Thread: Insight / Discussion RE magnum calibres for mountain rifle

My personal rifle I use for everything now is a simple Kimber Hunter with the gel removed from the stock making it a little lighter than a Montana. It's in 7mm08 and weighs 2.8kgs scoped with a 3.5-18x44 z5 but now it wears a 3.5-10x40 VX3i and is 2.7kgs. Left barrel full length and it suits my needs perfectly. Only thing I'd maybe change is calibre either going a 6.5 creed to suit reloading mag length and big pills. Or go 308 so I could do up a sub load and would suppress for shooting over a dog but for now it's a non issue.

18 or 20inch 7saum. Will Do it all big or small, plenty of legs and knockdown in a small package

500 and in, lightweight and shoot able a 6.5 creedbore is pretty hard to beat. Still cheats the wind, holds plenty of energy, and doesn't hop all over the show so you can get a second shot off when prone.
Throw a 10 power on there and call it done. I've been thinking along the same lines. Honestly after quite a few wild cats or rare calibers it's bloody nice being able to buy a box of factory ammo if needed.

Originally Posted by jakewire

Bit late on this but, may be relevant

This is what I think you may find useful
Sako Finnlight in, 6.5x55, 260, 6.5 creed or dare I say 6.5prc, though for someone who fires a shot or two a hunt the PRC will last the rest of your life.
Spend 1k or 2K extra on the stock options eg Finn11 or carbon lite if you like, but to me not necessary.

Your in the mountains, you want a scope that won't fail you, and as your rifle is light, your quarry is say 500 meters max , I'd choose a Schmidt and Bender PM2 P4 Fein and probably the lower mag eg 3-12x50 to keep it light or one of the Night force options, I'd choose good glass over higher magnification.
I have no experience with the higher priced leupolds so cannot comment.

These will give you good options at sensible ranges at a comfortable weight.

Lastly if you wish to extend your range further than you have commented on then the calibres above apart from the PRc aren't an option in my opinion.

All this makes sense, I've got down to a Forbes 280 AI with Minox 2-10 a Mauser M18 in 6.5 PRC with a Weaver 4-16 and a Weatherby 257 magnum with the same all perform out to 500 m, hard to pick just one

Originally Posted by Pongo12

18 or 20inch 7saum. Will Do it all big or small, plenty of legs and knockdown in a small package

As will a 308 or 7mm08 or 6.5 as long as you make good projectile selection and aren't trying to shoot at 1000. 7mm08 and 162 eld will go a long way

308 with 168eldms, 7mm08 with 162eldms or 6.5 with 140eldms. All good 0-500 without having to push them hard(2600-2650 and sorted)

If you prefer a gun which is easy to shoot (low recoil) then honestly 6.5mm is the way to go, .260, 6.5cm, 6.5x55 etc. Energy retention, windrift, drop, penitration etc etc it just has so much going for it as a caliber. A .260 or 6.5cm will be my next rifle purchased for a tops gun once I start getting back out up there.
Yes the .308 will do the job however you need a heavier pill and to load it up super hot and it still wont come close at distance. (and for record sake I own a .308 as my main hunting rifle)

Originally Posted by Stocky

My personal rifle I use for everything now is a simple Kimber Hunter with the gel removed from the stock making it a little lighter than a Montana. It's in 7mm08 and weighs 2.8kgs scoped with a 3.5-18x44 z5 but now it wears a 3.5-10x40 VX3i and is 2.7kgs. Left barrel full length and it suits my needs perfectly. Only thing I'd maybe change is calibre either going a 6.5 creed to suit reloading mag length and big pills. Or go 308 so I could do up a sub load and would suppress for shooting over a dog but for now it's a non issue.

No reason not to make up a subsonic cast projectile load for the 7mm08 with trailboss

Dude, I’ve been exactly where you are right now so know how tough it can be to navigate.... I have shot a couple of 13”+ bull tahr and they were with a plain Jane remy .260. Nothing fancy, even had the original plastic stock with the action bedded into it. Shot one bull with 120gn ballistic tip, and the second with 120gn Matchking. The most premium piece of kit associated with either of those bulls was the VX3 3.5-10 scope. Not even any turrets. The best thing about the rifle was the fact that it was ‘middle of the road’. It weighed 7lb all up, the scope was mounted as low as possible, and the barrel was a #2 contour at 22” so it balanced nicely in the hand. I shot a lot of game with that beast before “something more interesting” came along. Big mistake, she was spot on for all nz hunting.
At the other extreme, I was hunting chamois with a good mate of mine, and he was carrying his favourite rifle a BSA Hunter in 6x45 (223 necked up to 243) I say to him ‘what if a bull tahr comes along’ he looks at me with a slightly puzzled look and says ‘sneak in and shoot it’. And you know what, he would bloody do that too given the chance. He was a good shot, and had an insanely accurate rifle in his hands. So what am I saying in all of that?
Pick something that is middle of the road i.e .243 to .270 that weights 7lb all up with a 2.5-8 or 3.5-10 size scope and get amongst it. Tune it well, and get good with it and it will be your best friend.
I could have paid for a new house with the money that I have put through different calibres and rifle models, and you know what, they all resulted in the same 2 things: Game meat to eat, and dings and scratches to stocks and scopes.
Get something that you like and are proud to own, (without buying into all the hype) and go get some dings and scratches in it because they are worth more in my eyes than a $1000 of flash new carbon

Originally Posted by Hunter_Nick

Dude, I’ve been exactly where you are right now so know how tough it can be to navigate.... I have shot a couple of 13”+ bull tahr and they were with a plain Jane remy .260. Nothing fancy, even had the original plastic stock with the action bedded into it. Shot one bull with 120gn ballistic tip, and the second with 120gn Matchking. The most premium piece of kit associated with either of those bulls was the VX3 3.5-10 scope. Not even any turrets. The best thing about the rifle was the fact that it was ‘middle of the road’. It weighed 7lb all up, the scope was mounted as low as possible, and the barrel was a #2 contour at 22” so it balanced nicely in the hand. I shot a lot of game with that beast before “something more interesting” came along. Big mistake, she was spot on for all nz hunting.
At the other extreme, I was hunting chamois with a good mate of mine, and he was carrying his favourite rifle a BSA Hunter in 6x45 (223 necked up to 243) I say to him ‘what if a bull tahr comes along’ he looks at me with a slightly puzzled look and says ‘sneak in and shoot it’. And you know what, he would bloody do that too given the chance. He was a good shot, and had an insanely accurate rifle in his hands. So what am I saying in all of that?
Pick something that is middle of the road i.e .243 to .270 that weights 7lb all up with a 2.5-8 or 3.5-10 size scope and get amongst it. Tune it well, and get good with it and it will be your best friend.
I could have paid for a new house with the money that I have put through different calibres and rifle models, and you know what, they all resulted in the same 2 things: Game meat to eat, and dings and scratches to stocks and scopes.
Get something that you like and are proud to own, (without buying into all the hype) and go get some dings and scratches in it because they are worth more in my eyes than a $1000 of flash new carbon

Great thoughts Nick! Think you're on the money there��

Originally Posted by Timmay

If you prefer a gun which is easy to shoot (low recoil) then honestly 6.5mm is the way to go, .260, 6.5cm, 6.5x55 etc. Energy retention, windrift, drop, penitration etc etc it just has so much going for it as a caliber. A .260 or 6.5cm will be my next rifle purchased for a tops gun once I start getting back out up there.
Yes the .308 will do the job however you need a heavier pill and to load it up super hot and it still wont come close at distance. (and for record sake I own a .308 as my main hunting rifle)

Well said, is all you need to read right here.

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craigc has a 7mm-08 forsale that may fit the bill nicely too..... and before anyone ELSE says trajectory will be like rainbow,as has been slighted at .308...if using a rangefinder so friggin what??? if you going to twiddle n fiddle with knobs ,whats a few more clicks between friends??? once upon a time some of the longest range big game hunters who were deadly shots used 405grn etc, projectiles going a hell of a lot slower than this on game a hell of a lot bigger.

Originally Posted by Shearer

@hotsoup. Like you I had been using a 7mmRM (T3 with Southfort stock and VX5 3-15) and would grab it whenever I was heading to the tops. Recently I have come to the realization I was
A. Not a good enough marksman to take advantage of the long range potential of the cartridge. (I hate wounding animals and alpine conditions leave too much uncertainty with shot placement at longer ranges for my liking)
B. Enjoyed spotting and then stalking animals rather than just seeing and shooting them.
I have ended up putting the VX5 on my 16" suppressed T3 308 and using it for everything. This means I shoot it a lot and am getting better and better with it.
I have sorted a subsonic load which (with the quick dial up of 6MOA) is now my go to rabbit gun. I have shot pigs, deer and a chamois with it standing, kneeling, prone and resting on trees. The more I use it the more comfortable I am with it. Now, no matter what I am going to hunt, I reach for it and am happy shooting it out past 400 yards (under the right conditions).
I have still got the 7mmRM and it may get used again but for now it is sitting in the back of the safe "resting".
My 308 is probably heavier than what you would want and I had considered getting a VX5 2-10x but for the sake of 50 odd grams and an inch in length I have decided to stick with the bigger scope until I am sure about what I want. I'm sure that with the funds from the carbon lite you could build a similar, but lighter, do all rifle.
Attachment 149347

Plinking bunnies with .308 - LoL.

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Plinking bunnies with .308 - LoL.

Mate... you should try subsonic 308 bunny plinking one day, I guarantee you, you will never want to do it any other way again.

Originally Posted by Flyblown

Mate... you should try subsonic 308 bunny plinking one day, I guarantee you, you will never want to do it any other way again.

if you do it on rocky ground I guarantee you WONT do it again......scary as fcuk when them projectiles whizz off into the distance on unknown pathway.