The Rifle You Reach For, featuring Kevin Weaver of Weaver Rifles

A bull steps out at 400 yards – quartering away, steep, the last moment of legal shooting light. One of those shots you don’t take unless you know the rifle is ready, and so are you. That’s the kind of confidence a purpose-built gun gives you.

One of the many great fortunes of owning a Western ranch are the traditions surrounding big game hunts; the stories warming up by a fireplace, ribbing your buddies for an opportunity missed, and considering the tools one chooses in pursuit of their trophy. When it comes to big game rifles, variety is the spice of life and often fiercely debated. Recently, we sat down with a custom rifle builder, Kevin Weaver of Weaver Rifles, to talk calibers, scopes, aesthetics, and western hunting, from elk in the timber to pronghorn in the sage. Along the way, we’ll share a few of our own thoughts and maybe help you think differently about the rifle in your hands this fall.

Meet Kevin Weaver of Weaver Rifles

Weaver Rifles is based out of Peyton, CO and has built several custom hunting rifles for Confluence managing partners Clint Packo and Michael Ledger. Kevin, a Colorado native, began his custom rifle-building career 37 years ago after graduating from gunsmithing school in Trinidad, CO. His passion for rifles began in his youth, admiring the classic firearms used afield by this grandparents, parents, and extended family on their annual big game outings.

Although Kevin often builds modern bolt action rifles, with chassis stocks and carbon fiber barrels, for those interested in long-range or PRS (Precision Rifle Series) style shooting, he is still drawn to high-grade classic rifles with fine wood stocks, hand checkering, polished bluing, and custom engraving. Kevin refers to these high-grade wood rifles, as “Art in Action” and expressed his sentimental nature when it comes to his two go-to rifles for Western game.

On fair-weather days, Kevin carries his Pre-1964 Winchester Model 70 in .270 Winchester, a family heirloom that represents many fond memories. On days when the weather forecast looks less than favorable, or when his rifle will be riding in a scabbard on horseback, Weaver brings his custom-built .300 Dakota that features a synthetic McMillan stock, as well as cerakoted barrel and action. Having the choice between these two rifles allows Kevin to keep his family heirloom safe from the elements and unpredictable circumstances that can befall a rifle when mounted to a saddle.

More and more, Kevin is enlisted by his clients to build rifles with synthetic stocks and lightweight accessories that are increasingly desirable with backcountry hunters looking to venture deeper for game. Although rifles and optics are becoming increasingly capable of exceptionally long shots, Kevin is of the opinion that one’s quarry deserves to be hunted at the closest range you can achieve, rather than being shot from extended ranges.

Caliber Talk: Elk, Deer, and Pronghorn

For folks who want a do-it-all rifle for North American game, Kevin steers his clients toward the long-trusted .30-06, which he says is well suited for everything from varmints to brown bear due to the wide range of bullet weights and bullet construction. He’s built over a dozen .30-06 this year alone. After discussing a number of cartridges, we both came to the conclusion that it is hard to go wrong with many of the popular big game rounds on the market today and it really comes down to preference.

Elk: Higher likelihood of terminal performance needed at 400+ yds, reliability, and bullet selection. Kevin favors classic cartridges such as .30-06 Springfield and .270 Winchester, 7mm Remington Magnum, or .300 Winchester Magnum due to ammunition availability and proven results. However, he often builds rifles in newer cartridges like 7mm PRC, .300 PRC, or 6.5 PRC.

Mule Deer: Precision and manageable recoil. Kevin likes many of the cartridges listed above for deer-sized game, but also recommends lighter loads such as .270 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Winchester, 25-06, or even .280 Ackley-Improved for those who enjoy reloading.

Pronghorn: Speed and wind resistance at long range. Should you want a pronghorn-specific rifle, Kevin might suggest .270 Winchester, .25-06, 6.5 Creedmoor, or .243 Winchester.

Broker Notes:

Joe: I favor the 7mm Remington magnum for the versatility and variety of off-the-shelf bullet options, particularly if travelling for a hunt. I have had success with this caliber when hunting elk deer, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep. Recently, I have enjoyed carrying a 45-70 govt. lever action for elk in the dark timber and occasionally an AR-15 chambered in 6.5mm Grendel on deer and pronghorn hunts. I am confident hunting anything in the Western US with 160gr Barnes TSX out of my 7mm.

Justin: I firmly believe that the best caliber is whichever one the particular hunter is most comfortable and practiced with. With that said, I’m partial to .30 caliber cartridges like the 300 Winchester Magnum, the 300 PRC, or even the ever-trusty 30-06. These calibers offer adequate downrange energy for large western game like elk, while still being manageable in terms of recoil. In terms of bullet weight, .30 calibers also offer a lot of flexibility- for example, a 30-06 is capable of shooting 120-grain bullets suitable for the smallest Whitetail, as well as 220-grain bullets that will knock down even the largest North American game. At the end of the day though, no caliber or bullet can outcompete repetitions behind the gun and time in the field.

Optics and Range Considerations

When I asked Kevin Weaver what scope he recommends for a Western big game rifle, he answered “Leupold” with no hesitation. He cited the company’s excellent warranty, build quality, and durability. His Model 70 sports a vintage Leupold 3.5-10x scope, while his .300 Dakota is fitted with a 3-9x Leupold VX2. For those open to spending more on their scope, he recommends something from Leupold’s VX5HD or VX6HD lines that fits your magnification needs.

Other scope brands Kevin’s clients often have him mount on a new build include Nightforce and Swarovski, amongst others. Kevin likes the durability of the Nightforce scopes but thinks they are too heavy for most hunting applications. Kevin’s experience with Swarovski scopes is that they have excellent glass clarity but can be less durable than other options with thinner metal used on their tubes. Kevin is not an advocate of long-range hunting but conveyed that many turret scopes on the market today are amazingly capable.

Broker Notes:

Joe: My 7mm Rem Mag is fitted with a Burris Fullfield IV 4-16x50mm, first focal place scope with an MOA (minute of angle) reticle. I prefer the simplicity of dialing the ballistic turrets for my exact yardage at any magnification with the first focal plane MOA reticle and keep a bullet drop chart on my stock to do so quickly. This scope has fit my needs on a variety of hunts, the 50mm objective captures light well in the early and late hours of the day when animals are often more active. On this scope, the reticle can be illuminated, much like a red dot sight, for great visibility at first or last light. The 4-16x magnification range suits my hunting style well for a variety of western big game species and allows me to practice out to ranges that exceed what I encounter on hunts. This scope is securely mounted with Warne scope rings, and I have not encountered issues losing my zero with rough handling from airlines or my own poor treatment on the mountain.

My 45-70 govt. lever action does not have a scope. Instead, I have opted for a Cloverleaf Receiver Peep Sight made by Ranger Point Precision for its durable design and minimalist footprint. The way I use this rifle, I have never felt hindered by the 200-yard maximum range to which I limit myself.

Justin: When it comes to Western big game hunting, the scope is equally, if not more, important than the rifle it’s on. The past several years I’ve carried a Zeiss Conquest V4 in 6-24x50mm with MOA turrets for yardage and windage and an illuminated reticle. While there are plenty of fantastic scopes out there, I’ve found that this V4 checks a lot of functional boxes, and I’ve yet to yearn for something with more capability. I appreciate the scope’s glass quality and light-transmission in low-light conditions, the ease of adjustment offered by the turrets, and the built-in ability to add additional features like a sunshade and a level. The windage turret, when combined with a Kestrel or other wind-meter, allows me to make educated adjustments for wind that would otherwise be guesses. Finally, I’ve found the scope to be incredibly durable, surviving everything from the humidity of Hawaii to some spills on rocky peaks.

The scope is mounted on my rifle with a set of Hawkins Precision scope rings and a 20-MOA rail. While I’m not a long-range hunter in the field, the increased adjustment allowed by the rail has made for some great extended shooting days at the range.

Aesthetics & Fit: Beauty in the Details

The beauty of a rifle is a priority for both Kevin and his customers. Fine-walnut stocks, hand-polished metal, and gold inlayed engravings are pervasive in much of his work and his personal collection. Admiring these details can soften the blow of a day in the field where you spend more time debating whether a rock is a bedded bull than judging the maturity of a 6×6 grazing on an open hillside.

Broker Notes:

Joe: A well-built rifle with scrapes and scars becomes part of your story – just like the land you hunt. I believe rifles should be cared for and respected while hunting, but often the pursuit of game puts your weapon in precarious circumstances. My bolt action 7mm Rem Mag is a utilitarian model of the Browning A-Bolt with a composite stock and matte blued finish. Other than a quick wipe down with an oiled rag and barrel cleaning, it doesn’t see much maintenance. This rifle is not much of a family heirloom and gets treated as a tool in the field. The lever gun is something that I take more precaution with, as I appreciate the aesthetic of its wood furniture and satin blued steel. At some point, I will likely have the receiver engraved to commemorate a special day in the mountains.

Justin: My finish choices have always been more of a functional consideration than an aesthetic one. While I can certainly admire a beautiful wood-stocked rifle or a well-maintained gun passed down through generations, I generally lean towards cerakoted and composite rifles that offer the most resilience in the elements. On a backpack rifle hunt, encountering moisture is almost inevitable, and the last thing I need to worry about while in the field is rifle-stock maintenance. After the hunt, these functional finishes require very little cleaning before going back into the gun-safe until the next adventure.

Regardless of finish, I always advocate for protecting your rifle, and particularly your scope, with external covers. Not only will these covers protect your investment over the long run, but they ensure your gun is dirt, water, and debris free when it’s time to shoot. There’s nothing worse than spending significant time, money, and energy crafting the perfect Western big game rifle, only to miss a quick shot opportunity because you skipped a $20 scope cover- just ask me how I know.

The Rifle You Trust

Kevin and I discussed what hunters often neglect with their rifles that can lead to decreased accuracy and performance. Weaver said that if a rifle quits shooting reliably, deep cleaning the bore with WIPE-OUT™ Brushless Bore Cleaner to remove copper build up is often the first step he takes. If that does not solve the issue at hand, the barrel being “shot out” is usually the next culprit. This occurs after a high volume of use, particularly if the shooter does not let their barrel adequately cool down between shots. He sees this becoming a problem when folks are sighting in their rifle during the heat of summer ahead of hunting season and may be rushing through their range sessions. Luckily, Weaver Rifles can re-barrel just about anything thanks to extensive CNC machining experience and tooling. While Kevin is at it, he has an excellent reputation refinishing vintage guns, re-bluing, polishing, hand checkering stocks, and can even chamber a rifle in the new caliber of your choice.

A custom rifle is more than specifications and parts – it’s about trust, feel, and confidence when it counts. Whether you’re hunting elk at tree line or pronghorn on the plains, the right rifle feels like an extension of you. And if it looks good while doing it, all the better. Kevin Weaver’s perspective on legacy rifles parallels the team at Confluence Land Company’s on Western ranches in many ways. A property or rifle tailored to you is one that becomes a family heirloom and is symbolic of memories made, success, and dreams becoming a reality.