Thread: Desirable features of an all round NZ hunting rifle

gidday all, was going to say just what grandpamac did. Doesn't really matter what you shoot as long as the rifle fits and sights line up to your eyes when you're aiming. Calibre and projectile adequate for the game hunted, but that is a very wide list.

For me stainless steel is good, preferably ceracoted or nitrided black. But good old blueing is fine too. I think a well finished and maintained walnut stock does the trick, not too fancy because it's gonna get dinged.
Laminate / plastic stocks are supposed to be ideal for wet conditions, but in reality your stock is not going to rot unless you're really soaking it constantly. In that case I'd rather have an aluminium chassis, with adjustable stock, despite it being a bit heavier.

Shortish barrel for reduced weight and ease of handling, maybe 18-20". The few hundred f/sec you get with long barrels don't really matter unless we're talking about extreme long range.
And short barrels are just as accurate, if not more so than longer, due to increased stiffness.

A robust scope on QD mount, with back up open sights or QD red dot. Can't shoot what you can't see.....