The 90% rifle

[Muskox]

I had this idea about 10 years ago for a concept called the 90% rifle. Not really hung up on the name, but the idea was a cartridge that could do 90% of your hunting at reasonable ranges at any animal in North America.

At the time I was pretty hung up on the 400 Whelen, never built one but I now own 2 10,3x68 RWS barrels for the Blaser R8 similar beast, though more powerful.

My theory was a .30 caliber or large bullet at at least 30-06 speeds and carrying at minimum a 180 grain bullet. Ok medicine for brown bears when I lived in Alaska.

Peak 90% achieved at the 9.3 to .400 calibers and at least a 250-400 grain bullet.

5 key features.

Enough energy and trajectory to not be weird or weak at 300 yards.

Recoil tolerable for most people. So the 416's were kind of out.

Sub 10 pounds with a scope and sling.

Holds at least 4 in the rifle. 1 in the chamber and 3 in the magazine. In an R8 this is ideal as it has a decocker.

I think I had SD in mind in the old days. As I like things to die with two holes in them.

what do you think?

 

[IvW]

No brainer....375 H&H ..,.

 

[Muskox]

Of course it is. I am looking for a R8 semi-weight barrel in 375 H&H.

Every once in a while here in Germany I see a Mustgrave or Whitworth, but not in 375 yet. If I can find one built. on a commercial 98 action I will bring it home.

Quite a few Zkk 602's in 375 and 9,3x64 here too. I don't have any room in my rifle safe anymore here in Germany, but I am thinking about selling my 300 and my 243 to add a Zkk602 in one of those two.

I have a 9.3x64 Voere 2165 mauser. Tang safety that I need to remedy.

 

[shootist~]

Or simply go with a 338 Win Mag or similar for full 100%.

 

[thriller]

338 or 300 win mag will get you there.

 

[cash_tx]

I'm sure Bob and Colonel Whelen will be along shortly. ;-)

 

[Certus]

90% of North America.
What of squirrel, raccoon, smaller game?
I feel the thoughts for anything over .35 are focussed solely on brown bear, which I don’t believe makes up 10% in itself.
Still think 30-06 for NA as the ultimate cartridge. But that’s overkill for small game too.

 

[BryceM]

Any .277, .284, .308, or .338 with decent bullets at 2,800 fps or better will fill that role.

Whitetail, mulies, black bear, and pronghorn together probably account for 90% of the animals taken on this continent, small game and feral hogs excluded. Maybe there's enough elk shot to push it over 10%, but I doubt it. This means the .264 can do it too.

If recoil is a possible issue, toss out the .338.

 

[318AE]

One could have bought a model 70 in 30’06 when they first came out, and largely just looked and smiled at these new cartridge introductions the last 90 years.

Pronghorn to brown bear is a lot to ask from the same rifle. A 25’06 may be just about the perfect pronghorn rifle. A 35 Whelen seems like a great choice for brown bears in many cases.

 

[Aaron N]

I think the caliber youre looking for is an 8x68s. It’ll handle the big boys this side on the pond and still have decent reach with a velocity over 3000fps

 

[Flbt]

I had this idea about 10 years ago for a concept called the 90% rifle. Not really hung up on the name, but the idea was a cartridge that could do 90% of your hunting at reasonable ranges at any animal in North America.

At the time I was pretty hung up on the 400 Whelen, never built one but I now own 2 10,3x68 RWS barrels for the Blaser R8 similar beast, though more powerful.

My theory was a .30 caliber or large bullet at at least 30-06 speeds and carrying at minimum a 180 grain bullet. Ok medicine for brown bears when I lived in Alaska.

Peak 90% achieved at the 9.3 to .400 calibers and at least a 250-400 grain bullet.

5 key features.

Enough energy and trajectory to not be weird or weak at 300 yards.

Recoil tolerable for most people. So the 416's were kind of out.

Sub 10 pounds with a scope and sling.

Holds at least 4 in the rifle. 1 in the chamber and 3 in the magazine. In an R8 this is ideal as it has a decocker.

I think I had SD in mind in the old days. As I like things to die with two holes in them.

what do you think?

North America 338 win. Mag
Ruger m77

 

[Flbt]

90% of North America.
What of squirrel, raccoon, smaller game?
I feel the thoughts for anything over .35 are focussed solely on brown bear, which I don’t believe makes up 10% in itself.
Still think 30-06 for NA as the ultimate cartridge. But that’s overkill for small game too.

Down load and lead
Or fmj and head shots

 

[Wyatt Smith]

30-06 is 90% the other is small game and probably costal bears.

 

[Hooked Now]

I've read several interweb posts that clearly identify the vaunted 6.5 Creedmoor as appropriate for maybe 110% of species on the planet.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

To me what you are describing is the 300 win mag. I was a nay sayer of the .300wm for years I very publicly stated on here at one time that I thought if it couldn’t be done with a .303 British I wanted a larger caliber. After buying one and spending about a year loading everything I could stuff in a case I am converted. I previously had a .340 and while I feel the the .340 is a very capable cartridge it is recoil heavy in a rifle not legal for dangerous game.

If a friend asked me to recommend one rifle to hunt 90% of North American game it would be tikka t3x lite stainless and synthetic. Topped with a good leupold. It’s a soulless choice for sure the stock has no personality and I find bead blasted stainless to be utilitarian. Carrying a utilitarian piece for me makes it easy to view it as a tool and not an investment.

 

[BeeMaa]

Done.

Blaser R8 375H&H with standard contour barrel, aluminum receiver and QD scope mount for a Swaro Z8i 1-8x24.

For the record, the bullets in the picture are PPU, but I hunt with 300 grain Barnes TSX. This is the rifle I grab almost regardless of the game. Very close to my 100% rifle.

 

[WI-2021]

For 90% in North America, 30-06 or .300WM. Of course, hunting squirrels with either probably wouldn't leave much meat behind. Any of the other comparable .30's would do as well, but ammo for these two is ubiquitous, so they win. Really, .270, .308, 7RM, etc. would also be fine, excluding the big bears, but my 90% rifle would be my .300WM because I no longer own a 30-06. Or I'd just pick .375 and have a 100% rifle. It would be stainless/synthetic and suppressed. The scope would be something in the 2-10x range in QD rings, and it would also have good iron sights tall enough to be used with the can mounted because sh!t happens.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

My Springfield 03A3 holds five 30-06 in the box and one in the chamber. Enough to hold off a zombie horde. At 220 gr it can thump a big bear hard. 180 gr killed very big elk, moose, and kudu. I guess people have hunted Cape buffalo with 30-06 but I don't think I'd do it. Skydiving with a kleenex parachute.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

My Springfield 03A3 holds five 30-06 in the box and one in the chamber. Enough to hold off a zombie horde. At 220 gr it can thump a big bear hard. 180 gr killed very big elk, moose, and kudu. I guess people have hunted Cape buffalo with 30-06 but I don't think I'd do it. Skydiving with a kleenex parachute.

I read somewhere about the culling of Cape buffalo with .303s but if memory serves they were doing it mounted on horses.

 

[foxtrot1]

30-06 if you hunt the regular 90% of NA game. 9.3x62 if you regularly deal with the larger species (moose, brown bear, bison....). On the plus side, if you reload, most of the components work for both.