What is your go to rifle for big game? In what caliber,how did you come to that chioce?

[mike0714]

My go to guns are .204 ruger for small game, predators, and smaller game, .284 WIN. built off a self custom 700 action for antelope to moose/plains game and
45-70 for protection form large bears (never had a chance to hunt them).

[Happy Myles]

crm3006,
A great selection, 06, 2506, and 338 . Kindest Regards

Remington 700 ADL in .30-'06 with a hand-loaded 165 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip or Accubond. Has killed everything I've ever hit with it, and has very few misses to it's credit. Arrived at this choice because:
A. Lightweight, accurate rifle.
B. Always liked the '06, can buy rounds anywhere in a pinch.
C. 700 ADL does not have a magazine release. Once had a BDL dump all the shells in the magazine from recoil.
Carry either a Ruger Hawkeye in .25-06 or a Winchester Model 70 in .338 Win Mag for a back up, depending on locale and game to be hunted. Also from experience/preference.

[Happy Myles]

Forgot to respond to how I reached my choices. Trial and error, lots of both. However, there are lots of good choices, nothing cast in stone.

[Happy Myles]

I hunt a wide variety of big game in an even wider variety of conditions. Combine these with my being a Gun Nut leads me to using many different rifles. Having made thes statements, I suspect would be safe to say my "go to" rifle would be a 300 Win Mag for big game. I normally prefer heavy for caliber bullets. Used to use 200 grain Nosler Partitions, but since Barnes came out with their Triple Shocks I use them in the 180 weight. For buffalo, I prefer the 416 Rigby with a 400 grain bullet. Normal safari, a 300 and a 416. Elephant a 416 for a light rifle and something larger using a 500 grain bullet, solids only. African cats, 300, 338, or a 375. Big bears, 338. Sheep anywhere, back to the 300. Kindest Rgards

[Safado]

I like to use different rifles for different game but my current go to rifle is a Tikka T3 in 270 Win. Light rifle, very accurate, flat shooting, shoulders perfectly for me, smooth bolt and great trigger. Mine has a plain wood stock but that's good for a working rifle. It may soon be replaced by a Sako I just purchased in 30-06 but I have to scope that one and do some load development.
Treestand,
Your 264 Win mag sounds like a keeper! I have my eye out for one of those!

[tneal1987]

I have a 300 Win Mag that I love. I am very comfortable shooting it accurately at great distances, 500+ yards. I got it when I was 18 and have shot it every chance I get. I really enjoy playing with loads for it and have got it down to a few that really pair well with the gun.

[DSMbirddog]

Savage Model FHSS 116 in 300 Win Mag. For hogs it is a Marlin 1895 in 45-70.

[DakotaMan]

I forgot to mention... with each of the above rifles I carry a backup rifle. That is almost as important to me so I shoot it a lot just in case I will be needing it. That rifle has to be an all around good one capable of timber stomping or open field shots out to 500 yards. It has to have enough speed to keep me on running game and enough bullet weight to get me through the twigs. For that I use a custom Howa 1500 chambered in 30-06... a very accurate and versatile rifle indeed.

[DakotaMan]

My primary "go to" rifles are 25-06s. One is Ultralight for hauling many miles through rough terrain where distant shots are unlikely and the other is for open prairie where 600 yard shots may occur. Their speed has made shooting running game much easier and I feel I can take better shots because of it. I just don't miss too much with those and have great confidence in placing a bullet right where it needs to be regardless of circumstances.

Where elk sized game or distances beyond 600 yards are likely, my go to rifle is a custom long range .300 Dakota barrel on a M98 Mauser action. It is extremely accurate and carries enough power to deck an elk at 1000 yards if I ever decide to take a shot that long. I shoot Berger 210g bullets in that and concentrate my practice in the 500-1000 yard range. I get five shot groups well under 4 inches at 1000 yards and hope to improve on that by elk season this year.

[laker]

New model Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in .270 Win. I picked it up as a "used" gun, but it hadn't ever been shot, and the price was right. I picked the caliber because that's what it was chambered in. I only hunt deer so .270 Win, along with about 500 other cartridges would do the job just fine. It's commonly available, with a wide range of factory loads.

[cody141]

so far id have to say a 30-06 been very reliable and have taken some nice game with it

[Treestand]

I use my Rem-M-7/7mm-08 Compact for Tree Stand Hunting and my Win-M-70/264Win Mag for Run/Gun(Bought in Saigon P/X Shipped Home 1965)The Rem-M-7/7mm-08 With an 19"Bbl Walnut stock/New 1983.

[Jerry A.]

I use a CZ 550 in 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser for deer hunting. I picked that caliber because I wanted something alittle different and I liked the description in Cartridges of the World. I'd like to buy one of the new FN Winchester Model 70s in 30-06 for my next rifle, if I can ever find one in my area.

[WA Mtnhunter]

.35 Whelen except where long range shots greater than 300+ yards are the rule, although I killed a bull elk at 308 measured yards with it, bang, flop. Plenty of gas for big bears at close range as well.