Looking for a new rifle, unsure where to start...help with caliber.

[Guy M]

Sometimes we get real wrapped up about a rifle for this or that... Here's an awesome book by a fellow who took every big game animal in North America, with one rifle... Moose, big bears, deer, elk, everything... With a real basic 30-06 Rem 700 and 165 gr Noslers, though he stepped up to the 200 gr Noslers for some of the bigger bears.

I found out about his book well after I'd settled on the same basic rifle combo. That amused me. Wish I could afford to go do all the hunting he did.

Seems a good general-purpose rifle can do for most hunting. I'm looking forward to seeing what your decision is, and then seeing those range & hunt reports!

Merry Christmas All! Guy

 

[Lrdchaos]

I appreciate all the feedback, I love my 308 but it is heavy. It would probably work well, but it has a MtU contour barrel and sits in a sentinel stock. After reading the comments I might just stick with it for now and get a good sling. I'm still young and carrying it isn't a big deal. It's a true 1/3 minute rifle out to 600m so it's plenty accurate for everything I need.

Although the suggestions on the 7mm rm has peaked my interested. I could be in a new 7mm for around 15-1700 dollars after I have everything accurized and chambered. Time for a little more research it seems.

 

[Slick8]

I'm going to look for that book. I believe the BPS in Dallas highlights a similar lifetime accomplishment of a man who took all the north America big game with a 7rm. If recall he even broke a leg on a sheep hunt.

To the op, imo the 270 - 3006 isn't much above the 308 unless you were to build a 3006 sherman bit you stated you don't reload.

Having said that id go with a 300wm or 7rm. Both are just good solid work horses with lots of factory and custom ammo available.

I've had both through the years and am building a lightweight 300 winny as we speak.

 

[Guy M]

I appreciate all the feedback, I love my 308 but it is heavy. It would probably work well, but it has a MtU contour barrel and sits in a sentinel stock. After reading the comments I might just stick with it for now and get a good sling. I'm still young and carrying it isn't a big deal. It's a true 1/3 minute rifle out to 600m so it's plenty accurate for everything I need.

Although the suggestions on the 7mm rm has peaked my interested. I could be in a new 7mm for around 15-1700 dollars after I have everything accurized and chambered. Time for a little more research it seems.

Ah... Okay, the 308 is a big ol' heavy beast. Honestly, consider a quality "sporter weight" rifle for general purpose hunting. They can be plenty accurate enough, and are a lot handier. Often I've made a quick "snap shot" or run to a place where I could get off a shot, and was awfully glad to have 8 pounds of rifle & scope instead of 12... Makes a big difference.

Looking forward to seeing your choice!

 

[johnnyk]

All the above recommendations are good, I think, and although I've never killed an antelope or elk, I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express in Montana, once. LoL.
But seriously, a good cartridge would be the .270 WSM. It can be loaded with 130gn AccuBonds or Ballistic Tips at a blistering 3400fps or the 160gn Partitions at 3100fps. You could use the 170gn Bergers in it if you had a 1-8 twist barrel (or faster) and that will required a custom barrel, as rifle (and to some extent, bullet) manufacturers haven't fully caught up with the long range crowd, especially in the 27 and 25 calibers but we all know this.
Let us know what you decide on.

 

[FIGJAM]

I'll second the 270 wsm. My big 30 magnums have spent a lot more time in the safe since I got one. I took a mule deer and an elk with mine this year. The deer was at 330 and the elk at 431. I was shooting the 145gr eldx.

 

[cgarb]

270wsm is a good round, but as far as factory ammo availability 7RM all the way. 284 bore has a way better bullet selection than 270 also. Another vote for 7rm for me. I'm having a 7mm Mashburn built for hopefully my first antelope/mule deer hunt this coming fall.

 

[FEENIX]

But seriously, a good cartridge would be the .270 WSM. It can be loaded with 130gn AccuBonds or Ballistic Tips at a blistering 3400fps or the 160gn Partitions at 3100fps. You could use the 170gn Bergers in it if you had a 1-8 twist barrel (or faster) and that will required a custom barrel, as rifle (and to some extent, bullet) manufacturers haven't fully caught up with the long range crowd, especially in the 27 and 25 calibers but we all know this.
Let us know what you decide on.

Yes, but ...

I don't reload so factory Ammo is a must.

 

[Gamesniper19]

If you are not going to use your current 308 and eliminate the other 30's then:
6.5 PRC gives you very little ballistic advantage at <500 yards with no terminal performance advantage
6.5x284 gives you small incremental advantages in DOPE and very little terminal performance advantage
The 7MM RM, 28 Nosler and others will be a sure upgrade in ballistics, terminal performance, and you can find hi grade factory ammo for both.

Not one to talk anyone out of another rifle, something to consider - if your never going to shoot over 500 yards and want to use factory ammunition, you already own a great custom rifle. Upgrade it and put a CF barrel or a #4 fluted and reduce weight. Have it chambered for the best 308 ammunition you like and it will shoot any game animal elk sized and smaller, that has manageable recoil, and is infinitely upgradeable.
Maybe upgrade your scope or get into handloading...then go get yourself the ultimate rifle/caliber and save that 308 for the range.

 

[Lrdchaos]

I appreciate the feedback. Sounds like I'll stick with the 308 for now. By the time I add a thousand or so rounds down the barrel I might just rebarrel it with a proof CF barrel and lighten things up a bit. As always this site doesn't disappoint!

 

[WildRose]

I currently have a custom 223 and custom 308 that I use for plinking steel at the range. I'm wanting to step up to a all around rifle that could be used for antelope all the way to elk. I've considered the 270/30-06 but I don't know that I gain enough energy over the 308 at 500 yards to justify the upgrade. 500 yards is my limit to what I will shoot. More recently I've considered the 6.5 prc and a 7mm rm. I don't reload so factory Ammo is a must. I'm not interested in the 300wm or larger 30 cal rifles. This rifle won't see much range time, just hunting. It will be equipped with my 30p-1 suppressor so i will probably stick with a sendero contour barrel. Any help would be appreciated.

7mm STW or 28 Nosler would be my choices with your parameters. Both are very flat shooting with considerably more velocity and energy than the 7RM. I shot the 7RM from 1978 until about 1990 when I got my first STW and haven't looked back since.

The 7RM is "adequate" the STW and Nosler however do anything the RM will do just faster and flatter.

If you're going to shoot factory ammo do yourself a favor, try several brands and bullet weights until you find what shoots best and then buy as much of the same lot as you can get your hands on and afford.

 

[WildRose]

I appreciate all the feedback, I love my 308 but it is heavy. It would probably work well, but it has a MtU contour barrel and sits in a sentinel stock. After reading the comments I might just stick with it for now and get a good sling. I'm still young and carrying it isn't a big deal. It's a true 1/3 minute rifle out to 600m so it's plenty accurate for everything I need.

Although the suggestions on the 7mm rm has peaked my interested. I could be in a new 7mm for around 15-1700 dollars after I have everything accurized and chambered. Time for a little more research it seems.

Look at the Remington Gen 2 milspecs and you can get into a great rifle for a whole lot less.

 

[KyCarl]

And every thing a 7STW does costs a lot more than a 7RM! Brass..powder.. barrel life!
With the OP's stated 500 yard limit a 7STW or 28 Nosler does nothing a 7RM won't do
Except cost a lot more and kick a lot harder!
And consider the factory ammo options for a guy who doesn't reload? 7STW has 2 or 3 choices While the 7RM has so many I get tired of looking!
Practice with ammo that costs 60 or 70 bucks for 20 rounds causes most guys
to shoot it less when in fact they should shoot it more! Looking at Midway
7STW has 8 choices in ammo..While the 7RM has 59 choices!
I can run the recoil based on a 8 lb.rifle if you like..but trust me I'm right.

 

[Beaver10]

I currently have a custom 223 and custom 308 that I use for plinking steel at the range. I'm wanting to step up to a all around rifle that could be used for antelope all the way to elk. I've considered the 270/30-06 but I don't know that I gain enough energy over the 308 at 500 yards to justify the upgrade. 500 yards is my limit to what I will shoot. More recently I've considered the 6.5 prc and a 7mm rm. I don't reload so factory Ammo is a must. I'm not interested in the 300wm or larger 30 cal rifles. This rifle won't see much range time, just hunting. It will be equipped with my 30p-1 suppressor so i will probably stick with a sendero contour barrel. Any help would be appreciated.

Simple answer...7mag. Good bullet selection in box ammo and easy to find. Higher BC bullets available for it. Very manageable recoil. Based on your limited range use, just hunting-barrel life won't be a worry.
Won't kill anything deader than anything else. But better, flatter mileage at distances over what you've mentioned, and it can be bought new or used in a Remington 700 Sendero.