Game Taking/General Purpose Centerfire Bolt-action Rifles

If possible, can I get some feedback/personal opinions on personally favored centerfire bolt or lever-action rifles and calibers for taking mid-to-large size game or varmint control. I am new to hunting and am actively seeking a bolt or lever action rifle. I know obviously a .22 is not for a deer, but is a .45-70 too much? I've been looking in stores and there are just too many calibers whose uses and purposes with which I am not familiar like .243WMR, .270, 7mm-08, .300 and too many others to list. Please advise to why recommending a particular rifle/caliber like range/stopping power/accuracy. Trying to find that "only hunting long gun you'll ever need". Thanks in advance.

 

OMG, you are going to get a million opinions on this one.
.
I am going to try to come at it from a little different angle for you to think about. I would only recommend the following calibers for any reason or purpose. After you have all these calibers covered in your arsenal feel free to indulge in any exotic caliber that strikes your fancy. These calibers due to military, police, and civilian popularity and usage should be available along with ammo for them until long after you are dead, whether the SHTF or not.
.
.22lr, 12ga, 9mm parabellum, .45acp, .223, .308win, (30/06 maybe)
.
Unless you reside in Alaska where something larger in a rifle might be prudent for Polar or Brown Bear, the selection I have given you should cover any game getting need you have. I use a .308win for my big game gun.

 

SEE ..... I knew this would happen, LOL !!! Hell I only gave the 30/06 a maybe because it is no longer a USA military caliber.
.
I would put money on the fact that winchester, remington, savage, ruger and mossberg combined have produced more 30/06's than .270's
.
what nation ever issued the .270 as a service weapon?
.
.270 shooters are rabid fans of that caliber .... BFD!

 

Any good name brand stainless steel bolt action chambered for .416 JDJ. Ain't nothin' else worth squat IMO.

 

RRand32118, I have no idea where you are or what ranges you will commonly be shooting at, or what type of game and varmits you are talking about. My answer was basically about numbers. I am biased for the .308win, no way will I try to deny that. But, it is a proven caliber out to 1000 yards. Look up the Camp Perry annual shoot records. Other calibers shoot faster flatter and farther, but just how damn far can you shoot accurately? I gave you an answer and a reason behind it. Make your choice and best of luck.
.
ps; I think Ghrit might be one of those .270 fan(atic)s .... there are a few. And I think Gravelgurdy is off her freakin rocker. You will get a million opinions on this!!! I also think Ghrit might just have been trying to get a rise out of me..... I am easily excitable about things I strongly believe in. I will not post further about this on this thread. (I hear the crowd giving a standing ovation)!!! but I will respond to PM about it if you wish to. Good luck with your decision.

 

Ho'boy( here's 7pages of thread).:Here's my version( I get to hear my self expound):

In a word "yes": the.45-70 is an an anachronism ( an old ( 1800's? u.s. military cartridge with a history of taking buffalo,bison(?)native Americans( It gets its name as do all old carryover rounds from the turn of the century from: (45 caliber bullet ,over a charge of 70 grains of black powder; though it is now available in modern smokeless powder rounds). it is powerful. expensive, not easy to find:and used as a "guide gun" to protect people from large carnivores in Alaska real" he-mans" gun.

Just like you wouldn't use a claw hammer to do auto body work; ( a gun is merely a tool)there's no one perfect gun for anything;some come close.

"Ya know it aint glamorous;or black and sexy, but an awful lot of north american game have fallen to Grampa's venerable 30-30 lever action Now there's a new selection of lever action bullets ( projectiles) which bring "new life" to the lever gun.Used to be because of the rounds being stacked nose to tail in the tubular magazine the 30-30 was limited to dull rounded bullets,

.308 is a very popular deer cartridge up here , and used as a military caliber. I don't shoot one; I understand it recoils less than the 30-06.
the.270 is basically a 30-06 necked down to a smaller bullet;( I did own one of these in Colo.) its known as a flat-shooting round good in the wide open spaces of the west.

30-06 will do it all by changing bullet weight...( different ammunition).But the 30-06 has some recoil.
.243 is a lighter round in lighter rifle, ( usually considered a "wife's or girl friends" gun but it works fine on white tail deer up north here in the trees....

.22 calibers are too small and illegal for deer sized game in my state; So that leaves out the .223.
But they make a fine varmint caliber, in Colorado folks carry the .22-250 in the truck gun rack as a "coyote gun".
.300 magnum is popular as a mule deer and elk catridge but its got serious recoil( up here white tail are maybe 18' thick (its overkill)

bigger( stouter) .30 calibers are recommended for muledeer/elk/moose and bear: the aforementioned .300mag; .338, 7mm magnums All have "(imho)punishing" recoil from a boltgun.

Overall
IMHO
The 30-06 is plenty, easy to find and and kicks enough to be "satisfying"( you won't grab it to plink tin cans at the cabin for fun....)

 

Thank you tacmotusn (I'm a shipmate also), ghrit and tango3 for the information, that helps alot!. I do reside in the sunshine state so game is basically squirrel, deer, and boar. I've always known things like 30-30's and 30-06's are for deer, but in reading some gun reviews in magazines they unleash all these other calibers that I don't have a clue what they're used for like all the various magnums and the .200's and up,(thanks ghrit for the 270 info), and while at Gander Mountain (lord help me) I saw enough different calibers to go into sensory overload. I was unaware of the rounded bullet issue with lever-action rifles, as well thanks for the breakdown on the magnums Tango3. I found a Remington 70 in 7mm that I fell in love with but I had no clue if I'm hunting deer or elephant with it, so I had to ask for help from you guys, I avoid salesmen like the plague. From what I'm gleaning from you guys it sounds like the .308 is the way to go, but I didn't know if you guys knew any sweet secret chamberings to consider. I mentioned the 45-70 above as growing up as a kid I'd heard other people speak of it but didn't what it was used for. Checking off the blocks for the safe, Tacmotusn I've got my .45acp, .22lr's and 12ga pump, now I'm going for the grown up long guns.

Went to an indoor range today at a local store and while waiting for the MRS., watched some dude with cornrows and pants hanging off his ass looking at what looked like an HK MP-5 without a stock, the salesman was telling him he could get a suppressor for it and the dude had to ask what a suppressor was....sends chills down my spine. Clearly not hunting squirrels.

Any models in .308 to reccommend that aren't $1000 weapons?

 

There is no such thing as "too much". I started hunting white tail with my 375 H&H in prep for hunting in Africa and Alaska and it works just fine. Ironically the only deer I ever shot with 45-70 was the only one never recovered, but I took my moose with the same rifle last fall. If you can only have one gun I'd pick the 30-06 because it is loaded for everything from varmints to grizzley in factory ammo. If you won't tackle anything bigger than elk or black bear then a 308 is just dandy too.

 

There's .22lr that looks like the mp-5k and regular mp-5 stocked version I don't think the "supressor" it comes with is real just a screw on can painted black to look like a supressor..But no; I agree "homey the clown" probably wasn't looking for a squirrel rifle..
The 30-30 "bullet issue" has never been a real show stopper, what was produced for years(150 and 174grain) worked just fine. On all kinds of Game...Itjustthereare hightech "soft (plastic) nosed factory cartridges available called:"lever Everlution" now from Hornady ;just gives one more options in factory loads.

http://www.realguns.com/archives/120.htm

 

While I agree with ghrit's caliber choice, I prefer remingtons for bolt actions. This one is sweet

Centerfire Rifle - Model 700 SPS Tactical AAC-SD - Remington Centerfire Rifles

 

SCCCCCHWIIING....

 

Isn't that what the Army builds they're either M21 or M24 sniping system around? Always told myself I'd never need a sniper rifle but...

 

"M40a1?"

 

"Thutty-thutty" - it's the only rifle ya need to "get 'er done!"

 

I have to agree with Tac on this one. For a GP large game hunting round, I would say .308 or 30/06. While 30/06 hasn't been a military caliber for some time, it was for some nations until recently. You are guaranteed to find a fair selection of 30/06 at any Wal-Mart, gas station, or hunting shack anywhere in the country. A similar round in popularity would be the 30-30.

The .308 has the advantage of being a current military production round (7.62 actually, put the specifics aside... any .308 will shoot 7.62; not all 7.62s can safely shoot .308). With a .308 bolt gun you can stock up on military 7.62 and shoot all day long or save it for SHTF hunting (who cares about expansion when you are starving). Military brass can be had in the back of shotgun news for great prices. .308 has a similar hunting following as 30/06 or 30-30.... to a slightly lesser extent.

JMHO

ETA: Ghrit, I was a .270 hunter for close to a decade and a half. It is great all around caliber for N. America. It is common, but not as common as any round used or in use by the (a) military. Great caliber.

 

Hispeed, you must be a salesman! Thanks for the excellent information, I do believe that has sealed the deal. .308 it is....now which rifle..taking a hard look at that savage posted above.