Two custom made rifles to hunt the world with

[Panda Bear]

I believe if I had the opportunity to hunt various countries I would give a real good look at the Blaser product. Played with a couple a month or so ago and liked them.

However, if I ever had the opportunity to hunt Africa I would HAVE to have a double.

So my response to your question is a Blaser with two different caliber options-plus a double 375 H & H for Africa and for bear, moose, buffalo and muskox in NA

All I have to do now is win the lottery

 

[OhHeyThereBen]

Most of the above mentioned cartridges would work well and I just wanted to say that I enjoy all of your discussion ideas Europe. Thank you!

Although I'm relatively inexperienced in regards to handling custom rifles, I have always loved the M70 actions that I've used (3). They're glass smooth with no need for polishing and touching up. I'm assuming that she's not doing any of the custom work herself?

I really liked the suggestion above of the 45-70. Coming from an American, I think a person could be pretty proud of a 30-06 and 45-70 combination. I'm not that familiar with a 45-70's performance on dangerous game, but with some of the newer loads and a stout action I would assume it would lay a pretty solid smackdown.

 

[VikingsGuy]

Most of the above mentioned cartridges would work well and I just wanted to say that I enjoy all of your discussion ideas Europe. Thank you!

Although I'm relatively inexperienced in regards to handling custom rifles, I have always loved the M70 actions that I've used (3). They're glass smooth with no need for polishing and touching up. I'm assuming that she's not doing any of the custom work herself?

I really liked the suggestion above of the 45-70. Coming from an American, I think a person could be pretty proud of a 30-06 and 45-70 combination. I'm not that familiar with a 45-70's performance on dangerous game, but with some of the newer loads and a stout action I would assume it would lay a pretty solid smackdown.

45-70 is definitely an American classic, but much less powerful than a 375H&H or 416 Rigby. Don't have the numbers handy, but looked at this a while back and there was quite a gap.

 

[VikingsGuy]

A little context for our discussion. Took this pic last week. Right to left: Our PH's 505 Gibbs with a 600 grain bullet, my son's 300WSM with a 150 grain TTSX and my .308 with the same 150grain TTSX. Our cartridges were plenty stout for our plains game, but was nice to have the Gibbs around when some Cape Buffalo decided our recently shot Sable was to their interest.

 

[Bambistew]

Two rifles to hunt the world is a big task... especially if one rifle is dedicated to DG. I would want the other rifle to be a light-weight mountain rifle...

I'd want a pair of matching actions, just for familiarity sake. Its really a tough call, and one that I wouldn't want to make. If I had to, I would chose a 270/30-06 in a custom light weight package, SS/Synthetic, and a blued/wood in 375.

 

[MJE2083]

375 H&H and a 30-06. Plenty of quality actions out there today.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

I'd go 7mm08 and .338 win mag. For small side the 6.5 creedmore, .243 and 7x57 all come to mind as does the 257 Roberts and 6mm rem. Then I'd rather do 7 mag or 06 and have three. But if only having two and excluding African dangerous game the other entries would be 35 whelen, to 375 h+h. I suppose big 30 mags would make the list too. When it all boils down I still feel comfortable with the first pair for choice of actions, ease of shooting, choice of ammunition and availability.

 

[VOLhunter]

Weatherby makes the Camilla line specifically designed to fit a female profile. How "custom" is your friend looking into the aspect of stock fit? Custom molded or aftermarket replacement? I would agree Bambistew on matching actions. My wife shoots a Winchester M70 Featherweight Compact in 7mm-08 and she loves it. I would get 2 M70s for your friend. 1st rifle would be a stainless/cerakote with synthetic stock in 270 Win and the 2nd she could pick any standard action M70 and rechamber/rebarrel to 375 Ruger. The 375 is offered in light loads for non-DG and satisfies the minimum caliber requirements of most African countries for DG pursuit.

 

[Fullquiver]

.308 and the .375 are the ones on my list.. BTW lived in central Africa for a year and a half..

 

[Europe]

THANK YOU FELLOWS, good advise and guidance, appreciated,

The 375 appears to be one of the two calibers. It stands out in this scenario

She wants the stocks and actions to be the same. Blaser fits that scenario, but so does two custom made stocks with two pre 64 model 70 actions It is so tempting to just go with the 30-06 and 375 and call it good. Boring, but they work.

Bambistew, we agree with their both being the same action and if not Blaser, it will probably be the Win 70, pre 64

vohlunter, yes weatherby makes a very nice rifle for women. My granddaughter has one in 7mm-08----but they stop on the up side at 308 )-;

vaspeedgoat, the 7mm-08 and 338 are good ones but the 338 doesn't allow you to hunt DG--but everything else for sure.

mje2083--leaning that way

vikingguy, thank you!

ohheythereben I think if she will end up using the Win Model 70, as we agree, they are a pretty nice action, and no she will not do any of the work herself.

fishing for sanity, I agree, it is hard to feel like you have to much gun in Africa LOL

Devon Deer. yes, they do have some nice rifles. she wants to use them and see how the stock fits her. They have found a couple close to her, that she is hoping to be able to shoot this weekend.

thanks to all who responded

 

[midwesthunter]

A 30-06 will kill anything on the earth, but so will a .223. The real question is how quickly will it kill a dangerous charging animal. When you have an animal that can kill you in a full on charge from an unexpected direction you will not get a double lung shot and 10 minutes to let the animal bleed out under a tree. You will get a rushed shot straight on and you may not get a second and the animal will have to be dropped on the spot. I would not hunt a Cape buffalo with a 30-06. Sure if I was 200 yards away with no chance of a charge and a planned broadside shot it will do the job, but I would have to get very lucky with shot placement in the charge situation. Much better to carry a 416 Rigby in that case.

Good thing they don't use archery equipment on cape buffalo's with that logic.

 

[Guy]

For me... I'd keep my Winchester Model 70 375, which is a nice custom rifle. And I'd add a matching 30-06 rifle.

Already have one 30-06 rifle and it's done a terrific job for me on several types of North American big game. I handle it well, and wouldn't mind just keeping it. But it's a Rem 700, and I always thought it would be great to have a matching pair, so I'd have one made similar to my 375 Model 70.

I'd stop with the 375 for power level, 'cause I can handle it well. A 416 of some sort would make more sense for bigger dangerous game, but... I'll stick with my 375 since I can shoot it well.

Yup - a classic combo: 30-06 & 375.

Regards, Guy

 

[VikingsGuy]

Good thing they don't use archery equipment on cape buffalo's with that logic.

Yup - with a PH holding a 416 right next to them.

 

[Europe]

Guy, thank you and that is the way I am also leaning 30-06, 375 model 70 actions, custom stocks--should work

vikings guy , that is something some forget is that the PH is right there to clean up, if needed. Although I admire those who use string and stick, I never hunted with them, so I am in no position to judge, but as Vikingsguy stated, regardless of what the client is using or shooting , he is right there with "enough gun"

Ben Lamb----the Blaser she may get to play with is a 300wsm and 375 combo. I thought that was interesting since you suggested it and also suggested I get into a current century ( from the 300 H & H to a 300 wsm ) LOL

P>S> I have been asked, why "two". when we were hunting different countries, we found different countries had different restrictions. You were only allowed to bring two guns into the country, as well as other restrictions on firearms, ammo and powder, if you were hunting with a smoke pole . I am assuming that it has become "more restrictive", not "less". Regardless, that is where my "two" came from.

 

[Guy]

Yes, there are different restrictions, and for different reasons. In Alaska, I was asked to bring only one rifle, though I wanted to bring two for the grizzly hunt.

Reason was insufficient space on the small airplane we used to get up into the Brooks Range. The rifle had to be in a soft case too. I left my hard case in Fairbanks, picked it up later, after the hunt.

All sorts of interesting things out there that make a person change plans a bit now and again.

 

[FLS]

.270 Winchester will handle deer and plains game.
.375 for everything else.

 

[Europe]

Ben Lamb and all other gentlemen with 300wsm information

Ben, you said the 300 wsm is the new 300 H & H, so we went with that and the 375 H & H and got a quote of approx 6000.00 delivered to Arizona. It is the rifle with the stock made for women. The wood is very nice, no engraving.

someone is letting her shoot a 6,5 x 55 then change barrels and shoot the 375 on Sat.

If the Blaser turns out to be a no and her one concern is if something goes wrong with that rifle, she has no rifle, so might be leaning toward having custom stocks made, and have two rifles put together using pre 64 Win 70 actions.

If she goes this route she is still thinking 30-06 and 375. But wanted me to ask about the availability of 300wsm ammo, in Europe, Africa, Alaska. Also what range of bullet weights work in the wsm and are they supplied ( loaded ammo ) by folks like, Nosler, Swift, North Fork, ------I already gave here information in regards to Norma and Woodleigh

Ben is the one who suggested 300wsm and even went to far as to say it replaces me and the 300 H & H ( LOL ) BUT, we will appreciated comments from everyone who hunts with, or has hunted with a 300wsm---good or bad

thank you

Guy, on a separate subject, that was such a neat trip, not just the hunt but the drive up and back

 

[Panda Bear]

April, I dont own a 300WSM but I do have a friend that has one and he uses Norma loaded ammo, and loves it--caliber and ammo, loaded by Norma

 

[std7mag]

I know i'm late to the party, but was interesting reading.
And in typical Europe fashion, thought provoking.

After some long consideration, i tend to lean towards the 7mm for hunting in the US. And there are many good cartridges to choose from.
Big Fin has shown that the 7mm-08, with it's light recoil, is still enough medicine out to reasonable hunting distances.
Melvin Forbes likes the 284 Win. In one of his 5.5lb rifles, is easy to carry also.
Though as far as "factory" ammo is concerned either the 280 Rem AI, or 7mm Rem Mag would be my choice. The AI because you can still shoot regular 280 Rem in it and remain accurate.

As for the hunting abroad rifle, pretty hard to beat a 375. Be it a H & H, RUM, Weatherby, or Ruger.

 

[VikingsGuy]

I have a tikka t3x in a B&C stock chambered 300WSM. 95% of the winmag performance with 85% of the powder and recoil. It is my 16 yr old son’s favorite rifle and what he used last week in Africa. But frankly it is overkill for plains game (and NA game inside of 400 yards) my .308 did the same job with less powder, less recoil and less noise. Barnes VORTX TTSX factory 300WSM shot well, but as with all my rifles it eventually moved to handloads. I am a big TTSX fan - decent BCs, decent expansion, shoot well in my guns, no lead, 99% weight retention. Our PHs said they really like the mono bullets for tough animals. Haven’t had any problems cycling through magazine & action.