New to long range and big game hunting

[Australia]

Welcome from Down under
I have a Remington in 7mag and a Remington in 300ultra Mag both have been very good however the Tika is also preferred over the Bergaras.In New Zealand 270 cal is the common deer rifle but as is often said if you cant get it done with a 308 then give up

 

[Coldfinger]

Welcome from Down under
I have a Remington in 7mag and a Remington in 300ultra Mag both have been very good however the Tika is also preferred over the Bergaras.In New Zealand 270 cal is the common deer rifle but as is often said if you cant get it done with a 308 then give up

Never give up

 

[crystalgayleguy]

glad to have you on board welcome from North Texas

 

[TXTrained]

Hello all I'm a new comer to this sight and I want to say thanks for having me.i have been a hunter since I was able to get up in a stand or walk around with my dad.i started out hunting with a 20 ga that I harvested my first white tail with and then to a 30-30 then a 270 win and now a 308 win I mostly hunt white tail but I am wanting to start hinting black bear and hopefully get to go elk hunting with in couple years and I'm wanting to get alittle bigger caliber or just something different in a new rifle that will be used for mostly white tail and then the other 2 game above if I'm able what would yall recommend and what kind of rifle I have looked at a 6.5 but cant really seem to jump on the band wagon right now I've really been eye balling the 270 wsm and 280 ai or 7mm mag but I've not shot any of those yet so I dont know how I would like them

I started out hunting White Tail with my Remington ADL 270cal. and Killed everything I pointed it at except one huge Buck and I just plain missed while I was walking.People say this cartridge wont this or that.My 1st Elk was killed with that very 1st 270 I got at 12 years old 35 years later..Its all about shot placement.Now with that said bvecause i like to shoot long range I swapped to a &mm Rem Mag many years ago and also own a Browning White Gold Medallion in 7mm Rem. Mag.
But I dont shoot the 7mm Mag for fun like at targets.I shoot the 6,5 Creedmoor and 6.5 Grendel and others. The 6.5 Creemoor will kill about anything you want in North America if you hit it right.

 

[SamuelBerryhill308]

I started out hunting White Tail with my Remington ADL 270cal. and Killed everything I pointed it at except one huge Buck and I just plain missed while I was walking.People say this cartridge wont this or that.My 1st Elk was killed with that very 1st 270 I got at 12 years old 35 years later..Its all about shot placement.Now with that said bvecause i like to shoot long range I swapped to a &mm Rem Mag many years ago and also own a Browning White Gold Medallion in 7mm Rem. Mag.
But I dont shoot the 7mm Mag for fun like at targets.I shoot the 6,5 Creedmoor and 6.5 Grendel and others. The 6.5 Creemoor will kill about anything you want in North America if you hit it right.

Like you I have shot a good many deer with 270 win farthest deer I've shot was with a 270 at 300 yards but I do not own one any more (had to sell because of surprise bills) also the one I had I lost 3 deer but later after alot of research i found out it was due to old bad ammo and being not more than 15 years old but I still have alittle bad taste in my mouth from that and I would go back to a 270 win or even a 270 wsm if I got some real good facts on what bullet/ammo to use.i would like to go up to a magnum caliber but ammo in my area is pricey but 1 or 2 boxs of ammo a year wouldn't be that bad

 

[Ranger Rick]

Welcome 308,
I have a Remington 700 BDL 7mm mag and have several one-shot elk kills with it using Federal Premium 160gr Nosler Partitions. I bought it in 1976, and it will stay in my family. It's recoil does not bother me hunting. I've put in a Timney trigger and bedded the action. It shoots .5 MOA or better when i check my scope before hunting, Your 270 or 308 (I have a Tikka .270 and a Ruger .308) or lower wt 7mm bullets will work well for deer. There is a wide selection of factory ammo, and my 7mm mag shoots several with high accuracy. My .270 Tikka is a great mountain rifle for trekking. I have a T3 Stainless Lite, and its light weight does increase recoil, but it is manageable in a .270. A friend went for 300WM Tikka, and the recoil was too much.

 

[Carbine Kid]

Okay thank you for your input I have been shopping around online for a rifle I've got it narrowed down to tika or a bergara but I'm still open to a good deal on a browning x bolt or christenson arms

I run a 300WSM in a long action to take advantage of the powder space buy loading heavy, 180-200gn out to the rifling. A factory 270WSM (medium length) will limit either bullet weight or usable powder capacity. On this basis I would go for 280AI or 7RM (long action) depending on availability of factory ammo locally.
One thing to be aware of is recoil in a light rifle like the Tikka although generally they have enviable accuracy out of the box.
Steve.

 

[flyguy1]

I'm not nearly as experienced as many here, but would vouch for Tikka; don't actually have one, but have Sakos so pretty much the same deal just nicer stocks on Sako. I extensively researched Bergara recently, and while most are accurate, the problems are well documented here and elsewhere (firing pin holes too large, shrouds).

As to caliber, sure, you can shoot elk with a .270 or .308 in ideal conditions, but on public lands you don't see those conditions much. While my choice is .300WM, 7mm is OK too and both work for deer if you are careful. I use Barnes and shoot for heart and lungs and don't waste meat. .338 of course great for elk but way overkill on deer. You can sometimes find these rifles for great prices, and maybe add a laminated stock to tame recoil.

And btw, I know this is a long range forum, but lots of tricky winds here in elk country; don't assume the wind 500 yards away is blowing the same speed, or even direction as where you are shooting from. See how much drift you will have for bullet weight, BC, and velocity at target for various wind speeds and it will sober you up pretty quick. On the other hand, maybe you'll catch a windless day after a big snowstorm . Good luck!

 

[Sako284]

I would look at tikka and sako rifles. Nobody complains about sako. The only problem I've heard from tikkas is the stock "feels cheap" but they hammer. The Finns do it right.

 

[browndcm]

I would look at tikka and sako rifles. Nobody complains about sako. The only problem I've heard from tikkas is the stock "feels cheap" but they hammer. The Finns do it right.

You got that right

 

[AlphaDogs]

Hanging in there to hear about 308 failures on Elk.

 

[Orange Dust]

Like you I have shot a good many deer with 270 win farthest deer I've shot was with a 270 at 300 yards but I do not own one any more (had to sell because of surprise bills) also the one I had I lost 3 deer but later after alot of research i found out it was due to old bad ammo and being not more than 15 years old but I still have alittle bad taste in my mouth from that and I would go back to a 270 win or even a 270 wsm if I got some real good facts on what bullet/ammo to use.i would like to go up to a magnum caliber but ammo in my area is pricey but 1 or 2 boxs of ammo a year wouldn't be that bad

I'm going to go out on a limb ans say "Don't buy a new rifle". Not right now. Magnums are more expensive to shoot, have more recoil and much shorter barrel life. This is what I would do if I knew then what I know now...
First, join a gun club with long range steel targets.
Try it for a little while with your .308 set up the way it is now.
Learn about dialing, and buy a scope you can reliably dial for your .308. Doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg either.
Buy a Kestrel and a LRF. Learn to use them.
Practice as much as you can on those steel targets. Save all your brass.
By now, factory loads costs just too much and just aren't as accurate as loads taylored to your rifle, so it is time to learn to load.
Practice the whole system as much as you can.
Now. Buy the long range rifle of your dreams. You will know exactly what you want, and be deadly with it.
Rebarrel your now worn out .308. Keep it .308 or .260 or 7-08. Use it for your practice rifle and keep shooting it. Shoot the big gun just enough to learn it, and stay used to it. Take it with you whenever you go practice. Shoot it 2-3 times and put it up. It will last a long time.

 

[6.5x300 WBY]

Welcome from New Jersey. Tons of great advise and experience put on this post. For me i chose a Sendero in 7MM RM. FANTASTIC ROUND. Tons and tons of factory offerings to suit you while you learn and gather your reloading equipment to make your own. The 7RM will reach way way out there and knock things down and will do it with authority. Trying to remember but most if not all the deer I have shot been DRT. To me it's a perfect all around chambering for NA. Nothing it cant do here in the states with proper loads and do it way way the heck out there too. Rem sendero or in that rem 5r are fantastic choices to get you started. Then when money becomes more available you can upgrade it with premium barrel with PROPER barrel twist to take advantage of the best heavies available.
The 300WM is also a great choice as either will do everything you want it to. You have to pick what you want not us as it has to make you smile when you pick it up caress , hold, and maybe cuddle it a bit. enjoy the process and get with The member that is close to you and listen to him. It's going to be invaluable.

Best of luck

 

[SamuelBerryhill308]

I'm going to go out on a limb ans say "Don't buy a new rifle". Not right now. Magnums are more expensive to shoot, have more recoil and much shorter barrel life. This is what I would do if I knew then what I know now...
First, join a gun club with long range steel targets.
Try it for a little while with your .308 set up the way it is now.
Learn about dialing, and buy a scope you can reliably dial for your .308. Doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg either.
Buy a Kestrel and a LRF. Learn to use them.
Practice as much as you can on those steel targets. Save all your brass.
By now, factory loads costs just too much and just aren't as accurate as loads taylored to your rifle, so it is time to learn to load.
Practice the whole system as much as you can.
Now. Buy the long range rifle of your dreams. You will know exactly what you want, and be deadly with it.
Rebarrel your now worn out .308. Keep it .308 or .260 or 7-08. Use it for your practice rifle and keep shooting it. Shoot the big gun just enough to learn it, and stay used to it. Take it with you whenever you go practice. Shoot it 2-3 times and put it up. It will last a long time.

I do shoot pretty least as much as I can and I do save all my brass and theres no gun clubs near me that i wouldn't have to drive 2 to 3 hrs to go to the nears range to me is 375 yards but I set up targets in my uncle's pasture and can shoot close to 500.i am looking at buying another scope that has a zero stop because I mess up one day and lost count and it took awhile to figure that one out lol.i would be keeping and shooting both my 308s I'm just in market for new rifle right now and yes a kestrel and log book and a laser range finder are in the budget as well