Your Ultimate 500 Yard Rig

Inspired by John Spadaro's thread found here:
https://longrangehunting.com/threads/help-chosing-an-elk-cartridge.211198/

What is your ULTIMATE rifle outfit for ~500yds on North American big game? Think packing WAY back/up in there with a shot of a lifetime on a trophy animal that has never seen a human.

Long/short action? Caliber? Action? Stock? Optic? Trigger? etc. Overkill is fine; what is your ULTIMATE dream rig for out to 500?
I use a custom Winchester model 70 LRH action chambered in 7mm STW mated to a 28" Bartlien 5R barrel McMillian stock, all trued and accurized Accushot BT10 bipod, NEAR scope mounts, Vortex Razor HD scope. It's a beast to carry but hasn't let me down LOBS A 168gr Accubond Long Range (ABLR) at 3,385 fps. Has taken 6 elks in the last 6 years ranging from 1,028 yards to 1,342 yds. I don't consider long range unless your over 800 yds.
 
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I use a custom Winchester model 70 LRH action chambered in 7mm STW mated to a 28" Bartlien 5R barrel McMillian stock, all trued and accurized Accushot BT10 bipod, NEAR scope mounts, Vortex Razor HD scope. It's a beast to carry but hasn't let me down LOBS A 168gr Accubond Long Range (ABLR) at 3,385 fps. Has taken 6 elks in the last 6 years ranging from 1,028 yards to 1,342 yds. I don't consider long range unless your over 800 yds.
 
@ jsheperd61 - What twist rate do you have on your STW? That will be my next caliber of choice. Looking to shoot in the 160gr range also.
 
I absolutely love my hunting rifle at 500 yards or whatever range I'm going to try and take game. It's a 300 Win Mag built on a Bighorn TL2 action, with a Mark Chanlynn barrel, in a Manners EH-1 stock with a Calvin Elite Timney trigger. It shoots 215 and 230 Begers most of the time, but it also shoots 212 Eld x's well. Oh yeah, and it's a quiet 300wm with the Dead Air Sandman Ti. It's an All-day meat in the freezer rifle and it's great to shoot. When it's not wearing it's Sandman, it wears an APA lil bastard brake. Either way it has impeccable manners in the woods or on the range.
Great rigs all. Note to original poster: A lot of good year end sales now on rifles, other gear.
 
I use a custom Winchester model 70 LRH action chambered in 7mm STW mated to a 28" Bartlien 5R barrel McMillian stock, all trued and accurized Accushot BT10 bipod, NEAR scope mounts, Vortex Razor HD scope. It's a beast to carry but hasn't let me down LOBS A 168gr Accubond Long Range (ABLR) at 3,385 fps. Has taken 6 elks in the last 6 years ranging from 1,028 yards to 1,342 yds. I don't consider long range unless your over 800 yds.
LOL - and I still think over 500 yards starts long range for hunting ! Can't wait to start "plinking" with my "new" - used Weatherby Mark V - in .300 Win Mag. It comes with a break so this 72 year old can hopefully still smoothly pull da trigger. :)
 
I have several i use on my mtn hunts--one is a Lex Webernick in 280AI --the other is a custom I had built this year..has a Defiance Action, Proof Barrel and Christenson carbon fiber stock.. in 28 Nosler..in my home state, the one I have used the most is a HS in 300RUM..all three are very accurate and more than capable to 500 and beyond..Here is my last hunt in Turkey a few weeks ago..
That is a beautiful animal. Congratulations.
 
My cooper timberline 300 rum.
Leupold vx6 3-18x44 and nosler
Accubond 200 grain. Good to go for anything out there
You guys are shooting some super sounding rifles. I am still shooting a Mark 5 Weatherby in .270 WM that I bought almost 45 years ago. Shooting a 150 gr. Nosler Partition it has taken elk at over 200 yds, some antelope and a bunch of whitetail and I believe it would do well at 500. I am throwing this in just because I never see this caliber mentioned and I have been extremely pleased with it.
 
And while also got a great deal on a Burris scope - 4.5x14 x 44mm - the Vortex seemed to me at least - to have the clearest glass/image in the Razor level - compared to the equivalent Burris and Leupold priced models.
 
My rig is a 308 built by me. Surgeon 591 repeater a Krieger 11.5-1 twist barrel in a Remington varmint contour. 24 inches long. Greybull stock topped with a Vortex 5x25x50 gen II PST. It tops out at 12 lbs but I shoot 5 shot groups at 200 that you can cover with a quarter. It is set up for 175gr SMK but I have found out any thing 175 gr it loves. I have killed deer at 650 yes with it and I'm willing to try it on an Elk. I have rung steel at 1000 yards with it too.
 

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My rifle of choice is a Weatherby Vanguard .270 win topped with a Nightforce SHV 5x20. Most rifles may be nicer to look at but not many shoot as well. Two pet loads - 140gr TSX & 145gr ELD-X, both in front of 61.6gr of H4831SC. The TSX shoots at a MV of 3200FPS & the ELD is about 50ft behind it. Both shoot 1/2 MOA or better. The TSX is nice when hunting in brushy areas. It always manages to find its target. In more open areas I switch to the ELD, 500 yards is easy with this setup.
 
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