Hi Daryl, great minds think a like. As you would know from my ramblings I always wanted a 6.5x68 barrel for my Mauser M03. Probably near impossible to ever happen. A Blaser would work out, but then I would need all the same barrels in the Blaser I already have for the Mauser.

Mickey suggested to me years ago, after I asked him what a true double rifle man would use as a mountain hunting rifle, that he would use a single shot. Now some of these beautiful European single shots, such as Louis's in the other thread, can be very light. Sometimes scoped arpound 6 lbs or a little more. A break open single shot in 6.5x68 (no S as that is assoiated with the 8x68S and stands for .323 calibres versus the earlier .318 "8mm" cartridges) would be a spectaculaer mountain rifle. Perhaps a 6.5x68R for better extraction. The 6.5x68 with the original 93 gr PSP RWS bullet reached almost 4000 fps if I remember rightly. And was designed for chamois. There are other good bullets in the 90 to 100 gr range available from American bullet makers for handloading. A 120 to 127 gr projectiles also would be excellent.

Or for a little more oomph and also unusual factor a 7mm Vom Hofe Super Express (Magum?) if one thought additional bullet weight useful for hunting anywhere in mountains all over the world.

Would make great longer range plains rifles as well.

Neither of those cartrisdge chamberings would recoil enough to be a worry in a light rifle. I've shot a 6 1/4" Blaser in .375 and it did recoil sharply. And could become a problem. if lots of rounds had to be fired. But these medium bores should be managable.

A break open rifle also has the advantage of a longer barrel, minimum 650 mm or 26", is not as long. And the advantage of a shorter travelling/shotgun style case being possible for carrying it.

The disadvantage is one shot only.

Maybe Mick, can comment, how often is one shot enough? If additional shots are required, would an experienced single shot loader usually have enough time to reload and fire again?

These single shots are also often extremely accurate.

Need the wallet to bulk up first before any such fantasies. And hundreds of hours at the gym, or a several seasons of 30 km fox drive walks in broken country.