Help me pick out a new RANCH rifle!

[Dan-o]

How could it be anything but the Ruger Mini-14, given the weapons you listed as already having and your intended use for this?

[2labs]

Howa ranchland, of course! Great rifle and it's even called a ranch rifle. In .243 it's good up to elk.

[Smossy]

LEVER ACTION.

[HawkCreek]

My Ruger GSR has become my favorite "ranch rifle", replacing all others.

[elkslayer069]

Id say 220 swift but you said cheap to shoot so yhats out id go with a 243 you can shoot the light weight bullet for soft skin critters and up the weight for deer speed goats and elk

[rtspring]

RT, when do you plan to select a caliber and rifle?

Going shopping saturday...

[Bob33]

LEGAL FIREARMS FOR HUNTING BIG OR TROPHY GAME ANIMALS:  When hunting bighorn sheep, elk, moose, mountain goat or black bear with a firearm, a hunter shall use any center-fire firearm of at least .24 caliber and firing a cartridge of at least two (2) inches in overall length.  When hunting antelope, deer, mountain lion or gray wolf where designated as a trophy game animal, a hunter shall use any center-fire firearm of at least .22 caliber and having a bullet weight of at least sixty (60) grains and firing a cartridge of at least two (2) inches in overall length.   Big or trophy game animals may be taken with any other cartridge of at least .35 caliber and at least one and one-half (1.5) inches in overall length, or any cartridge that generally delivers at least five hundred (500) foot pounds of impact at one hundred (100) yards, or any shotgun firing “00” or larger buckshot, or a slug.  Any muzzle-loading rifle or muzzle-loading handgun of at least .40 caliber using a charge of at least fifty (50) grains of black powder or its equivalent may also be used to hunt big or trophy game animals.  Any center-fire firearm or muzzle-loading firearm used to hunt big or trophy game animals shall fire a lead or expanding point bullet.

[h20hunter]

Rt...I think you need two rifles.....one for deer/lopes/yotes....something in a "2"......257 roberts, .280 rem......then something bigger for the elk.....

[pianoman9701]

Wish I had my .280 back!!!!

I've got a .280 I might trade for the right gun.

[ICEMAN]

Rt...I think you need two rifles.....one for deer/lopes/yotes....something in a "2"......257 roberts, .280 rem......then something bigger for the elk.....

He has a 300 RUM....for the big stuff...

[rtspring]

Rt...I think you need two rifles.....one for deer/lopes/yotes....something in a "2"......257 roberts, .280 rem......then something bigger for the elk.....

He has a 300 RUM....for the big stuff...

Yes, the .300 Rum will always be my elk gun..

[h20hunter]

Classic .257 with some pretty little handloads.....I can see it now.....suble pop....lope just falls over.

[Holg3107]

a .223 really fits the bill of your requirements and you are lacking in the fast shooting small caliber area of your arsenal. The mini 14 is a great ranch rifle and the last one I owned was a great shooter out to 250-300 yards. A bolt action 22-250 would be another thought but if you are going to be putting a lot of rounds down range you cant go wrong with a .223.

[DOUBLELUNG]

When I worked in Wyoming I would say, hands down, the most common ranch truck rifle was a bolt action .243, followed by .270 and .30-06.  .308 is another good option, you can shoot cheap military surplus fmj at varmints.  My personal vote would be a Remington 700 .243 with a fixed 6 power scope.

[fly-by]

When I worked in Wyoming I would say, hands down, the most common ranch truck rifle was a bolt action .243, followed by .270 and .30-06.  .308 is another good option, you can shoot cheap military surplus fmj at varmints.  My personal vote would be a Remington 700 .243 with a fixed 6 power scope.

There was an original model Ruger M77 in .243 for sale on here not long ago.  I have the same rifle and shoot it more than anything else.