Introduction...and question

[Montana Gene]

I have been on this site for a month or so and want to thank you guys for sharing your knowledge. I have learned a lot. I live in Northwest Montana, where it is steep and brushy. I have shot several bulls, but nothing much over a hundred yards. I want to get set up for longer ranges as I want to start hunting the more open country in the state.

Based on what I have learned from you guys, I am thinking I will go with a 300 WM with a brake. I'm a little concerned with recoil much beyond that. I will be shooting factory loads and my goal this coming year is to become accurate at 300-600 yards.

I am considering the Browning Hell's Canyon Ambush with the McMillan stock, a Christiansen Arms Ridgeline, or the new Fierce Carbon Fury. Any input or suggestions for me?

I was also thinking about the Swaravski Z5, 5-22, or maybe a Nightforce? I have enough Cabelas points stashed to buy any of those guns, assuming they will be offering the Carbon Fury soon and I'm going to spend a lot of time shooting this summer. Perhaps some day I can work the range out further but for now, accuracy at those ranges seems ambitious enough. Thanks guys!

 

[Rifleman97]

I have a ridgeline in 28 Nosler and I love it.
Also for scope in that range the Nightforce 3.5-15 is about perfect, and there is one in the optics for sale forum for a great price. The only downside to Nightforce is that they're rather heavy (cost of being so tough)

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/nightforce-nxs-3-5-15x50-mlr-mil.210848/

This one is posted in the optics for sale right now and is a great price, the best thing about 3.5 to 15 is that it's got a low enough bottom end power that you can still use it in semi brushy situations. The 5.5-22 is great but you really don't need 22 power at 3-600 yards, and if you use a reticle to do holdovers on a second focal plane you need to be at the max power or the reticle will be inaccurate, and 22 power is just too much for that range in my experience.

I would even argue that 12 power is sufficient for deer and elk at 600, but the 3.5-15 is a nice balance, if you can stand the weight.
I have used Swaro's but I've never owned one so I wont give my opinion on them, same thing with the hells canyon.
But a ridgeline is a lot of rifle for the money, highly recommend, and the nxs in the classifieds is a pretty great deal if you don't mind buying private.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Welcome to the forum.

Also, I would strongly recommend going with the Browning. Browning has really stepped-up their game in offering what customers really want, which is modern twist rates for the heavy high-BC bullets, and better factory stocks, factory hand-lapped barrels, factory precision milled actions, and factory bedded stock and free-floated barrels.

For scopes, I would look into the Zeiss V6 series. 30mm tubes, exposed target turrets, awesome reticle options. For mounts, EGW makes awesome rails, and I almost exclusively use Seekins Precision rings. They're super strong and beefy.

 

[Montana Gene]

I have a ridgeline in 28 Nosler and I love it.
Also for scope in that range the Nightforce 3.5-15 is about perfect, and there is one in the optics for sale forum for a great price. The only downside to Nightforce is that they're rather heavy (cost of being so tough)

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/nightforce-nxs-3-5-15x50-mlr-mil.210848/

This one is posted in the optics for sale right now and is a great price, the best thing about 3.5 to 15 is that it's got a low enough bottom end power that you can still use it in semi brushy situations. The 5.5-22 is great but you really don't need 22 power at 3-600 yards, and if you use a reticle to do holdovers on a second focal plane you need to be at the max power or the reticle will be inaccurate, and 22 power is just too much for that range in my experience.

I would even argue that 12 power is sufficient for deer and elk at 600, but the 3.5-15 is a nice balance, if you can stand the weight.
I have used Swaro's but I've never owned one so I wont give my opinion on them, same thing with the hells canyon.
But a ridgeline is a lot of rifle for the money, highly recommend, and the nxs in the classifieds is a pretty great deal if you don't mind buying private.

Thank you for that Rifleman. I am intrigued with the 28 Nosler but the ammo selection is so limited. Tough is good and I have read that about the Nightforce and they seem to stay zeroed in by what I read. I will look at downsizing my scope for sure! Six hundred yards seems awfully far to me!

 

[Montana Gene]

Welcome to the forum.

Also, I would strongly recommend going with the Browning. Browning has really stepped-up their game in offering what customers really want, which is modern twist rates for the heavy high-BC bullets, and better factory stocks, factory hand-lapped barrels, factory precision milled actions, and factory bedded stock and free-floated barrels.

For scopes, I would look into the Zeiss V6 series. 30mm tubes, exposed target turrets, awesome reticle options. For mounts, EGW makes awesome rails, and I almost exclusively use Seekins Precision rings. They're super strong and beefy.

Thanks MudRunner! I bought a little Browning Western Hunter in a 6.5 Creedmore for my daughter and we both love it. I will take a good look at those Zeiss scopes.

 

[Rifleman97]

Thank you for that Rifleman. I am intrigued with the 28 Nosler but the ammo selection is so limited. Tough is good and I have read that about the Nightforce and they seem to stay zeroed in by what I read. I will look at downsizing my scope for sure! Six hundred yards seems awfully far to me!

Yes but I never bought out of the box ammo for it, I got the 28 specifically for how it can be handloaded and even bought brass instead of box ammo to load to begin with so availability wasn't much of an issue.

Even if brass stops being available, I can cut down 300 or 338 rum brass and size it down to 28 Nosler as that's all it really is, a shorter necked down 300 rum. But if you don't handload I don't recommend the cartridge, as box ammo doesn't take full advantage of what it's capable of (long heavy high BC bullets loaded hot and going fast and far)

 

[pburton]

The Christensen Arms Ridgeline is a very nice rifle and the two that I have shot, have shot very well. They are also very light weight, which would make them easy to pack. I am a big fan of the 300 win mag and think that you cannot go wrong. As far as optics go, I am with Mud, and really like Zeiss V6 scopes. But, then again I also really like the Nightforce NXS. Its just to heavy for me on a hunting rifle.

Welcome to LRH and have fun!

 

[WildRose]

Thank you for that Rifleman. I am intrigued with the 28 Nosler but the ammo selection is so limited. Tough is good and I have read that about the Nightforce and they seem to stay zeroed in by what I read. I will look at downsizing my scope for sure! Six hundred yards seems awfully far to me!

If you want a hot 7mm seriously consider the 7mm STW. Still plenty of factory ammo out there for it and if you reload you can get awesome performance out of it.

If you want to go with a .30 cal you can't make a mistake going with the 300wm.

 

[Montana Gene]

The Christensen Arms Ridgeline is a very nice rifle and the two that I have shot, have shot very well. They are also very light weight, which would make them easy to pack. I am a big fan of the 300 win mag and think that you cannot go wrong. As far as optics go, I am with Mud, and really like Zeiss V6 scopes. But, then again I also really like the Nightforce NXS. Its just to heavy for me on a hunting rifle.

Welcome to LRH and have fun!

Thanks pburton. Weight is a consideration and I picked up a Ridgeline at a gun store and loved the weight. Thank you for the advice on scopes!

 

[Montana Gene]

If you want a hot 7mm seriously consider the 7mm STW. Still plenty of factory ammo out there for it and if you reload you can get awesome performance out of it.

If you want to go with a .30 cal you can't make a mistake going with the 300wm.

Thanks WildRose:
I have not looked at the 7mm STW. I thought factory ammo would be an issue. I've never reloaded and I figure my time will be consumed becoming accurate with my gun. I need to learn to shoot as well as I can.

 

[FEENIX]

Greetings from the Great Falls side of the Big Sky Country. Welcome to LRH and enjoy. The .300 WM is an excellent choice for elk especially here in Montana. Load it with Berger 215 and you're golden. I do not have hands on experience on any of the rifles on your list other than handling the Browning HC and Christiansen Arms Ridgeline. My pick between the two would be the Ridgeline.

Good luck on your choice.

Ed

 

[Montana Gene]

Greetings from the Great Falls side of the Big Sky Country. Welcome to LRH and enjoy. The .300 WM is an excellent choice for elk especially here in Montana. Load it with Berger 215 and you're golden. I do not have hands on experience on any of the rifles on your list other than handling the Browning HC and Christiansen Arms Ridgeline. My pick between the two would be the Ridgeline.

Good luck on your choice.

Ed

Hi Ed and thanks for your input. Ridgeline seems to be a popular pick. I like the weight and the way they feel. Guys seem to like them. Don't be afraid to give me a holler if you find your way into the Flathead.

 

[Heavyiron]

Welcome to Lrh, great to have you on board

 

[WildRose]

Thanks WildRose:
I have not looked at the 7mm STW. I thought factory ammo would be an issue. I've never reloaded and I figure my time will be consumed becoming accurate with my gun. I need to learn to shoot as well as I can.

If you're going to do a lot of shooting two things.

Buy something that is cheap to shoot to learn with like a 6.5CM or .260 Remington.

I have a Gen 2 Mispec Remington in .260 that is ridiculously accurate. For it, I don't even reload, I just buy factory ammo in bulk from Prime Ammunition. They use all Norma components and powders and it's so accurate it's scary. On the plus side it's good brass too so I save it up to reload for hunting rounds.

I've been shooting the STW since Remington first began chambering for them in the custom shop. I actually got one of the first thirty or so they produced and I"m still shooting it.

The STW does have a well earned reputation for eating barrels though as will all of the big 7's which is why I encourage you to do your learning with something cheaper to shoot and which isn't so hard on barrels.

We have an entire subforum here on the site for the 7mm STW and I'd encourage you to look at it.