Sadly, I've recently read too many posts on hunting boards about frustration caused by poorly manufactured rifles marketed by American rifle manufacturers that were once preeminent brands in big game rifles. I sure much of the frustration was caused by shooters who have gone with inexpensive rifles thinking they were of pristine quality and MOA accuracy. These once dominant names in the American big game rifle industry have sullied their once esteemed reputations by producing inferior quality rifles.
I've been lucky with big game rifles. All three of mine are capable of astonishing accuracy with my hand loads and they're all completely reliable.
Hopefully, my take on big game rifles will save hunters heartaches and lots of money. Buy the best quality rifle you can afford. Assure its manufacturer has exemplary customer service, which would be moot with a high quality rifle. Top it with the best scope you can afford. Carefully select cartridge. A mega magnum is not necessary to kill any North American big game animal. I'd suggest a cartridge with a well-established and proven record. After too many decades of tackling high ridges of the Rockies, I can tell you with absolute certainty that heavy rifles suck. If I were given a hunting rifle do-over, I'd buy an excellent quality, lightweight .308 Win and never need another big game rifle.
There's a reason mega magnums are over-represented on the used rifle market. A mega magnum will kill North America's larget big game just as dead as will a .308 Win. Meg magnums hurt to bench shoot, which auses flinches. Flinches cause lack of confidence. Lack of confidence casue misses.
Hunters encounter unforeseen expenses when they buy inferior rifles that couldn't hold a group in a basket. Knowing that accuracy is the most crucial component in filling big game tags, they wind up sinking small fortunes in a budget rifle trying to get it to shoot as good as an excellent-quality rifle will shoot out-of-the-box. The next thing the budget rifle buyer figures out is he has more money sunk in a rifle than the price of a quality rifle, and it still won't shoot as well as a quality rifle.
A North American big game hunter needs only one rifle chambered for a proven cartridge, a quality rifle that's accurate and reliable. For about 20 years I took only my Model 700 .270 Win on big game hunts. My Model 700 was manufactured circa 1975 when Remington had a stellar reputation for reliability and accuracy. At the time, I couldn't afford a back-up rifle. If hunters buy an excellent quality rifle the first time out, they won't need a back up rifle.
From experience, a cartridge is heavy at Rocky Mountain altitude.
In my opinion based upon decades of climbing high ridges of the Rockies, the perfect North American big game rifle should weigh about 7 pounds, shoot sub MOA, be completely reliable, and chambered for the proven .308 Win. Other proven cartridges should be suitable.
Going budget route, especially when out-of-state tags can run over a grand, has a high probability of leaving budget buyers forlorn. Buy quality the first time and sleep comfortably.
Merely my attempt at saving rifle buyers money and anguish, that's all.
I've been lucky with big game rifles. All three of mine are capable of astonishing accuracy with my hand loads and they're all completely reliable.
Hopefully, my take on big game rifles will save hunters heartaches and lots of money. Buy the best quality rifle you can afford. Assure its manufacturer has exemplary customer service, which would be moot with a high quality rifle. Top it with the best scope you can afford. Carefully select cartridge. A mega magnum is not necessary to kill any North American big game animal. I'd suggest a cartridge with a well-established and proven record. After too many decades of tackling high ridges of the Rockies, I can tell you with absolute certainty that heavy rifles suck. If I were given a hunting rifle do-over, I'd buy an excellent quality, lightweight .308 Win and never need another big game rifle.
There's a reason mega magnums are over-represented on the used rifle market. A mega magnum will kill North America's larget big game just as dead as will a .308 Win. Meg magnums hurt to bench shoot, which auses flinches. Flinches cause lack of confidence. Lack of confidence casue misses.
Hunters encounter unforeseen expenses when they buy inferior rifles that couldn't hold a group in a basket. Knowing that accuracy is the most crucial component in filling big game tags, they wind up sinking small fortunes in a budget rifle trying to get it to shoot as good as an excellent-quality rifle will shoot out-of-the-box. The next thing the budget rifle buyer figures out is he has more money sunk in a rifle than the price of a quality rifle, and it still won't shoot as well as a quality rifle.
A North American big game hunter needs only one rifle chambered for a proven cartridge, a quality rifle that's accurate and reliable. For about 20 years I took only my Model 700 .270 Win on big game hunts. My Model 700 was manufactured circa 1975 when Remington had a stellar reputation for reliability and accuracy. At the time, I couldn't afford a back-up rifle. If hunters buy an excellent quality rifle the first time out, they won't need a back up rifle.
From experience, a cartridge is heavy at Rocky Mountain altitude.
In my opinion based upon decades of climbing high ridges of the Rockies, the perfect North American big game rifle should weigh about 7 pounds, shoot sub MOA, be completely reliable, and chambered for the proven .308 Win. Other proven cartridges should be suitable.
Going budget route, especially when out-of-state tags can run over a grand, has a high probability of leaving budget buyers forlorn. Buy quality the first time and sleep comfortably.
Merely my attempt at saving rifle buyers money and anguish, that's all.
