One rifle for every thing in North America Here it is.

09 April 2007, 04:47

Dr B

If some of you remember the thread I started last year about One rifle for ever thing in North America I think I have finally got it. This rifle is light enough to carry all day, accurate enough to shoot father that I can, enough power for Brown Bear, recoil is light enough for someone who is recoil sensitive like me.
Kevin Weaver shot the first 5 rounds through it on 4/2/07 (Pic link below}, not bad for a 6lb 5oz rifle I think the groups will tighten up as the barrel is broken in.

500 grains Sorry its not a 30-06, mauser weighing 9lbs.

300 wsm
Borden Alpine action
Rock Creek #1 24"
High Tech sheep hunter stock
Jewell Triger
PT&G Bottom Metal
Wyatt box

Pics

DR B

09 April 2007, 06:07

CRUSHER

nice. good for you

09 April 2007, 07:10

Idaho Sharpshooter

what is "hunter" powder?

Rich
DRSS

09 April 2007, 07:26

ScudRunner

quote:
Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
what is "hunter" powder?

Rich
DRSS

www.Ramshot.com

09 April 2007, 09:16

Idaho Sharpshooter

thank you.

Rich
DRSS

09 April 2007, 10:52

Jarrod

Man that is a bright green stock.

09 April 2007, 12:09

Dr B

quote:
Man that is a bright green stock.

Yes it is I hope it's just the lighting if not we'll change it.
DR B

09 April 2007, 14:11

boom stick

no doc...its the marlin guide gun in 45-70!

09 April 2007, 19:22

Thomas Jones

Can,t argue with your choice , as being the most versital, But if you take that rifle after a big Alaskan bear I would have a frend near buy with a bad ass backup.
Not saying it won't get the job done but if I were going for a griz brown or polar bear I would shoot the most powerfull rifle I can shoot well.
...tj3006

09 April 2007, 19:23

Anyone who can shoot a 6-1/2 pound 300 mag. shure isn't recoil sensitive!!

Early in my hunting career i tried synthetic stocks on my bear rifle. I found that you will loose an animial every once in a while, as if "anything" touches or rubs on the stock, it's a different kind of sound that bears pick up on and move off. (probably other animials too ? ) They are use to the sound of wood on wood, but NOT wood on a synthetic stock!

I couldn't figure out what the problem was untill one day i was following my buddy when an alder limb touched "his" stock, right then it came to me!! I believe my syn.. stock ruined 3 stalks... (over a few hunts) Probably actually more that if i really knew the truth.

When that hunt ended, off came the synthetic stock, and the wood went back on! A couple weeks later i was back in the bush and the problem was over!

Anmyway, looks like you have a nice rifle there, "congrats" on that...

DM

09 April 2007, 19:58

brayhaven

quote:
Originally posted by DM:
Anyone who can shoot a 6-1/2 pound 300 mag. shure isn't recoil sensitive!!

Early in my hunting career i tried synthetic stocks on my bear rifle. I found that you will loose an animial every once in a while, as if "anything" touches or rubs on the stock, it's a different kind of sound that bears pick up on and move off. (probably other animials too ? ) They are use to the sound of wood on wood, but NOT wood on a synthetic stock!

I couldn't figure out what the problem was untill one day i was following my buddy when an alder limb touched "his" stock, right then it came to me!! I believe my syn.. stock ruined 3 stalks... (over a few hunts) Probably actually more that if i really knew the truth.

When that hunt ended, off came the synthetic stock, and the wood went back on! A couple weeks later i was back in the bush and the problem was over!

Anmyway, looks like you have a nice rifle there, "congrats" on that...

DM

Interesting DM, another good reason to stick with wood, as if UUUUGLY, wasn't good enough

.
Greg
If God wanted man to have synthetic stocks, he'd have planted synthetic trees....

09 April 2007, 20:50

Idaho Sharpshooter

Heyyyyyyyyyyyy DM,

be happy! At least he didn't paint it camo! I agree about the walnut, but this is not bad for paint.

Rich
DRSS

09 April 2007, 23:18

Mikelravy

Dr B Do you intend to only use this rifle? It seems that a lot of the guys I know that really hunt tend to use one or maybe two rifles for everything. What's good enough for JY Jones or Herb Klein ought to be good enough for most anybody.

10 April 2007, 02:05

Fjold

quote:
Originally posted by Dr B:
If some of you remember the thread I started last year about One rifle for ever thing in North America I think I have finally got it. This rifle is light enough to carry all day, accurate enough to shoot father that I can, enough power for Brown Bear, recoil is light enough for someone who is recoil sensitive like me.
Kevin Weaver shot the first 5 rounds through it on 4/2/07 (Pic link below}, not bad for a 6lb 5oz rifle I think the groups will tighten up as the barrel is broken in.

500 grains Sorry its not a 30-06, mauser weighing 9lbs.

300 wsm
Borden Alpine action
Rock Creek #1 24"
High Tech sheep hunter stock
Jewell Triger
PT&G Bottom Metal
Wyatt box

Pics

DR B

But, but, but, according to the internet "experts" the 300WSM cartridge will not feed or chamber and lacks the power to do the job, unlike a 30.06, plus no reputable gunsmith will make a gun in that chambering.

Actually I think it looks like a pretty good combination. I don't want to use one gun for everything and I'm not letting Wifezilla see this .

10 April 2007, 02:20

KSTEPHENS

JHC!
how many lumens does that thing put out?

10 April 2007, 02:30

Atkinson

Lots of good choices out there perhaps starting with the 7x57, 308, 30-06,.270,280,8mm, 9.3s,300 magnums of one sort or another, 338 Win and its counterparts.

Caliber is the least important part of this equasion, bullet construction is. bullet placement is.

Anyone of the above properly placed with a well constructed bullet will kill any animal in the Northerb hemisphere, in fact in the world.

10 April 2007, 07:25

Woodjack

I likes Her !!!

10 April 2007, 08:33

cobrad

I have nothing but good to say for your rifle. It looks great, obviously shoots great, and fits my idea of a great go anywhere do anything kind of rifle. Enjoy.

11 April 2007, 19:08

quote:
Anyone of the above properly placed with a well constructed bullet will kill any animal in the Northerb hemisphere, in fact in the world.

True enough, but they aren't all up to "breaking an animial down" and for many animials (brown bear forinstance) that's the only "safe" and proper way to take them.

DM

11 April 2007, 20:03

cobrad

Hmmm, not having any experience with brown bears, I can only pass on the opinions of others I have heard here that do have experience, some of it considerable, with these bears. It seems that the only time one really needs a rifle capable of breaking down a BB is when is being charged, and even then good shooting is more important. I will defer to our friend 458Win, and others with similar experience here. The general consensus seems to be something like the '06 with suitable bullets is entirely adequate for BB hunting. I do have considerable experience hunting elk. They are big and tough but with good shooting they are easily dispatched with the 30-30. They are just as easily wounded with the big magnums, and during the years I worked as a guide or outfitter, I saw many that were wounded because the shooter was not proficient with a hard recoiling rifle. IME, good shooting trumps a big gun every time, but good shooting with a big gun is even better.

DrB, given the parameters you outlined when you started this thread, I would say you have been completely successful in creating your ideal rifle.

11 April 2007, 21:06

BaronVonBigmeat

quote:
Originally posted by Fjold

But, but, but, according to the internet "experts" the 300WSM cartridge will not feed or chamber and lacks the power to do the job, unlike a 30.06, plus no reputable gunsmith will make a gun in that chambering.

Amen,

And did you know when creating the WSM line of cartridges, Winchester used powder refined from the bone marrow of innocent and defenseless baby seals? And cases were formed using the teeth of war veterans?

THAT's how they got those crazy velocities.

It's on the internet so it must be true!

12 April 2007, 03:36

quote:
Hmmm, not having any experience with brown bears, I can only pass on the opinions of others I have heard here that do have experience, some of it considerable, with these bears.

"If" you read my last post you WILL have the opinion of someone who has considerable experience with brown bears... I hunted them for 25 years, and harvested several along the way... Also took out many others hunters who "also" harvested big bears...

I consider first hand experence about as reliable as it gets...

DM

12 April 2007, 04:08

cobrad

12 April 2007, 10:37

CouchTater

Its not just a rifle, its a nite lite!

I can almost hear the lightsaber type sound effects; wrrrr, wrrrr, wrrrr...

If the bolt was on the proper side, I'd be a bit envious. Though if I really were intending to be deer thru brown bear, I'd sure think about a .35 WSM mildcat.

12 April 2007, 19:38

Fast Ed

This thing has almost as much recoil, and has a higher recoil velocity, than a 9 lb, .338 WM shooting a 225 grain bullet at 2800 fps. That's not my idea of a go anywhere, do everything rifle. The extra 2.5 lbs is an extra quart of water and a sandwich. No big deal. I think lightweight rifles are best shot with smaller cartridges.

Fast Ed

13 April 2007, 03:51

CouchTater

I can see the motivation for a lightweight "walking around rifle" that spans deer thru elk/moose, or deer thru brown bear for those wilder locales. A .35 Whelen that's 7.5 lb all up might not be the most fun to use at the range, but its pretty tough to have enough diameter and bullet weight to deter one of the big bears and still be light enough to keep in hand all day on the trail.

I did run a few numbers on my recoil spreadsheet and came up with a few load ideas for a "338 WM Lite" that would offer Whelen velocities and recoil levels but use the more common chambering. With a rifle like the Savage on which barrel replacement can be an owner procedure, I guess one could have a pencil barrel for general walking around mode and a much heavier barrel for range work and serious big game hunting.

13 April 2007, 04:11

BearHunter 62

Thats why the Encore has a good following. Change the barrel and go for it.

13 April 2007, 04:12

BearHunter 62

quote:
Originally posted by BearHunter 62:
Thats why the Encore has a good following. Change the barrel and go for it.

One rifle for everything? Sounds like an idea my wife would come up with.

13 April 2007, 04:30

CouchTater

quote:
Originally posted by BearHunter 62:
Thats why the Encore has a good following. Change the barrel and go for it.

I suspect I'd be rather prone to "bearanoia" and would feel awfully undergunned with a single-shot, even if chambered in .45-70 or .35 Whelen. If not in bear country, the Contender/Encore carbine idea seems great. Slap on a .250 Savage barrel for whitetails, a Whelen for elk, or a .444 or .45-70. Plus you can always get a custom barrel chambered in something like .270 Wby to annoy the belt-o-phobes.

13 April 2007, 07:40

BearHunter 62

The single shot 45-70 has served me well even in big bear country. However I can work the Ruger No. l faster than I can work a bolt because I have to shoot lefty but I am not left handed. I have single shots in 35 Whelen as well.

14 April 2007, 01:28

In the San Francisco area, we call that 'gay green'...

14 April 2007, 03:08

Brad

By Golly, that's a GREEN rifle.

14 April 2007, 03:20

sierra2

I sincerely do not see the need for anything beyond a .30-06 in North America for 97% of hunting. Carrying around anything larger is a waste of effort. If you mean to hunt the big bear, then buy or rent a special big gun for that hunt, but consider that you will be hunting probably 10 times the number of days for deer and antelope class animals than you will for a bear. I'll stay with a lightweight deer class rifle, thank you.

LLS

14 April 2007, 17:47

jro45

An excellant choise but I don't know about those big bears. I would choose a 338 I beleave.

14 April 2007, 21:53

Snellstrom

Hey Doc
Nice rifle.
Kevin sure puts together some nice pieces that really shoot.
I will agree with you that it very well could be your one gun for North America.
I keep hearing the whining about it not being big enough for the "Big Bears" but I've heard plenty of people, outfitters and guides included say that a 30/06 is plenty if you shoot it well, why then wouldn't a .300 be adequate?
I think the percentage of time you'll hunt "Big Bears" will be vastly offset by the time you'll spend hunting 4 kinds of Deer, 3 types of Elk, other Bears than the "Big Bears", 4 or 5 types of Sheep, Mountain Goats, Pronghorns, Moose, Bison, Wolves, Musk Ox etc. all of which also happen to be hunted in "North America".
Yes there is bigger and "better" cartridges for the "Big Bears" but a .300 will work for sure. I'd much rather use a .300 to hunt everything than try to make a .338 or a .375 work to hunt Coues Deer or Antelope or little Texas whitetails.
I think the "one gun for North America" statement can be picked apart by anyone willing to nitpick anyone elses choice that is not "their choice". A little jealousy thrown in too after seeing that tight group right out of the gate.
I'm with ya Doc.

15 April 2007, 10:18

craigster

Nice rifle indeed, too bad it's not an ought 6.

17 April 2007, 05:36

Low Wall

Dr.B....I would have to agree that rifle would do the trick for all N. American big game...looks good and shoots great!....

24 April 2007, 23:45

Duckear

That is a stock that would make Remington proud!

25 April 2007, 15:50

DMB

Dr B,

Good looking rifle. Sure is green...

That 300WSM is a fine round, much better than a 300 WM as far as recoil goes, and they shoot well too. A buddy here has one, and I shot it. I could live with that chambering easily.
Looks like you did it right with components too.

Have fun with the new rifle.

Don