Looking for a unicorn

[Nature Boy]

358 win was what came to mind for me.

Me too. Got to be a handloader though

Here's a Ruger 77 Hawkeye

https://www.armslist.com/posts/7255656/yakima-washington-rifles-for-sale--ruger-m77-red-pad-358-win

 

[Slamfire]

.458 Winchester? I've owned both through the years, and they both can be classified as "thumpers", especially the 458

I have one, purchased it from the original owner







He shot less than 10 full power 458 Win Mags through it, standing, before deciding it was too much fun. I have shot around 50 45/70 "equivalent" loads . It was a total failure. This rifle will not shoot cast bullets at all. I think it is due to a long throat, reamed that way to reduce pressure and allow Winchester to have bragging rights in the elephant gun class. The rifling is also shallow.


M70 Winchester Classic 22" barrel

405 Gr LRN 458 cast commercial 40.5 grs AA5744 wtd lot 1-2004 OAL 3.15" Fed 210S Win cases

23 Feb 2018 T = 80 °F

Ave Vel = 1491
Std Dev = 23
ES = 64
High = 1526
Low = 1462
N = 6

heavy external grease, some leading last 2" of barrel. Poor accuracy

405 Gr LRN 458 cast commercial 41.0 grs AA5744 wtd lot 1-2004 OAL 3.15" Fed 210S Win cases
23 Feb 2018 T = 80 °F

Ave Vel = 1533
Std Dev = 27
ES = 89
high = 1604
Low = 1515
N = 10

three shots touched 8.5" X 11" target.

405 Gr LRN 458 cast commercial 42.0 grs AA5744 wtd lot 1-2004 OAL 3.15" Fed 210S Win cases
23 Feb 2018 T = 80 °F

Ave Vel = 1588
Std Dev = 27
ES = 76
High = 1638
Low = 1562
N = 9

nothing near 8.5" X 11" target, bullets landing feet away from aimpoint. Barely holds 6 foot by 6 foot frame.

I may experiment with paper patch, I have little to no interest in firing full bore loads. Decades ago, I was given a Ruger #1 in 458 Win Mag to shoot. I shot it kneeling. The first shot was a surprise, the second shot hurt so bad, I still remember how bad it was. This is something everyone should do: get burnt badly so you remember, to fear fire!

 

[LoonWulf]

The .375 H&H or .375 Ruger is pretty much ideal medium and large game caliber IMO. You are talking wanting hard hitting round on potential grizzlies I'm assuming since you mentioned Alaska. Any good round for dealing with one of those with a degree of certainty is of course going to be unpleasant. An 18-20" heavier contour barrel, brakes, limbsaver, etc. If you still can't handle the recoil or the cost of ammo you probably shouldn't be hunting grizzlies. The current Savage 110 Brush Hunter kind of fits that bill, .375 Ruger, stainless 20" barrel. Bout $650-700 which is cheap for a new dangerous game caliber rifle right now. Been looking at that among other Savage offerings except factory 375 ruger ammo is $3+ per round....

There are also the Mossberg Patriots, of which (surprisingly) there are a couple hanging in a shop here. Ive handled them, and the are actually surprisingly nice.
Even with the longer 22" tube the synthetic one I played with probably weighted less than 7lbs. Thats less than my A bolt which is about as much fun as i want running full power hand loads (tho factory loads are pretty tame). With the walnut or laminate stock, the Patriot should be heavy enough that just adding a squishy pad should make it comfortable.
Another plus is that at something south of 400 bucks retail, you can always have the thing cut to 18/20", threaded for a brake, and use a muzzle weight or thread protector, when you dont want the extra blast.

 

[LoonWulf]

This is something everyone should do: get burnt badly so you remember, to fear fire!

.338 Lapua, single shot 28" sporter barreled 700sps. Only rifle ive ever decided was simply unshootable. Tho the guy who built it did just fine, for the most part.....

 

[earlthegoat2]

The .338 Federal has a reputation for being a pretty good short barrel cartridge.

 

[MacAR]

.....
He shot less than 10 full power 458 Win Mags through it, standing, before deciding it was too much fun. I have shot around 50 45/70 "equivalent" loads . It was a total failure. This rifle will not shoot cast bullets at all. I think it is due to a long throat, reamed that way to reduce pressure and allow Winchester to have bragging rights in the elephant gun class. The rifling is also shallow.
.......

I may experiment with paper patch, I have little to no interest in firing full bore loads. Decades ago, I was given a Ruger #1 in 458 Win Mag to shoot. I shot it kneeling. The first shot was a surprise, the second shot hurt so bad, I still remember how bad it was. This is something everyone should do: get burnt badly so you remember, to fear fire!

Mine was a Remington 798, and it kicked like an army mule. I think I may have shot 10 shots through it, too. Just way, way too much recoil. My 50-140 Sharps didn't kick that hard! Admittedly, the Sharps weighed in at 16 pounds, and the 798 was about 9-10. That makes a bit of a difference. I also had a 300 Winchester in a Ruger M77 that I positively despised due to recoil and muzzle blast. There's a reason why I have let all my big-bore rifles and my 10 gauge goose guns go down the road: recoil is no fun anymore! Hell, if the '06 hadn't been Dad's, I'd have probably traded it for a 7x57 mauser sporter long ago, simply because of recoil. But I still use it (albeit with 165 or 180 grain bullets) because it will stop a deer in its tracks. And, with proper ammo, I would not feel under-gunned with an '06 anywhere in the world. Just my opinion.

Mac

 

[cluttonfred]

Does "anything in N. America, Canada, and possibly Alaska" include grizzly or polar bear?

 

[earlthegoat2]

Does "anything in N. America, Canada, and possibly Alaska" include grizzly or polar bear?

It better otherwise all this commentary has been for nothing and the OP can just get a .308 with an 18” tube and call it a day.

 

[Meeks36]

Just get you a old Enfield in .303 and call it a day. They have been used to take every animal on this planet. Even elephants. The jungle carbine sounds like what your looking for. Short barrel, powerful, and proven caliber.

 

[cluttonfred]

I love my No 4 Mk I* but what can the .303 do that a .30-06 or any other full-size rifle cartridge of approximately the same caliber, velocity and bullet weight cannot?

 

[Varminterror]

Short barrel, 200yrds and in, heavy hitter, capacity for all NA game, but concerned with a 375H&H being too much power in a short/light package...

30cals might be up to the task to harvest the game, but don’t meet my expectation for a “Thumper.” Naturally, a Cooper-esque “Thumper” doesn’t really suit, but it’s not necessarily too far away.

What comes to mind for me are any of a dozen or more short action, 35-45cal, 250-350grn bullets at 2500-2800fps (not necessarily combining fastest and heaviest). A 458x2” is a highly intriguing cartridge in this class for me - but for the money and work, I shoot the 458win mag with mild loads.

I’d love a 45cal on the Ruger case, without the need to go full custom in the barrel and dies.

 

[LoonWulf]

I’d love a 45cal on the Ruger case,

That would be a really neat option!

 

[LoonWulf]

Just get you a old Enfield in .303 and call it a day. They have been used to take every animal on this planet. Even elephants. The jungle carbine sounds like what your looking for. Short barrel, powerful, and proven caliber.

While a solid nondangerous game cartridge, at moderate range. It's lighter than I'd want for something trying to eat me, or trying to violently dissuade me from eating it.

 

[Poper]

I'm looking for a caliber that might not exist.(I reload) Looking for a thumper round accurate up to 200yrds. In bolt action. With a barrel length of 16-18" able to take down anything in N. America, Canada, and possibly Alaska.

The 45/70 Is lever only (damn)

The 450 Bushmaster has a few inherent problems caused by it being made for an AR platform.

The 375 h&h would probably be unpleasant in an 18"barrel.

Is there a caliber that I don't know about that fits? Or am I wrong about any of the calibers I've mentioned? Thanks in advance

I have a friend with a .45-70 bolt action. It's a custom Siamese Mauser action with a Hart barrel in a laminated stock. If it fits your bill, he might sell it as it is an inherited piece and he is currently going through a love affair with single shots.

 

[StrawHat]

While it was only offered by Winchester in a lever rifle, the 405 WCF has been chambered in some bolt rifles. I have an 1895 and enjoy it.

Kevin

 

[Meeks36]

While a solid nondangerous game cartridge, at moderate range. It's lighter than I'd want for something trying to eat me, or trying to violently dissuade me from eating it.

If it's good enough to hunt tigers and elephants. It's good enough for me.

 

[BigBore44]

You have to remember that energy going out the front means energy going back to you. It’s a direct correlation only alleviated by a muzzle brake.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

Savage makes a couple short bolt guns in .338 Fed and .338win if you consider those thumpers.

I wanna say the older model hog hunter and the older and current Alaska brush hunter.

Irons and 20" BBL I believe

Edit: just checked, Savage still makes the 110 Hog Hunter and 110 Brush Hunter in 338fed and 338win, respectively.

Threaded 20" barrels and irons for both. Around 7lbs.

 

[LoonWulf]

If it's good enough to hunt tigers and elephants. It's good enough for me.

To each their own.

Personally I'd want more gun, even if there's someone else backing me up with even more gun.

 

[fireside44]

Savage makes a couple short bolt guns in .338 Fed and .338win if you consider those thumpers.

I wanna say the older model hog hunter and the older and current Alaska brush hunter.

Irons and 20" BBL I believe

Edit: just checked, Savage still makes the 110 Hog Hunter and 110 Brush Hunter in 338fed and 338win, respectively.

Threaded 20" barrels and irons for both. Around 7lbs.

But no new accustock like most of the rest of their lineup. I don't get it when all the actions are basically identical (aside barrel profile). If I buy one now next year it'll have the accustock available. If I wait, they will discontinue the model.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

But no new accustock like most of the rest of their lineup. I don't get it when all the actions are basically identical (aside barrel profile). If I buy one now next year it'll have the accustock available. If I wait, they will discontinue the model.

There's always the Savage Scout in 338 fed. It has it.

I had an accustock. I didn't think it was that nice, honestly.

 

[Skylerbone]

The older Savage 116 Bear hunter came in .300 and .338, was factory ported, and included the Accustock. Spotted a used .338 locally a few weeks back and used to shoot the .300 Win Mag version.

 

[fireside44]

There's always the Savage Scout in 338 fed. It has it.

I had an accustock. I didn't think it was that nice, honestly.

Was looking at the Scout in .450 Bushmaster since 16" barrel seems counterproductive to the 308. I like the AICS mag setup and factory irons. I'm not a huge fan of stocks with rubber inserts and rubber coatings but the Accustock is full length aluminum bedded from the factory. Hogue and B&C all want $250-300 bucks for an aftermarket full bedded stock, which is the lowest cost full bedded stocks I've found. I been crunching numbers trying to figure if I should just get a basic 110 $350 hunting model and get the barrel and bolt face I want, a couple headspace gauges, and a barrel nut wrench and just assemble exactly what I want. Wind up paying twice what Savage is charging and ultimately not have anything that shoots better than factory but the barrel length and caliber of my choosing. Pay more up front for not quite what you want or pay more but at a little at a time to get exactly what you are looking for? Cheaper not to look at all!

 

[horsey300]

https://www.wickedweapons.net/product/savage-pre-fit-barrel-458-socom
Remage or savage action, as close to a modern bolt 45-70 as I can think of without getting expensive fast.

 

[Booger66]

Does "anything in N. America, Canada, and possibly Alaska" include grizzly or polar bear?

Yes