Thread: Rifle/ caliber opinions for bush and mountain

one thing Im pretty sure NEARLY everyone will agree on...if you going to run unsuppressed...then 20" or longer is definately going to be more user friendly 24-26" better still,I used a 20" .270w for many years and my hearing suffers because of it.

Now the other approach is .338 Magnum and shoot anything you want.

Rail gun we will all be so jealous and I’m fairly sure there not banned

I live in twizel and grew up in oamaru and can say from experience any caliber will work fine for the terrain you'll hint on buy an medium size (308ish doesn't really matter tho correct projectile choice is more important) and get a tikka or similar what ever you get make sure the scope is decent and don't cheap out on rings and mounts, then go kill stuff

Thanks for everyone's insights.
The ol' caliber question always seems to open a can of worms but think I'll be good with any of the suggestions as they do seem to get the job done well enough. Always pays to get opinions of the local hunters before blindly running into it.
Optics wise I already got a VX5 3-15
but may go 2-10 mag for bush setup after my roar stag encounter ... Decisions decisions

Originally Posted by Steven1

Optics wise I already got a VX5 3-15
but may go 2-10 mag for bush setup after my roar stag encounter ... Decisions decisions

The 3-15 should be fine. I have a 2-12 and I use it on 3x in the bush, the optics are a bit weird at 2x in the bush for some reason so I don’t have it set that low. But the 2-10 will have a weight/size advantage

My dad always said " A good tracker is a sh#t shot" ��

I am not a fan of unsuppressed rifles as it fucked my hearing over 40 odd years until i saw the light.
Each to their own though its a personal choice.
Loved the comment about learning how to track though.
I have fucked knees and chronic fatigue and its an effort to walk down a steep hill hence i like animals to fall over straightaway but please feel free to post ignorant comments

-suppressed 308 with 16in barrel for the bush
-braked 7mmRM or 6.5PRC with 24in barrel for the tops (and some ear plugs. Brake optional for the PRC)

-or if you want just one rifle: suppressed 308 or 7mm08 with 20in barrel

Originally Posted by 7.62

-suppressed 308 with 16in barrel for the bush
-braked 7mmRM or 6.5PRC with 24in barrel for the tops (and some ear plugs. Brake optional for the PRC)

-or if you want just one rifle: suppressed 308 or 7mm08 with 20in barrel

Second this just setting up a lightweight 308 with a 20"barrel sick of lugging around the rem mag

2-10 is the way forward in a quality set of glass. Several times I've been too close to the animal to get a sight picture with a 4x scope - can see the eyeball of the deer by eye but looking at individual strands of hair through the scope and can't actually resolve what you are looking at to be able to identify and place the shot. 2x makes a surprising difference in that situation I found. It sounds weird, but litterally on the other side of a toitoi bush to the deer (2m away for range) you are just too close for the scope to be of any use. Bloody sh1tty Kaimais...

In this weird day and age I would say any calibre that is economic to shoot and reload, and has easily available components for. AND suppress for you and your mate's continued hearing...and that occasional follow up shot.

These are such dumb threads

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

These are such dumb threads

Also second this everything works, just shoot things with the right projectile in the right place

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

These are such dumb threads

Maybe, certainly thought provoking if you have time, and it has to be noted that a lot of guys on here a building a new rifle every week, it seems quite hard to make a choice. Very nice problem to have tho.