The perfect mountain rifle

05 August 2003, 03:26

Orion 1

quote:
Originally posted by 1894:

quote:

Isn't the standard barrel already 25" long?

Anyway, my choice of cartridge and scope reflect the realities of North American hunting. No hunting in the middle of the night and try finding a box of 6.5X57R in Wyoming.

Though, if the Swaro 6X42 doesn't weigh over 16 oz, I might go for it.
Orion 1

The standard barrel is 23.6 inches long. 0.6inches of that is the barrel lock up so it's a 23" barrel as stock - plenty long enough but a couple of inches should improve the balance and elevate the muzzle above my head when slung (should I trip)

The Swarovski 6x42 weighs 12ozs and in a 4 reticle has a good fine cross hair (with 3 thick bars quite close to the cross) for longer range shooting on mouflon, sheep etc.

I take the point on calibre availablility but if the ammunition is hard to get hold of I hate to think how you will get the rifle!

Thanks. I guess that I've always assumed Euro scopes are noticeably heavier than American scopes. 12 oz for a Swaro 6X42 isn't bad at all. I concur with the advantages of the 4A reticle.

Re: your comment on Euro ammo/rifle availability in the US, you are only half right. Many European rifle brands are easily found in the US. If not locally, then through the internet. It would take about 2 minutes to locate several K95s around the country, and a few days for the UPS truck to deliver it to a local gun dealer for legal transfer to me. 98% of those rifles, though, will be in American calibers. The other 2% will be in 6.5X55 and 7X57.

Finding European rifles and scopes in America is very easy. Finding European cartridges other than 6.5X55, 7X57, and 8X57, is not.

05 August 2003, 07:36

<eldeguello>

A 7X57, 7X64mm/.280 Rem, or .270 Win. is adequate for ANY AND ALL thin-skinned game in the mountains anywhere, if the right bullets are used in them!!

06 August 2003, 11:07

TomP

The Remington 600 in 6.5 mm Magnum was a pretty good choice, and I'd be inclined towards the usual Leupold 3-9X.

06 August 2003, 11:08

Crosshairs

I've actually thought about this quite a bit and... I agree with MHO.

You need more "horsepower" nail down mountain critters. Your .270 will kill them but they might make it to the edge before that happens. I don't have any experience with European or Asian sheep and goats but let me add mountain goat to the list and I believe I can speak with more knowledge. They are tough and they frequently live in grizzly country. I want more gun. So... If I got the opportunity today.... I'd take my Rem 700 8mm mag (HS stock, 25 inch Douglass premium barrel, and 3.5X10 Leupold). It's a tack driver and it hits like the Hammer of Thor.... but it is about 8 pounds. Uuuuggghhh.

If I had time and Money I'd get a Rifles Inc (http://www.riflesinc.com/lightweight.htm) in .338 ultra mag. I'd probably put a VX-III 3.5-10 X 40 on it. Yeah I know it's over kill but can a critter be to dead?

I don't care what anyone says about unused energy and all of that... I can tell you, from experience, that bigger and faster bullets make a difference. When I hit something (from coues white tail deer to elk) with that 8 mag they just fall. They don't run off 50 - 100 yards and die like they did with my 7mm mag. If I'm in very steep and rough country that's what I want to happen.

06 August 2003, 11:40

sscoyote

Hows about something a lttle different-- my choice is an XP pistol in one of the WSM cases, with a Burris 3-12X scope and Ballistic Plex reticle. Check out my 7/8X full curl CO ram at www.perry-systems.com with one in 6.5-284 Win.

07 August 2003, 03:09

1894

quote:
Originally posted by Orion 1:

I concur with the advantages of the 4A reticle.

QB]

Orion1,

Forgive me for being a Swarovski 'anorak' (ie deeply sad individual) but it is specificaly a 4 and not the 4a that has the thin cross hair

The 4a is basicaly the same but in the Swarovski range has greater distance between the thick bars and a normal thickness cross hair covering from memory 1.4 inches at 100yards.

The 4 has thick bars (albeit slightly thinner than the 4a) closer together and a thinner cross hair that covers 0.9" at 100yards. In effect the thick bars being closer together gives you a greater visual performance at dusk which allows a thinner cross hair.

The difference seems small but on the ground a 200yard shot at a fox or similar small object is much easier with the 4.

Got to go, got a train timetable to memorise.