New, looking for advice on new rifle

[Just a hunter]

Also, what is everyone's opinions of the Weatherby Vanguard rifles?

 

[nmbarta]

Seekins makes a 28 nosler, not exactly what your looking for, but it's fast and just as different as the 26 I suppose.
I think they are just tad under 2K. I've been around a couple. They seem to be a nice rifle for the money. I don't own one, but wouldn't be scared to.

I wouldn't even think about talking you out of a big 338, seems like it's the one you mentioned that offers something very different that what you have. It's gonna buck pretty good in just about any weight rifle, so you'll want a brake. Doesn't make much sense to me unless you plan on shooting big animals at long range, but half of the rifles I own don't make any sense to me either.....no need for sense, get what you want.

 

[Just a hunter]

Seekins makes a 28 nosler, not exactly what your looking for, but it's fast and just as different as the 26 I suppose.
I think they are just tad under 2K. I've been around a couple. They seem to be a nice rifle for the money. I don't own one, but wouldn't be scared to.

I wouldn't even think about talking you out of a big 338, seems like it's the one you mentioned that offers something very different that what you have. It's gonna buck pretty good in just about any weight rifle, so you'll want a brake. Doesn't make much sense to me unless you plan on shooting big animals at long range, but half of the rifles I own don't make any sense to me either.....no need for sense, get what you want.

Thank you for that. I need another rifle like I need another hole in my head but.....I want one. Only thing I am worried about with the 338 is bullet selection. I like a bullet that opens ASAP and I don't know what that would be in 338 caliber. I've had really good success with Speer boattail bullets in my other calibers. Not Hotcor, just plain Speer boattails. Anyone have experience with 338 caliber bullets that can give advice?

Thanks for all the help guys.

 

[nmbarta]

Not much for experience, but I think you'll be hard pressed to beat the 225 accubond if you don't plan on shooting very far.
I've messed around with the the 285's and 300's but they don't offer much unless you plan on shooting 1000+.
For closer shots I'd take the accubond. There just isn't much out there that's gonna walk away from a 225 accubond out of a rum.
I know you don't want to shoot 2 miles, but it's important to know how far you'd like to shoot to give much for advice.

 

[Just a hunter]

Not much for experience, but I think you'll be hard pressed to beat the 225 accubond if you don't plan on shooting very far.
I've messed around with the the 285's and 300's but they don't offer much unless you plan on shooting 1000+.
For closer shots I'd take the accubond. There just isn't much out there that's gonna walk away from a 225 accubond out of a rum.
I know you don't want to shoot 2 miles, but it's important to know how far you'd like to shoot to give much for advice.

Until I get the opportunity to go out west hunting, my shots here would be pushed to ever get to 400 yds. Yes, I am ignorant for wanting anything more than a 243 probably but I never have claimed to be the sharpest tool in the shed.

 

[nmbarta]

Well then set it up for that occasion, you already have everything covered inside 400 and then some. Might as well make it do something your other rifles don't do.
You could find a sendero in 300 rum for about 900 bucks, throw a 28" 1:10 brux on it and a good trigger (your still on budget here) and start sending 250 accubonds or 300 smk's down range, or just run the 300 rum and shoot the 215's. Either way, you'll have something you don't already have that serves a different purpose.
As you mentioned in your first post, your talking about long range cartridges....it's what they're for. They don't offer any real advantages over what you have for close range (inside 500 ish).
If you just want to hit whitetail deer at 250 with a 338 rum, that's fine too, doesn't need to make any sense to me, but if you want rifle that's capable of something your other rifles aren't, it's one of thousands of options.
Makes for a good budget 1000 yard rifle, you'll have to drop a few bucks on optics of course.

 

[Just a hunter]

Well then set it up for that occasion, you already have everything covered inside 400 and then some. Might as well make it do something your other rifles don't do.
You could find a sendero in 300 rum for about 900 bucks, throw a 28" 1:10 brux on it and a good trigger (your still on budget here) and start sending 250 accubonds or 300 smk's down range, or just run the 300 rum and shoot the 215's. Either way, you'll have something you don't already have that serves a different purpose.
As you mentioned in your first post, your talking about long range cartridges....it's what they're for. They don't offer any real advantages over what you have for close range (inside 500 ish).
If you just want to hit whitetail deer at 250 with a 338 rum, that's fine too, doesn't need to make any sense to me, but if you want rifle that's capable of something your other rifles aren't, it's one of thousands of options.
Makes for a good budget 1000 yard rifle, you'll have to drop a few bucks on optics of course.

I like that idea. Now, throw some scope recommendations my way. Most all my current scopes are Leupolds, Vari X 2's or 3's. I do have one Zeiss Conquest HD5. In other words, the scope for the new rifle will definitely be the most expensive in order to have the adjustment and all. I've looked at some Nightforce scopes in the past but I have never really saw the need for the type hunting I've always done. That being said, I don't mind paying for what I need for this setup. Well, I might mind but I will end up paying it anyway. What's the saying, pay to play?

 

[nmbarta]

That's a rabbit hole that runs deep, without a budget it's hard to make suggestions.
Given that your not building a custom rifle, I'll assume your not looking for S&B level optics.
I've had good luck with Leupold vx-3's, lpr's, vx-5's, vx-6's, mark 4's, sig wiskey 5's, tango 4's, NF SHV's for more budget minded optics. Burris and sightron make some good budget scopes as well. Plenty of others as well.
I'd look for something with 15x-20x on the top, 30mm tube, and 44-50mm objective w/ zero stop.

 

[Just a hunter]

That's a rabbit hole that runs deep, without a budget it's hard to make suggestions.
Given that your not building a custom rifle, I'll assume your not looking for S&B level optics.
I've had good luck with Leupold vx-3's, lpr's, vx-5's, vx-6's, mark 4's, sig wiskey 5's, tango 4's, NF SHV's for more budget minded optics. Burris and sightron make some good budget scopes as well. Plenty of others as well.
I'd look for something with 15x-20x on the top, 30mm tube, and 44-50mm objective w/ zero stop.

Thanks a million. I really don't know about a budget for the scope either. In my mind, I'd like to be in for 3,500 or so for the gun, scope, rings and bases. The brass, powder, bullets and primers are a moot point, gotta have all that regardless.

 

[kevin0270]

I would go with either a Weatherby 6.5-300 in their ultra light weight accumark its a great rifle and light weight.I also like the 338 rum but the 338 edge is better.I think I saw a 338 edge on this forum under guns for sale and it was built on a remington 700 action.Good luck

 

[codyadams]

I personally have not loaded for either, but I have heard the 26 nosler/6.5-300 wb type cartridges can be somewhat of a challenge to load for and can be somewhat finicky due to extreme overbore, but again, just words I have read from some people that load for them. I have loaded for a .264 wm however with great sucess.

For something different and impressive, a .338 would be the route I would go, I recently built 2 .338 Norma Mags (similar to .338 RUM's) for shooting the heavies, 300 Bergers around 2750 or so, and they are really, really fun. Something about sending all that emense energy is just cool. For closer range like your saying, a 180-225 weight range bullet screaming fast would be a fun project, and the larger frontal area of a .338 knock critters down with impressive authority!!

Plus if you ever decided to go out west and the opportunity for a longer shot presented itself, you would have a fantastic rifle for if, either load up a heavier higher bc bullet for really reaching out or stick with what you have and you would still be good for pretty far.

One thing, even if the rifle comes with a brake it would likely be a radial brake, and if ot doesn't come with a brake you will likely want one. You may do just fine with a radial brake on a .338 rum, but if your ok with the added blast of the radial, upgrade your brake to something like a "Muzzle brakes and more" brake and have it installed (or get a 2 piece brake and put it on yourself) and it will be much more pleasant to shoot from a recoil and muzzle rise standpoint. The 11.5 lb .338 Norma I shoot feels about like a standard .243 recoil wise while sending 300 Bergers at 2750 fps with a Terminator T3 brake, my 14 year old niece shot it just fine. An MBM beast brake would be about the same.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Hello everyone. I have lurked around for probably two years but have never participated until now. I am looking to buy a new hunting rifle in the near future and would like some opinions from the experts. I'm not necessarily looking for a long range rifle but the calibers I am considering are long range cartridges so that's why I came to you guys. I currently own rifles chambered in 243, 257WBY, 270, 280, 7mm mag and 300 WM. All are Remington 700's. I'm looking at buying a plain hunting rifle. In other words, no long range stocks or heavy barrels. It will be a hunting rifle so hopefully once I have the scope zeroed I'll only be shooting one time at game so no issues with heat buildup. I feel like I am rambling so I will get on with it. I like different and faster calibers. I'm currently looking at 26 Nosler, 6.5-300 WBY and 338 RUM. I plan on buying a factory rifle instead of building one so my options are somewhat limited rifle choices. Looking at Montana and Remington for the 338, Nosler and Browning for the 26 and Weatherby for the 6.5-300. Recommendations on which caliber and rifle and why please. I do handload and am leaning towards a muzzle brake for whichever caliber. Some of the rifles I mentioned offer a brake from the factory. Thanks for any and all help.

I would do a Christensen Ridgeline in 26 Nosler.

 

[338 dude]

Thank you for that. I need another rifle like I need another hole in my head but.....I want one. Only thing I am worried about with the 338 is bullet selection. I like a bullet that opens ASAP and I don't know what that would be in 338 caliber. I've had really good success with Speer boattail bullets in my other calibers. Not Hotcor, just plain Speer boattails. Anyone have experience with 338 caliber bullets that can give advice?

Thanks for all the help guys.

Burger elite Hunter 250 grain

 

[Web1350]

Also, what is everyone's opinions of the Weatherby Vanguard rifles?

I think they are fine. They are, basically, comparable in price to other rifles and you can get them in calibers not offered in other makes.