Hunting Rifles

[Bostonterrier97]

Hunting Rifles are very useful things...even if you don't really "hunt" ..they are nice to have around..like other types of rifles...

Anyway..I think that they are really the most useful tool one can have (in addition to a Thompson Contender).

All you need for an Accurate Hunting Rifle..is several hundred rounds.
Since you can't really get the full benefit of the rifle's potential for accuracy..surplus ammunition is best left alone for other rifles.

Consider the range of calibers from 7mm (or 284) to 257 (about 6.3 mm) (basically your 7mm, 280, 270, 6.5mm, 260 Remington, 25 (257 Weatherby, 25-06, 257 Roberts)..ballistically these calibers occupy a sweet spot..it the optimum being the 6.5mm.

A 140 grain 6.5mm has a high sectional denisty and ballistic coefficient that you can't touch with a 30 caliber round until you get up to about 200 grains.

The 6.5mm is lighter, more efficient in terms of penetration, flatter shooting and has less recoil than your usual 30 caliber round.

Good cartridges to consider for a "hunting" rifle are:

243
257 Roberts (I especially like the Ackely Improved version..the 28 degree should version can still shoot the regular 257 Roberts with a velocity loss of about 100 fps..the 40 degree shoulder version will give you 25-06 velocities..but you must fireform your cases first..)
25-06
257 Weatherby
6.5x55
260 Remington
264 Magnum
270
280
7x57
7-08
7mm Magnum


On the Contender...the Thompson Contender is a nice urban hunting rifle. It can be scoped, it is highly portable and hence concealable..it is cheap, you can readily change calibers for it by putting on a different barrel (the Contender is designed to make it easy for a shooter to swap out a barrel and change calibers)..so you can used everything from revolver ammunition up to .308 provided you have the barrel.

You can even screw on a shoulder stock to steady the contender while shooting.

As long as your ranges are within 200 yards..the contender offers reasonable accuracy, in addition to the above mentioned qualities...additionally calibers like the .308 would enable the urban hunter to be able to penetrate any game with a thick hide that he or she may encounter in the urban environment as well as a more..pastoral environment.

If the hunter does his job..then minimal amounts of ammunition will be expended in a most efficient manner.

 

[SquirrelNuts]

You forgot 30-06.

-SquirrelNuts

 

[Cosmoline]

Agreed, agreed, agreed! So many shooters now regard rifles as a specialist's weapon and expect far too much from their handguns. Maybe it's the influence of a lack of rifle ranges, or all the handgun magazines out there. Who knows.

I've always felt strongly that we need to be a nation of riflemen. The rifle should be the first choice whenever possible. I'd much rather have a single shot Thompson than a big six shooter. Much better bullets at far higher speeds.

 

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

You forgot 6.5x55 Ackley Improved!

I bet that'd be something in a Contender carbine. By the way, I saw a nice little pagefull in this month's Field and Stream on the 6.5x55.

Regards,
Rabbit.

 

[Delmar]

That all might be true, but I will stick with my 308 and maybe just aim a bit higher for those long shots. Been eating pretty good with that caliber-and thats all the efficiency I will ever need. Of course, I know some 30-30 people who can't put it in a thimble at 100 yards but they do very well in the field

 

[Jaywalker]

Thoughtful post. It's amazing how smart people seem when we agree with them. No matter what else comes in or goes out of my cabinet, there's always a generic "hunting rifle." Mine's perfect, of course, a Ruger 77 (tang safety) in .270.

I haven't had a Contender for 25 years, though, and didn't shoot it much then - too much else to do. You do make it sound simple, though.

Jaywalker

 

[Snake Jenkins]

Don't forget the .280 Ackley Improved

Snake

 

[Mannlicher]

How can you discuss hunting rifles and not mention Ackely Improved cartridges? Geez........

 

[Bostonterrier97]

I like the Ackely Improved Cartridges...in most cases you can still fire factory ammunition and suffer a slight velocity loss.

One exception being the 257 Roberts Ackely Improved with a 40 degree shoulder.

 

[Sir Galahad]

My .308 Ruger M77 International is one of the handiest and fun-est rifles I have. Easy to tote and enough wallop to do the trick for just about anything. But I do shoot milsurp ammo through mine. This is an iron-sighter and that's how I shoot. Aim, pull trigger, target falls down goes boom. I'm happy.

 

[Bostonterrier97]

This company makes Modernized Magnum Mausers

Specifications:
Magnum action with three lugs and square bridge.
Reliable 3-position wing safety.
Rigby-style magazine cover.
Express sight with big rear sight and brass bead sight.
Barrel length: 24"
Overall length: 44"
Weight approx. 8.8 lbs.

Calibers:
.375 H&H
(Magazine capacity 5 +1)

.416 Rigby, .450 Dakota, .458 Lott
(Magazine capacity 4 +1)

At extra cost: .500 Jeffry
(Magazine capacity 3 +1)

 

[Cosmoline]

I'm afraid to ask what the new Mauserwaffen '98 mags cost! But they look real fine. The CZ safari rifles are more in line with my budget, and they have a great reputation.