wanting to build a "mountain rifle"

[Jordan Smith]

My mountain rifle is 7-2 oz.bare,8-12 oz scoped.338 Norma and good for extreme range.I have put bullets in 6'' @ 1000,and practice to 15-1600. I shoot it off my atlas practice and same hunting.Unless they are looking at me like last year.Slid my hoop ear plugs in,BOOM,and another 6x6 bits the dust. I can run no brake for close in timber work,but I always check what I am shooting,probably cost me a bigger bull last year,because I didnt jump shot him.Which buy the way a big 338 is perfect for.

Sounds like a great setup that works!

My main mountain rifle is a 7WSM that weighs 7lbs 1oz scoped and ready to go. It shoots 0.75MOA out to over over 1000 yards with the 162gr A-Max at 3105fps. I've smacked 8-10" rocks at 1130 yards with it, and it certainly kills game pronto. It usually goes with me when I have a sheep hunt, or a mountain hunt for moose or elk where a lot of hiking is on the menu. I use the 140gr TTSX for still hunting when I think a shot might come at close range, and if a LR shot presents itself, I always have enough time to slip a couple of 162gr AM in the magazine. The TTSX digs deep on close shots, and the 162 shoots nicely out farther. There are many different setups that get the job done, but this one works for me!

After having killed, and seen clients and friends/family kill, numerous game animals in the 500 lbs class with authority with .243-.257" bullets, I have a hard time justifying the notion that a .338" is needed. From what I've seen, 7mm and .308" bullets get the job done just fine, even at extended ranges, but a .338" certainly doesn't hurt, if that's your huckleberry. I might see the value in the .338"+ bullets if I killed a lot of my game at 1500 yards and beyond, but that's just not where I do most of my killing.

Glad you're enjoying your rig!

 

[Jordan Smith]

this turned into a great thread. Its great (as everyone else has stated) to see two guys debate awesome points on both ends. I believe for MY purpose in hunting i will try and go with a large 7mm case pushing the new 195VLD out of a 1:8.5 twist barrel. I want an Edge so bad i can taste it, but if i build one i want to build it big. Not light and skinny. Thanks again guys. Now what chambering should i chose to push the heavy 195??

A few considerations:

- Target velocity?

- Target powder consumption/recoil/blast?

- Target barrel life?

- Quality brass options available?

You should be able to get 2850-2900fps with that bullet in a 7WSM or 7RM, built properly, which is plenty of speed for killing stuff out to 1000 yards. Quality brass is available for the 7WSM if you don't mind necking down .300WSM Norma brass to create a false shoulder, and then fireform. Even .300WSM WW or RP brass is miles ahead of the 7WSM WW brass. There is a host of brass options for the 7RM. Barrels last a reasonable amount of use, around 1200-1500 rounds if you take care of them and don't abuse them.

If you want to step it up a notch, then you could go with something cool, like the 7mm Mashburn Super Magnum. The performance and case shape is essentially identical to the 7mm-300WM. You can use any .300WM brass you can find, since brass is formed from .300WM stuff. A 7mm-375 Ruger would be cool, as well, and I believe, IIRC, that Hornady is making brass for this chambering, to be sold through the same guys that make the G7 RF. I suspect you could drive the 195 EOL at 3000fps from these chamberings. Barrel life is obviously a bit shorter than the WSM and RM, but probably not terrible. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I would guess around 1000 rounds would be reasonable.

Obviously there's the 7mmSTW and 7RUM if you want to step up to the really big boys, and the 7AM is king of the hill, AFAIK. I'm also guessing here, but the 195 EOL may get in the 3100-3300fps range here, depending on which cartridge we're talking about. Maybe somebody with QL can confirm or correct these numbers. Barrel life may be in the 800 round range.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

Man it's nice to see a couple guys be able to discuss the merits of a position without getting their panties wedged up between their ears, THANKS!!!!

I would add that some of us shoot what we do because of the terrain we hunt elk in, I get away with a lot in my area and the ONLY reason a guy would need a magnum 338 is because he wants one or he's shooting over a 1200 yard but you go up in the kind of country sp6x6 hunts and get back into some ugly crap hole hung on a cliff and have an elk stubble a few steps into the next drainage and it can turn into an epic adventure getting them out. My area you just drag a little bit to the bottom and back the truck up, rarely do I not get an elk out whole, ideally they will stumble to the bottom and I back the truck up

BNG, you're absolutely right about that, I thoroughly enjoy a conversation such as the one taking place here. As far as your particular elk hunting area goes... I have two comments... Comment #1= You suck..... Comment #2= When can I come hunt with you!

this turned into a great thread. Its great (as everyone else has stated) to see two guys debate awesome points on both ends. I believe for MY purpose in hunting i will try and go with a large 7mm case pushing the new 195VLD out of a 1:8.5 twist barrel. I want an Edge so bad i can taste it, but if i build one i want to build it big. Not light and skinny. Thanks again guys. Now what chambering should i chose to push the heavy 195??

As BNG also stated, I'm no 7mm fan (not that you couldn't tell) but the 195 has some serious intrigue going on.... As far as a launching pad for the EOL, hows about the 7mm Dakota? I'm thinking 7STW & never look back... Not really digging the 7RM (far too common for my taste). The 7mm-375 Ruger would be sweet, brass may be a PITA.... If BBL life is a concern, send it to MMI TrueTech & have it Melonited.... problem solved. I was thinking of the 7RUM also, something has been off-putting about the RUM for some reason.

 

[Jordan Smith]

As far as a launching pad for the EOL, hows about the 7mm Dakota? I'm thinking 7STW & never look back... Not really digging the 7RM (far too common for my taste). The 7mm-375 Ruger would be sweet, brass may be a PITA.... If BBL life is a concern, send it to MMI TrueTech & have it Melonited.... problem solved. I was thinking of the 7RUM also, something has been off-putting about the RUM for some reason.

You're right about the brass for the 7mm-375Ruger (7mm LRM), in that Hornady makes it and they supply it exclusively to one company, Gunwerks, but you'd have an even tougher time with 7 Dakota brass! From what I understand, the 7mm Dakota brass isn't the best stuff, and it's extremely expensive! Performance would be about identical from the 7-375Ruger, the Dakota, and the STW.

 

[bigngreen]

I may be wrong but isn't the 7 LRM that Gunwerks chambers and has correct head stamped brass for a 7mm-375 Ruger. I think midnightmalloy on here is working with getting the 7LRM and 195 Berger in combination.

 

[Jordan Smith]

See the post right above yours

 

[bigngreen]

Snap, the link between my eyes and brain isn't the strongest some days

 

[6.506ai]

It has plenty but if your worried 2800 or so FPS at the muzzle with 180gr. wont equal enough energy at 800 yards I can assure it is more than a 6.5x284 pushing a 140 at 2900. If you want more speed load up a 168 berger (that has nearly identical BC as a 140 vld) at 3000+ and will have more knock down than the 140. Im not saying that a 140 berger wont kill an elk at 800yards but if it were me I would step up to the 7mm.

Im pushing 180eld m at 2900 with my 280ai