Questions about a LR Build, mainly rifle weight

[SBruce]

SBruce, don't leave me hanging, what's your build? Your new rifle specs

Figure I want to be around 9 or 10. And want to put the weight in the barrel

So for those of you shooting 7 pound ready to go rifles, what's you effective range?

Its a 300 WSM. Borden Alpine Magnum short action with extended magazine box, hinged floorplate. Jewel trigger. Seekins 20 moa rail and Hollands competition recoil lug.

1-10 Lilja fluted #6 with Kirby's small PK brake. 24" without brake, 26" including brake.

Mcmillan Remington Hunter stock, scope is Leupold VX7 4-14X50 with VH reticle. It's about 1" shorter and 1/2# lighter than the NF in the picture. The pic was taken while the smith was testing the rifle with his scope.

Most of the weight in this rig is in the barrel/action too, but not so much that its barrel heavy. The center of gravity is right about the recoil lug.

I've got a lighter rifle (8 1/2# with scope) in 25-06. Furthest I've used it to take game is about 400 yds. I once had a heavier and more accurate 25-06 and I took deer and antelope with it out to about 575 yds.

 

[sportmuaythai]

Dear Youngtrout, when I read your post, my immediate thought was why is this guy asking questions? I've hunted Alaska three times, and have harvested dall sheep in Yukon, but you live there in Alaska. You sound like you already know all the answers. Then you finally asked 7saum??? and I knew that you're a confused kid in a toy store. I firmly believe in shooting the smallest caliber that will get the job done. Your original interest was in 260, and that coincides with my choice for sheep and caribou. I'm also surprised that you are thinking woodstock. I've never hunted any where as wet as Alaska. My choice would be synthetic stock with ss barrel.
super lightweight 7-08 of a buddies, he did (and I) shoot it great to 200 or so but after that the gun really opened up, not discounting the fact that it could be the load too, but at ranges past 300 that gun was just hard to hold well
I've read some where that twist rate, bullet's weight and velocity effect the bullet's ability to hold its path. So when the velocity is there, it's accurate. But when it drops speed, it may start to go like a screw thread. I'm still new at this LR thing, so your question may be answered here by gurus. BTW I just love muzzle brakes.
,

 

[youngtrout]

Ya, have some things figured out. I just love to shoot and while not as much as some, try to do as much as I can. My closest range is only 100 yards, further I can get to 300 so much of my shooting is done at those ranges. (ya even in ak a guy has trouble just shooting out the front door)
Taken sheep moose brown and black bears up here. Do get to stretch my range sometimes in the field, end of hunts typically do a bit of rock shooting and you mention you hunted up here so you know how hard it is. I micro manage gear ten times more than I did in the states, really very few weekend hunts here so my hunting typically comes down to two long hunts, plus say a four day weekend for spring bear

my 300 and 375 have served me well here and picked up another action to build a rifle "based on LR rigs I've seen". So just trying to make a informed decision, First thoughts was a nice mellow shooter to work form and such, but now thinking along the lines of a braked 7saum which will still be a mellow shooter in a 10 pounder, I think, and offers better ballistics

Ya, just get them both right? Wish I could, this year has me just affording the one, as for the wood, call me old fashion, when I first got into centerfires (mainly bowhunted) it was mausers and nice wood. A well sealed wood stock does good up here

 

[Camshaft]

I would start with a remington titanium action. Go with a kreiger fluted #4 contour chambered in 7mm08ackley and finish it at 20". No muzzle break needed. Then go with a manners mcs-t 90%carbon fiber. Aluminum bottom metal. Egw aluminum rail with tps aluminum rings and a sightron sIII 2.5-10x44LRMDCM. Should finish around 8.5lbs.

 

[Gene Jr.]

I think I have an idea of what you're looking for. I've just spent two weeks in AK, ten days packing a 14# wood stocked rifle. You're right, a good wood stock will do just fine. Stainless or a good metal coating like Cerakote is essential.

My rifle that is close to your specs (not the one I used this time) is an old Rem 721 in 270win with a Greybull stock and a leupold 6.5-20 LR model. This is a very solid 400 yard gun and I would stretch to 600 on easy to kill animals such as caribou or sheep.

You don't need super high end optics on your rifle in AK for the most part. A higher end Leupy will work great and weigh less than most. This will let you put the weight where it counts in the barrel.

I know there are newer sexier solutions but a rem700 with a 26" plus brake barrel in 7mm rem mag would serve very well. Contact Joel Russo about a wood/laminate stock that will look great and last a lifetime.

Have fun and let us know what you decide on. I would suggest capping the weight around 11# if you are going to be packing it much. More weight is ok to pack but then it should be a real long range hammer to make it worth lugging the extra weight.

Gene

 

[youngtrout]

Thanks for a the feedback. Some things are a done deal

Don't know if I mentioned it but it's a savage SA I'm working with. I have a benchmark barrel getting threaded up in 7saum. It's going to finish at .80 at muzzle and 25 inches.

Not knowing what I'm looking at for barreled action weight I'm deciding against the wood stock for now. Would like to try a straight grip like the manners but not in the current cards

Actually have a ton of wood working experience, currently working on refabing a Wood stock to what I want

Scope is a mil zeiss 4-16 mil with turrets. Picked up some brass today, noslef 300. Ouch!! Still getting some dies and misc. Pretty excited. Should be able to get a bit of shooting in before winter

 

[sportmuaythai]

Dear Youngtrout, See? You actually knew what you needed all along. I think that you've made a very good decision by yourself. I like your choice of barrel and glass. With this gun, you should lock up your 375, and use the 300 for bears. Your new rig should cover every thing else.

 

[Jake Levi]

Where you live you really need the .300 Win, or even heavier, in a Savage you can get them from 7-7.5lbs with a 24" barrel. A 250 grain bullet will give you excellent ballistics against a bear if its needed. And its there for a moose if wanted.

Another consideration would be the .338 Edge, check out Shauns thread on the 775 yard bear his sister in law took.

Myself I carried the M1 Garand, and loved it, did well too, qualified expert with it, and was really sorry to see it replaced, its just over 9 lbs, and I'd take one out back packing in a heartbeat if I had it, and I will never see 70 again.

 

[youngtrout]

That's why it's nice to have other clubs! Got to say I love my 375. 300 at 2600 is pretty decent for recoil, slow but stiff. Almost easier to shoot than the fast and sharp 300 win with a 180 at 3000

I shoot both well, just looking to add another club. Right now the 375 goes up rivers and into brush and a no brainer for the coast. 300 goes into the tundra and specific black bear hunts, or high country

The 7saum will fill in somewhere, and looking for a action to start a ultralight 260

This is just fun stuff

 

[Jake Levi]

I can for sure see the .375, especially on the coast, and I would seriously consider packing a .44 mag there.

It sounds to me like you are pretty well gunned. Now its just to enjoy it all !!