Thread: Building a "go to gun"

I'm considering getting my ideal setup sorted this year, now I could be boring & just buy a Kimber in 308 cut & suppress it & put a half decent scope on it, but thats a bit boring so



What would be your ideal big game "go to gun" setup be

Requirements are

Good to carry in the scrub & weather proof ( stainless & easy to clean )
Suppressed with an overall suppressed barrel length of 22"
Light weight (all up with scope & can ) 7.5lb max
Enough grunt & flexibility to be usable from 10-500yards
Have a decent safety / or half cock, so probably a good bolt action or maybe a lever



One idea I'm toying with is a Weatherby Mk 5 308 action, barreled with a mid contour 18" with maybe a Maximus suppressor ( or LW custom built can ) & chambered in a 338 Fed, Senator LW stock, Talley LW rings, Scope ??? ( NF 2.5-10 x 32 would be cool but a little heavy ) March 2.5-25 maybe, Swaorski Z5 or Z6


Or I could just rebarrel my WSM to a 338wsm or even a 375wsm

338fed and 500 yards....... shouldnt be used in the same thread

Now now don't be so cynical, a 210gainer doing 2500fps will have plenty of grunt, you just have to be good at dialing or holding way high

Whats wrong with the browning?

I shot my 338fed with 300 grainers at 400 meter steel, I used 46.8 feet of hold over

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Whats wrong with the browning?

Ive added a couple more requirements

Yeah my shorttrac is a great open country rifle, but for the bush it's noisy to load ( I'm not a great fan of carrying one up the spout in the thick stuff ) & it's a time consuming bitch to clean if it gets wet

AR15 in 6.5grendel, ~16" reasonably skinny stainless 1:8" barrel with small suppressor, something like a 11" or 13" VTAC free float tube, flattop upper, decent trigger, Magpul UBR or CTR stock, NF 2.5-10x24 in a light QD mount and some Troy micro folding sights.

123Amax at ~2400-2500fps would work nicely for most things I'd shoot.


Pity it's impossible to get Grendel mags/parts in NZ

Watch this space. It will take a little too long for this years roar but I have had the same idea. It will be a 243AI in a Senator stock with a Z5 2.5-18 x 44 in Talley rings.

Kimber and 500y also don't belong in the same thread

A steyr scout in .376 Steyr

BOOM job done

What's the base action or rifle expense limit ?

Originally Posted by Cyclist

A steyr scout in .376 Steyr

BOOM job done

Yeah thats a boomber looking round alright

Originally Posted by jakewire

What's the base action or rifle expense limit ?

I don't know, Up to you. Any decent action ( short-medium ) & $$$ limit, lets make it 5-6k all up


You know me Owen, Its just another of the "little ideas" that I come up with while working to stop myself from falling asleep & motivate me

I'm lightening up my model 7, aiming for a bit over 6lb all up... Currently it weighs about 7.5lb, but weighing all the components currently, I reckon I can get at least 1lb weight savings, more if I flute the barrel. The main weight saving will be in the barrel (long knoxx is getting the chop) and the stock.

Model 7 action with fluted bolt, lightened handle, light bolt shroud and firing pin. No 2 barrel (not sure if I will flute it yet) will be chopped to about 17 inches long. Will supress it, but again, not sure on what supressor I will use, currently has a Gunworks on it...

I have ordered a McMillan edge for it, but need to follow up on that, might change to the Senator.

Got a dednutz 1 piece ring/base setup which is apparently very similar in weight to Talleys, so will probably leave that as is. Think I will get a Swarovski Z3 3-10 x 42 BRX scope for it to replace the Leupold VXiii 3-10 on it.

How it looks currently (well almost, different rings/base/scope on it now)

oh, its a 6.5x47L

Ok, cheap option, short action Stainless Ruger. More expensive action, Extreme Weather Winchester. Chambered in 308, WTF, you already have the dies.Do all your bit's. Uncle Bob.