I Only Own One Big Game Rifle

by RW
(USA - Lower 48)

I only own one big game rifle and I’ve had it for 50 years. I would not consider shooting anything else because I have all the confidence in the world with this rifle.

It is a British Small Arms 30-06 Springfield, the universal caliber. I’ve taken 36 animals with it from small Javelina to moose and everything in between such as Mountain Goat, Dall Sheep, Antelope, White-tail and Mule deer, and Elk. Most animals have all been taken with one shot in the fatal zone. But this moose took two rounds with each in the fatal zone 3" apart. It took the first round and just stood there so it got another round in seconds because it could have gotten out of sight in timber only a short distance away.

My rifle still shoots 1" groupings at 100 yards. It performs well shooting hand loads of 150 grain Sierra Boat-tail, and 165 and/or 180 grain Nosler Partition rounds of ammunition. I found one of the 180 Nosler Partition bullets just under the cape. It held together well and mushroomed beautifully. The other bullet went clean through the moose.

The rifle has a fixed FX 6x36 wide duplex Leupold scope on it.

I’m old school when it comes to fixed glass. A variable scope is not necessary in my book because I never take shots over 250 yards. If it is necessary to close the gap between the animal and myself I carry out a slow and cautious stock.

I always sight my rifle at the range before any hunting season starts, whether I need to or not, so I know exactly where it is shooting at 100 and 250 yards. It is always sighted in for 200 yards dead on.

My range finder is an RX-8001 Leupold. I didn’t range this moose until after it was down because there was no time to spare. I just consciously estimated it to be around 200 yards. (Ranged at 215 yards after the shot)

My final thoughts and suggestion to any hunter is don’t take anything for granted when it comes to knowing how your rifle is shooting with a given round.

Regarding the hunt, be patient and don’t give up until the final minute of the hunting season closes. After 26 days of seeing only one young moose, I was getting discouraged but refused to throw in the towel. In a matter of seconds, it can all happen in a flash and your hunt be successful in harvesting your trophy. That is how it happened to me, and I’m extremely grateful. That said, just the opportunity to try and harvest a moose was amazing.

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