The One Rifle

[Nevadan]

I expect that next year I will be taking a job that will have me moving often and I will only be able to tote one rifle around with me.  I want it to be a good all around rifle chambered in a good all around cartridge.  What is set in stone is that it will be a falling block rifle and it will be chambered in a rimmed cartridge.
 
I considered the EABCO 97d but would prefer a more potent cartridge than is offered on that action.  This narrows it down to the 1885 Winchesters made in Japan and the Ruger No 1.  If anybody knows of another falling block rifle in the same price range I would appreciate any information.
 
As for caliber I want something that can be used for anything from paper to coyotes to the rare elk.  For that I lean towards something in the 7mm caliber.  Lately I have been looking at the 7mm STE (Shooting Times Easterner) which, I have read, has ballistics similar to the 7mm-08.  Does anybody have any experience with this cartridge?  How difficult is it to form the brass?  Is it's real world performance and accuracy really similar 7mm-08?  Any recommendations for other cartridges with similar performance?  Another thought I had on the cartridge is the 7.62x54R necked down to 7mm or 7mmx444, Has anybody tried any of these?
 
Finally, has anybody thought of using the XS/Clifton Scout Scope mount (Bottom of the page http://www.xssights.com/index.php?nID=scopemounts&cID=Scope%20Mounts&pID=scopemounts) in a single shot?  It would but the scope rail where it needs to be for the Ruger but make the barrel contour past the shank unimportant.  Anybody see any cons outside of have the mount permanently attached to the barrel.
 

Thanks
 

[Winter Hawk]

If you are going to be moving a lot, you might consider a cartridge which is easy to get anywhere.  .30-06 comes to mind immediately, especially if you reload.  I use the Lyman 310 tool mostly, with a Lee hand press if needed for full length resizing.  All of my reloading stuff fits neatly in an attache case I bought at the Goodwill, and that includes dies for .30-30, .308, .30-40 Krag and 7x57mm.  You can reload the .30-06 with squib loads for small game up to 220 grain for big, mean and nasty critters.

Actually, .308 would work just as well although marginal for elk from what I have been told.  Either of these would be fairly easy to find, no matter where you are.  I would throw .30-30 into the mix also for the same reasons.  I know that it is not an elk cartridge, but it has put down its share of elk none-the-less.

-Kees-

[FPH]

I would go .308 or 30-06.  Both are marginal Elk calibers, but should tackle most game fine.  Commercial ammo is always available.

[pastorp]

If your traveling that much I would suggest a take down rifle. Encore comes to mind in your price range.
And while the 30-06 or 308 are both certainly good elk calibers, despite what some say, they are not rimmed. Maybe a 7x65R would meet your needs. You could get that I believe in a custom encore barrel. 
I think the portable reloading kit is a dandy idea. 

Regards,

[mechanic]

280 Remington in a Ruger 1.
 
Ben

[jedman]

  Ruger  # 1  in 7 X 57 , If you want it rimmed , A rim cut done with a hand powered counterbore and you can shoot 7 X 57 R, loads with same dies the rimless round and will do everything you want .
Jedman

[victorcharlie]

I would go .308 or 30-06.  Both are marginal Elk calibers, but should tackle most game fine.  Commercial ammo is always available.

30.06 a marginal Elk caliber.....interesting.....

[petemi]

I would go .308 or 30-06.  Both are marginal Elk calibers, but should tackle most game fine.  Commercial ammo is always available.

30.06 a marginal Elk caliber.....interesting.....

A while back I went into the gun room and told the Handis they were primitive weapons.  They almost fell over laughing.  Just now, I went in and told the .308s they were marginal elk calibers.  I got the same results.

Pete

[FPH]

I would go .308 or 30-06.  Both are marginal Elk calibers, but should tackle most game fine.  Commercial ammo is always available.

30.06 a marginal Elk caliber.....interesting.....

A while back I went into the gun room and told the Handis they were primitive weapons.  They almost fell over laughing.  Just now, I went in and told the .308s they were marginal elk calibers.  I got the same results.

Pete

You and your friends are the idiots who walk away with more wounded game in the field than anjyone.

[FPH]

If you want an Elk rifle, get a .300 Win Mag., a .338 Win Mag. or a .300 Weatherby.

[eastbank]

i have done just fine with the old 3006 with 180 nosler partion bullets at 2800fps on elk and mule deer, not one every complained as a matter of fact they were all very closed mouth about it. all shots were 250yds or less and none got away. i have found alot of the magnun crowd don,t always knock elk or mule deer dead right now either. it not so much what you hit them with,but where you hit them. limite your shots to where you can place your bullet where it needs to go and don,t listion to a bunch of magnunistes about the 3006 being to light to kill elk or mule deer. eastbank.

[SHOOTALL]

Maybe I missed something but most cal offered so far are not rimmed as in rimmed like say a 44 mag. If that is the case and you want a rim then look at a Winchester 307 cart. it is a 308 with a rim. If you hand load you can get alot out of it. It will do all you ask for. Some offer that 300 win mag would be better , maybe you will have to hunt closer    but the 307 should work , hey a writer was shooting Elk with a 30-30 and leverolution ammo  and it worked . If you want more power go with a 375 win . but it might be a bit heavy for yotes 
Keep in mind you can load a 307 with 100-200 gr. bullets or even sabots with 22 cal bullets for over 4000 FPS 

[FPH]

i have done just fine with the old 3006 with 180 nosler partion bullets at 2800fps on elk and mule deer, not one every complained as a matter of fact they were all very closed mouth about it. all shots were 250yds or less and none got away. i have found alot of the magnun crowd don,t always knock elk or mule deer dead right now either. it not so much what you hit them with,but where you hit them. limite your shots to where you can place your bullet where it needs to go and don,t listion to a bunch of magnunistes about the 3006 being to light to kill elk or mule deer. eastbank.

Know your linitations ad it is fine.....I still say it is a marginal round for Elk for most people who do jot hunt much.

[FPH]

By the way, I own all three calibers( .308, 30-06, .300 Weatherby) and the .308 is my favorite, but when it it is Elk time I take the .300 Weatherby.

[Nevadan]

Some of of the cartridges mentioned I have thought about but I am dead set on a rimmed cartridge. {

I have a lee hand press I used for years before I got a bench press and plan on putting together a portable kit before I leave.  Which is why I am not worried about having an oddball cartridge.{

Winter Hawk, what kind of scale are you using in your portable reloading setup?{

I did not realize 7x57 mauser came in a rimmed version I will definitely have to look into that.{

The 7mm STE that I asked about is actually the 307 Winchester necked down.  One of the main reasons I was looking at a 7mm is I was afraid that the 30 caliber cartridges would do allot of damage to the hide if I was to want to keep it but I have never had experience with it.  Does it do much more damage that the 7mm?{

Almost Forgot, I am not looking for an Elk rifle just a rifle that can be used for Elk if I happen to have a chance but that chance would be rare.{
Thanks for all the ideas, I have allot more to think about now.

[Anduril]

My bias leans to 35 caliber.
A .356 Winchester fits your requirements; it's rimmed and can shoot from 110 gr to 250 gr bullets.
At least consider it.
..
 

[FPH]

Anything smaller than Elk (muley on down)  I recommend the .308.

[45-70.gov]

only one rifle....must mean you also don't have your reloading stuff


so  all odd ball stuff is out


you said rimmed


easy to find and rimmed and versitile........30-30, 44mag ,  357 mag


if rimmed is not that important  most any common thing  308 30-06 270   etc......243  on up

[FPH]

Sorry, I missed the rimmed part.  I might try the ole 30-30.

[Ranch13]

Biggest thing you're going to run into, there are no rimmed cartridges for the Ruger that fit your requirements , save for maybe finding a used 30-40 Krag in the long discontinued #3.
The Winchester was made in a run of 30-40's, but I don't think there were many of them.
The suggestion for just the 7x57 in the Ruger is a good one. That cartridge kills way beyond it's paper ballistics. I've yet to ever encounter an elk made tough enough to contain a broadside hit from one.
If you go on some cartridge based off of the 307 case, you'll do well to lay in a major supply of those case if you find any, and you'll likely have to have a rebarrel and chambering done on the rifle so add another 600+ over and above the cost of the rifle, and then let's not forget about the price of "wildcat" dies, as you're not going to find much in the way of factory ammo.

[eastbank]

there is not a elk or mule deer in the world that can stand up to a 180gr bullet out of a 3006 at 2800fps, at 250yds in the right spot. i know my limitations and they are no more than 250yds from a good rest. as a matter of fact i double lunged two mule deer with 165gr bullets at 2800fps at just about 200yds and all i had to do was walk up and put the tags on them. if you gut shoot them,even a magnum it may not be enough. eastbank.

[BBF]

What is your reason for a rimmed case??

[petemi]

I love the .356 and .358, but if you don't reload, 55 bucks a box is a little much.

Pete

[jlwilliams]

Man.  Tough one.  My first thought was 308 or 30-06 as a 'universal' go anywhere shoot anything round that can be bought anywhere.  But there's no rim, and you want a rim.  My fave rimmed rifle round is 30-30, but it's kind of an intermediate powered round.  Fine for anything within hundreds of miles of me, but your going to get around a bit further and wider.  30-30 isn't quite the thing for everything on your must kill list.  If your going to keep your gear down to a minimum for travel, then hand loading is probably out, and you likely want to pick a round you can get anywhere.  This is tough.
 
  I understand that falling blocks often work better with rimmed rounds that rimless, but then again there are plenty of Ruger #1 and #3 rifles out there in '06 or 270 or 280 that work just fine.  Just sayin'....

[BBF]

The .303 British is a good rimmed round, now try finding a single shot for it.

[fatercat]

FPH, just how many elk have you killed?  how many have you shot with a 30-06? how many got away? some pics would be nice to back up what you say.

[FPH]

I've only taken a few.  My hunting buddy who I've gone with (some 40 years now.......he has been like an adopted father since he lost his own son when we were both very young) has taken over 50.  He is wealthy and this is his passion.  I say the 30-06 is margial because folks try to take the 500 yd shot with them and just wound the Elk.  If you keep it within it's capabilities, then I would agree that it will do the job.  Unfortunately, too many folks try to "stretch" it and fail.  Heck, I personally saw a guy trying to take an Elk at about 500yds with a 30-30.  He was convinced he could take the Elk.  I shoot a .300 Weatherby.  He loves the .300 Win Mag.

[Freezer]

I'm woundering why you would limit yourself to a non take dowm rifle that's limited to one caliber. Albeit your choice. An Encore will fit into a small case and give you a variety of options. That would include a muzzel loader for extended seasons.

 30-30 or 30-40 kraig can be loaded hotter when loaded with  single shot data. Combined with spitzer bullets they would be a good choice. In a pinch you could still find factory ammo.

[pastorp]

Just a though but does anyone read the other threads following the OP? It's almost comical some of the suggestions on here.  if you read the OP why suggest the 30-06? Or other rimless rounds. 

Regards,

[Gaz-52]

The .303 British is a good rimmed round, now try finding a single shot for it.

Ruger No. 1 . in .303 BRIT. are available here in Australia.