Howdy, first post, ready to get first build going!

[Crazy Canuck]

Hi Long Range Hunters!

I've been reading this fascinating forum for a little while now and loving it. I think i've finally made up my mind to jump into this game and have a gun built for me for big game hunting, and looking for opinions/thoughts on what i should aim for in a build?

I have access to a great builder who loves rem actions as a basis so i don't think i'll take anything else to him to start the build....from there i'm wide open and would love to hear your thoughts on calibers, stocks, optics, bases/rings?....i guess i'd like to hear what you'd build for me based on my requirements/hunting style...see below for that.

I'm getting good and hooked on backpack hunting so that would be requirement number 1....i need to pack this rifle around the mountains so weight/dimension is an issue....needs to be a sleek sporter build...or at least as sleek as possible?

2nd...i don't chase elk yet(sheep for now) but i figure at some point i'll get the bug for elk...so this rig should be strong enough for elk....and i'll practice and have the gun learned to 1000 yrds.

3rd...probably don't need to go too 'wildcat' with this rig, would like to stick to something pretty easy to find brass for etc. and not too hard on barrels? And not too hard on shoulder either...i plan on having a muzzle brake forsure.

That should do it for requirements. So how do you think my build should look then?

Crazy Canuck

 

[britz]

One suggestion is to go with a WSM of some sort due to the wieght restriction. This would be plenty for sheep at range but probably a little short for elk at extreme range.

 

[J E Custom]

Canuck

Probably one of the best (All-around) cartriges for your requirements
would be the 300 RUM.

1= A wide range of hunting bullets (110gr to 250gr)
2= Very flat shooting with lighter bullets and less recoil.
3= very good at long ranges with heaver bullets.
4= Mild recoil with a brake.
5= Can be very accurate if properly loaded.
6= And with a #3 or#4 barrel contour with a composite stock
is very manageable for back packing.
7= Will fit on a standard mag (.534) boltface 700 Remingtion
long action with little or no modifications to the action and make
your gunsmith happy.
8= I would recomend a 1 in 10 twist barrel 26" long (minimum) for
all around performance.
9= Also I would recomend a #5 or 5.5 taper and a laminate stock if no
break is to be installed.
10= The 300 RUM is very popular and is not a wildcat so ammo and
reloading components should be available for some time.

Just my opinion
J E CUSTOM

 

[royinidaho]

Crazy,

Welcome aboard. It's a fun place to be.

Be careful from whom you take advise though. The worst person here to listen to would be me. But I bet you'll read this anyway.

Elk really like to live. Though they have been taken with just about every cartridge made. I'd say that accuracy over rides FPE for sheep but accuracy and FPE are equals for elk.

Thus I recommend a 338 RUM for both uses even when back packing. They can be made as light as practicable and with the proper brake, recoil can be kept to a minimum. Remember, the lighter the rifle the more effective the brake. Mine weights 10 pounds and I shoot it prone with no discomfort.

I had it at 12 pounds by adding lead to the stock then reduced it to 10 pounds by removing the lead. Recoil was better. My next modification will get it down to maybe 8+ pounds with no fear of recoill. I have a Holland QD brake on it. Defensive Edge makes a variety of breaks one of which could be selected for your specific need. Click here: Untitled Document

Bullet selection is good. It seems that most like the 225 Accubond and elk kills beyond 1K are common for that small group of shooters that are proficient out to that distance.

Personally I prefer the 300 SMK only because it shoots better than the rest in my rifle.

Recoil isn't a problem and barrel wear doesn't seem to be either. I've never heard of a 338 anything being shot out.

With one of the new nifty stocks weighting ounces and a light as practicable barrel and the proper scope and mount weight I'm betting you can end up with a backpack tolerable rifle. Remember, the bigger the bore the lighter the barrel.

This sounds like a great project. Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

ooooh, 338....wasn't thinking of that big but your a good salesman! this is exciting stuff to think about! i was eyeballing that 7mm with those 180 gr vld's...but 300 smk's sound like alot of fun lol

keep it coming guys...i love it

cc

 

[AJ Peacock]

Can't go wrong with either the 300RUM or 338RUM. For sheep, I'd use the 300RUM. For Elk I'd go with the 338RUM.

Given your stated usage, you'd be hard pressed to do better than what JE Custom recommended.

AJ

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Would the factory xcr with a brake and some standard rem tune ups from the smith work...or is custom barrel the way to go?

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Can't go wrong with either the 300RUM or 338RUM. For sheep, I'd use the 300RUM. For Elk I'd go with the 338RUM.

Given your stated usage, you'd be hard pressed to do better than what JE Custom recommended.

AJ

Yup, i'm listening...originally i thought abut 300wm but then thought about the 7mm of some sort with those vld's but the 300 rum might just be exactly what i should be looking at....what kind of velocity would a 26" barrel rum push 200 gr stuff?...

 

[AJ Peacock]

Yup, i'm listening...originally i thought abut 300wm but then thought about the 7mm of some sort with those vld's but the 300 rum might just be exactly what i should be looking at....what kind of velocity would a 26" barrel rum push 200 gr stuff?...

300RUM with 26" barrel will probably get you around 3100fps for 200gr projectiles.

AJ

 

[davewilson]

i agree with everything Roy said. recoil is not an issue with a 338 that has a good brake. i shoot mine prone, in a t-shirt and it doesn't bother me at all. you will have to shoot one to believe just how little it recoils. i'm also a believer the 338rum is hard to beat for a "grab the gun and go hunt anything" caliber. buy one in a magnum caliber and wear the barrel out. then put a good barrel on it. you'll know what you want by then.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

great advice, always a step ahead of me(although thats pretty easy), was just thinking same thing...if i get a shooter great...if not...on with new barrel....will see what the smith wants to do also...i have a feeling it'll be getting a barrel, i get the impression he doesn't like messing around to 'see' lol, i'll call him tonight, thanks for input on the brakes...i hate recoil...i can tolerate a .270 tikka t3 and still call it enjoyable to shoot at range, prone, coyotes etc....a friend with a 300 wm braked says his gun hits lighter than my .270...sounds interesting as heck, never shot a braked gun before but know if i step up to the plate on caliber i've got to have a brake if i'm gonna shoot it well so thanks for confirming that!

 

[Crazy Canuck]

what about optics and rings/bases for a rig like this? a friend has a leupy mark 4 4.5-14x50 illum mil-dot on his 300wm and loves it and leupy dual dovetail bases/rings?(never heard of them?)......but there are so many options out there not sure...i see they have a mark 4 like his but 40mm objective and no illumination that gets weight down to 16 ounces which looks okay...also don't want to sound gay but what about the huskemaw set up...it sounds like a good 'hunter' system but i don't like not hearing much experience on them....although the few posts i've seen seem to be good posts but just not enough to get me convinced to go down that road...i love the idea though....not afraid to spend money on good glass fyi

 

[jeff 300]

Can't go wrong with either the 300RUM or 338RUM. For sheep, I'd use the 300RUM. For Elk I'd go with the 338RUM.

Given your stated usage, you'd be hard pressed to do better than what JE Custom recommended.

AJ

i agree 300rum,338rum,338edge

 

[J E Custom]

Would the factory xcr with a brake and some standard rem tune ups from the smith work...or is custom barrel the way to go?

Canuck

With the factory rifles you have no guarantees so its a gamble.

With the custom there is, but in most cases with some good
reloading you can find a load that is reasonably accurate for
the factory rifles at a redeuced cost.

I recomend buying a factory and trying it if your not sure about
buying a full blown custom and if you cant make it shoot you
can allways have a custom barrel screwed on later.

Factory barrels/rifles take longer to break in so dont give up untill
you have 60 to 100 rounds through the rifle.

And if you have a good smith blue print the factory gun it caint
hurt but there still is no guarantee that it will shoot.

J E CUSTOM