Which caliber starting off

[arrow]

I will be building my first longrange hunting rifle. I have been researching calibers for about 5 months now. I still cant decide. I am looking at shooting whitetail maybe up to 800 yards. (I prabably wont be shooting that far but want to be able to for some day) The think that is making the choice selecting this round is barrel life. I would love to get a 300 rum or a 7 stw but I know that barrel wont last too long. I was thinking the .243 AI and shoot 105 amax's or 117 dtac's or some other high bc bullet. I just wasnt sure if this would have the knockdown power needed to cleanly kill a whitetail at that range. I was thinking 6.5-.284 but this goes back to barrel life. I was thinking .308 but this doesnt give me the tragectory I want. So I was thinking maybe a .300 win mag. The barrel life isnt horrible on this. I could shoot heavy high bc bullets out of this better than a .300 wsm. The only think I am not liking is the belt. I was thinking about making the chamber tight fit and neck turn so that resizing wouldnt even be necessary. I dont know if this is possible with the belted magnums is it? Also what about a 7 rem mag. I know this has pretty good balistics but it is also a belted mag. Also how is the barrel life on a 7 rem mag? Any other recamendations? Thanks alot

[Wild_Bill]

have a long action chambered for the Rem Saum or the wsm in 7mm have it throated out and you will have a great performer to 1000 yards on the critters you are after the recoil is fine and they shoot verry well. I think their is a Rem sendero in 7mm Rem Saum in the for sale section it would be a perfect ridle for you the 168 and 175gr Sierra's are awsome out of my 7mm Saum 22" barreled Model7 SS.

Cheers Bill
Australia

[HRstretch]

I would ask myself how many rounds a year am I realistically going to put through this gun. As far as barrel life I antincipate 1500 to 2000 rounds before I will start to get concerned about accuracy of my 7MM STW. Now that I have my load developed i doubt that I will shoot more than 100 rounds a year with it.

That being said it will take me over 15 years to shoot out my barrel if it is shot out at 1500 rounds and that accuracy will only be reduced (in My opinion for target and not minute of deer). The reality of my hunting is that my shots are less than three hundred yards. After ten years I can re barrel to same caliber with a custom barrel or re chamber and fill like I got a new gun ( which I will rightly deserve LOL). Also if you are not shooting max or over on the loads that will help on barrel life.

What I am getting at is unless you are planning on shooting 100 plus rounds a week through this gun and need the accuracy of a match rifle to hunt buy what you want and worry about what your children or grandchildren will do with your deer slayer gun.

By the way I would chose the 7MM STW over the 300 RUM any day but I'm biased.

[Akkill]

<P>&nbsp;"throated out" whats that ?</P>

[linksmechanic]

I would choose the 7mm rem mag. Don't worry about the belt. Brass is super cheap easy to find and they shoot real flat. I shoot the 180 bergers out of mine at 1200 yards weekly.

[shootinfool]

I would go with the 7mag and the 168 gr berger. Also look at the .270wsm, that is a pretty flat shooting fast round also.

[redbone]

Arrow

I would take an look at 7 MM STW .

You can knot go wrong with it .

Redbone