Your Ultimate 500 Yard Rig

[WildRose]

Sorry, even I misread, the OP's post ! YOU are right, I missed the "YOUR" part ! I put more credence in, walking, hiking a long ways ( miles and MILES ) and "Hunting". I PERSONALLY, don't like to carry, into the "Back Country", the Heavy weight Rifles (required, for those "Big Rigs") that are capable of, 1,000 yard Kills. 500 yards with Today's Bullets, DON'T require, that much Gun, just "good" shot "placement" AKA, lots of, PRACTICE. IMHO, "WE" are sending a very "bad message" to the NOOB Elk Hunter's that, a .300+ Magnum is "required" and MOST ( not all ) CAN'T shoot those "Cannon's" well, UNLESS, "Braked". I PERSONALLY like, to be able, to shoot at, Elk while "Hunting" at reasonable ranges without, Muff's on, IF,..NECESSARY and if, I don't have the time, to use them,.. without losing my Hearing from, those "Cannons" ! And the Quest for, the "best" Elk rifle/ Cartridge goes on. PS; I'm STILL "working thru" my, .338 Magnum FLINCH !

All of my Rum's are 12bls or less, my newest .300 Rum comes in at about 8.5lbs naked.

Neither of my 375 Rugers is over 10.5lbs.

There are lots of ways to manage recoil from "big magnums" a heavy rig is only one of them.

I almost hate to admit it but my unbraked .375 Ruger (custom Model 70) has become one of my all time favorite rifles to shoot and I'm not all that big of a guy or by any means immune to recoil.

 

[WildRose]

Almost every rifle I've hunted with for MANY YEARS has a muzzle brake.......my 4 shoulder surgeries don't like recoil......it's NOT that Big of a Deal..!

Seeing your bullets impact is priceless.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

@ Bravo4, When gunsmithing, many years ago, in the 1970's, 1980's early 90's,.. I glass bedded many, nice Ruger 77's and they all, shot very, well ! Our Family and Friend's, ALL hunted with .30-06's in those Days ( late 1950's, 60's, 70's ) and killed, a chit Ton of, Antelope, big Deer and some Elk, too ! Mostly with, 150 and 180 Hornady's, then the 150 and 165 NPT's, later. When I was in in High school ( 1962, 63, 64, 65 ) we could shoot, 3 Deer each, in Utah, so we had plenty of practice ! YUP, the ole' o6 is still a good killer with, the "right" bullet! IMO Elk hunting, is a LOT of, "work" so WHY carry, a heavy Rifle ? Most of the area's that I hunt, are Timbered, brushy, fairly steep, etc. and shots are usually from 50 to 300 or so yards,.. You don't need a cannon, at those ranges ! Good luck with your Huntin' and stay, SAFE ! Everybody has their "favorites" and opinions and IF I had, to Hunt with an .06 for, the rest of my Days, I'd be OK with, that ! My son, killed a nice, big bodied, 6X6 here, in Idaho this November with, a 7mm-08, 150 grain ELD-X going only 2,850 FPS, at about, 250 yards.

 

[WildRose]

People like like you have know idea why the .300 H&H, 7mm rem mag, .300WM,
.338WM and others took off so fast.

The main reason they took off the way they did was gun writer hype and the word "magnum" which triggers an immediate testosterone response.

 

[WildRose]

I guess I will flip a coin to see which one goes to Colorado this fall. One on the left has been my go to gun for whitetail the last two years. Just got the other one this week. They're a 1979 & a 1980 xtr 264 win mags. The 79 model loves 130 accubonds.

I prefer the CRF's but any serious rifleman should own a Model 70 in .264 "just becuz".

The three most classic med/large game calibers in US history are the .264wm, .270wm, and .30-06. With the exception perhaps of the largest and most dangerous game all three are more than capable at 500yds for anything NA.

I shoot and hunt with my .300wm's, .300Rum's and, .375 Rugers not because they are necessary but because I enjoy them and they afford me a little higher margin of error at any range than the classics.

 

[WildRose]

@ Bravo4, When gunsmithing, many years ago, in the 1970's, 1980's early 90's,.. I glass bedded many, nice Ruger 77's and they all, shot very, well ! Our Family and Friend's, ALL hunted with .30-06's in those Days ( late 1950's, 60's, 70's ) and killed, a chit Ton of, Antelope, big Deer and some Elk, too ! Mostly with, 150 and 180 Hornady's, then the 150 and 165 NPT's, later. When I was in in High school ( 1962, 63, 64, 65 ) we could shoot, 3 Deer each, in Utah, so we had plenty of practice ! YUP, the ole' o6 is still a good killer with, the "right" bullet! IMO Elk hunting, is a LOT of, "work" so WHY carry, a heavy Rifle ? Most of the area's that I hunt, are Timbered, brushy, fairly steep, etc. and shots are usually from 50 to 300 or so yards,.. You don't need a cannon, at those ranges ! Good luck with your Huntin' and stay, SAFE ! Everybody has their "favorites" and opinions and IF I had, to Hunt with an .06 for, the rest of my Days, I'd be OK with, that !

All good points but then we're talking about a 500yds limit here rather than 300. At 300yds a 7.62x39 would be more than ample.

 

[Bravo 4]

@ Bravo4, When gunsmithing, many years ago, in the 1970's, 1980's early 90's,.. I glass bedded many, nice Ruger 77's and they all, shot very, well ! Our Family and Friend's, ALL hunted with .30-06's in those Days ( late 1950's, 60's, 70's ) and killed, a chit Ton of, Antelope, big Deer and some Elk, too ! Mostly with, 150 and 180 Hornady's, then the 150 and 165 NPT's, later. When I was in in High school ( 1962, 63, 64, 65 ) we could shoot, 3 Deer each, in Utah, so we had plenty of practice ! YUP, the ole' o6 is still a good killer with, the "right" bullet! IMO Elk hunting, is a LOT of, "work" so WHY carry, a heavy Rifle ? Most of the area's that I hunt, are Timbered, brushy, fairly steep, etc. and shots are usually from 50 to 300 or so yards,.. You don't need a cannon, at those ranges ! Good luck with your Huntin' and stay, SAFE ! Everybody has their "favorites" and opinions and IF I had, to Hunt with an .06 for, the rest of my Days, I'd be OK with, that ! My son, killed a nice, big bodied, 6X6 here, in Idaho this November with, a 7mm-08, 150 grain ELD-X going only 2,850 FPS, at about, 250 yards.

Just picked up my buddy's M77 today. Gonna do some load development for him, with some Hammer bullets. Plus put a Timney trigger in and mount a new scope. May end up bedding. He went elk hunting with me this year (just to hang out) and is hooked. Wants his gear in the best condition he can get it, and wants to shoot further than the 100 yards he does on his property.

 

[ar10ar15man]

well this is old school
1939 mosin nagant
7.62x45r 150 /168/174 gr bullets
$100 from big 5
used 6-18 nikon, scope mount
bbl cut to 24", recrowned/threaded/brake added
timney trigger/ bedded/reconfigged mil stock
rifle as shown is $569
.312 150gr hornady hunting bullet .365" at 100
308 168 gr smk .518"..always 1 bullet to ruin things
312 175 smk .257" at 100 yards.
very nice 500 yard rig

 

[Idaho Lefty]

@ WildRose,.. My .270 WSM w/ 140 AccuBond ( .485 BC, VALIDATED, to 700 yards ) at 3,150 FPS and my son's, hi BC, 150 gr ELD-X, 7mm-08 at, 2,850 FPS ( again VALIDATED, to 700 ), will get it "done" at 5-600 yards or we wouldn't,.. carry them. We practiced, to 650+ Yards (w/ sticks sitting on hillsides to 400) and over Packs to 650 yd's but, killed our Elk at, only 70 and 250 yards!. We can shoot our Rifles,..ALL Day, long with, the LOW recoil and minimal "Blast",.. NO Brakes ! I don't try to tell people what to shoot,.. I "suggest" and tell them, what,.. "works" for us with OUR style of, "Hunting" !
"Over kill" with, too much Gun, at "close range" spells,.. Bone and Copper/Lead fragment's and "Bloodshot" Meat, to me. I'm just agreeing with the Guys that, shoot something smaller than, a "Cannon" and NOT everybody's RICH enough, to afford "Custom" Rifles, costing,.. $3,000 to $10,000. Good Night all, my Elk Chili, is done !

 

[WildRose]

well this is old school
1939 mosin nagant
7.62x45r 150 /168/174 gr bullets
$100 from big 5
used 6-18 nikon, scope mount
bbl cut to 24", recrowned/threaded/brake added
timney trigger/ bedded/reconfigged mil stock
rifle as shown is $569
.312 150gr hornady hunting bullet .365" at 100
308 168 gr smk .518"..always 1 bullet to ruin things
312 175 smk .257" at 100 yards.
very nice 500 yard rig

7.62x45R?

The only 7.62x45 I'm aware of was a Czech made round for light machine guns that pretty much went nowhere.

 

[Aoudad shooter1975]

well this is old school
1939 mosin nagant
7.62x45r 150 /168/174 gr bullets
$100 from big 5
used 6-18 nikon, scope mount
bbl cut to 24", recrowned/threaded/brake added
timney trigger/ bedded/reconfigged mil stock
rifle as shown is $569
.312 150gr hornady hunting bullet .365" at 100
308 168 gr smk .518"..always 1 bullet to ruin things
312 175 smk .257" at 100 yards.
very nice 500 yard rig

I think you meant 7.62x54R...

 

[WildRose]

@ WildRose,.. My .270 WSM w/ 140 AccuBond ( .485 BC, VALIDATED, to 700 yards ) at 3,150 FPS and my son's, hi BC, 150 gr ELD-X, 7mm-08 at, 2,850 FPS ( again VALIDATED, to 700 ), will get it "done" at 5-600 yards or we wouldn't,.. carry them. We practiced, to 650+ Yards (w/ sticks sitting on hillsides to 400) and over Packs to 650 yd's but, killed our Elk at, only 70 and 250 yards!. We can shoot our Rifles,..ALL Day, long with, the LOW recoil and minimal "Blast",.. NO Brakes ! I don't try to tell people what to shoot,.. I "suggest" and tell them, what,.. "works" for us with OUR style of, "Hunting" !
"Over kill" with, too much Gun, at "close range" spells,.. Bone and Copper/Lead fragment's and "Bloodshot" Meat, to me. I'm just agreeing with the Guys that, shoot something smaller than, a "Cannon" and NOT everybody's RICH enough, to afford "Custom" Rifles, costing,.. $3,000 to $10,000. Good Night all, my Elk Chili, is done !

I can't either. I buy nice custom boomers when the original owner figures out he can't handle or just prefers something else due to the recoil.

Usually I pick them up for less than the cost of the parts.

 

[mtank]

I prefer the CRF's but any serious rifleman should own a Model 70 in .264 "just becuz".

The three most classic med/large game calibers in US history are the .264wm, .270wm, and .30-06. With the exception perhaps of the largest and most dangerous game all three are more than capable at 500yds for anything NA.

I shoot and hunt with my .300wm's, .300Rum's and, .375 Rugers not because they are necessary but because I enjoy them and they afford me a little higher margin of error at any range than the classics.

One of my brother n laws is trying to get one of my 264s. He said you don't need two, i replied you're right do you know where there's another one at. I have two 264s, two 7mm mag interarms & a browning a bolt 2 30/06. The ought6 was my gift to myself when I got out of the navy in 2012. In 2014 I went on my first elk hunt self guided im Clark , Co. I was at the gun cabinet @ Walmart in steamboat springs. This rancher walks up I'd say mid to late 50s & said I've never hunted before but want a elk rifle. The lady behind the counter never missed a beat & said without a doubt we sell more 270 win & 30/06 then anything else combined. Not sure what he chose but I'm sure it gets the job done .

 

[Dfizz90]

Inspired by John Spadaro's thread found here:
https://longrangehunting.com/threads/help-chosing-an-elk-cartridge.211198/

What is your ULTIMATE rifle outfit for ~500yds on North American big game? Think packing WAY back/up in there with a shot of a lifetime on a trophy animal that has never seen a human.

Long/short action? Caliber? Action? Stock? Optic? Trigger? etc. Overkill is fine; what is your ULTIMATE dream rig for out to 500?

My Christensen Ridgeline 300 wsm topped with a Swarovski Z5 3.5x18 is really nice to carry and shoots lights out.