Can there really be One Gun To Rule Them All?

Of course not. But it is possible to find one centerfire rifle to handle all your medium-to-big-game hunting needs. Whether you're pursuing pronghorn, elk, bears, duikers or eland, the right rifle and cartridge -- coupled with the right bullets, of course -- can "rule them all." And here's one of them...

Meet The Borden Timberline

Borden's "Back in Black" Timberline bolt-action rifle in 7mm Remington Magnum doesn't look racy, gnarly, sick, wicked or any other buzz word for the latest and greatest, but don't let its simple lines fool you. This is a precision-built, deadly accurate, easy-handling, perfectly balanced, rugged, functional One Gun to Rule Them All. Talley Rings and Swarovski 3.5-18x44 Z5 scope bring package weight to 8-pounds, 2-ounces.

Jim Borden's Timberline bolt-action in 7mm Remington Magnum fits my and Mr. Borden's requirements for One Gun to Rule Them All. Yes, that's a hyperbolic way of staying "multi-purpose rifle," but in this age of hyperbole one almost has to scream to grab attention, and now that I’ve got yours...

Let's get serious. What most of us want in a "one gun" battery is a tool that will handle all of the hunting we hope to do. Not too big, not too small, not to heavy, not too light. And definitely not so much recoil that we're afraid to shoot it. Or at least discouraged from shooting it enough to become deadly. Call it the Goldilocks rifle. Just right.

So, this is what Jim Borden and I came up with. We discussed the balances and compromises and both agreed this rifle in 7mm Remington Magnum would fit the bill.

Putting the Brakes on “One Gun to Rule Them All”

Rest assured I'm not overly enamored of muzzle brakes. But the one (removable) on this Timberline is welcomed and effective for the way it softens recoil, but not for the noise it generates. But even an un-braked 7mm Rem. Mag. blasts too loudly. Putting a brake on it doubles the chances I won't forget my hearing protection. Some of the new electronic hearing protectors/enhancers like TETRA AmPods seem a reasonable option for protecting one's hearing without blocking it. AmPods can be engineered to enhance hearing while knocking significant decibels off muzzle blast. I’ve found this to be the case, hearing song birds, crickets, and other high pitched natural sounds so long as I’m not hiking and breathing hard. The blast of a muzzle brake 7mm Rem. Mag., however, takes the AmPods right to the ragged edge of being overwhelmed.

Weighty Issues and Accuracy

This Borden Timberline weighs 8 pounds, 2 ounces with the Talley rings and Swarovski 3.5-18x44mm Z5 scope. It recoils like a light 270 Winchester load in an 8-pound rifle. This surely contributes to this rifle's impressive accuracy.

Accuracy is a Borden hallmark, as you'd expect from a benchrest shooter who set some 10 world records. Borden rifles have been used by others to set more than 100 records. Precision tolerances, high-quality barrels, stocks, pillar bedding, and "blueprinted" action all go into a Borden. But there's an additional ingredient: Borden Bumps. As I understand it, these are a slight widening of the bolt body (0.02") behind the recoil lugs and at the rear of the bolt body where it can touch the rear receiver ring. These bumps permit a "sloppy" bolt tolerance for slick travel along the raceway, yet align and snug it up precisely when the bolt is turned into battery. This is useful in a field rifle that could pick up dust, mud, and debris to hinder bolt cycling.

Is Borden’s “One Gun To Rule Them All” Too Long?

I mention in the video the 26-inch barrel as being less than ideal for woods hunting. And it is. But I do the bulk of my hunting in fairly open country, so I'm willing to make this compromise. If I did more thick cover still-hunting, I'd opt for a 24" barrel or even 22", although that starts cutting into 7mm muzzle velocity enough to suggest a 280 Remington or even 7mm-08 Rem. as the better cartridge choice.

The Borden Timberline’s 26” barrel wasn’t an issue on our Vancouver Island bear hunt. Guide Kim Cyr’s rifle barrel is just as long. An 8-pound rifle is about as much weight as I want when hiking and climbing. Despite this mass, the Borden Timberline carries nicely. It's sleek lines and balance make it smooth and easy to swing into action in all but brushy woods.

As you can see, I'm already hedging my bets here. Proof that One Gun to Rule Them All is quite variable. So why did Borden and I both choose the 7mm Rem. Mag? Because it's a common round widely available with a nice balance of bullet weights and types, muzzle velocity, recoil, and trajectory. And it fits standard-length (30-06) actions. As a handloader, I can load the 7mm Rem. Mag. down to 7x57mm Mauser velocities or crank it up to its full potential. As I always say, there is no magic cartridge or bullet, but bullets in the 140-to 160-grain class are about optimum for deer-sized game. The 160- to 175-grain slugs have been proven deadly on everything up to and including African buffalo and elephants. The newest boat-tail, spire-point, low drag designs push Ballistic Coefficients near the top (.675 G1 rating) in weights that don't contribute to cheek slapping violence.

Your Choice May Vary

I've used the 7mm Rem. Mag. to cleanly take everything from coyotes to elk, moose, and eland, so I'm convinced of its universal application. You, however, may disagree. And that's fine. Each of us must define the qualities we need or at least want in a rifle/cartridge combination and modify our "perfect" all-round rifle accordingly. But the "one gun to rule them all" concept is valid. It enables a hunter to become perfectly tuned to his tool, handling it quickly, smoothly, efficiently, knowing right where it will strike at any reasonable distance. No hesitation. Supreme confidence. Deadly performance. Beware the hunter with one gun. He or she likely knows how to use it.