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Paul B. · February 17, 2024, 04:04 PM

Been doing some thinking while reading through all this and have a few thoughts as well. One, it think that a GP rifle should also be the one and only rifle one has should things go belly up. It would not only serve as a GP rifle but as a SHTF gun as well should circumstances demand such use. Probably barrel length should be in the 20 to 22" range. Probably sort of along the lines of Col.Jeff Cooper's ideas about a scout rifle. Cartridge should be IMO the .308 Win./7.65x51 NATO. Sights, a receiver rear sight and post front and an extended eye relief scope fixed power at 4X.

I have several rifles chambered to the .308 ranging from a Ruger M77 RSI with 18.5" barrel to a Winchester M70 Youth Ranger I won in a raffle. It now sits in a Ramline stock and with its 22" barrel will run the 165 gr. Speer Hot Core to 2610 FPS, the same velocity I got from the now long gone Speer Nitrex ammo. That load does 2550 FPS from the RSI. More than adequate for most game. Velocity for a 20" barrel would most likely be about halfway between the two rifles.

I picked the .308 to be the cartridge because it's common, easily found most of the time, is accurate and recoil is reasonably tolerable. Rifles can be made quite light if weight is a consideration, However, I do have a custom Mauser in a Lawson thumbhole stock that with scope, sling, 20" soda straw barrel and a lightweight but strong piece of wood weighs somewhere between 5.5 and 6 pounds. Not bad off a bench but a bear to hold steady in the field. The very lightweight barrel heat up quickly. It is easy to carry and rough trying to hold on game while winded climbing that mountain. The tin is, if ne wants a GP type rifle, some compromises are in order.
Paul B.

February 17, 2024, 04:04 PM	#34
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,811	Been doing some thinking while reading through all this and have a few thoughts as well. One, it think that a GP rifle should also be the one and only rifle one has should things go belly up. It would not only serve as a GP rifle but as a SHTF gun as well should circumstances demand such use. Probably barrel length should be in the 20 to 22" range. Probably sort of along the lines of Col.Jeff Cooper's ideas about a scout rifle. Cartridge should be IMO the .308 Win./7.65x51 NATO. Sights, a receiver rear sight and post front and an extended eye relief scope fixed power at 4X. I have several rifles chambered to the .308 ranging from a Ruger M77 RSI with 18.5" barrel to a Winchester M70 Youth Ranger I won in a raffle. It now sits in a Ramline stock and with its 22" barrel will run the 165 gr. Speer Hot Core to 2610 FPS, the same velocity I got from the now long gone Speer Nitrex ammo. That load does 2550 FPS from the RSI. More than adequate for most game. Velocity for a 20" barrel would most likely be about halfway between the two rifles. I picked the .308 to be the cartridge because it's common, easily found most of the time, is accurate and recoil is reasonably tolerable. Rifles can be made quite light if weight is a consideration, However, I do have a custom Mauser in a Lawson thumbhole stock that with scope, sling, 20" soda straw barrel and a lightweight but strong piece of wood weighs somewhere between 5.5 and 6 pounds. Not bad off a bench but a bear to hold steady in the field. The very lightweight barrel heat up quickly. It is easy to carry and rough trying to hold on game while winded climbing that mountain. The tin is, if ne wants a GP type rifle, some compromises are in order. Paul B. __________________ COMPROMISE IS NOT AN OPTION!