Hey everyone; just want to know your favorite hunting set-ups. Like rifle, scope, and load you use. I have only been hunting for two years now, Im 16 and last year I got my first hunting rifle. My dad bought my order brother his first rifle, and he bought me mine last year. My brother bought me a nice Nikon 4.5-14x40 AO Buckmaster scope for it. My rifle is a Remington ADL Synthetic in 300 win mag. 24" barrel, Ive just barely broken the barrel in. Ive been using factory ammo, but recently started working up a hand-load. I have also bought a Harris 13.5-27 inch pivoting bipod. The bipod hasnt seen any hunts yet, i just bought it last january. And I am planning on using 180 gr Nosler Partitions in front of 70 grs of IMR 4350 and CCI 250 Magnum Rifle primers. Well heres my set-up. Whats yours?

David: It is just great to see your interest here on this board and on hunting in general. I love to see young people interested in hunting. I am SO lucky, I am 53 years old but have been hunting with my dad since I was barely able to keep up. Hell, my dad is 72 years old and I am still barely able to keep up!

Anyway, the 300 Win Mag is a great choice. I had a very good one, but under the stress of needing the money for an elk trip, I foolishly sold it. (I took my .338 Win Mag on the elk trip and it worked great!)

You are on the right track with your load and it should perform well for you.

In regard to gun preferences, I just simply have an affinity for the Remington 700 Classics. I own four of them chambered in 25-06, 7mmWBY Mag, 300 WBY Mag, and .338 Win Mag. All have had the triggers worked over and break around 2 pounds. All wear Leupold scopes, either a 4.5 X 14 or 2.5 X 8. All are fed a steady diet of Nosler Partitions except for an occasional deviation in the 25-06 and .338 Win Mag. (In which case I shoot either Nosler Ballistic Tips or Sierra spitzers or boat tails.)

I have worked up loads for a bunch of 300 Win Mag rifles and with a little work they all have shot pretty darned well.

Again, I am glad to see your interest.

R Flowers

David: Although I have a couple of bolt actions, I am partial to lever actions. My favorite is a Winchester '94 in .30-30 with a 24" bbl. and a Williams receiver sight.

Wow I have so many favorites
I think if I had to pick one I would say my RugerM77 .338win. with its straight 6x Loupold,High gloss black finish, and walnut stock. It is a dang fine looking rifle and it shoots as good as it looks.

Also a BIG welcome from me to. It is good to hear of young people still taking up this sport. It is a great sport and will build good charicter. You will learn alot here. I sure do, and I've been hunting all my life. at least 28 of my 38 years on planet earth
X-Ring AKA Scooter

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Sinner, saved by God's unfailing grace!

David. IT sounds like you have a great DAD, a great Brother, and a great hunting rifle. I have a 300 Weath Mag, with a Leupold 8.5x25x50 LR Target scope on top, using both Nosler 180 Partitions and Nosler 180 BT's. I have taken lots of game with it in Mexico, Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Wyoming and Texas. BUT, my favorite rifle is my Win Mod 70 in 7mm Rem Mag with the same Leupold scope, spitting out 150 br Nosler BT or 160 gr Nosler Partitions. My DAD got me started hunting when I was a young boy and I will ALWAYS be thankful of that. I started my 2 sons out when they were young, and our best times have been spent sharing outdoor experiences. I hope you work up a ONE HOLE Shooting machine with your 300!! Good luck and Good shooting...GREG

The 7mm Rem Mag, has been outstanding for me, the only thing that comes close is the .270 win, the .308 win is just a pathetic weakling unsuitable for biggame!

My favorite rig is a Brno ZG-47 30-06, Leupold 6x, 56 grains 4350, 165 grain bullet, old Nikon 7x35 binocs. You will get lots of opinions on this matter depending on conditions but one thing everyone will agree upon is it is encouraging to hear from young, knowledgeable shooters like yourself.

I use two calibers for my big game hunting both in custom bolt action stainless 700's.I use the 7mmstw for deer,antelope and sheep and the 300 ultra mag for moose and elk.

David: You have a great rifle that along the .30-06 and the .338WM is very popular in Alaska.

I only have one big game rifle, a .338WM Ruger M77 MK-II (stainless, CRF) that I use to hunt moose in bear country. The scope is a Leupold Vary-X III 2.5-8x. Since most shots on moose or bear are taken within 300 yards (much closer for bears), even a low-powered scope such as a Leupold 1.75-6x would be plenty, but the 2.5-8x has held together despite the rough use I put it through. Some of my favorite bullets are Winchester 230-grain Fail Safe (Lubalox coated), 250-grain Nosler Partition, 225-grain Swift A-Frame, and I am working on a handload for close range hunting with 275-grain Swift A-Frame bullets.

Springfield Armory M1A, .308, 165 Sierra BTHP.

If I am not mistaken, the BTHP is a match bullet, not intended for hunting.

My favorite rig is a Rem 700 280 AI with a sako extractor Gentry 3 position safety Schmidt & Bender 4 x 16 x 50 scope. Any 140 to 160 premium bullet works for me. Some may say not big enough for Elk, I will disagree!

Up until this year, my favorite was a "stock" Win 70 stainless in 338 Win mag with the barrel shortened to 22" and a Leupold 2x7 on top. I've used the 338 for the last 9 years and like it a lot.

I switched to the 30 WSM this year for something different. It too has its barrel shortened to 22" but has a Leupold 3x9 compact on top (I dislike large scopes). I'll put it through the paces (it's already accounted for one mulie buck) starting this spring on bear, then antelope, deer and elk in the fall... and moose or sheep if I get drawn!

BA

As you can tell from my handle, I enjoy the 444 Marlin with 300 and 330gr bullets, both at a MV of 2200fps, and they make for some mighty nice holes. I also bought a Rem 700 BDL .338 Ultra Mag this season, and feed it with 180gr NBTs, 210gr NP's and XLC's, and 250gr CT-NPG's...I want to try some 275gr Swift A-Frames, or 300gr Woodleighs in it as well for elk in thick timber. I topped the Rem with a 3.5-10 Weaver Grand slam, and left the Marlin with factory irons. I can't wait to get a CZ550 in .458 Win Mag and rechamber it to the .458 Lott...that will be my ultimate thick timber gun, and it will accompany me to Africa when (not if) I go.

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God Bless and Shoot Straight

For Africa, I use mostly a 338 Win Mag with 200 gr Hornady Spire Points for plains game with 76 gr of Rel 19 at 2,988 fps.

This in a R 700 Stainless action with a Walther 25" barrel and a Leupold Var II 3-9 Matte scope.

This restocked in a Richards Micro Fit, "Economy" reject, glass bedded and painted dull black, with a black 1" decelerator pad.

For Michigan Deer, Identical gun except in a 30-06 23" Midway Adams and Bennett with 220 gr RN Core Lokts or 220 Silvertips.
These loaded with 56 gr of Rel 22.

Favorite is my 30-06 springfield 03A3 loaded with 59 grains of H4831 topped with a 180 grain Speer spitzer and fired with a CCI 250 primer. Rifle is topped with an old M7 Leupold 4X scope an has never let me down on elk or deer.

Welcome, glad you are having a good time with hunting and shooting.
My favorite setup is my 6mm Rem in a Rem BDL it has a leupold 3X9. I use this as my varmint/deer rifle.The other rifle I enjoy is a 338-06. This wears a leupold 6X

I have a .300 Winchester that's built on a Model 70 action with a 24" Kreiger barrel, a McMillan stock, and a 3.5-10X Leica scope that would qualify as my favorite hunting rifle. I use, almost exclusively, a handload that pushes 180 gr. Nosler partitions to 3075 fps., and I have this rifle zeroed for 250 yards. I have several other proven loads up my sleeve for this rifle that I could use if I choose to, but the one I mention has work on animals the size of a housecat to the size of a Yukon moose, and I'd don't see any practical reason to experiment. This rifle/load combo just-plain works.

AD

Allen, yesterday my daughter and I spent a couple hours enjoying the video's you sent... that 300 Win Mag, which is supposed to bounce-off Cape Buffalo, put yours down in short order... actually, in better fashion than a few of the boys with their big doubles (without scopes)... interesting!

Thanks a bunch... the M70 screws look perfect!

BA

Ruger Number 1-B, .280, with Leupold 3x9x40 vari-x 2. Shooting 60 grains of Reloader 22 behind a Nosler 140 Ballistic Tip- at 3020 fps into 5 shot groups that average .80. Been practicing at my range out on my 40 acres- shooting Hogdon 1# powder bottles at 400 yards- and a few outdated fire extinguisers- will set the video camera up on the next few- WAY TOO COOL!! A white cloud of spewing dust for 60 yards.......

I have a outdated fire-extinguisher Ive been begging my dad to let me shoot. That and some half-full propane bottle for those Coleman laterns. Those are just a few of things Im going to shoot this summer. We have an old 2.8L V6 chevy S-10 engine... penetration tests. I have an old 28" TV... that will just be plain cool. Ill see if my dad will let me film them, oh this would be great if I could get those videos on here.

my favorite caliber is a 375 H&H I have a browning a-bolt that's ok but i'm looking into getting a model 70 winchester. a friend of mine has one and it's a much nicer gun. I have an old 3-9 leupold on it that works fine. It seems to shoot 270 grain bullets the best. I just got a .358 norma mag built on a remington action. I haven't hunted with it yet but that will change as soon as the brown bears come out( I can't wait!) i just found the right load,250 gr barnes x bullets with reloader 15 and I have a 2-7 leupold on it.

Favorite huntin rifle is early Ruger 77 in .280 with 150 Rem Core Locks, shoots excellent & just feels good. Favorite shootin rifle is earlier Model 77 Ruger in .250, with 87 Sierras it shoots like a varmint rifle & guess what? It just feels good. Most important I have confidence in both rifles !!!

Remington 700 ADL synt .308win, weaver 3-9x50mm. 180grain CBC \Sierra copy. This it the rifle I use but it is subjet to change as soon I get some money.

Johan

[This message has been edited by 308winchester (edited 04-21-2002).]

A lot of your guys' rifles sound really nice. Hey cohoyo, tell me how that 358 norma works, sounds like a beast.

Good on ya David, I'm what you might call a young hunter too. I'm 22 but I have been very lucky as to how much hunting and shooting a have done so far.
My favourite rifle is a Sako .375H&H with a Tasco Titan 1.5 - 6x42 scope using Dynamit Nobel factory rounds. I love it also for sentimental reasons, my Dad gave it to me when I was 13. I too am working on a handload with Barnes X bullets.
Doubles are my favourite rifle but I wont compare them to bolt actions.
My favourite gun I own is a Beretta .375H&H Express.

My number one rifle is a Model 70 Custom in .358 STA. I shoot North Fork bullets in the following sizes, 225 gr., 250 gr., 270 gr. I have shot all the standard and premium bullets and the North Fork's cannot be beat in this rifle. I load RL-22 powder and Fed 215 Match primers. Good shooting.

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David,

My favorite calibre is the .300 Wby using 200 gr. Nosler Partitions. I use H1000, Federal nickle plate brass and CCI 250 primers' good for about 3050 fps. Ive worked up many loads, but this one just plain works. The rifle is a Weatherby Alaskan(electroless nickle finish) with a 26" barrel and a brown precision stock topped with a Leupold Vari X-III 3.5-10 in Talley rings. This was the first rifle I ever bought for myself on my own dime when I was 19. This combo has knocked down six elk four muley's and one pronghorn since I bought it eight years ago. Now I use it more for the calibre than the rifle as I will never own another push-feed rifle for big game hunting. Maybe an Echol's Legend is in my future. In the same calibre of course!

[This message has been edited by DavidReed (edited 04-19-2002).]

I use a Sako TRGS, chambered in the Lazzeroni Warbird (7.82). Leupold Vari Xll in 4x16. Favorite load is 180gr Nosler Parts behind 103 grains of Reloader 25.

It sounds like you have a great rifle and caliber. Your selection of the 180 Nosler Partition is excellent as well. Learn to shoot that outfit well and I know you will never regret your choice. It sounds like you are already handloading. You might also try the 180 Scirocco and 180 Hornady SST. The 190 Hornady BTSP also is a very good bullet.

My favorite rig is my Pre-64 Model 70 Winchester in .30-06 with an original Weaver K4 fixed power scope shooting Nosler 165 grain Partitions.

My second favorite rig is my stainless Marlin 1895 guide gun in .45-70 with an AO sight systems scout scope mount/Leupold 2.5X scout scope shooting 350gr. Hornady interlock's.

[This message has been edited by Shark Bait (edited 04-19-2002).]

David Boren. Yes you are mistaken, Sierra makes a 308 165 BTHP that is a big game bullet because they have so much request for it. They also have one in 7mm 160 grain.

My favorite rig is currently my 6.5-06AI on a Winchester action and a Douglas 24" 1:9 barrel and a Leupold 3x9 VariXII scope. With 120 Ballistic Tips it shoots .5" all day and is DEADLY on deer.

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Larry

Rifle is a Mark X mauser with a 1-12 Shillen barrel
Scope is a Shepherd 310-P1
Load is matched Rem brass, WLR primer, Nosler 150gr BT, 61.5gr RL-19
groups at 1/2 MOA (5 shots, cold)

My "old friend" is a Huskavarna (Husky 5000) in 30-06 with a 50mm 3X9 Redfield 5 star.

My first rifle was a 270 winchester weatherby alaskan carbine. It got stolen my freshman year at college, so now I have an "old" 721 in 300 H&H. Like 444, I own one of those lever actions and love it. The 330 gr. beartooths are my favorite, and the 300 gr. cast performance. Picked up a ruger 416 Rigby, but still working up loads and a tolerance level for it, but its beginning to be my favorite.

I have two that I currently hunt with.

Woods rifle is a double. 9.3X74R, 250gr Nosler Ballistic Tip, 63.5gr IMR 4350.

Everything else (Bison and Moose). 500 AHR with 570gr Woodleigh soft point, 130gr IMR 4350.

Todd E