850 yard elk rifle

[royinidaho]

Yep, a 338 RUM.

Was considering an Edge for the next step up but this rifle is a carry gun so I skipped over the Edge and went with a 375 AM.

Remember, the lighter the rifle the more effective the brake. I would suppose that this rifle comes back about an inch before it is moved forward by the Holland Brake. I still allow for plenty of eye relief though.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

For 850 yd elk and managable recoil without brake, go with a 300 WSM. I'm shooting a 300 ultra. If you're going to brake it, go with a 338 RUM, Lapua or Edge. Lapua brass is better.

Mark

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Roy, You know your guns, I think you made a fantastic choice with the 375 AM and the 338 ultramag. I am jealous and want one also for extreme long range. Good luck with it. If I drive to Idaho would you let me shoot it? It would probably be worth the trip.

I built and tested quite a few of the 338-300 ultramags (338 edge on this forum) back in the late 90's before the 338 ultramag came out. After testing about a hundred rifles there is virtually no difference in performance between the 338 RUM and the 338-300 ultramag. The 338 RUM is the better cartridge between the two because of the slightly shorter more efficient case allowing better feeding through the action with longer high BC bullets. Your 2750 fps 300 grain load with your 338 ultramag in a 26" barrel is all any average 338-300 or edge will do. With a 30" barrel both can get 2800-2850 fps max unless it is a very rare, unusually fast barrel. After the 338 ultramag came out I never built another 338-300 because it made no sense. I kept two 338-300's for myself and hunt more with a 338 RUM. If I want more power I go to my 338-378 wby with way more power than anything off the ultramag case. All are very accurate if the gunsmith knows what he is doing. The 338-378 I hunt with is a solid 200 fps faster than the 338-300 ultramags with single digit velocity spreads between shots and extremely accurate. The last kill with it last month was an antelope right through the heart at 813 yards and it was not a very difficult shot with that rifle. 200 grain nosler at 3640 fps.

Time to go bigger though for extreme long range so I really like your 375. I get bored with this 1000 yard stuff now. My 338-378 with the 300 matchking right at 3100 fps shoots real well and I have made some good hits to mid 1300's with it. Your 375 can go beyond a mile though and that is where I want to go next. Best of luck with it.

 

[D.Camilleri]

Roy, You know your guns, I think you made a fantastic choice with the 375 AM and the 338 ultramag. I am jealous and want one also for extreme long range. Good luck with it. If I drive to Idaho would you let me shoot it? It would probably be worth the trip.

I built and tested quite a few of the 338-300 ultramags (338 edge on this forum) back in the late 90's before the 338 ultramag came out. After testing about a hundred rifles there is virtually no difference in performance between the 338 RUM and the 338-300 ultramag. The 338 RUM is the better cartridge between the two because of the slightly shorter more efficient case allowing better feeding through the action with longer high BC bullets. Your 2750 fps 300 grain load with your 338 ultramag in a 26" barrel is all any average 338-300 or edge will do. With a 30" barrel both can get 2800-2850 fps max unless it is a very rare, unusually fast barrel. After the 338 ultramag came out I never built another 338-300 because it made no sense. I kept two 338-300's for myself and hunt more with a 338 RUM. If I want more power I go to my 338-378 wby with way more power than anything off the ultramag case. All are very accurate if the gunsmith knows what he is doing. The 338-378 I hunt with is a solid 200 fps faster than the 338-300 ultramags with single digit velocity spreads between shots and extremely accurate. The last kill with it last month was an antelope right through the heart at 813 yards and it was not a very difficult shot with that rifle. 200 grain nosler at 3640 fps.

Time to go bigger though for extreme long range so I really like your 375. I get bored with this 1000 yard stuff now. My 338-378 with the 300 matchking right at 3100 fps shoots real well and I have made some good hits to mid 1300's with it. Your 375 can go beyond a mile though and that is where I want to go next. Best of luck with it.

Now why to you have to go saying stuff like this, I was perfectly happy with my 338 rum and then you start talking about 200 fps faster with the 338-378 and now my little brain is thinking...............................................

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

I like my 338 RUM also. The velocity of the 338-378 wby is nice but it brings more issues to the table (expense #1). Bottom line is I have killed everything just as dead with my 338 RUM as with the extra 200 fps in the 338-378. The extra velocity allows me to shoot out to a half mile easily and quickly with mil dots and not have to fool with clicks. Very important in many hunting situations. The 338-378 and 338-416 are expensive to build unless you have a wby mk 5 action to work with but will easily outperform the ultramag stuff by quite a bit. That extra velocity is very evident when hitting game and quite impressive over the 338-300 or edge and 338 RUM but like I said they are just as dead either way. You are not that far from me. We can pull a few rifles out and shoot and decide for yourself. With the gun you have I think you are good to go without the extra expense. I have two 338-300 ultramags or edge and you can shoot those with yours and see that there is no difference.

 

[Bravo 4]

Talk with AJ Peacock about his Edge build on a Savage action. Have one barrel in a 7mm Mag(or whatever) and another in .338 Ultra or Edge.

 

[ATH]

You would be well-served with a quality factory rifle to fit your current needs while allowing you to sae some cash toward your dedicated long-range boomer.

What you describe is exactly the search I went through. I settled on a Remington Sendero in 300WM. WSM is another option, but you need a custom gun to get all the advantages out of the WSM.

There is nothing wrong with a 7mmRM/7mmWSM but personally I think elk are tough and I wanted a bigger bullet. I don't think there is a "right" answer to that one, it comes down to choice.

This rifle is about at the limit where I can shoot as much as I want and not be affected by the recoil. I see some recommending 338RUM and the like, now those are great long range rounds but I would not want to shoot one any amount with no brake. And I hate brakes, until I'm at a place where I plan to consistently shoot 1000+ yds I see no need to shoot a cartridge that requires one.

Though I do enjoy hearing the reports of those that do own them.