.300 Dakota
Well-Known Member
Hey guys, I have an old college buddy who is looking to upgrade his long-range rifle. He currently uses a Browning X-Bolt HC LR in 28 Nosler with 1:8 twist and 26" barrel. He was looking at their Pro and McMillan models, but I have steered him toward Fierce at the same or just slightly more price point. He found one online that is apparently an older model (he is looking at 300 Win Mag only due to the availability of components) with a 26" barrel and 10 twist. He called Fierce and they are talking to him about the newer models, which have 24" barrels and 9 twist.
He hunts in Southern corn/bean fields, and most of his shots are 300 - 500 yrs, but can be as far as 750 or 800 in the extreme.
His current 28 Nosler shoots 1/2" at 200yds, which is where he has it zeroed, but he missed 3 really big deer last year, which was attributed to lack of cold-bore accuracy. He uses H1000, so temp stability should be ok.
I am trying to see if any of you have experience with the Fierce rifles and know if the cold bore accuracy is really good on any of those, or if there is another comparably priced maker that's better. The Fierce rep was telling him that many people had best cold bore accuracy with their carbon fiber wrapped models. I don't have enough experience with CF barrels to advise him. His main concerns (and mine) is that the new guns have 24" barrels with 9 twists and weigh 6 pounds or nearly so, vs the 26" 10 twist barrels in the older models. He wants to use a 165 grain bullet, which is flatter to 500 than 210 - 250 grainers that would be better for really long range. Also, at 6 - 6 1/2 pounds of rifle, he's going to take a pounding with the big heavy bullets. He shoots out of an elevated shooting house and doesn't have to carry the rifle miles on end, so I'm telling him the newer lightweight, fast twist models are trendy and perhaps the best designed sheep/mt goat rifles on the planet, but may not be the best designed Sourhern whitetail rifle.
Cold bore accuracy is his main concern. Any advice around Fierce or others on this subject?
He hunts in Southern corn/bean fields, and most of his shots are 300 - 500 yrs, but can be as far as 750 or 800 in the extreme.
His current 28 Nosler shoots 1/2" at 200yds, which is where he has it zeroed, but he missed 3 really big deer last year, which was attributed to lack of cold-bore accuracy. He uses H1000, so temp stability should be ok.
I am trying to see if any of you have experience with the Fierce rifles and know if the cold bore accuracy is really good on any of those, or if there is another comparably priced maker that's better. The Fierce rep was telling him that many people had best cold bore accuracy with their carbon fiber wrapped models. I don't have enough experience with CF barrels to advise him. His main concerns (and mine) is that the new guns have 24" barrels with 9 twists and weigh 6 pounds or nearly so, vs the 26" 10 twist barrels in the older models. He wants to use a 165 grain bullet, which is flatter to 500 than 210 - 250 grainers that would be better for really long range. Also, at 6 - 6 1/2 pounds of rifle, he's going to take a pounding with the big heavy bullets. He shoots out of an elevated shooting house and doesn't have to carry the rifle miles on end, so I'm telling him the newer lightweight, fast twist models are trendy and perhaps the best designed sheep/mt goat rifles on the planet, but may not be the best designed Sourhern whitetail rifle.
Cold bore accuracy is his main concern. Any advice around Fierce or others on this subject?
