what gun to trade for

[Luke]

I am trading a bloke one of my 22 match rifles. I can choose between a stainless Browning BLR in 450 marlin or 308. Or a Marlin SBL in 45/70. or another Browning a xbolt medallion in 375H&H. don't know what one to pick really. leaning toward the 308 with a red dot just for versatility, although I really like 375s and 45/70s are cool. What would you bloke choose. Pigs, Scrub bulls, red deer, and goats would be the target species.I love my 25 06 for pigs and goats and reds a 308,30 06 kills em all but I use 9.3x62 or 375 on the heavy clean skins

BLR

[/img]

Marlin

[/img]

XBolt

[/img]

 

[CZ-75]

Marlin SBL in 45/70 would be my first choice. Relatively inexensive Big Bore cartridge.

The 308 isn't going to give you much more than that 25 06 you have, and the 450 Marlin can be harder to find than the good old 45/70. The 45/70 has been around for over 100 years for a reason.

 

[caspianwendell]

308 or 06 is always a good choice. I love my .375 H&H but it's a monster.

 

[RocketFoot]

I would love to have a 45/70 myself so that would be my choice! (I'd even like to have a 50/90 Uberti as well! LOL) I like big guns!

 

[NitrousVa]

I'd go for the Browning BLR in 308, but I'm a Browning snob, and I don't have a BLR, it's on my bucket list.

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

Marlin quality has taken a serious downturn in the last two years, for that reason I would avoid a new one. all the choices . . . .

can't beat a .375 H&H for much other than cost of ammo and recoil-I wish I had both of mine back

 

[hyena429]

Me im a 45-70 fan for many reasons...The cases being nice and strait are so easy to reload, and you can reload more due to being low pressure and less case trimming needed...Necked down cases just dont last as long...It is easy to find rounds. "even sometimes easier than 308 now days" In our single shot 45-70 we would load 520 grain bullet..talk about a pig killer up close and personal..hehe..I think 45-70 is one of the most versatile heavy rounds.

 

[sicndhed]

I liked shooting 45-70 in an old Trapdoor. Never killed anything but paper though. A real classic.

 

[Luke]

Ok you blokes I went and had a look at these rifles.

First impressions

SBL is a sweet big bore, love the ghost ring sights. However it is 1 of the first remlin guns and not a patch on my old marlin 44 mag for fit and finish. Bummer, Also in Aus 45/70 while some what popular is and expensive cartridge $52x20. Always wanted a 45/70 so its still in the running.

X Bolt Medallion in 375 H&H. Beautiful rifle chambered in a great calibre, unfired, fit and finish are exactly what you would expect on a Browning, Handles nicely. But it is light for a 375 so i suspect it will be a bit stiff in the recoil department also its a bit long and a I already have a 375H&H and my 9.3 almost does the same job for less powder and recoil as well

BLR in 450m to exotic here to hard to buy ammo if you run out of reloads. Great handleing rifle quick slick and points well. very good fit and finish

BLR in 308 same great fit and finish same handleing characteristics. walk into any gun shop in the country and find rounds. looking like the smart choice here. I still like that fat old 45/70 so i will head to the range and see how the 2 stack up based entirely on how much fun i have with them.

Ammo prices in Aus just fyi of course reloading is much cheaper

45/70 $52 for 20

375 $63 for 20

308 $20 for 20

450m $59 for 20

I would love to have a 45/70 myself so that would be my choice! (I'd even like to have a 50/90 Uberti as well! LOL) I like big guns!

I watched a guy shoot a 50/90. Its a lot of gun

 

[CZ-75]

If you already have a .25 06 you really won't be getting much more out of a .308

I've always wanted a lever action 45/70...

 

[Luke]

If you already have a .25 06 you really won't be getting much more out of a .308

I've always wanted a lever action 45/70...

True and that old 25 06 will be the last gun i sell.

There is something very appealling about throwing heavy lead down range from a cigerette lighter sized case

 

[caspianwendell]

If you already have a .25 06 you really won't be getting much more out of a .308

I've always wanted a lever action 45/70...

Except for versatility in ammo choices CZ is telling you true. in fact the 25-06 is a flatter shooting round than .308. However, 45-70 is really too slow and under powered for modern weapons (legal responsibility on ammo manufacturers) but reloading with high pressure cases is an option but you still just have a close range brush gun. Of course they said the same thing about the 444 marlin and dad took down an 8 point whitetail at 600 yards. Don't get me wrong guys, I too am a fan of the big bore guns of yesteryears, and they are so much fun to shoot.

 

[Luke]

yep i love that little quater bore. There are some hot loads available for 45/70 in fact you can exceed the preformance of a 450m by a stout margine. 75 yards in aussie bush is a long shot through timber. You are flat out seeing pigs and even scrub bull can vanish inside that distance. thats why i use the 9.3x62 in the thick stuff stops em from running to far


Actually shotguns with SGs or Slugs are great for pig busting at close range in the thick stuff. Our stupid govenment banned auto loading shotguns so its not as fun any more.

I think SGs are 00 buck in the states ?? 9x.30 shot