Damn.
A second rifle for a Magnum rifle owner
- Thread starter 2rocky
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Brian in Montana
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Of the choices I went .308 but was wondering why no .270?
Don Fischer
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Probably could be a long list for second cartridges but one I'd want aside from the 300 mag, I'd never own one, would be a 25-06. Have two 243's and one 25-06 and would take the 25-06 any day over a 243 for shooting big game. My 243's are fun to shoot and do knock the stuffing out of coyote's! Getting anther rifle would be no problem for me, I'm single! 
Scarey
Well-known member
Voted 7mm-08, I own a Ruger M77 MKII stainless and just love shooting it. My other rifle is a Ruger M77 MKII .280 Rem. stainless. If I had to pick up another rifle I would probably look for something in a lever action 45-70 or .308.
zach_destroys
Active member
I love my 7mm-08, I don't think it is ever a bad choice.
I'll get into the .264 cal world before long but I'm not done with my current .257 obsession yet.
I'll get into the .264 cal world before long but I'm not done with my current .257 obsession yet.
6mm Remington
Well-known member
I see your dilemma and it certainly warrants a 6mm Remington to fill that awful void that you got going on there! If you really want to complete it, besides the 6mm you should have an 8mm Mauser! All from the same stock pool.
Baby steps. Besides, I’ve been jonesing for a #1 for a while. Two birds and all that.
Btw. I finally remembered the whole thread basis. I’d keep the 223. Perfect for gophers and coyotes. Inexpensive target practice. Enough to shoot distances that get interesting, and show up errors in form, light enough recoil to show that you don’t need a magnum for everything. However, they do have their place.
buffybr
Well-known member
I didn't vote.
I've been an elk hunter since my second year of hunting, and have always favored a .30 caliber for elk. I started with a .30-06, after about 10 years had it re-chambered to .30 Gibbs, and my favorite elk rifle now is my .300 Weatherby.
Since about 1978 my favorite rifle for critters smaller than elk has been my .257 Ackley. I've also had a .22-250 in that same time period for varmints.
About 5 years ago, my BIL passed and my sister gave me his Rock River Arms Fred Eichler Model .223 AR. It's fun to shoot and is accurate, but being a bolt action man, I bought a .223 Weatherby Vanguard, mainly for plinking at our range gongs out to 430 yards. It shoots MOA out to that distance, but with ear muffs, it's hard to hear hits with those little 55 grain bullets on the 430 yard steel. It's a great practice round with very little recoil, and my reloads only cost about 15 cents each. So for the OP's question, keep the .223.
For the other cartridges listed on the poll, I would drop the .30-06 as it is too close to a .300 magnum, and the other 4 are almost a toss-up. The .243 Win, 7-08, and .308 have the same length case and the 6.5 CM case is less than 1/10" shorter, so powder capacity is almost the same in all 4. There is only 0.055" difference in bullet diameters between the .243 and the .308. The lighter bullets in the .243 should have the least recoil, and the heavier bullets in the .308 gives it the heaviest recoil. The 6.5 and 7 mm bullets have the highest Ballistic Coefficients for long range shooting, but the 7-08 case does not have enough powder capacity for the full potential with the heaviest 7 mm bullets.
A few years ago my answer to this question was another Weatherby Vanguard in .308 Win. My reloads cost less than 50 cents each, they shoot MOA out to our 430 yard gong and they hit it hard enough that I can hear the hits with my ear muffs on. With it's stainless barrel and action and plastic stock, it also makes a good foul weather rifle.
I've been an elk hunter since my second year of hunting, and have always favored a .30 caliber for elk. I started with a .30-06, after about 10 years had it re-chambered to .30 Gibbs, and my favorite elk rifle now is my .300 Weatherby.
Since about 1978 my favorite rifle for critters smaller than elk has been my .257 Ackley. I've also had a .22-250 in that same time period for varmints.
About 5 years ago, my BIL passed and my sister gave me his Rock River Arms Fred Eichler Model .223 AR. It's fun to shoot and is accurate, but being a bolt action man, I bought a .223 Weatherby Vanguard, mainly for plinking at our range gongs out to 430 yards. It shoots MOA out to that distance, but with ear muffs, it's hard to hear hits with those little 55 grain bullets on the 430 yard steel. It's a great practice round with very little recoil, and my reloads only cost about 15 cents each. So for the OP's question, keep the .223.
For the other cartridges listed on the poll, I would drop the .30-06 as it is too close to a .300 magnum, and the other 4 are almost a toss-up. The .243 Win, 7-08, and .308 have the same length case and the 6.5 CM case is less than 1/10" shorter, so powder capacity is almost the same in all 4. There is only 0.055" difference in bullet diameters between the .243 and the .308. The lighter bullets in the .243 should have the least recoil, and the heavier bullets in the .308 gives it the heaviest recoil. The 6.5 and 7 mm bullets have the highest Ballistic Coefficients for long range shooting, but the 7-08 case does not have enough powder capacity for the full potential with the heaviest 7 mm bullets.
A few years ago my answer to this question was another Weatherby Vanguard in .308 Win. My reloads cost less than 50 cents each, they shoot MOA out to our 430 yard gong and they hit it hard enough that I can hear the hits with my ear muffs on. With it's stainless barrel and action and plastic stock, it also makes a good foul weather rifle.
2rocky
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My childless uncle has my Grandfather's Pre 64 model 70. I'm counting on inheriting it. (I could borrow it 11 months a year)
Taxed in Maine
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I voted 6.5CM, but when I made this choice 20 years ago, it was a 25-06.
Highly recommend considering it as a choice as well.
Highly recommend considering it as a choice as well.
