choosing next gun ...

[Mr.Moa]

Just got a new gun so it will be awhile before my next one. I'm looking at a good gun for longer shots like 700+ yard shots. Haven't shot over 300 but i don't have many places for much longer shots than my gun ranges 300 yard range. I would like to start shooting longer ranges to get more comfortable in the event i get to go some place where a long shot presents itself. But i need to start somewhere with a gun and its a good reason to buy a new one. I have thought about several options but still have room for more if you can dream one up for me. Not set on caliber but i'm thinking bout 300 win mag. i have a 308, 30-06, 270, 243 so something bigger would be nice. I would like to stick to a larger 30 cal or go up into a 338 caliber cartrige. And ill probably put a muzzle brake on so i can watch where my bullet hits.

Options:

1. Get a 300 win mag barrel for my new Thompson Center Encore Pro Hunter and have a brake put on. I like the 28 inch barrel for the extra velocity for farther shots. I would like a bolt action for a follow up shot though. This seems to be the cheapest way out.

2. Weatherby vanguard or SUB MOA and install a brake. I would probably drop a timney trigger in. my 30-06 vanguard shoots under half inch at 100 yards with factory ammo so I am a fan of weatherby. with a regular vanguard i might upgrade to a bell and carlson medalist stock. Or if i got the SUB MOA i would leave the stock on it because it's already upgraded.

3. Savage 111 long range hunter and do nothing. It comes with an adjustable brake. I don't know much about them but it has an accustock and from what ive heard the are a decent factory synthetic stock. there accutriggers are one of my favorite.

Like i said it will be a long time before this happens but I'm starting to plan ahead and still open to suggestions.

 

[bogger01]

the 300 win mag barrel for your thompson center would be the cheapest way to go and you don't have to go through the hassle of ffl paperwork,fees ect.and i personally would go with the savage lrh rifle for the simple fact the savage is going to allow you to upgrade parts easier as you move up in your shooting with its array of aftermarket parts that are fairly user friendly to install without having to send the rifle to a gunsmith to do everything.also,the savages muzzle brake can be turned off if need be.

 

[WildRose]

Just got a new gun so it will be awhile before my next one. I'm looking at a good gun for longer shots like 700+ yard shots. Haven't shot over 300 but i don't have many places for much longer shots than my gun ranges 300 yard range. I would like to start shooting longer ranges to get more comfortable in the event i get to go some place where a long shot presents itself. But i need to start somewhere with a gun and its a good reason to buy a new one. I have thought about several options but still have room for more if you can dream one up for me. Not set on caliber but i'm thinking bout 300 win mag. i have a 308, 30-06, 270, 243 so something bigger would be nice. I would like to stick to a larger 30 cal or go up into a 338 caliber cartrige. And ill probably put a muzzle brake on so i can watch where my bullet hits.

Options:

1. Get a 300 win mag barrel for my new Thompson Center Encore Pro Hunter and have a brake put on. I like the 28 inch barrel for the extra velocity for farther shots. I would like a bolt action for a follow up shot though. This seems to be the cheapest way out.

2. Weatherby vanguard or SUB MOA and install a brake. I would probably drop a timney trigger in. my 30-06 vanguard shoots under half inch at 100 yards with factory ammo so I am a fan of weatherby. with a regular vanguard i might upgrade to a bell and carlson medalist stock. Or if i got the SUB MOA i would leave the stock on it because it's already upgraded.

3. Savage 111 long range hunter and do nothing. It comes with an adjustable brake. I don't know much about them but it has an accustock and from what ive heard the are a decent factory synthetic stock. there accutriggers are one of my favorite.

Like i said it will be a long time before this happens but I'm starting to plan ahead and still open to suggestions.

What you intend to hunt with it would be the first question.

With the little information you give above the list is literally endless.

I would take .270 off the list though immediately because it's very difficult to get high BC bullets for it and there are so many better options.

For anything larger than coyotes beyond 700yds, I'd also start with the 6.5 dia and move upward. Smaller diameters than that and you have weight/energy issues to deal with which make one shot kills on larger game problematic.

 

[sniperjwt]

of the choices you mentioned i would go with the Savage LRH. Same reason as stated before. Or if one of your other rifles are a savage you can just buy a barrel and switch them out. It is very simple to do does not take much longer than it would on your encore.

 

[Mr.Moa]

so far looking into the savage from what yall said.any reason not to use the 300 win mag?? it comes in 7 mm rem mag and 6.5 by 284 norma. the short action 11 long range hunter comes in 300 wsm. any huge reason to get one of these other calibers instead of 300 win mag?? for factory ammo 300 win mag is most popular of these calibers offered. I reload 308 so i have a bit a 30 cal bullets. would anyone prefer a 338 cal for long range? elk, caribou, mule deer, possibly moose, or maybe some imported african stuff if i want to go hunt out of a high fence somewhere ... not my style of hunting but its cheaper than going to africa.

 

[gcamp54]

This is only one opinion but I have learned some lessons trying to get a rifle to shoot long range without spending the money up front. I am no expert on this site. Just been there and done that. My lesson as been, pay now or pay later. But also I can afford it now, I couln't then. There are two very important components that you should consider first. One is quality brass availability if you plan to reload and two is the barrel. Brass makes a difference and I would recommend going to the Lapua or Norma web site. Pick a caliber either one of those manufactures produce brass for and use their brass. Second is that you cannot beat a custom barrel shooting long distances accurately. Since you stated you are interested in hunting the large game such as elk you can't go wrong with choosing a .30 cal or .338. There are some great threads in this site on "best large game calibers". There's always trade-offs with going bigger such as recoil and expense but you said you plan to use a brake. With that said and saying you have time before being able to buy another rifle, I'd watch for a good deal to come up on a custom receiver and go from there. You will need to decide if you want a short action, long action, or something designed for the bigger .338s. Then you don't have to true the action to put a good quality barrel on it and you should get a good quality custom barrel. The down side of this approach is that it's going to be more expensive than buying a factory rifle but it will shoot better.

Gordon

 

[bogger01]

so the game you hunting are elk and such.the calibers you just listed are all fine for larger game with limitations for each specific round.the 338 calibers are also a good long range hunting round.but,even the largest bullet with the most energy dosn't always guarantee a clean kill,especially at long ranges.each round has it's nitch but the best bullet means nothing without accuracy.the larger rounds are going to kick harder and that means flinching which leads to poor accuracy.even with the muzzle brake you still have muzzle blast to deal with which can be intimidating to some.if you are recoil sensitive which alot of us are and just don't want to admit it i like the 6.5x284.the key is practice with whatever you get and get comfortable sending rounds down range.