My preference for Elk, of the three, would be the 7Mag.

I think you really need to buy a few more!

But...
My choices would be:
243 WIn
7mm Rem Mag
35 Whelen

Or, sell them all except the special one; and have somebody build you a switch-barrel in 7STW and 458 Lott.

Boy would that be boring in about six months...

quote:

Originally posted by TASK1:
Well, I’m now officially past my 70th birthday. In good health so still have “hunting” years to look forward to. It never did before, but now it troubles me to see rifles sitting in my safe not being used. Only 1 is an heirloom and that one is staying.

I have:
.243 Win for coyote
.25-06 for WT deer & hogs

For Mule Deer & Elk:
7mm Rem Mag – groups in 1 hole with my handload - consistently.
300 WSM – easily MOA all day long
35 Whelen – also a MOA rifle

D.G.:
Win Model 70 .458 Win with some customizing – very accurate

I’m posting because I’d like to trim the MD & Elk rifles down to 1 or maybe 2 rifles. Please treat our dialogue as a friendly campfire discussion between friends. Just looking for some experienced thoughts.

All opinions welcome. Many thanks.

Cheers

The only caliber that I currently have that overlaps with the above is a 243Win and I only got that for a new shooter who can't use it at the moment.

So ... wow, it's a tough call.

I suppose that the 7mmRM would do it all in NA.
I've had one, and it just seemed like a noisy 270 for deer-sized game. But a "one-holer" makes it the choice.

The two sets that I don't understand are
a 243 AND a 25-06, one or the other,
(Between the two, the .01" diameter difference is moot and for distances over 300 yards you want
the 7mm or 30 with better BC bullets.)
and 7mmRM and 300WSM, one or the other, and the one-holer wins (7mmRM).
(While I would normally jump more than .03-04" from the first group to the second, and thus
would naturally go up to the .308" 300WSM, accuracy trumps what are functionally equivalent
in terms of terminal power.)

For everything else, I'm on a different harmonic:
for big or bigger within .24-.30 I went 338WM, for mid-30's I went 375Ruger, for 40 I went 416Rigby hand loaded. But the 416Rig is a tad heavy for walking up and down elk mountains, so I can appreciate a lightweight 338WM. And there are no flies on a 35 Whelen.

So the accurate rifles in 7mmRM and 35Whelen would be an awesome twosome.
The 7mm would cover anything wanted for a 243 or 25-06, better and more accurately.
And for something a little heavier, maybe timber elk, the 35 will work fine.

There, logic might have solved the problem ... BUT - rifles need to be carried.
Which rifle feels the nicest slung over the shoulder?
You might end up choosing the 243 and 300WSM.

I have a similar problem but most of them are wildcats of my design. roger

I bought my 7mm mag after getting tired of every know-it-all asshole telling me "great cartridge, BUT you need to use 120gr bullets to kill deer with it".

The 7mm mag tosses 140grain bullets across my Chronograph at speeds that really piss off 257 Weatherby owners who think the 257 is a real speed demon with 120gr...

And for deer the 7mm mag does equally well with 120 & 130gr bullets...

Remember you can load the 7mm Mag cartridge down more easily than you can load a 25-06 UP.

AD

Here's my take on only two rifles. 300H&H mag and 375 H&H mag. Plus one really good 12 gauge shotgun.

If only one gun it has to be a Drilling in12x12x8x57 or .30-06.

I would keep the .243 and the 7mm RM. Ironically, these are the first two calibers I ever owned. Owned many a 7mm RM, but don't have one now (do have an STW), preferring a .338 for hunting bigger critters and a .308 for deer and big .338s and 300 RUMs for long range shooting.

I think my next rifle will be a 7mm RM. To me it is a classic, like a .30-06, which I must confess, while I own one, I have never been a big fan, preferring either a .308 or a RUM in 30 cal.

Surprising you don't have a .223; I shoot that more than any other caliber.

7mm Mag and the .25-06. roger

Depending how far you want to reduce the heard, you could get by with just the 7mm RM.

Otherwise I'd probably go with the 25-06 and 35 Whelen.

I think you should just hunt and shoot more so they can all stay in your safe.

Thank you all. Not just informative but entertaining. As for the Lott I'll just have to hobble along with the Mod 70,.....tho I don't think there's anything about it that says "just kidding."

The .300 WSM is gone. Some will argue it had advantages over the 7RM and they'd be right. Just like the 7 RM has a few advantages over the WSM. Some are ballistic, some aren't. I like both. For Antelope, WT and MD, the 7 with high BC 140's IS your trusted "long distance carrier."

The Whelen stays. Owners know why.

The .243 is strictly a coyote rifle. In that role, it is a hammer.

The 25-06 is a wonderful balance of recoil, trajectory and terminal ballistics. Like the 6.5's it shoots very accurately and hits above its class with good bullets. With the space now opened in the safe, I know where there's another very good looking 25-06. After all we've been through here, if I purchase it, the question is, "Will you still respect me in the morning?"

Based strictly on your post, I see the 25-06 for varmint and Mule deer as perfect.

the 300 Win mag for elk..

I see no reason for the other rifles..or like I said the the 30-06 for anything would be my choice under duress...

Im 82 and I am down sizing drastically because at that age time is running out and I don't want to leave a bunch of guns for mama to sort out..

My choice is dwindling down to a 250 Savage, a 30-06 and some old family Winchesters that will always be in this family..Sold my big bore bolt guns and my double rifles, as I feel no need to return to Africa, been there done that many times..Loved every minute of it, but Im done..I shoot white tail, Mule deer and a cow elk every year and actually I could do that with either the 250 or the 06..

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Based strictly on your post, I see the 25-06 for varmint and Mule deer as perfect.

the 300 Win mag for elk..

I see no reason for the other rifles..or like I said the the 30-06 for anything would be my choice under duress...

Im 82 and I am down sizing drastically because at that age time is running out and I don't want to leave a bunch of guns for mama to sort out..

My choice is dwindling down to a 250 Savage, a 30-06 and some old family Winchesters that will always be in this family..Sold my big bore bolt guns and my double rifles, as I feel no need to return to Africa, been there done that many times..Loved every minute of it, but Im done..I shoot white tail, Mule deer and a cow elk every year and actually I could do that with either the 250 or the 06..

I've always enjoyed your posts and insights Ray. Thanks for the reply.

quote:

Originally posted by TASK1:

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Based strictly on your post, I see the 25-06 for varmint and Mule deer as perfect.

the 300 Win mag for elk..

I see no reason for the other rifles..or like I said the the 30-06 for anything would be my choice under duress...

Im 82 and I am down sizing drastically because at that age time is running out and I don't want to leave a bunch of guns for mama to sort out..

My choice is dwindling down to a 250 Savage, a 30-06 and some old family Winchesters that will always be in this family..Sold my big bore bolt guns and my double rifles, as I feel no need to return to Africa, been there done that many times..Loved every minute of it, but Im done..I shoot white tail, Mule deer and a cow elk every year and actually I could do that with either the 250 or the 06..

I've always enjoyed your posts and insights Ray. Thanks for the reply.

X2 roger

I dabble a bit in collecting books.

Recently I purchased mid-size collection of 500 books of an estate, for 1/10th a new price.

Now, I wont get full price, if I sell it of, but I will make atleast a 2-300% profit.



Morale of story. Get rid of what you can, while you can, because your familiy might not have the time or capacity to get a fair value of your belonings.


Im hoarding a few choice 22lr rifles, and a 6,5x55. The rest of my money goes towards the mortage, and more hunting.