what is the best rimmed round to carry?

If difficult to get and expensive brass is not an issue, then just look up the list of Bertam's brass on Huntingtons site and go from there.

How about a 375 H&H Flanged. Now that would be something.

Mike

I'm sure a Ruger No.1 in the same calibur would a be a real winner for elk. Especially for ranges under 250 yards.

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It is not enough to fight for natural land and the west; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it's still there. So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends...Enjoy yourselves, keep your brain in your head and your head firmly attached to the body, the body active and alive, and I promise you this much: I promise you this one sweet victory over our enemies, over those deskbound men with their hearts in a safe-deposit box and their eyes hypnotized by desk calculators. I promise you this: you will outlive the bastards.

- Edward Abbey

Dead

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'Trapper'

Of commonly available rounds, its really tough to beat the 45-70. That said, a 9.3X74 R, or a 375 H&H flanged would be an outstanding round. There are also quite a few wildcats based on the 45-70, 45 basic and 348 case. The 348 winchester would also be an outstandig round, balistics are pretty close to the 35 whelen, and you won't be encumbered with flat tipped bullets.

I am now 50, starting to think about these things also. The break-action rifle has to be well-made to have accuracy comparable to a modern bolt gun. I seem to remember seeing a Mossberg that looked reasonable in the last couple of years. You probably don't have to have a rimmed cartridge, but the suggestions given in the other posts are good ones. The 30-40 Krag is not too far behind the 30-06 and 308 in modern rifles, and there's nothing wrong with the 303 British either. None of the rimmed cartridges are going to be much at long range, though. You could start with a rifle with short case and the bore you want, and have it rechambered for something tailored to your own style of hunting, also.

Tom

Not trying to get in a pi**ing match here by why are you limiting yourself to RIMMED cartridges? If weight is a problem just pick up any of the light weight bolts or even any of the youth/compact bolts in .308 win or any of the 06 length ctgs from .280 on up to .338-06.
I have owned a few #1 and #3 rugers and a pair of Browning 78's. I was never happy with the long range accuracy of the #1's and the Brownings balanced poorly, too butt heavy.
If your ranges are not long then the idea of a .45-70 is an excellant one, great elk round. Good Luck...... FN

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Freedom wasn't free. Today they want our guns. What will they want tommorow?

quote:

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Originally posted by Jameister:
simple question. I am looking for a break action single shot rifle for elk, with a lightness for an aging hunter to carry for the next twenty years, (50 to 70 years old).

what is the best rimmed round to carry?

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Jamester, If I were going to hunt elk with this rifle, and I wanted to use a remmed, or flanged cartridge, then the only choices I would consider would be either the 9.3X74R, or the 375 H&H flanged. There are many Eurapean break actino rifles that are chambered for either one of these rounds. If, however you are considering a falling block actioned singleshot, like the Ruger No1, then there is no valid reason to resort to useing only flanged cartridges. I have many Ruger No1s and not once in the thirty yers I have been shooting them has even one of them failed to eject a round. Much is said about the Ruger No1's lack of accuracy, and to the unschooled they may seem that way, but my experience has been quite the opposite. In the No1, if your main quary is to be elk, then I would go no smaller that 30-06, but would prefere one of the 30 mags as minimum.

If your cost for the rifle is a concern, then a look at the new Mosberg, or one of the NEA break rifles in 30-06 would be in order. If, however, you are going to use this rifle for 20, or 30 years, then I would spend the extra money, and get No1, a blazer, or almost any one of the European made single shots in nothing smaller than 30-06 (.308) up if elk are included. A few more dollars will get you many more quality control features!

..............Mac >>>===(x)===>

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..Mac >>>===(x)===>

If you are looking at extremely long range shooting, the .280 Ross would be a great choice, but bullets and brass are a little harder to come by.

You couldn't give me an Encore or a Handi-rifle if I could scrape enough money together to buy it. However, if you are monetarily limited, and who among us isn't, then a 303 Epps, as mentioned, would be hard to beat. FWIW, Dutch.

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For evil to prosper, good men must do nothing. (Burke)

If the recoil would be too much, then I would try to find a Ruger No. 3 in 30/40 Krag and handload it with 220 grain Nosler partition bullets. Those 220 grain Noslers will run an elk from stem to stern.

Of course, you could go with a T/C Encore. If the caliber proves unsatisfactory, just buy a new barrel.

A better compromise would be a Ruger no.
1S or no. 1 Fwt. in 30-06 with the Alex hendry forend and iron sights and scope rings.. Forget the rimmed cartridges. That would be a super strong 6.5 pound rifle with a scope, sling and loaded...

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com