Your favorite hunting rifle of all time

[TroyF]

There's a bunch of rifles I really like but probably a 98 mauser. Still on the hunt for the perfect rifle, only if I had the money to build it.

 

[cash_tx]

This can be a very tough question to answer depending on the day and the mood I'm in, but my most frequent answer would be this heavy-barreled FN 1952 in .270 Winchester fitted by my late father with a nice Walnut stock and a Timney trigger that I installed after inheriting it from him. The current optics are a Bausch & Lomb Balvar 8A 2.5-8X, but I have plans for upgrading that in the next few months. I'm still doing a hand load workup using Hornady 130gr. SST's and IMR-4451 powder, and to the point of figuring out the right seating depth (currently getting about 3/4-1 MOA). This rifle fits me very well, and just feels perfectly at home in my hands.

 

[daawg1963]

Apologies if this has been done before.
It's a tough question to answer when you start thinking about it, particularly if you've hunted for a few years and owned a few rifles.
I:ve had some fine wood / blued classic hunting rifles including Sako, Heym and Varberger. But for me, it's my Winchester M70 Extreme Weather 30-06; an uncommon rifle in the UK, but I love the reliability, accuracy, balance and smooth action. Another major bonus is it's ruggedness, whether I'm in the heat and dust of Africa or on a Scottish mountain in the snow and rain.

378 mark 5

 

[steve white]

1950 Mannlicher-Schoenauer 30'06 with 3-12x56 Zeiss HT scope

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

378 mark 5

@daawg1963
Ouch.

 

[Vinootz]

Model 1956 Mannlicher (30-06). I retired it now and just admire it when I’m in the mood to handle a firearm made of across the board quality. Likely the smoothest action ever made. I can tilt the front end of the rifle down just a bit, and it slides into a closed position (extraordinary!). My WWll K98K Mauser runs a close second. The Mauser action is likely the strongest and best action ever designed. But like I usually respond when asked about my favorites or best : it’s hard to have favorites or consider something the best with so much variety.

 

[daawg1963]

@daawg1963
Ouch.

indeed Bob , on both ends , i use night force so the scope weight tames it down a bit

 

[Hunter-Habib]

My Churchill Gunmakers Model Deluxe 7x57mm Mauser

 

[Jay Kelley]

My favorite is still a Winchester 94 in .30-30. I have a scoped .30-06 and a .375 H&H, both of which will take game I could not take with the .30-30, but the old Winchester is still the go-to rifle in my truck when confronted with hogs, coyotes or other pests. The rifle also has some sentimental value as it was a Christmas present from my stepfather that I received after he had died.

 

[Sika98k]

My favourite rifle ? A hard choice between my Mannlicher Schonauer stutzen in 308 or my TT Proctor, a Mauser action barrelled in 7x57.

 

[MS 9x56]

My favourite rifle ? A hard choice between my Mannlicher Schonauer stutzen in 308 or my TT Proctor, a Mauser action barrelled in 7x57.

Great choices. Haven’t had my 7x57 long enough yet to elevate it to most favored status but my 1905 MS is definitely there.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

#1 favorite is my Rigby Highland Stalker in 30-06. It has quite a few extras added such as upgraded wood, bolt peep sight and CCH in all the right places.

Others that have become favorites through the bonds of hunting are:
Rigby Big Game in 416 Rigby
Merkel 141E double in 9.3x74R
Merkel K3 in 30-06

Safe hunting

 

[yamoon]

My favorite hunting cartridge is 8x57, I have 3 rifles chambered for it, 2 Mauser sporters with 318 bore and a model Burno

 

[yamoon]

To finish the above, a Brno Mauser 1948 21F.
Mike

 

[Lungshot202]

I have lots of rifles in lots of different calibers but if I had to pick just one of my guns I’d probably keep my Winchester 70 extreme weather 30-06.

 

[Tcap]

Winchester 94

 

[Lungshot202]

My favorite hunting cartridge is 8x57, I have 3 rifles chambered for it, 2 Mauser sporters with 318 bore and a model Burno

I have never shot a 8x57 before, do you reload for it ?

 

[Vinootz]

My favorite hunting cartridge is 8x57, I have 3 rifles chambered for it, 2 Mauser sporters with 318 bore and a model Burno

I’m still trying to figure out how a 30-06 guy like myself has ended up with three 8mm rifles; especially that they have equivalent performance. 8mm is one of the original metallic cartridges and is still practical . Funny, I’m considering getting a Sako85 chambered in it.

 

[Clodo Ferreira]

Hello,

I really have two right now...leaning to the last rifle I got, the one I used the least. But it fit me like a glove! Like everything about it.
Here they are:
1- Mauser (1935 Argentine Mauser-Werke action AND original military stock sporterized) in 7x57 with a SIG military barrel shortened at 60 cm.
2- BRNO ZKK 600 (1967) in 9,3x62.

 

[Velo Dog]

Fellow Hunters,

My favorite hunting rifle is my Brno 602 Magnum, caliber .375 H&H.
It looks identical to Clodo Fierreira’s two bottom photos, shown in his post, just above my post here now.
Well, except that my scope is a little different.
Mine is a now sadly discontinued, simple and rugged Zeiss 4x, (in Alaska Arms lever rings as well).

If I was stuck with but one rifle to wander willy-nilly over the earth with, my described Brno .375 would be the one.
Clodo, your 7x57 is also a very fine looking rifle, much to my liking.
Great minds think alike.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.