375 H H Magnum will kill anything on the planet.....if i had to choose one rifle to do everything, that would be my choice.

followed closely by .300 win mag.
 
FWIW, I'm in the process of putting together a 338 WM for that very application. 300 WM or 7mm RM would likely do just as well... I'm only going with 338 WM because I like to make things difficult for myself.
 
I would look for something with a total weight with optics in the 9 pound range, much heavier than that and you'll hate yourself lugging it up and down mountains.
 
Fursniper said:
" I justblookijg for a rifle that will cover everything I might choose to shoot in North America."

My 30-06 has been doing just that for 25 years & never let me down lol.
Click to expand...

^^^ This! ^^^

I cannot tell you how many guys go out and buy the biggest bestest caliber they can find because it can "do it all". Then the rifle ends up in the safe after the first hunt when they find out that a light hunting rifle (and a do it all rifle does need to be light if you are truly doing anything much with it) in a big caliber is just really not much fun to shoot for practice. Then they are out there looking for a .308 or 6.5 something "for the wife".
 
Come on now, just cause my do it all is a 308 doesn't mean it's for the wife;)

110vmax up to 220rnsp
 
I got the joke, no worries. A stainless model 70 with a 21" barrel in a supergrade stock. 4-14 scope and I have hunted a lot of different things with it over the years. It isn't my most accurate rifle but it'll do the job when asked.

i actually think I've shot the barre out finally. That should tell a guy how well used it is!
 
Either one of those would work just fine, but as WYFox stated I would be looking for them in a lighter platform. For a pure hunting rifle, those are just too heavy for my liking.
 
I no longer believe in the one do-it-all hunting rifle. A mountain rifle needs to be light so that you can pack it around all day. If you are hunting a “bean field” from a box blind, a heavier rifle may make more sense given the potential ranges. A 338 WM may take everything in North America, but it won’t be fun to shoot in a 7.5lb package (that’s what my 270 win mountain rifle weights, with optics). A 24” barrel makes for a great long range rifle, but will suck to hunt with in the brush. Tailor your rifle to your hunting.
 
Winchester Model 70 Classic Hunter in .30-'06. Ammo is everywhere, They are reliable and accurate, and don't weight much. Heck, they don't even cost much. When you reload, you can load them light with 110 gr. or 125 gr. bullets for plinking or whitetails, and load something like a 180 or 210 JLK or Berger for long-range hunting or target shooting. They almost all come with a 24" barrel in 10 twist, which is exactly what you want. Stick a variable 5-15 power scope on it, get the Ernie Paull (erniethegunsmith.com) lighter spring for the MOA trigger, and get your gunsmith to bed the action. For anything smaller, get a 6mm Remington with a fast-twist long barrel, and it'll take care of everything else. For piddlin' around, get a bolt-action .223 Remington with a 7 or 8 twist barrel. I've shot F/TR at 600 yards with one, and did fine.
 
What's your price range? If your worried about weight Manners make some awesome carbon fiber stock, but they cost more than some off the shelf rifles.
 
Dont do the 5r, that would be a terrible hunting rifle. No need to lug that around. Factory guns are pretty good these days. Pick your brand, pick your features, and put a modest scope on it. You cant beat the 30-06 for versatility. You can take your rifle around the world and find ammo for it.
 
Budget is around 1000 for the rifle. I can’t justify more than that for a rifle that will sit in the safe the majority of the time.
 
Either one , I would base my choice between the two on barrel length and twist rate just in case you decide to reload . My preference would be the 300WM !
 
Supersubes said:
Dont do the 5r, that would be a terrible hunting rifle. No need to lug that around. Factory guns are pretty good these days. Pick your brand, pick your features, and put a modest scope on it. You cant beat the 30-06 for versatility. You can take your rifle around the world and find ammo for it.
Click to expand...

As a 5R owner, I couldn't agree more; you'd'd be dawg tired by the end of hunting day humping it hither and yon. I'm actually looking for a hunting rifle as well; so far the Savage Weather Warrior in 6.5 Creed is at the top of the list. Thinking of topping it with one of the new Leupold Vx3i LRP in TMR....

Happy hunting!
 
cz-usa-cz-550-fs.png

In 9.3X62
 
If I could own only one rifle and used only factory ammo, I would own something chambered for a 270 Winchester.
 
Fursniper said:
Holy magnum batman, he wants to shoot stuff besides bull elephants & grizzly bears! :eek:
Click to expand...

The 375 H&H will do gophers, deer, pigs, rabid dogs, and just about anything that walks the earth. Hard to be more vesatile than that.
 
Yeah, but with the possible exception of large brown bears in Alaska, is it needed for his stated criteria of NA? Uhm, no. A 375 H&H in almost any projectile weight is ridiculous overkill and punishing to practice with in any carry-able weight configuration.
 
308pirate said:
The 375 H&H will do gophers, deer, pigs, rabid dogs, and just about anything that walks the earth. Hard to be more vesatile than that.
Click to expand...

So will a steamroller but at some point it's overkill. A 22lr is capable of killing all of those species you just listed too.
 
lash said:
Yeah, but with the possible exception of large brown bears in Alaska, is it needed for his stated criteria of NA? Uhm, no. A 375 H&H in almost any projectile weight is ridiculous overkill and punishing to practice with in any carry-able weight configuration.
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Nor really.....

honestly its softer shooting than a 3"deer slug.......and thats out of a 7.4lb Ruger no 1.......out of a 8 or 9 lb bolt gun....its actually quite pleasant.

its quite effective on hog.....and will take deer no problem......and then for larger animal like elk, moose, bear......its an almost ideal round

and if you hand load, you can eadily down load cartridges to suit your desired game.

ask any PH what caliber they would choose to hunt anywhere in the world.....9/10 will choose the .375
 
Again you are answering a different question than what was asked. But different strokes and all...
 
Either of the chamberings you've mentioned will work if you can tolerate the recoil enough to become proficient in it's use. Range time with a borrowed rifle(s) will determine that. If it hurts to shoot, skilled use will be difficult to attain. The already mentioned.270 or the '06 may not be the flashest cartridges in today's world but both have a long history as effective game killers.

It's not the rifle that makes the hunter; it's the skilled hunter using a tool with which he is competent that makes the clean kill.
 
lash said:
Again you are answering a different question than what was asked. But different strokes and all...
Click to expand...

how was what i answered different than what was asked?

OP asked for a "do it all" hunting rifle for everything from hogs to Elk............ .375 is widely regarded as the best "all around" hunting cartridge.......and recommended by many PHs as their first choice to hunt anywhere.


is that not the info OP was looking for?
 
In my eariler life I was a hunting guide (mostly elk hunts) up in the Jemez mountains area of New Mexico. Lived on a ranch up there that would bring in well heeled high roller types from back east & California for big dollar multi day guided hunts. These guys would come in with everything from 375's to 378 & 460 Weatherby magnums, absolutely beautiful rifles, gorgeous wood, hand carved leather slings, etc. We'd pack 'em in on horseback and load up their gear & booze, up thru line camps in the mountains. It was halarious to watch these guys shoot those cannons, their flinch was so bad (we'd have them check zeros at base camp), I mean it was pathetic, my assistant guide & I exchanged "a lot of looks" over the course of fall & early winter. The 06's remingtons we carried as saddle guns looked like they had been through two world wars but they were clean and accurate. They were our personal guns and all we could afford back then. We fed the ranch and camps with those rifles all late summer through 6 months of work & took a shit load of meat out of those mountains with those old beat up '06's (things were a little different back in those days lol). So I know a little something about watching guys shoot big caliber lightweight rigs & I can tell you the frequency of misses and really terrible hits on game was more the norm than not. I guess for me, the point is, is a 375 H&H a great tool in the hands of a PH? You bet. In the hands of the average occasional part time or once a year hunter? Not so much. Every once in awhile a guy came in that could really handle his weapon and it was always a pleasure to make their aquaintence but it was a rare exception rather than the rule. I mean these days, depending on where you live, you can go years between getting the draw for a hunt. And I can tell you none of those guys were going to hit a gopher with a 378 Weatherby lol! My advice to the op is pick a rifle & caliber you can (and WANT TO) shoot alot and become really proficient with without dreading & developing a real dislike for the experience. Once you develop a flinch it's a hard habit to break for most. Where I live now elk are almost as thick as jackrabbits and based on my experience and run ins with hunters, most are taken with 270's, 06's & 308's by the locals. The "out of towners" bring in the boomers and really loud ATV'S and are almost always lost lol. I guess some things just never change.........Anyway, just my take on it.
 
Agree with the above post.
Id take a look at a Christensen Arms Ridgeline in 6.5x284 or something in 300WSM if wanting more recoil.
 
mcameron said:
.375 is widely regarded as the best "all around" hunting cartridge......
Click to expand...

First time I've ever heard that. Prior to reading, very specifically, your posts on this site, all I'd ever heard about the 375 H&H is that it kicks like a motherfucker and ammo is ungodly expensive.

My honest opinion is that .30-06 walks the line of being too much for a lot of folks in a lightewight hunting rifle, and is more than capable for anything in North America. The 7mm RM and 300 WM have a lot of following but I think even they are overkill. Personally, I think something in the .260, 6.5cm, 6.5x55, 7mm-08 class is about ideal for anything inside of 400 or 500yd.

Granted, muzzle brakes go a long way toward taming stuff down; Not much is threaded in the way of factory hunting rifles, and there's the ominous issue of the extra noise/blast... End of the day, do what works for you, I guess. No way could I justify shooting a hog or whitetail with a 375 H&H, though...
 
Its hard to nail down a "do it all rifle" My favorite hunters are 6 creedmoor, 6.5x284, and a 300 Norma if I wanting to shoot pigs or elk at long range.
If I had to give up all but one of my rifles, the one I'd keep is the 6.5x284. 3000ft/sec shooting 140's and pleasant to shoot.
 
Ledzep said:
First time I've ever heard that. Prior to reading, very specifically, your posts on this site, all I'd ever heard about the 375 H&H is that it kicks like a motherfucker and ammo is ungodly expensive.
Click to expand...

its honestly not as bad as people make it out to be.......

its commonly use in africa on everything from plains game( which is the equivaleny of deer and elk here)...all the way up to dangerous game, which i think is where it gsts its "mystique" from......people hear that it can take buffalo and elephant....and assume its some big boomer like .458 lott and .505 gibbs..and its really not.

like i stated earlier, it kicks less than a deer slug.....its about $2.5 a shot.......which is also about the same as a deer slug.

more expensive than a .30-06...sure.....but youre not going to go broke shootong 50 or so rounds a year.

like i said, thats just my opinion....

 
Fursniper said:
In my eariler life I was a hunting guide (mostly elk hunts) up in the Jemez mountains area of New Mexico. Lived on a ranch up there that would bring in well heeled high roller types from back east & California for big dollar multi day guided hunts. These guys would come in with everything from 375's to 378 & 460 Weatherby magnums, absolutely beautiful rifles, gorgeous wood, hand carved leather slings, etc. We'd pack 'em in on horseback and load up their gear & booze, up thru line camps in the mountains. It was halarious to watch these guys shoot those cannons, their flinch was so bad (we'd have them check zeros at base camp), I mean it was pathetic, my assistant guide & I exchanged "a lot of looks" over the course of fall & early winter. The 06's remingtons we carried as saddle guns looked like they had been through two world wars but they were clean and accurate. They were our personal guns and all we could afford back then. We fed the ranch and camps with those rifles all late summer through 6 months of work & took a shit load of meat out of those mountains with those old beat up '06's (things were a little different back in those days lol). So I know a little something about watching guys shoot big caliber lightweight rigs & I can tell you the frequency of misses and really terrible hits on game was more the norm than not. I guess for me, the point is, is a 375 H&H a great tool in the hands of a PH? You bet. In the hands of the average occasional part time or once a year hunter? Not so much. Every once in awhile a guy came in that could really handle his weapon and it was always a pleasure to make their aquaintence but it was a rare exception rather than the rule. I mean these days, depending on where you live, you can go years between getting the draw for a hunt. And I can tell you none of those guys were going to hit a gopher with a 378 Weatherby lol! My advice to the op is pick a rifle & caliber you can (and WANT TO) shoot alot and become really proficient with without dreading & developing a real dislike for the experience. Once you develop a flinch it's a hard habit to break for most. Where I live now elk are almost as thick as jackrabbits and based on my experience and run ins with hunters, most are taken with 270's, 06's & 308's by the locals. The "out of towners" bring in the boomers and really loud ATV'S and are almost always lost lol. I guess some things just never change.........Anyway, just my take on it.
Click to expand...

Well said.
 
I hunt ALOT, 40+ days a year. I would highly consider a smaller caliber short action cartridge such as a 6.5 creed, 260, 7-08 etc with a good bonded bullet. You'll be more proficient and accurate with those rather than a large heavy recoiling magnum. My do it all hunting rifle is a 6.5 saum, but you don't reload so that is not a great option for you. It's all about shot placement, I've seen bulls never recovered from poor shots with 300's and 338's(Fursniper's post is right on the money)

Here's a prime example, Monday I guided a 12yr old kid and his uncle on elk. We slipped into a large herd of elk and I identified the 2 largest bulls. The kid dumped a great 7x6 at 130 yds with his 6.5 creed with 129gr Accubonds, that bull didn't make it 10 ft and was done. The rifle had an APA brake zero recoil and that kid could shoot it well! Now the 50yr old guy carrying a lightweight 7 RUM shot his bull in the ass and had to take a follow up shot to finish the job. Pretty sure his rifle kicks the shit out of him and he has a flinch. Good shot placement is KEY! Magnums are over rated unless your hunting dangerous game ie; Grizzlies, African Lions, Elephants etc and if you can afford those you can afford a second rifle.

Elk 17..jpg



 
I appreciate the feedback, and opinions. I’ve expanded my search to include 30/06 and 270. I’m also looking at the tikkas as well.
 
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If you could increase your budget a little, you could buy a Pre 64 Model 70 FW 270 and then put a McMillan Hunter stock on it.

For what you are wanting, I think that would be as good as it gets.
 
30-06 ~68gr of h2o
7rm ~83
300wm ~93gr
375h&h ~96gr
338lm ~114gr

375h&h isn't the monster it's made out to be here.

Personally, I can say, I have never felt the recoil while hunting even when shooting 375h&h or 416rigs.

That said I fall into the camp that says bullet selection matters far more than caliber. To that end l typically prefer 30cals as there are just so many good bullets and weights available.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

 
FWIW (which isn't much), my other hunting-oriented rigs are a Steyr Pro Hunter in 30-06 and a Tikka T3 in .270 Win. I also have a Ruger American Ranch in 300BLK for smaller/closer stuff. Thus, for me, the 338WM that I'm putting together will compliment my other hunting rigs.
 
I believe my do it all hunting rifle would be a 6.5 saum 10lbs and less scoped. Probably sitting in a eh1 manners.
 
As much as I'd never own one, just so many folks will say .270 Win 22" medium weight barrel. sporter. And they'd definitely be inside the ballpark on this question. We are, after all, talking about a hunting rifle.

Greg
 
At the moment I’m in the process of building a 18” 6.5x47 hoping to shoot 123elds at 2800-2850fps. Medium Palma brux, I hope to be 10lbs or less with it. May go ahead and straight flute it also
 
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Since you don't reload I'd look at a 6.5 creed in a short action or a 300WM in a long action. Those two calibers have a great selection of commercially loaded ammo.
 
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