Help with the next rifle.........

Sturdyman · #1 02-26-2011, 07:57 PM

Hello All,

I am new to rifles and will take possession of a Remington 700 SPS Tactical by the end of March. This will be my first rifle and will primarily be a range gun. I do plan to hunt deer in the fall and will practice with that goal in mind. The SPS will be a .308 caliper. I chose this caliper for its affordability.

On to the next rifle. I want this to be special and different. I need suggestions. I can see myself hunting larger game like elk out of state. I live in Maryland and there are a few ranges that are out to 600 yards that I think I can join with the help of an instructor.

Here are my questions. What out of the box rifle and caliper would fit the bill? Expense is an issue so my budget is $1,500 without the scope. Should I go with a 300 Remington Ultra Mag or a 7 mm remington mag? If so why and are the rounds affordable? I was thinking of the Remington Sendero or should I just get a 30 06 in a different rifle for the affordability? This purchase would not occur until July or August. I have a few fishing trips to pay for before then. I hope to go sharking in June.

All suggestions are welcome and thank you in advance.

Sturdyman · #2 02-26-2011, 08:27 PM

One additional question. Would it be worth it to purchase a Weatherby Mark V Deluxe in the 30-06? Extra money spent on a quality rifle and an affordable cartridge. The Weatherby web site has this rifle at $2200. This is out of my range but is the stretch worth it?

roninflag · #3 02-26-2011, 08:37 PM

prettier than a sendero. if i got a mark v it would either be a 300 or a 257. more practical and accurate a 7mmrem mag sendero.

Sturdyman · #4 02-26-2011, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roninflag

prettier than a sendero. if i got a mark v it would either be a 300 or a 257. more practical and accurate a 7mmrem mag sendero.

Thank you for the reply. As I did deeper into the Weatherby website I see there is a Mark V Sporter. This rifle comes in a .257 and a 300 Win Mag. The list price is $1,500 and it is pretty. The question is are they well built?

Is there a reason you would go with the .257 roninflag? Is this a round that lends it self to the long range shot? I can check on affordability with a google search. Is this round readily available? I know I am asking a lot of questions please bear with me?

texan79 · #5 02-26-2011, 09:06 PM

Welcome sturdy. All my family lives in Towsen and Timmonium. (i'm the redneck born and raised in TX)

One thing I'll warn you about visiting this site, is the fact that your going to want to upgrade after a while. That being said, I would pass on the Weatherby. All my rifles are Remington 700's for this reason. There are more parts, and more smiths that work on this platform than any other. They shoot pretty damn good left alone as well.

I'm a huge fan of the 7mm Rem mag, but I also belive that with elk, it is better served with a big 30. You can do it with a 7mm all day long, just my personal preference. For a "one rifle fix" I would vote 7mm rem mag or 30-06. 300 Rum is overkill on deer sized game unless your looking at extended ranges.

WyoElk2Hunt · #6 02-26-2011, 09:30 PM

I have Weatherby and Remington rifles. For hunting the Weatherbys are Accumark with synthetic stocks. You pay a lot for the wood on the Mark 5 but they are pertty. The Remington 700 are hard to beat and a lot of custom gun makers use the action on their custom guns hard to beat the Sendero line of rifles but are heavy if you walk a lot. Also the Weatherby ammo and brass is usually expensive. It all boild down to what do you want either way you will win.

Sturdyman · #7 02-26-2011, 10:11 PM

Thank you all for the good information.

I do not see that the Accumark or the Sporter come in the 30-06 caliper. Affordability will drive me towards the 7 MM Remington Mag unless there is another affordable alternative. I would like this rifle to shoot magnum loads.

To be honest I am leaning towards the Sporter. My Remington 700 SPS Tactical has the rubberized coating and I would like the wood for this rifle. I just want something special for long range hunting and I think the Weatherby Mark V Sporter will do the trick.

Any and all comments are welcome. Please do not hesitate to add to the conversation.