Ruger guide gun 20” 30-06

[Hyde Hunter]

Eric, if you are going after bear then I would go with a 375 or even a 458 with the barrel cut to 20 inches and have it magna ported, brakes are way to loud and you need less mussel rise for quick recovery shots in the brush.

 

[BJH65]

Yeah Iv always wanted to go for a big Kodiak bear, why Im looking into the .375.
I spent my summers in Alaska as a kid with my aunt and uncle. And you ask any old timer and most of them say 30-06 with 180s is plenty.
Not speaking of this ruger. But I would not want to risk losing a nice bear because I didn’t knock him down fast enough. Once there hit, they either come for you or the thickest brush they can find.
And you do not want to leave a wounded bear out there.

This is a grizzly I killed back in 2004 about 200 miles north of Anchorage near Cantwell, hunting with old sourdough guide George Faerber. I used my Winchester Model 70 stainless fwt all-terrain 300 Win Mag with factory Federal 200 grain TBBC. It was the largest caliber rifle I had at the time, I had traded away my 416 Rem Mag from a previous African Safari.

I was a little concerned about my 300 Win mag not being enough gun but old George, he was in his early 60’s back then, said it was fine. He said a good 180-200 grain NP, SAF or TBBC would be perfectly acceptable in my 300 Win Mag or even a 30-06. The area we hunted just outside of Denali were technically brown bear per B&C but SCI considered them grizzly…All the same species.. a large boar in this area per George would square 9ft and weigh 1000 lbs feeding on both salmon in the Chulitna River and berries up in the hills….these bears weren’t quite as large as the Kodiak or Alaskan Peninsula brown bears but larger than true interior grizzlies.

George carried a stainless Zytel skeleton stock Ruger 338 Win Mag with 250 grain NP and also had a CZ 416 Rigby. I shot this bear 3 times…they are quick to knockdown but back on their feet quickly, and like you said you don’t want them going into the thick brush, so I quickly put two more rounds into the vitals anchoring it. No scales in the bush but it squared 8 ft and estimated weight 800 lbs. Had I a 375 H&H or one of my 416’s I would have used the larger caliber but a 30-06 or 300 mag will get the job done.

 

[mdwest]

All that BS crowing about 20" barrels "loose too much velocity" - 99 out of 100 Fudds screaming about this could not tell you the amount of trajectory difference between 20" and 22" or 24" anyway. For the vast majority, they can't shoot well enough to ever tell the difference. It won't make a difference until you are out at 400 yds and beyond. If you are shooting at game at that distance you would be using a precision set-up. For my personal hunting ethics, that is not very much hunting and a lot towards sniping. YMMV.

Ive always found this fudd argument to be outrageous and silly as well...

a 308 out of a 12" pistol barrel on a TC encore will drop whitetail all day long out to 200 yards.. but 20" of barrel isnt enough on a rifle?

For hunting in the South East (mostly TN & MS) and Texas, I find short barreled 308's to be nearly perfect for both blind hunting and stalking.. my wifes primary 308 is a kimber adirondak (18" barrel), and my primary 308 until very recently has been a Rem 600 (18.5" barrel).. theyre super easy to move around in the tight confines of a blind with, super lightweight and easy to carry all day if out stalking.. swing on them is super fast and super steady due to weight, balance, and length.. and Ive yet to have a whitetail survive being hit by a 168gr TTSX out of either of these rifles at distances out to about 225 (about as long of a shot as can be found at the places we generally hunt deer and hogs)..

but a 20" barrel isnt enough?

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Ive always found this fudd argument to be outrageous and silly as well...

a 308 out of a 12" pistol barrel on a TC encore will drop whitetail all day long out to 200 yards.. but 20" of barrel isnt enough on a rifle?

For hunting in the South East (mostly TN & MS) and Texas, I find short barreled 308's to be nearly perfect for both blind hunting and stalking.. my wifes primary 308 is a kimber adirondak (18" barrel), and my primary 308 until very recently has been a Rem 600 (18.5" barrel).. theyre super easy to move around in the tight confines of a blind with, super lightweight and easy to carry all day if out stalking.. swing on them is super fast and super steady due to weight, balance, and length.. and Ive yet to have a whitetail survive being hit by a 168gr TTSX out of either of these rifles at distances out to about 225 (about as long of a shot as can be found at the places we generally hunt deer and hogs)..

but a 20" barrel isnt enough?

It’s also funny how people change their minds when it’s a semi automatic. A 16” AR 10 is fine or an 18” HK91. But if it’s a bolt action you better add 4”.

 

[ActionBob]

So I just bought the ruger guide gun in 30-06, has a laminated stock ( not as ugly as the photos) 20” barrel, built like a tank.
Iv always been a big 30-06 fan. I wanted a nice handy rifle. I was looking for a Winchester Alaskan but they were impossible to find.
But now the more I read Im wondering if I mad a bad choice getting a 30-06 with a 20” barrel as im worried about loss in velocity and distance .
Did I truly make a mistake?. Any comments or help would be appreciated.

View attachment 652414

That is a great rifle. Bought one years ago but gifted to a Nephew/God Son. He was little so took out the stock spacers and got him a box of 125grain reduced recoil ammo and he took his first whitetail with a heart shot a week later. Now well over 6' it still fits with the spacers in. They are very stout rifles which also controls recoil.

I have another in 375 Ruger that I've used in Alaska on a grizzly. Can't go wrong with that combo and the 375 Ruger cartridge was developed with this rifle and it's 20" barrel to mimic a 375 H&H out of a longer barrel. If you plan to hunt Alaska more than Africa or want a lower maintenance rifle to stand up to the elements better that is a great choice. But a model 70 with blued steel and walnut is much more African.

 

[mdwest]

It’s also funny how people change their minds when it’s a semi automatic. A 16” AR 10 is fine or an 18” HK91. But if it’s a bolt action you better add 4”.

both of my AR10's that are set up for hog hunting have 18" barrels...

havent found a hog yet that has noticed that he wasnt shot with a 22" barreled bolt gun lol..

 

[Hififile324]

I have the same Ruger. The velocities are only 20-25fps less than my Sako 85, 22.4" bbl. The velocity loss means nothing. Don't over think it. With my 180gr. Swift A Frame loads at 2717 fps, I zero 2.25" high at 100 Yards. That gives me point and shoot out to 270 yards.

I have 2 scopes for my Ruger. 1) Leupold FX II 2.5x (weighs 8 oz.). 2) Trijicon Huron 2.5-10.

That super lightweight FXII is super fast handling, huge field of view, easy hits out to to 250 yards.

The more you shoot with your Ruger Guide Gun, the more you will love it!

 

[Jack Stevens]

Ive always found this fudd argument to be outrageous and silly as well... * * * and my primary 308 until very recently has been a Rem 600 (18.5" barrel).. theyre super easy to move around in the tight confines of a blind with, super lightweight and easy to carry all day if out stalking.. swing on them is super fast and super steady due to weight, balance, and length.

Exactly my experience with my own M600 carbine - and for that matter it’s the same with my slightly longer (20”) M660, what was once called a “short rifle.”

 

[HankBuck]

Ive always found this fudd argument to be outrageous and silly as well...

a 308 out of a 12" pistol barrel on a TC encore will drop whitetail all day long out to 200 yards.. but 20" of barrel isnt enough on a rifle?

For hunting in the South East (mostly TN & MS) and Texas, I find short barreled 308's to be nearly perfect for both blind hunting and stalking.. my wifes primary 308 is a kimber adirondak (18" barrel), and my primary 308 until very recently has been a Rem 600 (18.5" barrel).. theyre super easy to move around in the tight confines of a blind with, super lightweight and easy to carry all day if out stalking.. swing on them is super fast and super steady due to weight, balance, and length.. and Ive yet to have a whitetail survive being hit by a 168gr TTSX out of either of these rifles at distances out to about 225 (about as long of a shot as can be found at the places we generally hunt deer and hogs)..

but a 20" barrel isnt enough?

@mdwest - Agree, and I feel the same about those that question if a .30-06 is enough for bear or grizz….it’s plenty if you can shoot accurately and use a well constructed bullet. My Guide in Alaska said he has more clients wound bear using .375 & .416 because they don’t shoot them well and we was very comfortable with clients using a .30-06 or .300 win mag. The bigger is better only hold true if you can shoot them equally well and many hunters can’t but very few will admit it.

 

[Erik7181]

That is a great rifle. Bought one years ago but gifted to a Nephew/God Son. He was little so took out the stock spacers and got him a box of 125grain reduced recoil ammo and he took his first whitetail with a heart shot a week later. Now well over 6' it still fits with the spacers in. They are very stout rifles which also controls recoil.

I have another in 375 Ruger that I've used in Alaska on a grizzly. Can't go wrong with that combo and the 375 Ruger cartridge was developed with this rifle and it's 20" barrel to mimic a 375 H&H out of a longer barrel. If you plan to hunt Alaska more than Africa or want a lower maintenance rifle to stand up to the elements better that is a great choice. But a model 70 with blued steel and walnut is much more African.

I find it very hard to move away from a walnut stock and a blued barrel, its just what Iv always known. My requirements for a rifle slim down the options for me. I refuse to buy a rifle without iron sights, it’s just a must. I really wish Winchester would make there Alaskan model with a stainless barrel. Although my work around is I coat all blued surfaces with renaissance wax, works really well. But last year I was in Alaska for ten days and it poured the whole time. I was fishing not hunting but even moving through the brush you get soaked. I wore chest waiters and my rain coat the whole trip.

 

[HankBuck]

I find it very hard to move away from a walnut stock and a blued barrel, its just what Iv always known. My requirements for a rifle slim down the options for me. I refuse to buy a rifle without iron sights, it’s just a must. I really wish Winchester would make there Alaskan model with a stainless barrel. Although my work around is I coat all blued surfaces with renaissance wax, works really well. But last year I was in Alaska for ten days and it poured the whole time. I was fishing not hunting but even moving through the brush you get soaked. I wore chest waiters and my rain coat the whole trip.

@Erik7181 - I think iron sights on a rifle with a scope are useless —- Until your scope breaks on a pack in Hunt and then they could be “priceless”…

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

So I just bought the ruger guide gun in 30-06, has a laminated stock ( not as ugly as the photos) 20” barrel, built like a tank.
Iv always been a big 30-06 fan. I wanted a nice handy rifle. I was looking for a Winchester Alaskan but they were impossible to find.
But now the more I read Im wondering if I mad a bad choice getting a 30-06 with a 20” barrel as im worried about loss in velocity and distance .
Did I truly make a mistake?. Any comments or help would be appreciated.

View attachment 652414

I can't say enough good things about these rifles, I'm now onto my second one. My first one I put about 2000 rounds through it, had my second one for a bit over 12 months now and already taken around 100 pigs with it. I still good velocities with different hand loads and both of mine have been extremely accurate.