Rifle Selection...Help!

[DanMan]

Are you familiar with this package? If so...what are your opinions? I like the option of the fixed recitals and the turret, like the greybull, huskemaw, & cds leupold scopes. I hope by purchasing the rifle through thomspon they could provide me with the ballistics to create the custom scope.

I did Marks shooting school in 2007 and we put together and used the 30-378 package. I felt very competent at 1000 yds. For "hunting" purposes it is very hard to beat. This setup is not intended to win benchrest matches. The scope is very efficient for hunting purposes. I would feel very confident in buying from him. Really the value in it is buying the entire setup that is ready to go. Yes you do get the ballistics and load recipe for your individual rifle so you can load your own when you are ready. The 30-378 is a little big for the game you mentioned so the 257 may be the best for you.
Personally I have a semi-custom 7RUM with Huskemaw and shoot handloaded Bergers, I love what I have but would have been money ahead to buy one of Marks packages.

 

[Buano]

I like the .257 Weatherby. That said, I'll tell you why this may not be your best choice.

Since you are not hunting elk, moose, or brown bears, I can see no argument for anything larger than a .300 wsm. Scratch the .30-378 — it's a cannon that's loud, kicks like a mule & is VERY expensive to shoot.

You need the smallest loading that is powerful enough for clean kills at your maximum range is likely to be what you will shoot best. At 500 yards maximum range for hunting, I would be looking at the .257 Weatherby, .270 Win, 30-06, .270 wsm, 7mm rem, 7 mm wsm, .300 win, and .300 wsm.

If you are also going to be target shooting I would eliminate the .257 Weatherby as there are very few factory loadings for it, ammunition is very expensive, and rifles chambered in it do not have the reputation for accuracy many others do.

As Winchester/Browning has discontinued production of rifles in 7mm wsm, I would scratch that as a choice as ammunition may become hard to find.

I suggest you choose from this list: .270 wsm, 7mm rem, .300 win, and .300 wsm. Each of these shoots flat, has enough energy to easily dispatch game at these ranges, doesn't kick a hole in your shoulder when you shoot, & ammunition is readily available