OP, when you say "do it all hunting rifle," what exactly do you want to hunt and where? I'd say figure that out first and then plan your rifle build/purchase from there. The type of cartridge and rifle you chose will depend heavily on the answers to those questions. For example, a person hunting elk in open terrain of the Rockies, will want lightweight, scoped mountain rifle chambered in something like 300 WM or .30-06 (those are 2 examples). Someone hunting white tail in the densely vegetated northeast will probably be just fine with a rifle chambered in a lighter cartridge and may not even need a scope. Someone hunting dall sheep in Alaska is going to want an absolute tack driver. The rifle used for predator or rodent control is probably going to need a little bit of a thicker barrel to deal with the heat from multiple shots.
I can tell you from personal experience that a target/tactical rifle (like a Remington 700 5r) is not a good choice for a general purpose hunting rifle; that will prove to be far too heavy for hunting remote areas. You need just enough barrel thickness to get off 1 cold bore shot, and maybe 1-2 additional follow-up shots; the extra thickness on the 5r barrel is unnecessary weight (at least when it comes to most hunting applications). Likewise the scope, chassis and any extra accessories should be kept to a bare minimum for a hunting rifle....the ounces add up on long hikes.
Depending on where you plan to hunt, there may be some cartridges and setup's that are better suited to your needs. Two very versatile, and widely available, cartridges are .308 and .30-06. .308 can be suitable for all types of medium game and, with the right loads, can take down big game (elk, black bear) and even animals as big as Moose, though it isn't preferred for dangerous big game (brown bear, African predators). .30-06 is also suitable for most types of medium and bigger game, and some consider that cartridge to be a bare minimum for big predators (brown bear). There are obviously other cartridges which are much better at taking down the big end of the big game spectrum, but they will also be somewhat impractical for hunting smaller-sized game (more recoil, more expensive ammo, more meat damage). If you want a versatile hunting rifle, don't go overboard with the cartridge. Get a moderate, yet flexible, cartridge. You can always get a separate rifle for the ultra big and dangerous game if you get into that aspect of hunting down the road.
I can tell you from personal experience that a target/tactical rifle (like a Remington 700 5r) is not a good choice for a general purpose hunting rifle; that will prove to be far too heavy for hunting remote areas. You need just enough barrel thickness to get off 1 cold bore shot, and maybe 1-2 additional follow-up shots; the extra thickness on the 5r barrel is unnecessary weight (at least when it comes to most hunting applications). Likewise the scope, chassis and any extra accessories should be kept to a bare minimum for a hunting rifle....the ounces add up on long hikes.
Depending on where you plan to hunt, there may be some cartridges and setup's that are better suited to your needs. Two very versatile, and widely available, cartridges are .308 and .30-06. .308 can be suitable for all types of medium game and, with the right loads, can take down big game (elk, black bear) and even animals as big as Moose, though it isn't preferred for dangerous big game (brown bear, African predators). .30-06 is also suitable for most types of medium and bigger game, and some consider that cartridge to be a bare minimum for big predators (brown bear). There are obviously other cartridges which are much better at taking down the big end of the big game spectrum, but they will also be somewhat impractical for hunting smaller-sized game (more recoil, more expensive ammo, more meat damage). If you want a versatile hunting rifle, don't go overboard with the cartridge. Get a moderate, yet flexible, cartridge. You can always get a separate rifle for the ultra big and dangerous game if you get into that aspect of hunting down the road.
Last edited:
