Seeking help on build

[hammertyme]

In the pictured setup any reasonable caliber is possible. Plus a couple of pushing reason calibers like the 338 X 378 or the 510 Rogue which is based upon the 460 Weatherby case. Very shortly this center grip setup will be carrying a 338 Edge barrel.
I carried a rifle for many decades and can say that carrying a rifle through the Alders of Alaska is a pain and very tiring. Carrying a handgun with barrel shorter than ones head and in many cases shorter than ones shoulder and the grip is nicely tucked under ones elbow is not only none obstructive, I never know its hooked on my pack upright.

I have a friend that has been diligently learning to shoot long range for a couple of hunts coming up. With his 7 WSM at 7oo yards the shot on anything is a gimme. He is hitting a softball size target every shot.



Since I have had to deal with very large bears in the flat country mostly for the past 30 years I have adopted three schools of thought over the years. Roy Weatherby and others thinking regarding.
1. Fast bullets and hydrostatic shock. Plus the advantage of hair hold flat shooting capabilities.
2. Big bullets going slower making big holes all the way through. Bone breaking capabilities. Elmer Keith
3. Larger frontal areas of bullets transmitting shock and a knockout capability. Many African guides

If one rolls all of these into one cartridge and combine with the incredibly high BC 338 bullets its pretty easy to see why the 338 Win Mag is at the top of the hunters list here in Alaska. Now if (and we have) one can duplicate the rifle 338 Win Mag ballistics from a handgun, one has a very comfortable warm fuzzy feeling when that 1500 pound bear comes to take your deer or elk away from you. Plus you are on one side of a valley or deep cut and a book deer,sheep or goat is on the other side 4-600 yards away you have the capability of putting it on the ground without much effort.

The Alaska Department of fish and Game banned the use of the 7/284 caliber for Bison hunting decades ago for a reason. My friend and many others have taken a lot of moose here when the 7's became popular. Each of those people are now hunting with 338's to 375 Rums for the same reason when asked. Long range shots with knock down authority!
If one tries to compare one school of thought to another, they all have merit. There is a reason why the 338 Lapua Magnum was developed. LONG RANGE AUTHORITY.
Neal

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by trueblue

long450,
I agree that 800yards is a stretch , and realistically my limits would end up at 600yds, but it would be nice to have the capability if a person can get good with the handgun. I am not sure if they are easier to carry than a rifle, but they are easier on the shoulder, which is the reason I am investigating the possibilty of having one built.

Ernie,
I to was thinking of a 7mm, and will check into the 7 Dakota as you suggested.
But I am also interested in a 338. I don't think a 30cal can do anything a 7mm can do in a handgun, so if I go above a 7, it will be to a 338cal.
It is my understanding that you use rifle scopes on your setup, and have know trouble with eye relief ?
Please give me a discription of your 7 Dakota components as far as barrel contour, length, scope, break, weight, stock. Or give me a link if this imfo is already on the site.
Thanks,
JIM

Jim,
I have killed quite a few elk with the 284 win and 140 Partitions (15.75" barrel) out to 540 yards. Never lost an animal.
With a 15.75" 7.82 Patriot XP out to 416 yards-No losses.
My 7mm Dakota barrel is a smidgen under 18", but you could do it with a shorter barrel. Holland's new radial brake and I have used the 8.5-25's and the 6.5-20 Leupold Mark 4's with no problem. I will write more later.

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by trueblue

long450,
Ernie,
I to was thinking of a 7mm, and will check into the 7 Dakota as you suggested.
But I am also interested in a 338. I don't think a 30cal can do anything a 7mm can do in a handgun, so if I go above a 7, it will be to a 338cal.
It is my understanding that you use rifle scopes on your setup, and have know trouble with eye relief ?
Please give me a discription of your 7 Dakota components as far as barrel contour, length, scope, break, weight, stock. Or give me a link if this imfo is already on the site.
Thanks,
JIM

Here is an article about using riflescopes on specialty pistols Handgun Hunter Magazine - Rifle Scopes On Specialty Handguns Scopes On Specialty Handguns
You will have to register to read, but it should answer some of your questions.

I have two 7mm Dakota barrels: One was a 1-7 twist Lilja (you do not need a 1-7 twist), that was set-up for the 200 grain WIldcats. The wildcats ended up not needing that fast of twist, but a very accurate combo, with a 200 grain bullet at 2706 fps. Nailed a elk several years ago @ 666 yards. Performance was great. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again given the same or better conditions. Other barrel is a Lawton 1-9 twist, set up for the 162-180 vld's. Folks at best of the west are taking elk down just shy of 1k with a 7mm Rem Mag using the 168 Berger VLD and they have had great success. The 7mm Dakota in a specialty pistol using the 168 or the 180's will equal or outrun what a 7RM can do in a rifle.
The brake is one of Darrel Holland's Radial brakes-It is awesome.
If I did it all over again I would have made my barrel lighter, not sure of the contour off-hand.