Best All-Round Rifle?

What Is A Better All-Round Rifle? (In Your Opinion)

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    72
Ruan Bouwer

Ruan Bouwer

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Hello guys! It's Ruan here. Please go read my latest hunting story - Warthog Hunt: Birthday Special. So I wanted to ask for some advice. I have been looking for a good all-round, long range rifle. It would have to be able to take at least a kudu/elk down, but it should not be too big. Dad has a Ruger 7x57 & a Pre 64 H&H .375 - I have been looking at a .243 and a .270 - both are about the same price. $670 approx. So I still need to buy the scope and stuff, and it will be my gun, but my dad will put it on my name when I'm 18 - only 4 years left. So can I have some opinions? Ammo? Grain? Velocity? What is the difference between .270 Win and WSM? etc. Which would be better for an all-round rifle? Both are about $650-680. I am collecting the parts, like the scope I will maybe get for Christmas, and I'm saving up to buy some more accessories. Any ideas on this? Thanks guys!
 
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I would go with the .270. For hunting it can simply do more, in my opinion. Although I love the .243 and it will always hold a special place in my heart. I've certainly taken a bunch of deer with that caliber.

As for a bullet, I love the Barnes TTSX. If it shoots well from your rifle it is absolutely devastating. The 130 grain pushes around 3000 fps to my recollection, from factory loads. There are a bunch of quality bullets out there though.
 
I own a .243, .270 Win, 270 WSM, 7x57 and 7mm Rem Mag. I would grab the 7mm Rem Mag first and then the 7x57...right down the line as the best all round gun.
 
id be leaning more toward the 7mm rem mag ,too ruan,
the 270 is a great calibre,but evry one l know that hunts our samba deer ,here in Australia with the .270
seem to be out looking for their deer ,after the shot more than any other calibre (this is only my observation , and plenty of people iknow have argued this is incorrect)
its also the smallest calibre you can legally hunt samba deer with in oz.....
 
well you seem to do very well with your dads 7x57, so why not get one as well? :)
 
Ruan;
Between those two, go with the 270, just a lot more capable for what you are asking to do with it. The 243 at 300 yards will be around 1200 ft pounds energy and 7 inches drop. The 270 will be more like 1900 ft pounds and under 6" drop at 300 yards.

http://www.hornady.com/assets/files/ballistics/2014-Standard-Ballistics.pdf

A few other things to think about.

1. Get a 7x57 and when older a 375 and then you can shoot the same ammo as your dad. The 7x57 is going to be roughly 1500 ft pounds and 8" drop at 300 yards. Between those 2, you can hunt about anything in the World... Although the 7 mm rem mag would give more reach for things like mountain game.

2. The 7mm rem mag will get you more like 2250 and under 6". But more recoil, I'm betting you can handle it.

3. A 30-06 will get you 165 grain bullet to 2000 ft pounds and 7" drop at 300 yards. But will also be the most flexible with bullet weights, etc. And ammo available the World over. The 30-06 and 375 H & H would be hard to beat for great flexibility the World over.

4. If you want something to compliment your dad's guns and take it up a notch, consider a 7mm rem mag or a 300 win mag and later a 416 or 458.

The 243 might be a fun caliber that could also compliment all the above but on the smaller side. Or a 223? Either could be great fun for jackal, baboon, even springbuck.

Also, if you go with the 7mm rem mag, 30-06, 300 win mag.... You can load them down to reduce recoil but still be very effective.
 
Thanks for the help, guys. I like the fact that you are thinking about me getting a 7x57 and later a .375, but we both shoot them. I specifically want a nice, strong long range rifle, that can take anything up to elk. Thanks for the help ;) I have been looking at this Mossberg 4x4 .270: || http://mossberg.com/product/rifles-bolt-action-centerfire-mossberg-4x4-mossberg-4x4-scoped/27582 || Oh, and please tell me: try all the options, tell me which is better: Marine Cote, Matte Blue, and which twist? 1:10 or 1:14? Etc. Thanks! (This is the scoped one) $700 approx.
 
Hey Ruan,
I looked at the Mossberg site. If I was going to get one, I really like the looks of that Marine Cote with the laminate stock. It looks awesome and you don't have to be as concerned about weather for the barrel or the stock.
Of course, it didn't say what brand of scope comes with it, if you could afford the option of getting one unscoped (it comes with rings/bases) and get a good Nikon or Leupold in the $300 or so range, that'd be great.
For an "all around" rifle, I would prefer the 30'o6, though. Actually, the 300wsm, but you can't go wrong with a 270.
 
Go with the 243 and do not look back...
 
Why would you say so, James? Thanks for the opinion! (y)
 
Hi Ruan,
You have access to:
1. a 7X57 and a 375 H&H.
2. you are 14, i am taking 18 - 4 + 14 years of age.
3. You are providing little if any of your physical stature.
4. A 243 with a good scope ($400 or less, think Ziess or Leupold) the right bullets will take most north American game all that is needed is a precision shot.
5. I would look at Barnes and Nosler ammo for the rifle. however check Winchester, Remington and Federal out also.
6. Shots to 300 yards are make able with the 243 round. Provided you do your part with practice.

I have seen individuals take, Moose, grizzly bear, black bears, caribou, elk, antelope, mule deer and white tail deer with a 243. I think that covered the animals you are looking at going after.

Ones that you did not mention like prairie dogs, pocket gopher, fox, coyote, bob cats, wild dogs & cats are easily taken with the rifle.

Price of ammunition for a 243 is less than the 270.

The 243 is close to the 6mm and i have friends who shoot accurately to 1000 yards with their rifle. So if you reload you will find the bullets you need for the game you are going after. Not that i am telling you to shoot a deer at a 1000 yards.

Now how many 270 do you see shooting 1000 yards matches.
 
What you really want is a 6.5 creedmoor..... But good luck finding ammo in Africa. It has more energy at 500 yrds than a 243 at 300. And almost matches the 270 at 500 yards, but with very little recoil.

And it was designed for long range shooting.
 
How many .243 Wins do you see shooting 1000 yard matches?!?!
There isn't anything a .243 can do that a .270 cant do better. The .243 would be a rarely encountered cartridge on the 1000 yard circuit believe me. Most popular long range match round these days is probably the 6.5-.284. You, being in Africa, not sure how many deer and moose, bear you plan to take but the .243 is normally considered a deer/pronghorn rifle at most, of course many animals of all types have been taken with similar rounds as the .243 but lets face it, its marginal for larger than deer size critters. Max normal bullet weight of around 100grs, why not go with a bit larger round? The .270 would not be my choice, but given the option of those two, its .270 all the way.
 
Thanks for the opinions, guys!
 
As I'm searching and looking around on Google, people say that for springbok, blesbok, impala, etc. the .270 is too much gun. Well, it is nice to be sure of your shot, and let's say I go hunting in the flat Free State area, I would like to take only 1 gun - and if I am looking at a gemsbok etc., I wouldn't want to regret taking a too small caliber. It is getting a silencer, big scope etc. so it can do the long range shooting, with let's say 110gr bullets. For bigger game, the 150gr is actually more than enough. My gemsbok in my profile picture was taken with 139gr Hornady's - 1 shot clean kill, she dropped right in her tracks. So now, I am also looking at a .25-06, or a 6.5 Creedmoor. Any other affordable options under $800? The scope can go up to about $550, and the silencer would set me back about $200. Thanks! (y)
 
Better too much gun than not enough..as long as recoil is not a factor.
 
My 300 Win Mag didn't think much of any of the smaller antelope. It just zipped a 190 Boattail right through the lungs. Very little meat damage but the animal was dead right there.
 
Sestoppelman - recoil isn't a prob, I have shot with my dad's .375 and it's totally fine for me. The AimZonic Predator silencer takes a lot of the recoil away anyways! (y) Just a question about barrel twist - 1:14 vs 1:10 - which is better? Does it make a big difference? And the barrel length? Thanks!;)
 
NEW QUESTION** - just curious, .270 Win vs .270 WSM? Differences? Thanks :)
 
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