Only Three Bolt-gun Hunting Calibers - Which Ones?

[USAF Ret]

If you could have three bolt action rifles for hunting in different calibers...small, medium, heavy...small as Coues deer and antelope up to moose, what would they be? I mean, you can choose whatever brand rifle you want?

Christensen Arms Ridgeline - 6.5 CR - Light recoil, ammo availability and it is a handy rifle in small places with a 20 inch barrel version.
Christensen Arms Ridgeline - 308 - To me, the best mid-size cartridge. Was available when nothing else was. Inexpensive. Ridgeline is light and has an awesome trigger. Fits me like a glove.
Christensen Arms Ridgeline - 30-06 - Same as above, ammo readily available. Inexpensive. Also, a vast array of bullet weights. I think for moose, this is the lightest I would go. I have shoulder and neck problems, so I am recoil sensitive. If I wasn't, I might go with a .338.

[Scorch]

Commercial Mauser 98 in 22-250
Commercial Mauser 98 in 7X57
Commercial Mauser in 375 H&H if I had to pick a third

The 22-250 killed thousands of ground squirrels and jack rabbits and coyotes.
I've hunted deer, pigs and elk for the last 45 years with a 7X57 Mark X Mauser 98, had a Mark X 375 H&H for a few years but sold it because the 7X57 did everything I needed.

[reynolds357]

257 WBY
270 WBY
300 RUM

All in Mark V WBY.

[jetinteriorguy]

.17HMR for everything from small ground game up to fox size.
6.5 Grendel for larger varmints up to deer size game.
.270 Win for the bigger stuff.

[taylorce1]

.223 Rem M70
.270 Win M70
.375 Ruger M70

Just chose three I already own.

[USAF Ret]

Originally Posted by Scorch

Commercial Mauser 98 in 22-250
Commercial Mauser 98 in 7X57
Commercial Mauser in 375 H&H if I had to pick a third

The 22-250 killed thousands of ground squirrels and jack rabbits and coyotes.
I've hunted deer, pigs and elk for the last 45 years with a 7X57 Mark X Mauser 98, had a Mark X 375 H&H for a few years but sold it because the 7X57 did everything I needed.

What is the recoil like on that 7x57?

[USAF Ret]

Originally Posted by reynolds357

257 WBY
270 WBY
300 RUM

All in Mark V WBY.

I hope you reload. Haha.

[USAF Ret]

Originally Posted by jetinteriorguy

.17HMR for everything from small ground game up to fox size.
6.5 Grendel for larger varmints up to deer size game.
.270 Win for the bigger stuff.

I have the 6.5 Grendel and 270. Just have accumulated a lot of stuff here and there. Got the 22 LR for the little critters.

[USAF Ret]

Originally Posted by taylorce1

.223 Rem M70
.270 Win M70
.375 Ruger M70

Just chose three I already own.

Can't go wrong at all with the M70. I have one Christensen in 308 and it is my favorite and most accurate rifle I have.

[44 AMP]

For something different, three that I HAVE,

Rem 600 .222Rem
Rem 600 .308 Win
Rem 660 .350 Rem Mag.

all are short, light, handy, and accurate enough for hunting, and sadly, all long out of production.

But mine still work,

[USAF Ret]

Originally Posted by 44 AMP

For something different, three that I HAVE,

Rem 600 .222Rem
Rem 600 .308 Win
Rem 660 .350 Rem Mag.

all are short, light, handy, and accurate enough for hunting, and sadly, all long out of production.

But mine still work,

So many good rifles out of production. Would still love to have a Savage 99.

I had a Remington BDL in 243 when I was a kid. Worst mistake I made was getting rid of that rifle, but I was new in the Air Force and PCSing with firearms was a PITA.

[USAF Ret]

I read this article and I have three of the top 4. I used to have a 30-06 in AK and CO. Last one was a Ruger M77 stainless with the laminate stock. Another stupid sale I made.

https://www.fieldandstream.com/guns/...me-cartridges/

[jaysouth]

you only need one. A 30-06 and a reloading press will give you reloads in the .30 carbine level, a little more powder and you have a .30-30 level loads, then if you are hunting elephants or mastadons, buy factory ammo. If you load 125 Nosler varmit bullets at full pressure, you have a load that will keep up with a 223 up to 300 yards.

[GeauxTide]

Rem 700 243Win 75gr VMax
Rem 700 280Rem 139 or 154 Interbond
Rem 700 338-06 200gr Speer

Reloads, only

[Drm50]

Remington 222 in Sako Vixen
Winchester 30/06 in Pre 64 m70 Win.
375 H&H in long barrel Sako FB

[stagpanther]

257 WBY
270 WBY
300 RUM

All in Mark V WBY.

I'm a huge weatherby fan too--I've spent time behind the trigger of vanguards and Mark 5's in 270 up to 416--so I have to ask--why did you go with the RUM instead of the 300 wby? Fortunately I reload for them--last time I looked the 416 was getting well north of $200 a box.

The only complaint I have is that I'm not entirely enamored to their new bolts, but have definitely noticed a significant improvement in their barrels since opening the new factory and doing all production in-house.

[jackstrawIII]

If you’re only going from deer to moose, you don’t really need 3… as others have stated you can do all those easily with 1 cartridge in the 270/308 class.

But that’s no fun.

So, if you could only have 3:
1. Marlin 336 in 35 Rem for low kicking close-range deer action
2. Nosler M21 in 6.5 PRC for long range work on the smaller stuff
3. Winchester Model 70 in 30-06 for everything else.

[105kw]

I have no Bolt Action Rifles, my choices would be.
240 WM in a MkV
270 WM again in a MkV
Lastly .375 H&H in a M70. I just don't like recoil on the big Weatherby cartridges.

[Scorch]

What is the recoil like on that 7x57?

Extremely mild, like a 243 without the sting.

Rem 660 .350 Rem Mag.

Yeah, nobody wants to shoot one of those enough to wear one out.

[MarkCO]

IF I lost all my guns in a boating accident...I'd replace these three for sure.

Bergara Wilderness Terrain in 6.5CM
Defiance Tenacity in .280AI
Weatherby MkV UL in .338-06.

[USAF Ret]

Originally Posted by Scorch

Extremely mild, like a 243 without the sting.

Yeah, nobody wants to shoot one of those enough to wear one out.

Hmmm, got me thinking about a 7X57 now. See there is plenty of Remington Core Lokt available.

[USAF Ret]

Originally Posted by MarkCO

IF I lost all my guns in a boating accident...I'd replace these three for sure.

Bergara Wilderness Terrain in 6.5CM
Defiance Tenacity in .280AI
Weatherby MkV UL in .338-06.

Bergara's have the best trigger.

[USAF Ret]

Well, Ron Spomer just made me change my choice of a 30-06 to a 7mm Rem Mag.

[ballardw]

.244
.45-70

[reynolds357]

Originally Posted by USAF Ret

I hope you reload. Haha.

I do.