Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Game hunting and large prey. Deer stalking, hunting with hounds. Boar, pigs etc., large prey, culling, hunting large feral animals.

Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by Elmer » 05 Jan 2018, 12:24 pm

...no such thing :unknown:
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by hazza3006 » 05 Jan 2018, 8:37 pm

i think the general term 'all rounder' in actual rifle terms really not practical in Aus. For varminting, yes a heavy barreled rifle, and hence higher rifle weight works well, but sucks to carry round such a heavy rifle in them steep and rugged hills deer stalking, where i always take my Rem Model 700 titanium ultra light weight which makes the going so much more comfortable.

Never have enough guns for the various criters ya hunt in my view. Besides, having an 'all rounder' not as much fun as having more specific suited to the criters and terrain.
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by Lumbajak » 05 Jan 2018, 9:59 pm

Ultimate for me would be a Sako Bavarian carbine fullwood in 6.5x55 with 20 inch barrel but for crawling through the scrub and fast handling 7600 police in 308 10 shot mag synthetic pistol grip and light scope.
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by Baronvonrort » 06 Jan 2018, 11:51 pm

There is no such things as a best all round hunting rifle.

The Accuracy International AT or Barret MRAD would be good IMO as they allow calibre changes with quick change barrels, expensive to buy yet saves money on optics.
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by womble » 23 Mar 2019, 9:08 am

bugger it.
i'm going with a marlin 30-30.
what the hell
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by on_one_wheel » 23 Mar 2019, 10:45 am

I could only have one... I'm going the double barrel 12 gauge shotgun for its all round versatility.

From delicate bird shot to the big SG stuff, slugs and improvised rounds such as broken tempered glass, rock salt, grain etc.

But then again a shotgun isn't a rifle.

Perhaps even a combination gun?
12 gauge / .223 would be handy.

If it's got to be a RIFLE and ONLY for hunting then I'd go a .223 because I mainly shoot rabbits, cats, foxes, roos, goats.

There's a good reason golfers head out with a big bag full of clubs.
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by bigfellascott » 23 Mar 2019, 12:30 pm

The best one would be the one you can use well. :drinks:
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by bigrich » 23 Mar 2019, 1:04 pm

if i was buying a new rifle, tikka t3 or weatherby in 243 . if ya reload you can just about do it all with the right projectile and shot placement with a 243, or i could loan out my model 70 in 6.5x55 :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by JSS » 23 Mar 2019, 2:05 pm

bigfellascott wrote:The best one would be the one you can use well. :drinks:


Nah....The best one is the one you want to shoot on the day & pick from the twenty you own :lol: :lol:
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by Member-Deleted » 23 Mar 2019, 3:02 pm

I don't really think there really is a one gun for all Australians for instance what i shoot i need a gun like a 223 or a 22-250, 243, any of the hard hitting small calibers then i need a caliber like a 7mm mag or 300, 338 any of the larger calibers big and large is a must but to answer the question for me it would be a 7mm mag as i haven't used any others close to similar calibers
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by Rod_outbak » 23 Mar 2019, 4:50 pm

I've always had a hankering for a Savage Model 99 lever-action in .243Win.
For what I want, it'd be a fantastic all-rounder.

Thats your biggest challenge when asking for an all-rounder:- what I consider the perfect all-rounder doesnt cover a lot of game that is found elsewhere.

My 2 cents.
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by Oldbloke » 23 Mar 2019, 5:17 pm

12g or any bolt action. Dependent on target, 223, 243, 308.
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by Mick280 » 24 Mar 2019, 9:35 pm

Mod 70 Winchester F/Weight in .308 Win!!
Not enough Lever Gunsll
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by sungazer » 24 Mar 2019, 10:03 pm

Are you feeling OK Oldbloke what about the trusty 30-06 never, ever seen you leave that off the list.
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by cracker » 24 Mar 2019, 10:05 pm

30-30 in your choice of lever gun
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by mickb » 24 Apr 2019, 4:26 pm

I am going to 357 for everything these days, everything for me basically just being pigs and small deer. 30-30 was a close contender. I might have a poke at a wild horse with the 357 as well.
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by Member-Deleted » 24 Apr 2019, 5:11 pm

I don't think there is an all round rifle for Australia the 243,308 ,223, 22-250 some of a few that would come a close first but then you start pushing the envelope with larger animals like buffalo ,horses, camel ,scrubbers all which have been killed by the smaller caliber but larger calibers are best for the average shooter although my pick of a allrounder would be either the 25-06 or 243
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by mchughcb » 22 Dec 2019, 11:11 pm

Well 308, 222 and 20g ought to cover everything that doesn't require a magzine.

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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by bigrich » 23 Dec 2019, 9:48 am

my 222 or 6.5x55 model 70 winchesters are my go-to rifles . my other rifles are just toys :thumbsup:
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by Wapiti » 23 Dec 2019, 11:28 am

I love precise bolt guns but...
Probably not a surprise, but all round is my 7600 308 pump.
I will always pick the 22" version for the velocity it gives. The quick second and subsequent shots are unbeaten by anything else in Cat B, and they rival any sporter bolt gun for grouping ability.
In 308, there are a gazillion different options for ammo, and it always seems to be at discounted prices.

Caveat: the trigger
It is, after all, virtually an 870 pump shotty trigger, meant for slapping not precision.
Most of those who mistakenly think these rifles can't rival bolt guns for precision probably struggle with the standard trigger, and fair enough. However, a simple spring swap out (easy, no tools needed) and a surfaces polish with a Dremel with a little cloth mop and Autosol will give you a 2lb trigger.
The spring (again, don't laugh) is $5, only because you have to buy some Rexona underarm anti-perspirant pump spray. That spring in there fits so many guns. Tip, gave my Brno Mod 2 a 1.5lb trigger without a polish, and my Howas.
My mate does a little job where he taps the trigger frames for a tiny grub screw, to take out all overtravel in the 7600 triggers. You would not believe the result.

And if you are a bloke who rates a rifle on groups down the rifle range, the 7600 can be a bitch on sandbags because the forearm pump is designed to move easy, so trying to shoot best groups for numbers takes familiarity and technique. If you've got that, no dramas.
Theyll do those numbers, but a trade off is super speed and shotgun handling.
But really, when hunting (as "all rounder" would apply to me) they're great.
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by AZZA'S HJ47 » 25 Dec 2019, 12:32 pm

bigrich wrote:my 222 or 6.5x55 model 70 winchesters are my go-to rifles . my other rifles are just toys :thumbsup:


Same with me Bigrich 222 and 308 picked up a 7mm rem mag for when i find the big deer.
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by Blr243 » 25 Dec 2019, 4:12 pm

I can feel a field test coming on ........27 dec hunting for a week with an Aussie all rounder 243. Cats foxes and pigs beware ....hares and rabbits are safe because I like them
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by bigrich » 25 Dec 2019, 7:03 pm

AZZA'S HJ47 wrote:
Same with me Bigrich 222 and 308 picked up a 7mm rem mag for when i find the big deer.


7mm rem mag can do the lot in this country , it's a real flat shooter with reach . if i get the chance for big deer i'll have to get a lot closer to use my 8x57 carbine with peeps ;)
we love the silly accurate 222 but don't we mate :D

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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by bigrich » 25 Dec 2019, 7:08 pm

Blr243 wrote:I can feel a field test coming on ........27 dec hunting for a week with an Aussie all rounder 243. Cats foxes and pigs beware ....hares and rabbits are safe because I like them


half ya luck getting out for a hunt mate , hope it goes well :thumbsup:

yeah, don't blast bunnies mate , easter's only a few months away, i don't want to miss out on chocolate eggs :D

what projectiles are you using in the 243 ?

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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by duncan61 » 25 Dec 2019, 7:12 pm

.243
.22 winchester .22hornet .222 .243 7mm rem mag cbc 12g
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by Blr243 » 25 Dec 2019, 7:50 pm

My mood has changed for the better since I found out this arv that I’m welcome to visit my usual hunting place. But this morning I must have got out the wrong side of bed , was cranky all day , not exacty Christmas spirit ......all good now. Normally I just load my v max 87 ‘s I’m always broadside on relaxed boars close range at night with my thermal but my ammo pile is not in very good order so I just bought 200 rounds of loaded PPU 90 grain soft points .....it’s approx a dollar per shot and the brass is reloadable....no time to get to the range ( story of my life ) so I will sight in with new ammo on day one of the hunt .... I have a massive dry dam on the property that is actually a water storage system on irrigated cotton land It’s probably about 200 m by 200 m and 5 m deep .....due to the drought it’s empty so a perfect place to safely sight in the rifle and the noise is so well contained so not disturbing farm employees or stock ..... I will report here on the the ammo performance halfway through the trip but I’m not expecting any dramas
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by Bill » 25 Dec 2019, 8:23 pm

Westy wrote:6.5x55 Swede IMHO load it down to 85grns and load it up to 160 grns and 1/2 the recoil of a 308


give this man a beer :drinks:

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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by bigfellascott » 25 Dec 2019, 8:28 pm

I recon the best cal is the one in ya hand at the time, all depends on what you want to shoot of course but I wouldn't give up a shot on a deer or pig if I was carrying my 204 for argument sake, I'd just take a shot in the brain box and go from there I guess (both have fallen to the same cal) so it's clearly capable of doing it (whilst not the best option its still doable if you are capable that is,
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by Milspec » 29 Dec 2019, 7:58 pm

All round depends where you live and the game you hunt most. If it was for all around Australia a 300mag at minimum as buff would be included and although plenty have been shot with less you wouldn't recommend much less unless you have hunted them. The original question I believe meant rifle not calibre so I would say stainless synthetic, I'm not sure what more to add to that.
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Re: Best all round hunting rifle for Australia

Post by Lawyer Daggett » 26 Dec 2021, 5:48 pm

I have hunted with single shots, bolt actions, pump actions, double rifles, double-barreled shotguns and combination guns, and semi-automatics over fifty plus years of active involvement in our sport ( I started aged 9 and am now 62). I currently own two combination guns. A .222/12 CZ, a .12/308 Merkel and have a .223/12 Merkel barrel on order. The low magnification 1-4 type scope with an electronic dot has revolutionised this type of firearm as a hunting gun, particularly if you hunt in two scenarios- fox- up close, with the possibility of a longer shot- say to 100-200 M, and on pig- the .308 being ideal for a stationary pig and the 12 for short-range fast-moving shots. I would argue that a combo with two barrels- 222 or .223 / 12 and a second in 12 or 20 gauge in a larger chambering, would, unless you are shooting game at ranges well beyond which they are normally taken, a near-perfect outfit.
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