Long range big game rifle

[skier11]

I'm interested in purchasing a rifle that would be considered for "big game and long range" hunting in a semi-automatic. Does anyone have suggestions on good calibers and models of rifles?

 

[42769vette]

alot of your big game guns only come in bolt action but if you were open to bolt action i highly recomend a 300 wby you can get factory ammo as light as 150 gr mabye smaller and as big as 220 mabye bigger so it covers a wide range of hunting opportunity

 

[Field King]

Think " BOLT ACTION" for best results, semi-auto may be good but for the BEST results think bolt action!

 

[Slab]

I know where a 308 and 30-06 semi is. price isnt bad, just wasnt for me.

 

[melensdad]

Have you considered the 6.5 Grendel in the AR15 platform?

Mark LaRue, owner of LaRue Tactical has used one for both Moose and Elk. He shot his Elk at roughly 465 yards and dropped it with 1 bullet that shot through and through both shoulders. There are pictures of his Elk hunt scattered around several sights on the internet.

The AR10 platform opens more possibilities. 6.5 Creedmore and 260 Remington would be better choices for long range but at the disadvantage is the longer and heavier rifle you'd be toting around.

 

[BIG TIM]

I have no suggestions on model or caliber, but I think Weatherby makes a model and caliber for about everything. I also think they make some gorgeous stocks on many older ones i've seen. They advertise their newer synthetic stock models as fairly inexpensive. I think they are also an industry leader in accuracy. Weatherby is the way I would go.

 

[fireball168]

I'm interested in purchasing a rifle that would be considered for "big game and long range" hunting in a semi-automatic.

You need to more fully define what your intended game is to deterrmine what kind of impact energy you require.

Then you need to define what you consider long range to determine what kind of accuracy you'll require.

 

[Panama]

I think there is one and only one question that needs to be asked that will determine "THE" gun for your needs/wants!

How much are you willing to, or can you spend?

Money means everything and size matters in dollars and caliber!

 

[melensdad]

You need to more fully define what your intended game is to deterrmine what kind of impact energy you require.

Then you need to define what you consider long range to determine what kind of accuracy you'll require.

Added to your questions, is the OP willing to handload wildcats? Does the OP require the 'big game' to be shot here in the state of Indiana?

If so then our Indiana deer hunting regulations would come into play and the gun would have to be built around something that is Hoosier deer legal.

(Semi-auto wildcats like the 35 Gremlin, 357 WSSM or factory rolled 458 Socom all come to mind as Indiana big game legal, but only the 357 WSSM would be considered remotely a 'long range' cartridge as the others would probably have 200 yard practical limits???)​

 

[Marc]

semi auto and big caliber... sounds like an m14 to me. rendezvous guns shop in green field has 2 of them and they also have an m1d, thats for semi auto. now as for bolt i would go with 30-06, .308, or 300 winmag.


thats me though. everyone is different.

 

[chipdog4]

Armalite AR10 in 338 Federal.

 

[skier11]

Thank you all! Keep em coming, I'm looking at all possibilities!

 

[KDUBCR250]

7mm Mag or 300 WinMag in a blot gun for large game at long range IMO

 

[skier11]

Long Range Big Game Rifle?

I just bought a 1965 model Remington 742 Woodsmaster in 30-06. With a Leupold scope. It's a creampuff. Looks like it just rolled out of the factory. It could be a piece of junk. I don't know the history of these. Does anyone know much about them?....Good, Bad, Ugly??? Thanks in advance!

 

[Splagt]

Long range/big game semi auto

I have a pair of Browning BAR rifles, semi auto sporting rifles with real wood and blued metal, even a little engraving on the Safari grade. One is chambered for 7mm Magnum, the other for .338 Win Magnum. Sufficient for all North American big game with the possible exception of the Brown bears. Even the .338 seems a little puny for them.
Prices are quite reasonable, compared to some of the suggestions floated. You must remember that most state game laws require a magazine limit, usually not more than four rounds in the weapon. Large capacity mags are useless.

 

[tyler34]

I think there is one and only one question that needs to be asked that will determine "THE" gun for your needs/wants!

How much are you willing to, or can you spend?

Money means everything and size matters in dollars and caliber!

ummm are those all yours? if so I think you might be a long lost brother of mine lets meet at your place and discuss over rifles.

 

[melensdad]

I have a pair of Browning BAR rifles, semi auto sporting rifles with real wood and blued metal.
...
Large capacity mags are useless.

Actually some states like Pennsylvania don't permit even your BAR because they don't allow any semi-auto guns.

As for 'large capacity' magazines, it should be noted that most hunting magazine fed semi-autos also offer 'low capacity' magazines specifically to comply with hunting regulations.

All that said, the BAR is a very fine rifle indeed.

 

[jeremy]

.270 Win Your choice of manufacturer. Very capable and it is allowed in most hunter friendly states.

 

[singlestacksig]

anything 6 mm or larger will work for anything in N.A. ..
how "Big Game" are you thinking ?

 

[Disposable Heart]

For a good, african grade rifle that is a semi, the BAR or Benelli's entry into that realm have been tested to great effect. They will parallel, maybe even exceed the cost of a similar AR10 in a smaller, but more part availability weapon (not to mention higher resale ability, lots of guys I have seen come back from someplace strange trying to sell their BAR, not getting much for it, an AR10 would circumvent that).

Bolt actions rule in africa (for BIG game, nothing in America other than bear or HUGE elk should need more than .308, .270, etc...). Now, my grandfather's bolt action .460 Weatherby he gave me should be able to handle any elephant or similar beast . Now, I only need an animal to break out of the zoo... Albeit at the cost of horrible blast and recoil. Therein is the issue with lots of "big game" rifles. I have shot many rifles of these types, but most of the owners really dont understand their usage or bought it just to go boom. If you get a rifle that is African grade, first thing's first. Go find one that someone else owns, shoot it before buying the gun to begin with. Then spend alot of trigger time getting aclimated to the rifle and it's charecteristics. This means some prone or bench, but specifically, most if not all of your time should be spent unsupported. When do you ever shoot an animal supported? Also, reload for it. Make it accurate, measure every round, weigh each case, make each round count. Remember, some of these large animals are not fun to be around if they are wounded. Put them down clean, approach with caution.