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Choose your 5 ideal longarms & cals for your Aussie hunting

12K views 48 replies 16 participants last post by  Stoffa 
#1 ·
There was apparently a magazine article in a US magazine and they described "5 Perfect Rifles for Nth American Game".
Now since we don't hunt in the USA(unless we win a mozza on the Melbourne Cup or Lotto) I thought I'd propose a different concept. :)
I'd like everyone to choose their 5 ideal longarms(shotguns, rifles, combos, etc.).
Although some of us(one of us actually) are fortunate enough to use handguns for hunting the reality of hunting in Australia is longarms of the non semi-auto variety. :(
So pick your five.
They can be the ones you use already, the ones you'd like to own or a combination.
And if you don't hunt dangerous game like buffs and scrub bull then fell free to omit arms suitable for such game from you list.
Remember this is for YOUR hunting and the priorities are yours.
For non-Aussie list members, feel free to state the 5 longarms they would choose for their hunting circumstances.
Go to it lads! ;)
 
#2 · (Edited)
I've been a little remiss haven't I, not even completing my own thread! :eek:
Well, here are my cartridges/longarms of choice....

  • .22LR bolt action repeater......mine's a little scoped Anschutz 1400 but any accurate bolt repeater is ideal; perfect for bunnies & hares and possibly even suitable for headshooting foxes at close range.
  • .25-20 Cadet Martini......Good for midrange small game and predator work and with a 87gn will even dispatch a goat at close range. A 17 Ackley Hornet, .22 K-Hornet, .218 Bee or .222 Rimmed are also suitable in this although the larger cal and bullet mass of the 25-20 are an advantage on medium.
  • 303/25 SMLE No1 MkIII......This is a cracker of a rifle for roos, goats and pigs. The limitations of the normal 1:12 bbl twist means a maximum effective bullet mass of 100gn but even loaded mild in a SMLE action this is quite capable of serious damage to ferals. If you have a M98 or P14 chambered to this get ready for 257 Roberts performance.
  • 8x57 M98......Possible the most underrated military cartridge easily available. With bullet weights available to the reloader from 125gn to 250gn there is little on this continent it can't take with ease, especially loaded up to 50,000psi. Better than a 308 and comparative to a 30-06 with the extra 15 thou bore diameter.
  • 9.3x62 bolt action or 9.3x74R Pedersoli double rifle......I don't have either of these but I'd like one and may get one day. Ballistically identical and the South African farmer's no-fuss alternative to the 375H&H, these are quite capable of most big game although I'd be careful to place my shot on a buff or scrub bull as it isn't quite up the H&H in power. Great though for sambar, big pigs, camel and other big nasties.

But why limit oneself to 5. :p
Chuck in some Martinis in .303 Brit and 40-65 Win and a 7x57 Mauser 98 would be nice too. :)
And that's not mentioning a Cadet or 2 in 44 Mag and a 6.5mm-25/35 wildcat. ;)
A drilling in 7x65R/12g/12g would be tops but this would be a serious Lotto win......$6000!! :eek: :(
 
#3 ·
I dont think i need 5

1/ .22 lr Marlin leveraction

2/ 218 bee marlin leveraction

3/ 30-30 marlin leveraction

Theres nothing walking in this country that i couldnt stop with one of those 3 unless someone lets an elephant out of Perth zoo and even then a couple of quick heavy bullets out of the 30-30 behind the ear will give it a real unhealthy feeling.

All I need now is for Marlin to do another production run on their 218s so I can grab a new one cause the old ones are like hens teeth.

Bob
 
#5 ·
OK Andy I'll play the Game !

.22lr Fieldman or CZ (Bruno )

22 Hornet sutible for Rabbits ,Foxes,Goats (once a camel just to prove a point but not recomended ) Roos when it was still a legal Cal to shoot em with

30-30 for Pigs, goats. camel .

25 cal 25-303 being my choice But I firmly belive that the 25 cal Range is sutible for any realistic game the average shooter is going to hunt in Australia excluding Sambar, Scrub Bulls & Buff !

.303 Brit anything that moves (in the hands of a experianced shooter )

45-70 for large & Nasties

Dave
 
#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
Haven't been ..proably never will...but some things are just universal:
1. .22LR (becasues some critters are small and taste good).
2. 12ga. (becasue some things fly)
Both of these let you choose whttever action type pleases you.

That was easy, EVERY list I've seen should have started with those two...and if you ad a slug barrel, can take care f a lot of game. But most of us like having many guns as opposed to two guns (or one if you go with a combination gun):

3. Something for the long range shots at small critters. In the US, becasue of the cheapness of ammo and components, and the hunting situation were shooting a couple of hundered rounds in a day, would go with the .223 in a medium-heavy weight bolt gun.
4. Something for the longer range shots at larger critters. "Long range" has to take in account the shooter's ability and ethics; some of us are perfectly happy with the 30-06 while others want to hot-load thier .50BMG. I'll take an 8 pound the 30-06 bol gun... in Au. might consider other rounds based on availability.
5. Something for a short range smasher. Nothing does this job better than large caliber heavy bullets...45/70 is common here and does a good job up close.
 
#7 ·
Let's see,

1. .22lr Martini small game for camp fare.

2. .357 Max. in Martini Cadet. Up to Deer size.

3. .41 Mag. Marlin 1894

4. .444 Marlin on Siamese Mauser. Good for anyting

5. 12Ga O/U Beretta. For anything that flies. with a good supply of barrel liners in 16Ga, 20 Ga,28Ga and .410Ga, as well as liners for .303 Brit,. 7.62 x 39, 30/30 Win., 45/70, .38 Special, and 9mm Para., .32/20. and .223 Rem.

That should handle all of my hunting needs if restricted from having any more than five.

Lee L.
 
#8 ·
Hmmmmm------

Think I'd include my .22LR Kimber bolt gun

A customized P-17 in 6mm/284

The modified Swede in 6.5x257 AI

A rebarreled Ruger 77 in 7mm Dakota

The trusty Browning Citori in 12 ga.

These would take anything walking around on 4 legs or hopping on 2 in your beautiful country.
 
#9 ·
M1894 said:
2. .357 Max. in Martini Cadet. Up to Deer size.
How easily does this cartridge fit into a Cadet?
I've been told you have to remove a little metal from the top of the chamber to get it to go in.
Is this true?
M1894 said:
5. 12Ga O/U Beretta. For anything that flies. with a good supply of barrel liners in 16Ga, 20 Ga,28Ga and .410Ga, as well as liners for .303 Brit,. 7.62 x 39, 30/30 Win., 45/70, .38 Special, and 9mm Para., .32/20. and .223 Rem.
Where do you get barrel liners for your shotgun?
How much do they cost you?
 
#10 ·
I will choose a .22 rimfire bolt action as a must have along with a 12 gauge double barrel.

Then I want 3 Ruger #1's in the following calibers. .22 Hornet, 7x57 Mauser, and 45-70 government. I want these three all as identical as possible except for scope magnification range.
Cheezywan
 
#11 ·
kombi1976 said:
How easily does this cartridge fit into a Cadet?
I've been told you have to remove a little metal from the top of the chamber to get it to go in.
Is this true?

Where do you get barrel liners for your shotgun?
How much do they cost you?
Had to remove metal from the loading trough on the breach block for the maximum. Since this was a take down version also made barrels in .25 Copperhead (rimmed version) and .256 winchester. All three use the same head and rim diameter, so no changing of extractor is required. The action will also handle the .222R. Also removed metal from the rt sidewall for use with low mounted Scopes.(Lower breach block and rmove sidewall metal to same contour as the edge of breach block.)

Shotgun barrels for 20Ga, 28Ga, and .410Ga were purchased along with shotgun as a set, while stationed in Italy. Check out this site for the rifled barrel liners. www.mcae.com they are 18" long and cost $95.00 plus S&H. They can also be purchased to fit 20Ga frames as well.

Lee L.
 
#12 ·
wow i really like this game too!
every 12 months or so there is an article in a gun magazine which basically assesses all suitable calibres as which may allow "the one gun hunter" to take all game in oz.
i like the idea of 5 instead of 1. just a lot more room to play around with.
Kombi good thread to start. my god you love your military cartridges dont ya? good on you, i would love to start reloading and doing a heap of tinkering which i guess comes with the territory and trying to squeeze out the extra 100fps and .5' group.
gundownunder i think its great you can solve all your feral issues with 3 guns.
dave, what can i say? from things you have done/said in the forums you seem cheeky and sly enough to pass as a wise old red coat and this post is no exception either. if my counting serves me correctly you took 6 guns to get the job done! oh dave when are you going to conform and stop cheating? he he ;) ! keep it up dave. :p
ribbonstone, a 22lr and a shottie solve most feral probs with the right loadings (SSG's/buckshot and slugs). i do like the idea of the 50BMG tho i mean just for those 'tough' rabbits. or as crocodile dundee explains to a reporter why he has bullet shells in his boat "baramundee is a bloody big fish". not really relevent bu i thought it was hilarious.
m1894's choices seem intersting even if i havent heard of a few, same for kdub.
cheezywan's philosophy on the ruger no.1s is great. beautiful looking gun i wouldnt mind one in 223 or the like.
although not having as wide as experience in the field with as many calibres as you older folk (read "more knoweledgable" here ;) ) i'll play along with what i have read/recall from my limited time with my small calibre diversity.

1. i love my cz 22mag the only firearm i own (well i just aquired an old chinese air rifle the other day). even if i have had troubles with it in the past. either this in 22mag or lr will cover most of my small animal needs.

2. 12ga is universal same as the guys before said; for things that fly or are small and run really quickly. seen a few 'coach guns' loaded with buckshot take a few porkers off their feet

3. i would like a 223 for some medium range rabbit/fox stuff under the spotlight, also for roos (i'll be joining up the SSAA soon)

4. need a 30/30 for close range porker stopping and fast 'n' fun action

5. i would really like something a bit bigger for some deer hunting which i will get into at some stage when i get some free time. deer up the size of sambar so i can combine fly fishing trips to our victorian high country with deer stalking trips. im leaning towards one of the new 270wsm of 300wsm and this would double as an all round pig/deer/goat rifle. and handle the cape buff i would love to chase one day.
maybe as small as a 270 win (min cal for sambar) cos shooting the magums any more than 4-5 shots makes the hunting trip much like my surfing trips (me ending up black and blue and in a great deal of pain and wishing i was in an armchair :D - still good fun tho).


hey guys has kamate popped in anytime recently? is he busy fixing those military rifle he gets to play with all day?
cheers and happy hunting/shooting


lockie ;)
 
#13 ·
1. 22LR ... because no arsenal is complete without it. Cheap, fun, accurate, and hard to beat as a varmint rifle or just plinking.

2. 308 Winchester ... powerful enough to take most game with proper bullet choice, accurate and mild recoil. As has been argued before, it's an efficient cartridge and in a short action. Of course, one can squeeze a little more out of the 30-06, but it's a long action and not quite as handy. Either of these cartridges are cheap and plentiful for factory ammo, and one need not elaborate for handloaders. Hard to go wrong with either, it all boils down to a hair's width of preference.

3. 444 Marlin ... because I wanted one ever since I learned of its existence. Big bore cartridge with the muscle to put down any game in North America with authority. Load it up or down as desired with a wide array of bullet weights to choose from. Leverguns available from Marlin or used in a Winchester. The XLR is a nice package as well

4. 12 gauge ... ribbonstone said it well in his post

Hmm, I think those would really do it .... but, there are several more I like just BECAUSE :D ...

They would be:

257 Roberts ... this is a sweet flat-shooting, very mild recoil cartridge for deer hunting. Used to have this in a Remington bolt action. Wish I had it back :rolleyes:. Ruger still chambers this cartridge in its standard M77 Mark II bolt gun.

348 Winchester .... because it comes in one of the coolest leverguns ever, the Winchester Model 71 ... hoping to find someone who is clueless with it for sale :p, that or one of the Browning clones

358 Winchester ... Although not the longest range cartridge, it shoots far enough and with a wallop. Browning chambers this in an interesting package now with its shot show verision of the BLR with gray laminate, pistol grip stock and satin stainless bbl. Elsewise look for an old Savage 99, Winchester 88, regular BLR or custom bolt gun.

Amongst the Magnums, the two I find most appealing are the 350 Remington Magnum and the 325 WSM. But I don't really have a magnum craving.

44 Magnum ... a Marlin 1894 or 336-44 would make a nice carbine-pistol matchup with a Ruger Super Blackhawk with Bisley grip

45/70 Govt ... would like to have one on principle. Pretty much overlaps with the 444's territory, but can lob some heavier bullets with it.

And though I don't ever expect to do an African safari, a 375 H&H and 458 Winchester to handle the big nasties if I ever had the opportunity.
 
#15 ·
oh dave when are you going to conform and stop cheating?


Conform????? Stop cheating ????????

I'll do that when Jack Boot Johnny (A) admits to being a woman trapped in a dwaff's body & Goes out & buys a swag of Friearms :D :D

Dave
 
#16 · (Edited)
Thanks for the encouragement, lochie, although like Dave I usually don't need any when talking about guns. :p
As for his packing the extra one when the rest of us were limited to 5, I almost commented myself until I identified the one-upmanship and "keeping ahead of the field all cunning means" that he employs in all his activities.
He just can't help himself.
Besides, if in doubt take another gun! :D
As for the comment about military cartridges, I'm struck each time someone says that about my preferences.
For the best part of 50 years the 30-06 was the choice of cartridge for US Military, the 308 Win in it's guise as the 7.62 NATO is still a service cartridge, being the standard of military and police snipers the world over and a favourite of the Marine Corps, and the .223 Rem(or 5.56 NATO to be accurate) is the most popular military round in the Western World.
So who is REALLY a slave to mil-surp then. :confused:
O.k., so my choice of cartridge tends to be less orthodox, but both 9.3mm rounds were developed specifically for sporting as is the 7x65R, 303/25 is a parallel creation to the 25-06 and 303 Brit, 8mm and 7mm Mauser were and continue to be popular sporting cartridges in Commonwealth countries & Europe if not the USA.
I do like Cheezywan's approach though.....you could take on the world with that set up! :)
Ruger #1s are to DIE for! :rolleyes:
 
#17 ·
My .22 FWB air rifle - for back yard hunting and plinking and the odd bunny in closely settled areas.

.22RF Ruger 77/22 with AMT target barrel and 3-9X40

.44 Ruger 96/44 with 1.5 to 4.5 - for the pigs in close

6.5 Swede M38 Mauser with 6 to 18X40AO - for the long shots.

If we were allowed to have pump shotguns I'd have my 870 SPST back too.
 
#18 ·
Kombi, we must be related by different families.

I love your .303 and 8x57 choices.
I would add 6.5x55 Swede
.22Mag
and .308

I may be in a small U.S. State, but would love to shoot the outback!

I may feel the need to bring a 7mm Rem Mag. :D All the best, JP
 
#19 · (Edited)
kombi1976 said:
I do like Cheezywan's approach though.....you could take on the world with that set up! :)
Ruger #1s are to DIE for! :rolleyes:
I like the one that I have kombi. I would select a .22 L.R. and a 12 gauge Ruger #1 to complete the battery, if was offered.
All would be single-shot then. It would be "more difficullt" for governments to outlaw them by type of firearm. All would "feel" the same to me.

The "downside" is ,I could grab the wrong firearm and make a mess of my meal. I like tobassco/habenero on mine :D
Cheezywan
 
#21 ·
Dave H said:
I've Long entertained the thought of a pair of Ruger #1's in 300 H&H & a 375 H&H ...A pair of ACES ! Ah well one day maybe :)

Dave
You just like the idea of having one in each hand, shooting from the hip and saying "Hasta la vista, baby!" as you knock over a camel! :p :D
 
#22 ·
hey there guys,
yeah kombi very valid point witht the military cartridges around the place and in use by hunters. i guess it is expensive to develope a cartridge from scratch and then if there are heapsa guns/actions left over after a war/battle or when the military upgrades, all these guns fall into hunters and shooters hands. i really wish that this was still the case in australia tho. i would loved to have held an skk or sks in my hot little hands for close range pigging and goats. i have mates who reminisce about the ol' times with their old "rattle guns" by their sides and also m1s which our american mates can still 'play' with.
i guess we are just left with the old mauser bolts and the like or we can get new rifles rechambered to the cartridge of choice (cos i guess there are only automatic firearms used by law enforcement and military use nowadays).
good on ya kombi tho for keeping them alive and putting them to good use. it does appeal to me to play around with the old military cals. i went into a couple of gun shops around melbourne yesterday and looked at a fair few shotguns cos a group of mates have banded together to get me one for my 21st present. CHAMPIONS :D ! talk about getting me a present that will get some use! anyways saw a few that i like might get a nice over and under, 1st or 2nd hand not sure but there were a few old berettas that just wanted to belong in my hands when out whistling for foxes or spending an arvo on the rabbits. sorry sidetracked again. had a look at some old enfields and fell in love with them. a bit hefty but would be an unreal goat stopper and id love to throw a bit of lead downrange to some targets just to improve my heavier calibre shooting skills! just thought id let ya know you sorta inspired me to actually have a look see at what my grandpa toted round the jungles of new guineau. i think i will get one, just a question of when.
cheers guys and if you can make it into the field anytime soon fire off a few shots for me.
oh and dave just to let ya know, i dont think i had yet, but thanks for steering me in the right direction with the bushnell. i got a bushnell banner in matt 4-12X only had a small chance to run one type of ammo through my 22wmr which was 40 grn pmc predators and since the new scope and mounts and all the bedding and trigger work i did to rectify my previous poor workmanship and terible tasco scope i shot several five shot ONE, thats right ill say it again ONE hole groups at fifty metres!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D ;) :p !!! HAPPY. now its just a matter of putting a couple more types of ammo through it and once more i will love it to death and the rabbits will too hopefully! (insert evil laughter here).
i have gotta stop rambling. i guess i too dont really need much encouragement to when it comes to hunting/firearms.
cheers guys.

lockie
 
#24 ·
Nice pick, wharf.
The whole choice is pretty Oz since Brnos are popular, particularly the Mod 2, and the calibres are regular choices.
Nice to see the Lithgow made the cut. ;)
BTW, lockie, can you introduce me to your mates.
I'd love a nice shottie, although make it a cased BSA Royal sxs. :D
 
#25 ·
I love milsurp firearms mate,It was a hard choice to put my 22/250 over my 303/25.I recently got my 303/25 going.I bought the rifle without a bolt,Bought a bolt of ebay.You wouldnt believe it,The headspace was spot on.Then I started with a load from the adi book,starting load and its dynamite.38gns of AR2209 with a magnum primer,and a 87gn sierra SP.I didnt have any data on the case lengths so trimmed the cases to 303 lengths.I think they should be shorter than what they are now.Does anyone know how long to trim the cases?
 
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