Two gun big game combo

[macnshana]

Cool thread. Personally I think the only two you need to hunt everything from Antelope to Bear and Moose is .30-06 and .300 WM. With Hornady's 125gr Ultra Light rounds for .30-06 and Remingtons 220gr round nose for .30-06 it really makes it the all around cartridge. The only thing lacking is extreme distance. Hence the .300 win mag. Just my opinion. As far as rifles go, I personally love my BLR in .30-06. Add a Browning LR in .300 WM and I've covered most of the bases. That being said I think Id be lost without my .17HMR. Best 250 yard or less varmint gone I've ever owned.

 

[mtmuley]

Beware the hunter that uses only one rifle. mtmuley

 

[choc dogs]

If i have to save just two from the tragic boating accident it's the 6.5x55 m70 fwt and the 338 win m70. Or the 1952 270 m70 and the 1959 375 h&h m70. Really want another medium bore rifle to go with the 7x57 fwt, but i think I want stainless. I may find a stainless 375 ruger for that spot.

 

[specneeds]

In North America one gun for me would be a 300 Weatherby that has enough oomph and reach. A 2 gun battery could be anything 243 to 270 for smaller stuff and a big 338 for stuff with bigger bodies or teeth. If Africa was included I'd go with the 375 H&H as the big gun. Any of the 30 caliber magnums really covers everything out to a long way out.

If you own a 22 a 12 ga and a 30-06 in the lower 49 everything else is a nice to have addition to a gun collection.

 

[Jim/Wa]

I was wondering why the .338mag wasn't getting much love but I see it's making an appearance now. I've only shot 1 once and didn't enjoy it at all but it seems like it would be more popular on a big game thread. Anyways, I'm currently using a .260rem stainless here in the PNW and have no need for a 2nd though I hunt with a 54cal flintlock almost as often. Both of these would be underwhelming in AK.

 

[bkondeff]

I've no love for the 06', not in a 2 gun discussion.

Living in ID where Elk die hard and steep hills make bad shot's highly regrettable, I like something that can push a 160-200gr bullet a min of 3000fps out the barrel, so while I prefer a 7mm RM as a 1 gun solution, here I'd pick a 300WM for one of the two. For the other, I'd go with something I can put in a smaller, lighter, low recoil, but still flat shooting 6mm or 6.5mm cartridge(.243Win or maybe 6.5 Creedmoor).

If I lived in CA, TX, or anywhere in the SW or East, I might throw together a nice bolt action .280 and pair that with a sweet swinging lever gun. Loved my 30-30 for shooting 125lb blacktails in the dark woods in CA growing up. Sure swung nice and I could really krank a couple shots quick when we did drives. That life's behind me now though.

 

[Anschutz]

I know I'm bringing up an old thread but these are always fun. I currently only own two big game rifles. I have a Savage .243 that I built up to shoot long range deer and below. It's heavy so it will always stay out of the mountains. My other big game rifle is a Marlin Guide Gun in .45-70. I have shot everything from little 145gr collar button boolits to 435gr cast flat nose through that gun. I mainly load the 105gr AMAX in the .243 and the 435 cast in the .45-70 so I can shoot anything from coyotes and deer to 600 and deer to bear out to 150-200 yards.

 

[brockel]

I’m thinking a 6.5-06 and a 338-06 would be a good combo

 

[WalkingBird]

I know this has been done befor but I like to see stuff like this. With all the new members maybe we'll get something different.

What made me think about this was I just gave my oldest son his first big game rifle since he was big enough to handle an adult sized gun. I got him a winchester 70 featherweight in 7mm-08 and was thinking of going with a browning a bolt stainless stalker in 30-06 (may have to settle for x bolt) as his next rifle. I thought this would cover a variety of weather, game, and gun preference.

What gun and caliber would you guys pick for north american non dangerous game. I am leaving out varmints to narrow the field a bit. Pick just calibers or just guns if you wish, just interested in seeing different ideas.

I hunt with the exact same rifle (M70 fwt, 7mm-08), I haven't chased elk with it (yet) as I'm new to the west, but after seeing my buddy and his wife kill 5 elk with their 7-oughts, I got no issue using that rifle with the right load. It's a helluva deer killer too, I started out using 140gr Core-lokts for NY whitetails, and then made the switch to Winchester Silver Tips, either way the deer was "deader than disco"

If I HAD to choose a 2 caliber combo for North American Big Game, I'd go with a .25-06 Rem and a .300 Win Mag. With those 2 you can chase everything from Coues to Moose...or stick with the 7-08HT and do the same thing

 

[flintknapper]

Mini-14 in .223
Browning BAR Mark 2 in 300 Win Mag
Wild Card: Any 12 gauge. It can do the job of both at close range.

 

[Dtorbett13]

Top two rifles for me is a .308 and 300wm. My go to hunting rifle is the .308 everyday unless I am hunting serious open/flat country and need the extra yards of the 300wm. With the .308 there is just so many good rounds off the shelf and even better readily available loads for reloading yourself.

 

[VikingsGuy]

25-06 and 300wsm cover the water front imho.

 

[6mm Remington]

280 AI or 30-06

&

6mm Remington

 

[cheeser]

just need one gun, look into the Remington 300 ultra mag which was designed as the ultimate all purpose round, you can buy factory loads in different power levels from a 30-06 equivalence to a 300 mag equivalence to the most powerful level of the 300 ultra mag numbers. it comes in a model 700 bolt, the only drawback is it has a 26 inch barrel which adds a little weight and a little length. I would start a young one on the 30-06 power level until he/she begin hunting bigger game, then let them decide. the power level III in the ultra mag is a ass- kicker and is not for the faint of heart , it is a punisher to shoot anymore than a couple rounds, but it will reach out and touch game at long, long range if needed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.300_Remington_Ultra_Magnum

 

[NC Hunter]

I really like a 243 win. Can be loaded for Whitetail or varmints. I like having the small bore for hunting here in the east. Here, I think anything bigger than 270 is overkill. Western hunting is a different story. 243 will be limited on range and energy, but it is a neat little cartridge and very versatile.

 

[Jwill]

At 13 years old and a faithful disciple of Field and Stream I saved up and got a Ruger M77 Mk II, 7mm rem mag, stainless/synthetic. I've since upgraded the glass from the Tasco world class, but it's still ticking with the Butler sling and bikini scope covers. Might not be that exciting, but it has served me well for the last 24 years and has taken everything from groundhogs to elk. So there's my vote.

 

[Don Fischer]

Two huh. First I would never own another magnum of any kind, I'm old and really just don't care for recoil any more. I have two I could live with right now, my 30-06 and a 6.5x55. With either I could make due if I got into varmints or coyote's. And the 30-06 is my choice for elk. Taking on a big bear with the 30-06 wouldn't phase me at all. 30-06 is about all the recoil I care for these days! 6.5 cal cartridge's kill's out of order for hunting cartridge's. Between the 243 and 30-06 I could pick two that would work fine blindfolded!

 

[HowaMini]

A 358 Winchester and a 223 for me but I could see a 9.3x62 and 6.5x55/6.5 CM as being more practical.