Thoughts on factory rifles

[o2bwest]

Winchester 70 Extreme. My body has one that I worked up a load on and it shoots great out to a 1000.

I have one of these in 300wsm that shoots just over .5 moa at 100yds out of the box w/ factory ammo. very light weight too. I also have an accurized model 70 shadow with factory barrel that will shoot a 2" group at 700 yds with factory ammo. I love my Winchesters

 

[brd922001]

If you are looking for a very light weight rifle that will do MOA with factory loads and adjustable trigger the Tikka T3 is the rifle! I have 3 and have a few friends that I have setup and I have not handled a single one that wasn't exceptional in accuracy. I reload for mine and all are sub MOA, easy.

 

[No Fear in Accuracy]

Remington Mountain rifle is also good but I'll pick Savage due to switchable barrel.

 

[Steyr Luxus]

Winchester 325 WSM or Browning 325 WSM

 

[moto450]

Cabelas is offering a limited run on a Sako long range rifle. You can get it in either 300wm or 7 mm rm. You can get it for around 1000 and sako guarentees 1 moa out of box and with handloading you can get it a lot less. You also can't beat Sako quality

 

[fish slapper]

been looking at specs and reviews all day, thanks for all the responses so far. I have the following rifles at the top of my list based on reviews and weights and I have decided on 300 wm simply based on available parts and lots of load data, etc.

Sako 85 Finnlight
Winchester Model 70 extreme
Browning xbolt stainless stalker

will look at others as well like Model 700 and Savage 16/116

 

[Kennibear]

Looked for this same setup three years ago and settled on a Savage Weather Warrior in 375 Ruger two years ago. Paid extra for Savage to screw in a 26" barrel. If you reload this caliber can really perform. But it has recoil. If you shy away from punchy guns then 300 WinMag is a better choice.

I was looking for a ton (2000 ft lbs) of energy at least 500 yards out with enough velocity to expand the bullet. With Nosler's 260 gr 375 caliber Accubond driven by 79.5gr of WW 760 and a Fed#215 the 26" tube pushes 3022 AV w/ 9fps SD. This gives 2000 ft lbs out to 630 yards and drops to 1800 fps (lower threshold of the AB expansion) at 670 yards. It is almost as flat as a 300 WinMag.

It is not for the faint of heart as the recoil is fierce. But for 8 - 9 lbs there are very few rifles that generate >5000 ft lbs at the muzzle and carry a ton of it past 600.

KB

 

[fish slapper]

Thanks that sounds like a bruiser for sure, I have a 300 RUM on a 700 action, Pacnor barrel, vais brake, etc and it shoots very, very well its just to heavy to carry for long periods so I really looking at rifle weight and trying to get as close to an 8 lb package as I can.

I have a pair of Ruger M77 338 Winchesters that have taken probably 13 or so elk but always 200 yards or less. I started hunting eastern Oregon last year and its open spot and stalk country so I am looking for something with decent range but I can still carry all day long. I shot a bull with the RUM last year right at 500 and it flat knocked him down but luckily it was on opening morning and my arm was dead from carrying that rifle because it does not carry on a sling very well due to the balance not being there.

 

[WildRose]

Thanks that sounds like a bruiser for sure, I have a 300 RUM on a 700 action, Pacnor barrel, vais brake, etc and it shoots very, very well its just to heavy to carry for long periods so I really looking at rifle weight and trying to get as close to an 8 lb package as I can.

I have a pair of Ruger M77 338 Winchesters that have taken probably 13 or so elk but always 200 yards or less. I started hunting eastern Oregon last year and its open spot and stalk country so I am looking for something with decent range but I can still carry all day long. I shot a bull with the RUM last year right at 500 and it flat knocked him down but luckily it was on opening morning and my arm was dead from carrying that rifle because it does not carry on a sling very well due to the balance not being there.

How you carry a rifle can make a huge difference. If you usually wear a day pack on a S&S type hunt then add an Eberlestock scabbard. If you don't have one but want to get one, get the Eberlestock.

If you don't want to carry a pack shoot Len a PM. He recommends a double shouldered rifle sling that he personally uses. Another thing to consider is putting flush cups on the off bolt size of your rifle so that it lays flat against your body instead of using the standard sling studs on the bottom. That will greatly reduce wear and tear on you from a rifle flopping around on your back.

Since you seem to be partial to heavy calibers and high amounts of energy, you should seriously consider the Winchester Coyote Outback in .325wsm or .300wsm.

Both pack quite a punch out to the ranges you are talking about and both, especially with a decent brake installed, are a joy to shoot.

 

[fish slapper]

Thanks for the advice and I will do some research...I have this "habit" of carrying my rifle at the ready when hunting (my dad always said you cannot shoot anything with it on your shoulder plus I spent 9 years in the Army)...obviously I carry it on my shoulder at times but most of the time in the field I have it in my hands or carrying it under arm and that is where my Rum kills me!

I do have a Winchester featherweight in 280 Remington that would work but I am looking for a little more knock down power...I will admit I am interested in the short mags for certain.

 

[fish slapper]

ok that Winchester Coyote looks real cool!

 

[sp6x6]

My hunting buddy has a Finnlight 300 Win that he really likes. I packed a 340 Wby for alot of years, also shot handfull of bulls w/325 wsm ss abolt. Which seemed like a p -shooter after 340. I hunt hard steep and like to have my hands for crabbing and glassing,so I front carry with a Safari sling as do most of my hard hunting buds.We also hunt thick grizz country so a rifle on your back is no good.

 

[Barrelnut]

I would NOT get a 300 Win mag in a carry rifle. You will probably end up with a brake on it.

Couple on here have suggested the Savage Weather Warrior cause a requirement was synthetic stock and SS. The rifle comes in at 7.15 lbs with a 24 inch barrel in magnum contour. It is very accurate. You would come in at just at about 9 lbs. with a scope. I have one in 25-06. Plus, like Kennibear said, if for some reason you don't like the caliber it is fairly easy to change with out spending a ton or time and money just to change barrels for new caliber.

Browning Xbolt - I have owned 2 A-Bolts and they are great carry hunting rifles but are not 600 yard guns. I cannot imagine an Xbolt being any better and they have plastic bottom metal. You can get them to shoot fairly well but you have to bed them. There are almost no after market parts for them. They have cheap hammer forged barrels that walk like crazy when they start to heat up! They have stiff triggers and not way to change them. They are just not worth the hassle for me any more. Great carry guns for out to maybe 350 yards but I would not want to take a longer shot than that with one.

Sako - Great rifle with some nice workmanship, but the 300 WSM barrel is only has 11 twist and I have seen two that would not shoot 180 Gn bullets well at all. Did great with 165 Gn but thats not a good pick for 600 yards..

Real issue with a Savage 300 WSM is that it only holds two rounds in the mag. You can have a third but is has to be in the pipe. But there are great after market magazine out there that use the Savage bottom metal and give you 5 rounds in the mag! You just cannot beat it.

 

[WildRose]

I would NOT get a 300 Win mag in a carry rifle. You will probably end up with a brake on it.

Couple on here have suggested the Savage Weather Warrior cause a requirement was synthetic stock and SS. The rifle comes in at 7.15 lbs with a 24 inch barrel in magnum contour. It is very accurate. You would come in at just at about 9 lbs. with a scope. I have one in 25-06. Plus, like Kennibear said, if for some reason you don't like the caliber it is fairly easy to change with out spending a ton or time and money just to change barrels for new caliber.

Browning Xbolt - I have owned 2 A-Bolts and they are great carry hunting rifles but are not 600 yard guns. I cannot imagine an Xbolt being any better and they have plastic bottom metal. You can get them to shoot fairly well but you have to bed them. There are almost no after market parts for them. They have cheap hammer forged barrels that walk like crazy when they start to heat up! They have stiff triggers and not way to change them. They are just not worth the hassle for me any more. Great carry guns for out to maybe 350 yards but I would not want to take a longer shot than that with one.

Sako - Great rifle with some nice workmanship, but the 300 WSM barrel is only has 11 twist and I have seen two that would not shoot 180 Gn bullets well at all. Did great with 165 Gn but thats not a good pick for 600 yards..

Real issue with a Savage 300 WSM is that it only holds two rounds in the mag. You can have a third but is has to be in the pipe. But there are great after market magazine out there that use the Savage bottom metal and give you 5 rounds in the mag! You just cannot beat it.

Shooting equal weight bullets there will be no discernable difference in recoil between the 300wsm and 300wm.

More importantly there's absolutely nothing wrong with putting a good brake on a hunting rifle. It just makes them more enjoyable to shoot.