Mountain Rifle Caliber? Ya- I know...

What caliber- mountain rifle

  • .25-06

  • 6mm CM

  • .243 Win

  • 6.5 CM

  • 6.5 PRC

  • 7mm-08

  • .280 Rem

  • .280 AI

  • .308 Win

  • .270 Win


Results are only viewable after voting.
The more and more i think about the original question, the more I want to change my answer. I went 7mm-08 as this is HT afterall and it's a great round for lots of things. If you were making this rifle to sell on Hunt Talk alone, I'd say that's your winner. If selling openly and everywhere, I think the 6.5 PRC would be option #1 with the 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Win tied for second place. Since using a Tikka, that .280AI is still a strong contender too, though older and not as popular it still has a pretty good niche following right now.
 
The more and more i think about the original question, the more I want to change my answer. I went 7mm-08 as this is HT afterall and it's a great round for lots of things. If you were making this rifle to sell on Hunt Talk alone, I'd say that's your winner. If selling openly and everywhere, I think the 6.5 PRC would be option #1 with the 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Win tied for second place. Since using a Tikka, that .280AI is still a strong contender too, though older and not as popular it still has a pretty good niche following right now.
280 ackley is hamstringed in a tikka action being stuck with 3.34” oal if wanting to run some of the sleeker bullets
 
I voted .308 due to ammo and variety of said ammo. My Howa Superlite with Leupold 2.5x8 HD in Talley mounts weighs less than 5.5# total and it does not need a brake to shoot 130 TTSX at 3000fps. The Stocky's new carbon stocks are pretty sweet and don't break the bank, have two and two more on the way.
 
So my rifle isn't mountain rifle. I guess I'll take my other 280AI and that has 27 1/2" lilja barrel and it weights 9 3/4 lbs. FHandles pretty good walking up.
So what do you think of the Lilja barrel? I guess I'm about to order one for the 404 I'm building ... unless I should be looking somewhere else. And no this won't be a mountain rifle.
 
@p_ham could have included a 338 Federal in that list, lots of punch and fits in a short action. In the process, hopefully, of reboring a Rem Mohawk 308. Half thought of sending off my Howa Superlite, but that might make snot erupt from my nose:)
 
Sorry to resurrect this ancient old thread that is 21 days old! 😁

But inquiring minds want to know...what cartridge did you decide on? or are you leaning towards? or just thinking about?
 
SITKA Gear

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