Help picking out a caliber

[trader388]

Requirements...ok my hopes & wants!

In no particular order...

- Hunt whitetail or mule deer out to 1500 yards and targets beyond that.
- Weight 14lbs or less
- Barrel length not more than 28" prefer m24 contour
- (most important)I want maximum accuracy along with maximum velocity...who doesn't? lol
- I'd like to be able to buy factory hunting ammo...just in case. Doesn't have to be match ammo.
- I'd like to keep the recoil as low as possible with out putting a brake on. Add 2lbs to the 14lb...have a nightforce ready. I've owned a 300win mag and 300 RUM so I'm used to some kick.
-I'm also a fan of barnes triple shocks...I would like to use these for shorter shots out to 300-500 yards.
- I want it to be flat shooting as possible.

Yeah I'm asking alot.

I was thinking about...
7 WSM - with a schneider barrel with 176 Cauterucio or 180 JLK
300 WSM - rock barrel with 210 JLK
300 RUM - rock barrel with 240 SMK
338 Lapua - rock barrel with 300 SMK

Any of these would be a custom. Thoughts and or opinions appreciated!

[ 07-26-2004: Message edited by: trader388 ]

 

[doc76251]

Well for what you are describing 338 is going to be where you are headed, but w/o a break ............. owch

. I'd think about any of the 300 Mag (WM, RUM, Phoenix etc) series and back your game taking off to 1K or so, 1.5K is right over the edge (IMHO) of effective for critters.
WM ammo you will find on most shelves RUM is harder to find, Phoenix forget it, others in that arena are custom too. Talk to the guys at GA Precision or HD Rifles they can build you anything you ask for, but you may find you don't want it after you ask for it

.

Cheers

 

[dakor]

A 7mm STW with a 28 inch Pipe should do it with a 160gr or Higher or you could go with a 7.62 Warbird the brass and ammo are really spendy.

 

[TOM H]

Don't think any of the caliber you are thinking about will get the job done plus going to need one good scope. Don't mind me saying this your talking 300/500yd for a certain bullet but want 1500yds also for deer biggest problem is getting a bullet to retain enought energy to kill one at 1500yds. Factory ammo no way! I've got a 30-378 wby with a 28" barrel and get 3481fps with a 180 gr bullet use 113.5 gr of powder even if I got a 200 gr bullet at 3200fps if I could hit a deer at 1000yds I could kill him at 1500 yd think the chance of wounding one would be greater don't think you have enought scope to tell if he was hit or not. You would have to shoot off a table and have spotters. Dan Lilja wrote some article in PS afew year back about LR elk hunting and he was using 35lb rifle and had spotting scope. Might want to call Dan and talk to him about what type rifle and equipment he would recommend. Just off the top of my head I think a 30-338 laupa might do the trick also have to think about your set up for the 1500 yd hunt may not work for those 300/500 yd stuff. Well good luck>

 

[trader388]

A very smart person has convinced me I should use a brake...so include a brake!

 

[kidcoltoutlaw]

i love the 338 RUM i get 3100 fps with a smk 250 grain.the accuracy is un real .R.W.HART do a lot of work on the sendero rem 700.the price was great to love there work.i will later have another 338 rum built this time i might use a win mod 70 to do it .HART will do the work they did the job on about 30 days after the barrel came in thanks,keith