Choosing first rifle (from three preselected) - any advice? :)

[kevin2106]

The 7mm is the rifle i recommend to buy. Yes it's ugly, but nothing can compare to that weapon with a 3-9 scope fitted on it

[gr1zzly1]

I noticed some suggesting the 30-06 and 30 R. I would not buy them right now. They are not ethical for bison. Neither is the 308.
I prefer the 9.3X62. But that is my preference.

[DanthemanBoone]

I just cant hunt without my 7 mm bullpup.
Roe deer to Bison, its all the same.
Just need to be a little more careful with the Bison.
Never got any complaints about the way it looks from any of the animals it killed.
Wide range of scopes for any occasion.
Takes up less room than any other big game rifle.

[Sherab86]

Wow!
I was expecting some variability among your types, but never expected such big response as such.

Thank you all!

I see strong support for 7 mm.
From mentioned by me, it seems that 8x52 recives most positive feedback.

If you are interested in some "scientific" approach, I did some "research" basing on Nosler real rounds.

First of all, I have to admitt with embaracement that I didn't know that .300 and .308 are actualy of the same diameter of about 7.8 mm. And 8x52 projectile has about 8.2 mm diameter. In rifle projectiles world every part of a milimeter counts, I would say. But still, this is not that big difference. And I suppose, if we would compare bullets of same design, permament wound cavieties should be very similar between those two cartridges. Difference between .300 and 7 mm is just slightly bigger. I suppose this might be noticable a little bit, but still not that "huge" difference. However differnece between this "group" and 9.3 mm is relatively big and at least in theory, that last one should deal more severe wounds, than ".30 group".

Of course I don't know how this translates into ingame experience. Especially that not all projectiles are of the same design. 7mm is for example AccuBond type, while 9.3 is Partition type.

Now with penetration... Basing on wiki, we know that .300 projectile is 200 gr., while 7 mm is 160 gr. We don't know weight of 8 mm and 9.3 mm. But I assumed that 200 gr. for 8 mm, and 250 gr. for 9.3 are most probable. Then I took some ballistic data from Nosler webpage for 100 m distance. Having this I used one of formulas designed to calculate theoretical pentetration for battleships canons. Yeah, they are much bigger, but principle is the same.

Not suprisingly .300 should theoreticaly posses superior penetration. It is fallowed up by 7 mm, then goes 9.3 mm, and finaly 8 mm, with stood relatively far behind the rest. Again, this results are valid only for same design projectiles penetrating same kind of material. Original formula contains constant with is derived from those two factors - projectile design and material, and type of medium it is penetrating. Of course I don't know constants for our projectiles, hence numbers I've recived are not actual penetration values and can be used only for comparison between those projectiles on basis "assuming same construction/design, this one do better than this one". This is why I don't give you numbers.

Now, again - we don't know much about game mechanics. But since In game projectiles are "sponsored" by Nosler, maybe devs were trying to represent them accuratly, and perhaps some real world data are good point to start "theoretical searching" of best projectile for me to use.

Because of this I've started to be less interested in 8x52 IS to be honest. Yes, in theory it should do slightly bigger wounds, but this might be barely noticable compared too .300 magnum catridge. There is different story with 9.3 mm, but from other hand I'm not sure isn't this overkill for most species in the game? And as you say it is relatively most "unstable".

So now I'm most interested in:

- .300 Winchester Magnum (when it comes to rifle, I like carbon's version look.)
- 7mm Magnum.

When it comes to the last one - While maybe I can not say it is beauty, I have nothing against bullpup design. From other hand, I realy like the look of brake action rifle. Aside of lack of magazine and possibilty for quick fallow-up shots, would you be so kind to compare those two? And both of them to .300?

Thanks again for all support I've already recived from you.


PS. I've neglected 30-06 and .30R because they are not allowed for Bison - and If I want to step-up from a shotgun, would be nice to have this possibility to hunt also Bison.

[Tanngnjostr]

When it comes to the last one - While maybe I can not say it is beauty, I have nothing against bullpup design. From other hand, I realy like the look of brake action rifle. Aside of lack of magazine and possibilty for quick fallow-up shots, would you be so kind to compare those two?

In-game I think the only difference between the 7mm rifles is that the Bullpup has a magazine and looks ugly compared to the Break Action rifle. The performance (stoppage power, penetration) should be the same for both afaik. Can't say anything comparing both to the .300 though.

PS. I've neglected 30-06 and .30R because they are not allowed for Bison - and If I want to step-up from a shotgun, would be nice to have this possibility to hunt also Bison.

I didn't realize that the 30R isn't ethical for bison because I rarely hunt them and regarding power it definitely offers more than the .30-06 and the 8x57, so the game design decision is a little inconsistent here. But of course this is important if you want to have the maximum versatility.

By the way: my comment about "scientific" comparison surely wasn't meant as making fun of you. All I was trying to say is that my opinion is usually based on my experience "in the field" and that it is often rather intuitive. There are other players that really compare rifles at the shooting ranges under similar circumstances, but not me.

[Sherab86]

By the way: my comment about "scientific" comparison surely wasn't meant as making fun of you.

And I haven't took this such way. I putt myself "scientific" into quatation marks because I think my approach is rather semi-scientific, and not truly-scientific That's all.

Thanks for your input. I'm not very good at shooting runing targets, this way I consider lack of follow-up shots of lesser importance.

[DarkHunterXX]

The 7mm against the .300?
Depends really on what animals you are hunting.
If you hunt moose , bison and bear a lot, i would recommend a .300 , it has a lot more power than the 7mm.
If you are hunting with a gun on deers, or on a hog feeder, take the 7mm, so you can take multiple down

[DanthemanBoone]

You are overthinking the whole issue.
First off, trying to compare the in game results to real life ballistics, penetration and energy is an exercise in futility.
The only (true) indication of how the game rifles perform is in the test charts published by those various members who have spent the time to try and define the comparative performance.

Secondly. None of the rifles in game give a true representation of the damage and knock down power of a real rifle.
In my opinion, of all those I can compare to the guns I have used in real life, the best in game representations are only performing at about 75 to 80 percent.
Eg ingame the 243 performs like a real life 222.
ingame the 300 performs like a real life 270./ 30.06

As to your question regarding an ingame comparison between the 300 and the two 7 mm mag options I would say this.
The 7 mm break action is almost as fast as the 300 bolt action in the reload phase. ( Or at least so little difference as to be noticeable ) and if your shooting is good you wont need a second shot anyway.
The bullpup is noticeably faster than either.
While the 300 may have more penetration the higher power scope option on the 7mm's allow for better shot placement at long ranges, which levels the results at the kill count.

Which brings us to the other factor you have neglected to take into consideration.
The only thing you are seeing when you are shooting is the sight picture. So the scope becomes the prime factor when you are making the shot. ( How the rifle looks has absolutely nothing to do with the result of that shot ). You need to be sure your choice of rifle allows you to use the scope and reticle you are most comfortable with, that which gives you the best sight picture for the type of hunting you are doing, and that can change even within a hunt session.

At the end of the day you need to choose the rifle that best fits the picture you have in your mind , because no matter which you choose, ( in both virtual and real life situations ) your results will only ever be as good as your faith in your gun.

[Sherab86]

You are overthinking the whole issue.

Yes - this lay in my nature

First off, trying to compare the in game results to real life ballistics, penetration and energy is an exercise in futility.

I've wrote that I consider this only as a good starting point. And whole describtion was mostly for fun - as a curiosity.

The only (true) indication of how the game rifles perform is in the test charts published by those various members who have spent the time to try and define the comparative performance.

You are absolutely right. I have to worry you - IRL I would also do such "scientific" analysis to preselect some cartridges prior to visiting a store. However, after that, I would not buy a gun without a chance to shoot same model a little bit at least at a range. Can I stand a recoil? How it lays in my hands? How accurate I'm with it? And so on. Unfortunatly I can't do this in the game. Game do not offer "test drive" and I think it should - for example for gm$ one could be able to tryout given gun for three hunts for example (such purchase would be possible just one time).

Still, it is hard to truly compare them fully in game too. We can do this more-less reliably with the penetration thanks to that range at Redfeather Falls. However with the "damage" part it is much harder and much more subjective. :/ We don't have virtual ballistic gel to our disposal to see "damage" on our own eyes.

Depends really on what animals you are hunting.

All of them! Muahahaha!!!

Well, yes, It is meant to be universal weapon. There would be some overlap with .243. And I consider .243 quite reliable for Roe Deer for example. But I don't feel that sure with Whitetail for example at ranges around 100 m. So I would probably use new rifle for game as tough as Whitetail and more. Is too early for me to give you my favorite set of species. For now I realy liked to hunt Wild Boars, so I probably will like to hunt feral hogs too. I liked Roe Deers too, but for them, as I said, .243 feels enough. I suppose I may like to hunt Elks and Red Deers. Perhaps Moose too. I plan to hunt a Bison occasionaly but at this moment I can not say will I like it much, or not.

[TheSheWolf]

IRL I would also do such "scientific" analysis to preselect some cartridges prior to visiting a store. However, after that, I would not buy a gun without a chance to shoot same model a little bit at least at a range. Can I stand a recoil? How it lays in my hands? How accurate I'm with it? And so on. Unfortunatly I can't do this in the game. Game do not offer "test drive" and I think it should - for example for gm$ one could be able to tryout given gun for three hunts for example (such purchase would be possible just one time).

Man, I've said this too! I think it'd drive sales up a TON to be able to rent weapons temporarily. You'd use them, try them out, and want to buy them later. I think it's probably overly complex what with coding addition & removal to inventory... they can't even figure out a way not to give you 500 pairs of binocs/standard rifles etc with membership purchase, so. It'd be a lot easier if it was an "unlock to inventory" system sort of thing, I feel, rather than placing the object in, but so it is. Still, I'd love rentals!

Re: whitetail etc, I'd def. say to go 7mm then. The gun is ethical for everything from coyote to bison and can take it all, the long-range scope is great. I kinda wish I'd got the break-action just to look at and hear it, but the follow-up shots from the Bullpup are great. I didn't think I'd need them, either, but I've found them useful in the end. With the longest-range scope it's actually not too hard to hit something running away. It will kill almost anything with almost any shot. The only one I've not had die shortly after a shot was a hind leg hit on a reindeer. Foreleg shots and scapulas etc have still died. Generally, though, it's perfect heart/lung.

I'd definitely suggest checking YouTube vids on the guns you're interested in, so you can see what the scopes look like "in action," get an idea of what you'll be staring at with the gun, and get the audio of what it sounds like.