So I'm thinking I "need" another rifle. Something to use for Javelina hunting down here or possibly even Coues Deer if AZ Fish & Game ever decides bless me and pull my name in the tag lottery. Javelina are not huge like boar and Coues deer are about the equivalent of a German Shepherd with antlers. Hunting is typically done in brush with some open grasslands at close to moderate ranges.

The smallest caliber hunting rifle I have is a Ruger No. 1 in .25-06. With a 4-16x scope and weight of the rifle, it's really more at home as an open plains game rifle for longer ranges. I've got rifles in larger cartridges as well so I'm thinking there is a "need" for a smaller cartridge. Rifle wise I'm thinking a short length bolt action like a Winchester 70 Featherweight or Ruger 77 compact or lightweight. Cartridge wise I'm thinking maybe .243 Win on the light side, .260 Rem, or maybe even 7mm-08 on the heavy side. Scope wise I'm thinking of something like a Leupold VX-II 2-7x variable.

So what else should I consider, especially on the cartridge side of things? Thanks in advance.

A good friend has a stainless Ruger compact in .260 and it is definitely compact. He has a standard size 3-9X 40 m/m scope on it and it looks too big for the rifle, so I would think the 2-7X 32m/m would look a lot better. I think the .243 is great round if you don't need more power and it is nearly always accurate in any quality rifle and the ammo can be bought cheaply at Walmart.

IM thinking 6MM Rem instead of 243 Win if you reload.

One of the new Savage classics in 250 Savage would be a good choice. Since your used to the 25-06 the ballistics are similar and its a sweet looking classically styled rig.

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Nothing to see here,move along

2000Z-71: I am getting ready to run to Texas for Whitetail with my Stag 7 in 6.8 SPC. I am very impressed with this rifle and its accuracy. Factory ammo from Silver State Armory shoots about 1 MOA. My first attempt at hand loading is getting it down to 3/4 MOA. I am not finished with my load work ups and feel that 1/2 to 5/8 MOA is possible.

This is a great hunting rifle and a better 'Zombie' gun. ...... Big Cholla

How about a nice .357 mag lever? The one rifle I still am looking for is a old marlin .256 win mag in the model 62.

I've been thinking along the same lines. Most appealing to me is the Remington model 7 in .260 Rem.

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Regards, Ron
USASA 1965/69

+1 I also highly recommend the slick little Model 7. I have one in .308 that is a tack driver but handles like a dream.

If a short action isn't a requirement, see if you can track down a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in .257 Roberts. Great rifle, great caliber! Top it with a Leupold 2.5X8 and you will have a nice, lightweight rifle that will do everything you ever want it to do.

I also noticed a Remington Model 7 mentioned, years ago I traded into one in 7mm-08 and immediately sold it. Even though I'm more of a Winchester guy,m it seemed like a helluva nice little rifle.

Hard to beat the M7 for a compact rig (will probably need trigger work...) --- scope choice is good, slightly less magnification and wider field of view might be marginally better, I'd choose 7-08 vs. smaller calibers. Another choice in a petite rig is the Kimber Montana, pricey, but superb.

I'd forgotten about the Model 7. I've always likes those, especially the CDL version they came out with a couple of years ago. Hmmm, a Model 7 in .260 or 7mm-08...

I was in the same boat recently, as I wanted something for coyotes. I chose the CZ 527 with Kevlar stock in .204 Ruger.
I also have a CZ 453 in .17HMR, and I am really satisfied with the actions, barrels and stock finish.

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Memory of Randy Freas-Rimfired

Look at the Remington pump guns. I have a 40 year old Remington 760 carbine; 20 inch barrel in 30-06. A little too powerful for your needs but something smaller like 243 or 257 ought to do just fine. I can sure make the lead fly with that thing. I bought it when on orders (US Army) for Alaska, and it has 2 moose and 4 caribou to its credit. The best brush gun I've found. I put a Weaver K 2.5 on it and have had no reason to change.

I have a BAR in .308 for pigs. It holds 5 rounds, has plenty of power, and offers quick followup shots when you run across several at once.

One of the calibers I would suggest has already been mentioned, the 250 Savage. Another classic would be the 257 roberts. I have a 6.5x55mm in a Remington Classic which will work on anything from ground hogs (rockchucks in your area) with 85 grain bullets all the way up to elk with 160's. It's the most versitile rifle I own. Very accurate too!

I've never hunted pigs, but, the impression that I get is.....they are tough little buggers. It seems that they are shot at fairly close range, but you've got to hit them hard. You don't need a long range cartridge or more than a 2.5X scope. A red dot would work well, also.
A lever action in .44 Mag or the traditional .30-30 would be my way to go. I've already got a Winchester 94 .30-30, so thats my choice. Bob

I'd buy a Remington Model 7 in 243 with Leopold glass.

Emory

That Winchester Featherweight is a sweet rifle....if you can find one.

2000-Z71 is talking about hunting javelina (collared peccary), not feral hogs... Javelina adults average around 30 pounds, live weight, and are not particularly tough to kill. Our Coues whitetail bucks seldom reach 100 pounds live weight, but may present opportunities at quite long range in open country --- I've taken two at just over 750 yards, albeit with a fairly specialized rifle, in ideal conditions...

Ditto, Swedish mauser in 6.5 Swede equal to a 260rem. These 100+ year old mauser still are accurate. The 280rem is equal to the 7mm mauser.

I'm curious about the range at which these animals are taken and what the terrain is like.

I don't know a THING about Coues deer though. How does it compare to a 'regular' white tail?

Here, a rifle has to be 6mm or greater for deer.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I would suggest, unless you do your own reloading, that you find something in a caliber that is common. At some point or another, when getting ready for the big hunt, I think we've all managed to walk out of the house without a box of ammo. So many other things to grab and if you get something more specialized you may have a hard time finding it if you need it .I've had a few friends over the years that had to have a particular caliber,because they read what an awesome job it does at hunting "x" ( x being whatever they want to hunt ). Find the gun, and then have a hard time finding ammo for it.
I'd say a .243 would be a good round, and easy to find ammo for. For javelina I'd even think a .223 would be sufficient, although for the deer in question it might be a bit light. I'm also surprised no one has mentioned a .270 . As far as a rifle goes, that one is up to particular taste. Some people like a nice, light rifle, while others prefer something a bit heavier to soak up recoil. Stock preference and fit to your body come into play as well. I've got guns that feel like an extension of my arm, and I have a couple that have always felt somewhat awkward to me.

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1st smiles,lies.Last,gunfire.

The .243 is a good choice. Load 100 Nosler Partitions to near 3000 fps and be done. I loaded 70 grain spritzer boat tails for coyote about 20 years ago, and outside of knowing where they print on paper, have never fired another. Whatever needs shooting comes by while loaded with the Noslers, and they kill stuff. The 95 version is good and I have some friends that swear by the 85 TSX.

Pick a platform you like, get a nice quality scope- not too large- and have fun. Lots of fine recommendations for rifles. Don't overlook the Browning ShortTrac Oil finished BAR at a light weight. They usually shoot well and the trigger can be helped. Not sure they come in .243? My example is a heavier all steel ' 70 model in .30-06, but it will thin a herd of the nuisance pigs, just more gun than is needed.

Best wishes,

Jack

With the preface that I know nothing about either game animal....... here in the rolling wooded Allegheny mountains broken by smaller fields (5-10 acres)..... I've been using a Ruger 77/357 w/ a 1-4x20 Leupold as my "utility" rifle.....

Short,light, quick handling.... good for most that walk on 2 or 4 legs.

Coyotes are 24/7 open season here so it's an excuse to carry a rifle on evening "walks in Penn's Woods"...... it's good to about 100yds.

Depending on round you can get 1700-2100 fps & 800-1300 ft-lbs of muzzle energy ( Ballistics by the inch). You could handload almost anything up to 180 gr.

I own a Ruger 77 Mk.II in .243, stainless, very accurate rifle with Remington 100gr. Core Lokt ammo. Topped it off with Leupold VXII 3x9x40 scope.

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"Life is short, hunt hard"

I have the International/Mannlicher stocked version...in 243... my favorite Pa. deer rifle since the mid 80s.......

In addition to the RSI Mannlicher, consider a Sako or CZ in .243 with your suggested Vari-XII 2 x 7 or a Vari-XIII 1.5 x 5.

For a classic caliber the 7 x 57 mm would not be a bad choice either.

You're right about the 260 Remington being the basic equivalent of the 6.5 Swedish mauser, but the 280 Remington leaves the 7mm Mauser far behind and is close on the heels of the 7mm Rem Mag. The 7mm-08 Remington is the close twin of the 7mm Mauser. All are fine cartridges as are the .250 Savage and .257 Roberts.

OP, sounds like you've got the longer ranges covered with the .25-06, you might look Ruger's new American Ranch models. They're short and light and I think would make a very nice handling brush gun. I ordered one in 300 Blackout yesterday

Rob

Are you out on the 22 calibers? I'd suggest a model 70 Winchester Featherweight or Model 7 Remington in 22-250.

The cartridges you mentioned, in my opinion, are quite similar to your 25-06.