So many choices..

[MTHunt]

Hey all.

Am new here in terms of posting been reading for quite awhile and finally decided to sign up..

Am trying to wade through all the info and decide on a long range caliber/rifle.. I am not aiming for 1000 yards right off the bat. Want to work up to it though.. Will try that far on steel for a long while before I attempt an animal at that range. Hunting range I am thinking is 600-700 to start on coyotes to practice and work up in critter size..

Hunt mostly coyotes, antelope, deer and occasionally elk, occasionally is the key word.
I want to start out on a bit more of a budget for a rifle. I don't want to go custom just yet not till proficiency at longer ranges gets better.. At least thats my plan as of right now.

Now for the big questions lol.

Been looking at the Savage Long Range Hunter, Browning x-bolt LRH, Remington 700 Sendero II, have found a couple used ones lately, or the Nosler Patriot, nice feeling gun for sure..

Calibers I have been looking at 6.5x284, 26 Nosler, or 7mm Rem Mag. maybe a 300wsm but like the 6.5 and 7mm higher BC bullets.

Maybe for the range I am looking to start at I am over thinking things but good clean kills are important. I don't think I could go wrong really with any of them so maybeI just need to actually make a decision and go with it...

 

[Barrelnut]

For:coyotes, antelope, deer and occasionally elk. I would look at the Savage LRH in 6.5x284.

The Savage comes with the best trigger of a rifles mentioned. It also has a button rifled barrel and a brake. Those are two big pluses for the Savage. Remington and Browning don't chamber the 6.5x284. I think that's a mistake on their part.

 

[EricL]

+1 for the savage in 6.5-284

 

[Predator 22]

If you're going to be shooting often I would not even consider the 26 nosler. Expensive ammo if you don't reload and expensive components if you do. Hard on barrels to. While I'm not a fan of the savages they do shoot good and the 6.5-284 would be a great start. My choice would be the sendero in 7mm RM or 300 win. Easy to find brass for also. You might want to look at the Rem 700 sps in 260. Get a good trigger and upgrade the stock.

 

[Jeremyc]

For:coyotes, antelope, deer and occasionally elk. I would look at the Savage LRH in 6.5x284.

The Savage comes with the best trigger of a rifles mentioned. It also has a button rifled barrel and a brake. Those are two big pluses for the Savage. Remington and Browning don't chamber the 6.5x284. I think that's a mistake on their part.

Agreed or a savage in a 260 or 6.5 creedmore. I have a semi custom savage in a 260 that is great. I'm also working up loads for a friends 6.5-284 and there are no complaints there either. The 260 will give you better barrel life though. I have killed elk with my 260. I like my 300 win mag better, but if it is an occasional elk, the 260 or 6.5-284 will work just fine

 

[HARPERC]

Too many choices, any of those you mention have merits. I think if you want to shoot a lot anything from 6.5-.30 on a .308 case works well. I've had good luck with the Tikka T3 CTR in .260. I think there is a used one in the Classifieds.

 

[MTHunt]

Thanks guys for the answers much appreciated.. The 6.5x284 has been the one I like, but the 7 rem mag and the Nosler have more punch.. Also more recoil too huh. I currently use a weatherby vanguard 7mm-08, shoots nice but lacks in reach I feel. I guess I never figured barrel life and how much I want to shoot it... I want to shoot more than I do especially because I want to shoot at longer ranges.. I do plan on getting the G7 rangefinder soon so that will get me out shooting more for sure.

 

[Jeremyc]

Thanks guys for the answers much appreciated.. The 6.5x284 has been the one I like, but the 7 rem mag and the Nosler have more punch.. Also more recoil too huh. I currently use a weatherby vanguard 7mm-08, shoots nice but lacks in reach I feel. I guess I never figured barrel life and how much I want to shoot it... I want to shoot more than I do especially because I want to shoot at longer ranges.. I do plan on getting the G7 rangefinder soon so that will get me out shooting more for sure.

The 7mm-08 is a great cartridge. you can bang steel at 1k. Before I got my 260 I was seriously considering a 7mm-08. The 260 was just new and shiny.

 

[bigngreen]

The Savage 6.5x284 would be hard to beat in your situation, my buddy bought one of the cheaper ones and after a little tinkering to get the stock opened up and some hand loads its quite the bargin. So far in the last year it has an elk, few deer and a AK bull moose on it, he bought a second for his daughter and she's done a deer and elk.

 

[MTHunt]

The 7mm-08 is a great cartridge. you can bang steel at 1k. Before I got my 260 I was seriously considering a 7mm-08. The 260 was just new and shiny.

I completely agree it is a great cartridge and can hit steel at 1K out. It just doesn't carry much for energy for game past about 500 yards. I can go for paper and steel out to a good ways for sure that's why I want the G7 as a starter. Then go with a round more suited for hunting at long range..

 

[Jeremyc]

I completely agree it is a great cartridge and can hit steel at 1K out. It just doesn't carry much for energy for game past about 500 yards. I can go for paper and steel out to a good ways for sure that's why I want the G7 as a starter. Then go with a round more suited for hunting at long range..

You could get another weatherby vanguard in a 26 nosler and use your 7mm 08 for practice and 26 nosler for hunting

 

[mtwarych]

MThunt,

Buy yourself a 7mm mag in one of the non-noslers you have listed.

It will give you the power you are looking for, recoil is more than tolerable and if you don't reload, many, many good loads are available at the local gunshops.

Later on in your LR career, the 7 will be there to do what you want.

 

[MTHunt]

MThunt,

Buy yourself a 7mm mag in one of the non-noslers you have listed.

It will give you the power you are looking for, recoil is more than tolerable and if you don't reload, many, many good loads are available at the local gunshops.

Later on in your LR career, the 7 will be there to do what you want.

Some great input from all you guys thanks so much... My decision is either 6.5-284 or 7 mag.. And just practice.. The 7 mag can find ammo pretty much anywhere and I do reload so some bergers or whatever are a possibility... Looking further into more info and ballistics and things hard to complain about either cartridge.