What is a good universal hunting rifle?!?

[CWOOD]

I agree with the 30.06 preference, especially with the comment of really wanting to be certain for a one shot kill. Obviously, 308 would be in that group too, but the comments about ammo availability virtually anywhere is true, as is the relatively low cost. Another consideration is the very wide range of factory ammo loadings available in the cartridge. From very light, very high velocity, flat shooting rounds, to very heavy bullet weights for larger game or heavy brush applications. This makes the cartridge very flexible for different applications.

One platform that has not been mentioned is the pump action. Remington makes the 7600 (formerly the 760 and 76). This is an excellent hunting action. It permits very rapid follow-up shots without loosing sight picture. It is magazine fed (4 rounds).

Many moons ago just after we were married, my wife got it for me, with the help and advice of a good friend of mine who was an experienced hunter. I would never have selected a pump action, but over the years I have come to be very happy that my friend gave such excellent advice. As you shop, pick it up and work the action. It might be something you want to consider.

[WildBill]

One platform that has not been mentioned is the pump action. Remington makes the 7600 (formerly the 760 and 76). This is an excellent hunting action. It permits very rapid follow-up shots without loosing sight picture. It is magazine fed (4 rounds).

That is an option I hadn't really considered. I have shot a pump .22LR and shotgun, but never a centerfire rifle. I just read that the 7600 is one of the most popular deer rifles in Pennsylvania, where they don't allow semi-automatics for deer hunting.

[CWOOD]

If you can find the earlier model 760 like if have, you can often get a very good value on a used one. I have had mine for 30 years and it is still pristine, or nearly so. Functionally, it has been flawless in all that time.

I would strongly urge consideration of a quality used rifle/carbine. If you find one in excellent condition on the outside you will find that the inside is just as good. Folks who take care of the outside usually take care of the inside as well. With patient looking you can get one almost as new for half the money and often the older ones have better wood for the furniture.

[CombatWombat]

.308, hard to beat.

If you get that go big or go home feeling 300 wsm is awesome

[hirundo82]

For an all-around hunting rifle, you can't go wrong with .30-'06 or .308. .30-30 is also a good round, but it is limited in range to 100-150 yards for ethical shots. Other calibers to consider would be .243 Winchester (probably the lightest I'd go, and not enough if large game like elk are a possibility), 7mm-08, and .270 Winchester. If you reload, you could also consider cartridges like 6.5x55 and .25-'06.

I'm interested in hunting in the future, and I picked up a .270 Win Stevens 200 last year with that in mind. The Stevens 200 is basically the old model Savage, before the Accustock and Accutrigger were introduced. As such, it will take most Savage accessories.

I chose the .270 because it is capable of taking virtually any game in the lower 48 states (well, that and the fact that Academy had it on sale for $189). .270 is .30-06 necked down to .277", which is in the range that many consider optimal for bullets in terms of ballistics. While less popular than .30-'06, .308, or .30-30, .270 is common enough that it can be found virtually anywhere that sells ammo.

[mgood]

If you reload, you could also consider cartridges like 6.5x55 and .25-'06.

Don't have to reload. Federal makes an excellent .25-06 with a 115 gr Nosler Partition.
I've been eyeing a .25-06 for myself. I live West of Lubbock where cover is scarce and so long shots might be more common than if you hunted more in mountains and/or forest regions. It's a .30-06 necked down to .257 caliber. Launches a lighter, faster, and therefore flatter-shooting bullet. Should kill anything in North America, though I'll admit that for Moose and Bear and critters like that you'd be better served with a .30 caliber of some sort. For the game we have out here, prairie dogs, jack rabbits, coyotes, antelope, and deer, it's just about perfect. (A little overkill for prairie dogs and rabbits, but perfect for coyotes and antelope and arguably as good as anything else for deer.)

[CCreyeder]

caliber wise, I shot as a teenager with a 30-30 and took lots of deer here in south texas. When I bought my own rfle it was 30-06. My dad has taken many many deer with his .270. Recently traded for a 25-06 but havent shot anything with it yet. Any of those, along with a 308 you cant go wrong with.

Brand wise, remmington, savage, weatherby all make good models for not much money. I am sure there are others, but those are just what comes to mind at the moment.

[hirundo82]

Don't have to reload. Federal makes an excellent .25-06 with a 115 gr Nosler Partition.

True, you don't have to reload but there is less variety of factory loaded .25-'06 as compared to .270 or .30-06.

That said, the ballistics look good and it seems to be especially suited for plains game. It is reputed to be tough on barrels though, due to all that powder capacity behind such a small bore.

[Weg]

I have over 30 guns, 20 of them being rifles. My Universal hunting rifle has always been my model 70 in 30.06. Until i moved to Texas ( 6 years ago) it's all I ever hunted with, as most my shots were 100 yds. plus. Now that I can shoot animals over a feeder and therefore have few shots over 25 yards, I have used everything from a .30 carbine to a .410 with buckshot with success. However, for a universal rifle, my Model 70 is my baby.

[troglodyte]

I'm also a "universal" gun type of guy.

I'll echo what others have said on the 30/06. While I don't have one I have its kissing cousin the .308. It happened to be what was on the shelf when I went in looking for a 30/06 or .308. I would have bought the 30/06 if it was on the shelf.

There is a wider range of loadings for the 30/06 but I haven't found anything here in Texas a 150 gr Core-lokt won't take...not that I have shot that many animals. Quite frankly I don't know anybody that takes advantage of the wide range of loadings for the 30/06. Most stay with the 150-180 gr bullet flavors found on the local store's shelves.

The .270 is also a really good choice and I gave it serious consideration. Both my boys shoot the .270 and both have deer in the freezer.
There are lots of other great choices but these three are "standards" around these parts when you start talking deer and hogs.

A good bolt-action will serve you just fine for your lifetime and your kid's lifetime.

[RHenriksen]

I went with .308. Can't see myself ever hunting moose or grizzlies, so .308 seemed perfectly adequate.

After watching the nightmare that was NOLA after Katrina, I opted for an AR10 style rifle that's less than ideal for hunting, but gives me a warm fuzzy to have around the house.

[Chemist45]

I have a .308 bolt action rifle.
I have taken 2 hogs with it and Mrs. Chemist has taken 1.
It has only been fired 3 times at anything other than a paper target.

[Rugerboy50]

.270 is the caliber of choice for most of the hunters i know.

Good flat shooter.

i would look for a .270 or 30-06 and see what you can find.

Friend of mine who's quite konwledgable says the Savage accu trigger accu stock is the best thing going for the price.

[Dusty Harry]

If I were planning to hunt in the whole universe, I would opt for a good ray-gun. Not the kind used in Star Wars (apparently you can't the borad side of a barn with those, judging from the miserable hit/miss ratio), but one more like the little alien guy on Bugs Bunny uses. He never misses. (Oh never mind, that was a handgun.) Go for a death Star.

Or a .308... That way when NATO invades us, you can use their ammo.