WA Hunting WHICH RIFLE!!!!

[Trapp]

I am going up to Washington to Hunt with my Grandpa and uncle. I am unsure of what I want to take. Here are the options:

Winchester model 88: .358win. Has Burris glass, with my handloads I can cloverleaf it at 50 yards. Very unusual for levergun to be so accurate. Drawback: How do I get my ammo up there!?

SIG SHR970: 30'06. I love this bolt action, more accurate than I am. Ammo very available up there.

Garand: Always wanted to hunt with one. Drawback: never even shot either one (of my garands) before.

Knight muzzleloader: 50 cal, bottom of the line, no glass. I got it to extend my hunting season and actually like it a lot. Accuracy is a bit on the bad side, but good enough to kill a deer at 100 yds.

Remington 870: 12guage. Nuthin like a shotgun to drop large game. No scope, long barrel, no rifling.

I am going to have my 7.5 bbl 44mag. SBH with me at all times.....

[azredhawk44]

Take the sig bolt action .30-06.

Put your handloads into an old retail ammo box. Check your ammo. If it gets lost, you can still buy ammo up there.

Same thing with your 44mag ammo for your handgun.

[FirstFreedom]

Take the Win 88, and the turnbolt. Use the Win 88 as the primary rifle, since you are so skilled with it and your handloads. Good hardhitting caliber, and fun to hunt with. The Sig is your backup rifle, just in case. Pack the ammo in the car, or on the plane, I'm guessing? (I don't fly, but I'm pretty sure that that is allowed).

Garand-heavy
ML-not accurate and a pain
shotgun- limited range and accuracy.

[ZeroJunk]

The ammo goes in a locked hard case with the rifle and is checked in with an orange firearm tag inside.

[jhgreasemonkey]

I hunt Wa with a 30-06 mainly and it is the ideal caliber in my opinion for Wa. Allthough if you are planning to hunt on the western side where it is brushy and dense then your lever gun might be nice. On the eastern side you have the possibility of longer shots though. Out of curiosity what game and area will you be hunting?

[rem33]

Not unusual for a Winchester 88 to shoot well has been my experience. I have one that was made in 57, my fathers was made in 59 and both will out shoot the Savage 223 I bought earlier this year. It isn't the scope or mounts on the 223 as I have change the glass and checked and rechecked the mounts, and used several different loads. Those old 88's will do a inch and a half or better at 100 yards with everything I have fed em. But it is hard to go wrong with a 30-06 for anything anywhere in Wa. would be my thought.

[Trapp]

I will be in Eastern WA up neer danville. Deer is the name of the game, though I will have a bear tag also. Well, pretty much anything that moves that is legal game.:D :D

I am leaning towards the '06 right now because of possible distance as I will have my SBH for anything closer than 70yds.

The 88 in .358 is very appealing though....

At least I have time to think about it!!!:D

[TJ Freak]

I live in Spokane. Go with the .30-06 can't beat it. You can buy cartridges anywhere, it's the perfect round for up here. Hope ta see ya in the woods ( or maybe at the butcher! ; ) !!!

[hoghunting]

Zero,

Restrictions have changed since packing ammo with the gun was allowed. Now ammo must be checked in a lockable bag/suitcase and not in the gun case.

[ZeroJunk]

HogHunting,I went to TSA homepage and did a search on "hunting".It says you can put your ammo in your locked guncase with the gun as long as it is" packed in fiber(such as cardboard)wood or metal boxes or other packaging specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition".You have to read past the part about the ammunition packaging to get to this.If there is something that supersedes this or somebody has actually ran into this at the airport,I would like to know because I am going 10/29 and don't need any problems.We have had no problem in the past.

[arizona hunter]

As long as your cartridges are in checked baggage I've never had anissue. Some airlines stipulate that ammo must be seperated from the firearm, so I always pack it seperate.

Sounds like you are comfortable shooting the .358 and 30.06-so bring both.

[Scorch]

There was an article about traveling with firearms in this month's American Hunter (NRA magazine). The TSA provided the information on what to do when traveling with firearms. ZeroJunk and I discussed this a month ago or so, and he's right about TSA regs, but the airlines can impose additional restrictions, such as ammo in a separate case from the rifles.

Aside from that, I would take the 30-06. Good caliber, good reach.

Or take the shotgun, that will leave more deer for me!

[Dave R]

If you want to take the .358, then take it and pack the ammo. I used my K-31 on a hunt last summer. Flew with it, and checked my handloads in the same case as the rifle. No problems with checkin at either end.