ok, what do I need for a decent priced long range elk gun?

[lovdasnow]

I hate to post this, cause it's probably been beaten to death, but I was decided on a 7mm Allen Mag, but just can't put my money into that right now.

So, now after having my dreams of a big 7mm dashed by prioritys, I'm looking for something else.

I reload, so any caliber is game. I would like to spend around 1K for the gun. Heard a lot about 300 WSM, sounds decent. What about the classic 30-378?, let me know what you think...

thanks guys, sorry fiftydriver....I will miss your allen mag......for now.

 

[nighthunter264wm]

30-06, .308, 7mm Remington Magnum. All have killed a ton of Elk and can be found at a reasonable price for a factory rifle. Of course these are not in the same category of what Kirby Allen can do for you. It's a long time before next Elk season. I'd save my money and go with Mr. Allen & have something exceptional.

 

[Tim Behle]

For $1,000 you are only going to be able to put a half decent scope on a Wal-Mart rifle.

You'd be better off to save up. You don't have to buy everything at once.

Two days ago, I sent off a check for two new barrels. Now I'm hitting the flea markets and yard sales looking for rifles with a decent donor action. I won't have two rifles built this year, but will build a rifle for the first donor action I find.

When I get the action I'll buy the stock to fit it.

When I have the stock, barrel and action in my hands, I'll send it off to the gunsmith of choice and start saving for the scope.

I started this project the fist of the year, but it will be August or September before I shoot a new rifle.

I'll spend $2-3,000 for a custom rifle, and it will take 8-9 months to have it built. But to me, it's well worth every minute waited and every dollar spent.

Both rifles are going to be for coyote hunting. One is a little 17 caliber calling rifle, The other is probably going to be a 7mm Allen Mag.

I'll find out how accurate a rifle Kirby can build. My goal for the rifle is to kill a coyote at one mile. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[BountyHunter]

Buy a Winchester Coyote Lite in 300 WSM and buy a Nikon 6-18x scope. Burris Double dovetail bases and signature rings with 20 MOA inserts.

Both will come under target of $1000 with change leftover to buy the dies.

Both are of decent quality, not the cheapest but certainly high enough to be more than capable of doing the job.

BH

 

[Fiftydriver]

Lovdasnow,

First thing you need to realize is that a 7mm AM is not a requirement for a quality long range rifle. There are alot of options in factory rifles that can work well for you for your needs as well.

I would recommend at least a 7mm bore diameter and the ability to drive a 160 gr bullet or heavier to 3000 fps. This is of course not a hard requirement but one I like for long range shooting.

Really, anything in the 7mm Rem Mag class and up will work fine to meet these requirements easily. Every major rifle maker lists the 7mm Rem Mag. I would look at Rem 700s and don;t overlook the "cheap" Savage rifles, they generally shoot with the best of them!!!

Other options would be the 30 cal rounds driving a 180 gr pill to at least 2900 fps. These include anything from the 300 WSM up.

The 30-378 will cost you nearly as much as a 7mm AM when you get it ready to actually use in the field. great round, lots of power but spendy to shoot in brass and rifles.

I much prefer a 300 RUM over the 30-378 and in a 26" factory barrel it will easily get within 100 fps of the big wby with alot less fuss. If recoil is an issue, send her to your smith and have a Holland QD brake fitted for $150 and it will kick you like a 25-06 at the most.

The 300 RUM loaded with a 200 gr Accubond to near 3200 fps is very hard to beat for elk at any range out to 1/2 mile.

For the money I would again look at the Rem 700s in this chambering. Would probably be my recommendation but anything from the 300 WSM up will work for elk at impressive ranges.

Going up to the 338 you have any of the rounds from 338 Win Mag up to the 338 RUM. Recoil is more but they work extremely well on big elk. Brakes can control recoil as well!!

No need to apologize to me and you certainly will never be "beaten to death" for not going with an AM, at least not from me anyway /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif!!!

Would love to build you a 7mm AM but would much rather see you get something that fit into your finances now and that would not strap you to use!!

Good Shooting!!

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[lovdasnow]

thanks for the replys.
I know that there are a lot of good cartriges out there, but had my heart fixed on the AM. I'm still thinking about that now....I don't know............, this gun addiction is killing me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The 1K was for gun only, not for scope too.

looking at ballistics for the RUM, dont think I want to go with a WSM. I like the 300-338, so still looking.

what do you guys prefer for a good factory rifle? I like the idea of the 700 because if so many aftermarket options, but have also heard that their quality is getting pretty poor...

thanks again...

 

[BountyHunter]

Tim

I would recommend forgeting a donor action and look at the new custom actions that are less than a donor with the mods needed. See the recent thread on "truing actions".

Stiller Predator or Jim Borden actions for WSMs or RUMs are $600 now. No mods needed. Add trigger and bottom metal

Buy used Rem trigger and used Rem bottom metal. $150 max

Trigger job $40 New custom trigger from $75-140

HS Precision bottom metal new is $200

Cost should be under $750 for custom action with used trigger and bottom metal and under $900 for all new.

$150 to chamber your barrel

stock and bedding. $300-600

That leaves a lot of money for a scope.

More importantly with custom action, it should only take most smiths, 2-3 months to put it all together as we are talking a chamber job, and stock bedding in reality.

BH

 

[guns_and_labs]

[ QUOTE ]
Going up to the 338 you have any of the rounds from 338 Win Mag up to the 338 RUM. Recoil is more but they work extremely well on big elk. Brakes can control recoil as well!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I've been in the same position, Lovdasnow. I'm about to send off my Sako/Lazz to get turned into a 7mm AM, but have been doing quite well so far with a used Ruger M77 .338 RemMag that I rebarrelled (with brake), trigger-lightened, trued and bedded. Total in: $750. Result: more accurate than I am, out to 400 yards with a decent scope.

I tend to use the Sako/Lazz more often, and probably will use the 7mm AM even more, but the Ruger .338 has taken elk quite handily.

 

[lovdasnow]

well now my thoughts are a Remington 700 in 300 RUM, and with that in a few years i can have it rebarreled with something better.

can you rebarrel a 300 to a 7mm AM? or do i need to start with a 7mm gun?

Is the Rem 700 SPS not very good at only $520 MSRP 26" barrel..1-10 twist. is the finish on those very good?

or a rem 700 CDL, msrp $796. comes in 7mm RUM or 300 RUM.
I'm assuming that those two rifles would shoot alright...?

I'd fix the trigger, and would like to have the action trued up, and drop a good scope on it, and hopefully have an alright shooter? what do you think?

 

[Buffalobob]

Remington is bringing back the Sendero I believe (hope ) it will be announced in February. As Kirby said 7Rem, 7 Rum 300 Rum all are good choices. 7 rem will run out of power a little earlier than the others.

The 7AM is on a action designed for the 338 lapua, or Wby 30-378 series. This is a very large action / bolt face and is not common. I don't think you can rebuild an orinary action into a 7AM.

 

[James H]

[ QUOTE ]
I hate to post this, cause it's probably been beaten to death, but I was decided on a 7mm Allen Mag, but just can't put my money into that right now.

So, now after having my dreams of a big 7mm dashed by prioritys, I'm looking for something else.

I reload, so any caliber is game. I would like to spend around 1K for the gun. Heard a lot about 300 WSM, sounds decent. What about the classic 30-378?, let me know what you think...

thanks guys, sorry fiftydriver....I will miss your allen mag......for now.

[/ QUOTE ]

Since this is a dedicated "long range" elk gun I would put the minimum at an 8mm Rem Mag.
Ideally a 338 Lapua or 338-378 Weatherby.
I went with the 338 Lapua which I built on a Ruger #1.
Nearly lost a Bull this year a friend shot with a 300 Win Mag and 180 gr failsafes, no blood trail.

 

[Tim Behle]

BountyHunter,

I've read that thread and recently started looking into some custom actions. At this point, they have always been out of my price range.

I know I could get the work done faster, but I still have two 17 year old boys here at home, every dollar they don't burn up in car insurance and gas, goes to feed them. It takes me 8-9 months to squirrel away the money to pay the barrel maker, gunsmith, stock maker and scope vender.

I'll be sure to check out those Stiller Predator or Jim Borden actions, thanks for the heads up!

 

[sniperVLS]

I havent gone thru to see if anyone mentioned a .300rum for long range elk yet. If they did, great. If not..

A .300rum would be a good choice

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[lovdasnow]

ok thanks, i think i'll stick to a rem 700, leaning toward the 300 RUM

anyone know what kind of accuracy i can expect out of a factory barreled(for now)and trued action, trigger job, etc, with reloads.
can i look for under 1moa if loaded right? or is that unrealalistic?