Thread: Rifle/ caliber opinions for bush and mountain

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.

Originally Posted by Pommy

So far we have votes for...

223
243
25/06
6.5 Creedmoor
6.5 PRC
270
7mm08
280ai
7mm Rem Mag
308
30-06
300wsm
338 Lapua
45/70

@Steven1 I hope we narrowed your selection for you!

+1 270 shitter

Big safe and one of each. Job done?

Remember to get a .22 for practice too!

Undoubtedly gonna be a game of trade offs then throw in the issue of some hard to find reloading components as well.
I'm quite sorted for loading 308 and 30 06 so think I'll see what suitable rifle options there are keeping in mind that the occasional longer shot may present itself.( Hence the preference for unsuppressed and longer barrel)
Not a fan of long range hunting. 350m will be my absolute max with the above mentioned calibers knowing their and my limitations. I much rather not take a shot than end up wounding an animal. Don't see much skill in long range hunting either
280ai and 7mmwsm also appeals to me due to better wind deflection,decent enough speed, good retained energy and reasonable recoil but that will be a project for later. 162gr eldx's seem unattainable at the moment which is also bit of a passion killer.

Originally Posted by Steven1

Undoubtedly gonna be a game of trade offs then throw in the issue of some hard to find reloading components as well.
I'm quite sorted for loading 308 and 30 06 so think I'll see what suitable rifle options there are keeping in mind that the occasional longer shot may present itself.( Hence the preference for unsuppressed and longer barrel)
Not a fan of long range hunting. 350m will be my absolute max with the above mentioned calibers knowing their and my limitations. I much rather not take a shot than end up wounding an animal. Don't see much skill in long range hunting either
280ai and 7mmwsm also appeals to me due to better wind deflection,decent enough speed, good retained energy and reasonable recoil but that will be a project for later. 162gr eldx's seem unattainable at the moment which is also bit of a passion killer.

Wait what? You have a 30-06 and are limiting yourself to 350m? Go load up some 178gr ELD-X and you're not going to have problems with wind in much less than an F5 hurricane.

I'm with Ryan. What a dumb thread.

Sold rifles before coming to NZ so planning to start afresh in the near future. Used to shoot 180's and was real good in windy conditions. That said the longer action is most likely going to add extra weight thats why the balance tips towards 308 but will shop around to see what rifles are available. Have shot targets out to 1.1km with them but for hunting I'd limit myself to about 350 knowing I can make decent first shot placements consistently

Now wait a minute, there is one calibre on that list that is conspicuous in its absence: the trusty .222

Legend has it that 89% of deer cullers used a .222 with great success. Some may consider this to not be a suitable deer rifle, but hear me out...

Threads like these only become superfluous (though remain both interesting and contentious) because of the lack of methodology used to arrive at conclusions, and are weighed mostly upon experiences and opinions. Of course one would not discount the value of experience, but experiences vary and it makes conclusions too variable and somewhat unreliable in some respects.
We could approach the question with a different method, which is already been alluded to; using the science of ballistics and the criteria of bullet weight and velocity. Select by way of known research, a minimum bullet weight, a maximum excess weight, and the minimum velocity required for that weight range, and bullet construction, to be effective. The wonders of the interweb would soon reveal a variety of calibres that all meet the given criteria. It would make choice of rifle less limiting as a result, and remain interesting.

If you can only have one rifle for NZ hunting then the .308W is the best all-rounder preferably with the 1:10 twist rate. My humble opinion but my personal favourite is the mighty 7x57.

Hang on


You want to shoot unsupressed to a max of 350.

And no further?

Give the man a 6.5x55 or 25-06

260rem is the only correct answer

Originally Posted by yeah_na_missed

Now wait a minute, there is one calibre on that list that is conspicuous in its absence: the trusty .222

Legend has it that 89% of deer cullers used a .222 with great success. Some may consider this to not be a suitable deer rifle, but hear me out...

Wrong, the real men used .303

Originally Posted by caberslash

Wrong, the real men used .303

Still do...

Originally Posted by timattalon

Still do...

Would love to see statistics of where most newly made/commercial .303 ends up.

Suspect Canada/NZ/Oz would be top 3 in that order with the UK coming behind all of them, just like everything else

Originally Posted by caberslash

Would love to see statistics of where most newly made/commercial .303 ends up. Suspect Canada/NZ/Oz would be top 3 in that order with the UK coming behind all of them, just like everything else

I'll take a few....

who still makes a rifle chambered for the old .303 brit???? other than possibly in a custom break open,and I imagine they be few n far between.