600 yd rifle for Elk & Deer

[milkie62]

My first post other than my initial welcome post.Been out of touch for a number of years because of work,kids house building etc.I have a number of different rifles in many calibers.I am looking to purchase a reasonable rifle/scope combination for Deer and Elk that will be effective out to maybe 600 yds.I have taken deer in the range of 290 -325 yds with a single shot but looking to up the anti when I go out west more often.
One option I have is to use my Rem 700 ADL in 7mm mag and use that as a base to build on.One problem I have with the gun is I have to load the magazine with the cartridges forward or the bolt will not go back far enough to engage the shell.
I will be reloading also and I have a 200 yd range right outside my kitchen door !!!!

I am open to suggestions on caliber and scope but was thinking along the lines of a Nikon Monarch or Leupold VariX-3.Would like to have a lighted reticle for low light conditions. Thanks Ed

 

[MudRunner2005]

7mm RM is an excellent caliber. You could always just buy a cheap B&C Medist stock and a $150 BDL conversion kit from Brownells and you would convert your ADL to a hinged floorplate BDL rifle. You'd be in the hole about $400 for the stock & BDL setup. Which leaves more money for optics.

For scope, here's exactly what I would buy if I was in your shoes...And get an EGW HD base, and some Vortex rings.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/98...-reticle-matte?cm_cat=Cart&cm_pla=ProductDesc

 

[etisll40]

300 win mag could be a conversion option or go the route the gentleman about mentioned but have it reamed into a 7 STW, depending on the twist rate of your barrel. The 180-195 grain 7 mm could do the trick still.

 

[RT2506]

From my experience with lighted cross hairs, dots etc. I would not waste my money. When it gets low light enough for them to be any benefit, yes you can see the cross hairs but the glow from the light washes out your intended target. Even on the Zeiss scopes with the little lighted dot turned down as low as it will go it washes out a deer standing out in a open field. I would suggest getting a cross hair like the #8 on the Zeiss scopes, or one of the European style with the heavy thick cross hairs that are about 3/4 the length then come to a fine center. You can see these well even well past legal shooting light. Don't scrimp on a scope. Get a good Leupold, Zeiss or even take a good look at the Meopta. Meopta makes a really good scope. I have a Meopta Meostar 3-12X56 30mm tube that I just love on my 264 Win mag. Leupold probably makes the best scope for the money that has all the bells and whistles for dialing your shots though.

 

[jf239]

I killed a bull elk this year@ 608 yards with a browning x bolt, 7mm Remington mag, 168 gr Berger vld. Topped with vortex viper pst. One shot kill. The gun will put every shot inside an MOA all day long at 1000 yards. I bet your 700 will do comparable with some work

 

[MudRunner2005]

300 win mag could be a conversion option or go the route the gentleman about mentioned but have it reamed into a 7 STW, depending on the twist rate of your barrel. The 180-195 grain 7 mm could do the trick still.

While I am one of the biggest 7mm STW advocates on here, I must say that for only 600 yard shots, the 7mm RM is a more than capable round, even out to 1,000. Alot of folks underestimate the power of the 7mm RM.

A 7mm RM handloaded with Berger 180 Hybrids (using my rifle and calculations) can be pushed around 2,853 fps...That's more than a capable 1,000 yard round. At 1,000 yards it will still be carrying 1,656 fps, and 1,097 ft. lbs of energy. Which is more than enough to kill any big game here on this continent. At his maximum estimated distance of 600 yards, my 7mm RM/Berger 180 Hybrid load will still be pushing 2,089 fps, and 1,744 ft. lbs of energy.

 

[skyfish25]

I would stay with the 7mm, for your 600 yard shooting. You could step down to the SAUM or the WSM. But in theses days of huge mags, the Rem Mag is often overlooked.

Also, IMO, for 600 or less. A good 160, 162 or 168gr bullet will do the trick just fine. With a little less drop. I personally use the 139 SST for whitetails out to 400 yards, very flat. Would not personally use that bullet on elk. Would not hesitate to use the 162 SST.

Rifle is your choice to upgrade or change. Some good points already.

I really like Ziess scopes , 3-15 would be great. Viper PST is great to, but heavier. Love the fine reticle of the viper.

Have fun.

 

[roninflag]

sendero or laredo or equivalent; and a leup 4.5-14 or 6.5-20 cds.

 

[bigngreen]

My first post other than my initial welcome post.Been out of touch for a number of years because of work,kids house building etc.I have a number of different rifles in many calibers.I am looking to purchase a reasonable rifle/scope combination for Deer and Elk that will be effective out to maybe 600 yds.I have taken deer in the range of 290 -325 yds with a single shot but looking to up the anti when I go out west more often.
One option I have is to use my Rem 700 ADL in 7mm mag and use that as a base to build on.One problem I have with the gun is I have to load the magazine with the cartridges forward or the bolt will not go back far enough to engage the shell.
I will be reloading also and I have a 200 yd range right outside my kitchen door !!!!

I am open to suggestions on caliber and scope but was thinking along the lines of a Nikon Monarch or Leupold VariX-3.Would like to have a lighted reticle for low light conditions. Thanks Ed

You really don't want or need a full on long range rifle for doing some very good shooting to 800ish yards which is what you'll need to be shooting to be dialed in for 600 yard hunting, you can easily get carried away with stocks, barrels and scopes and take a perfect all round hunting rifle with an extended capability and turn it into an unwieldy behemoth!!

The 7 mag is fine for elk at 600 yards and going bigger also bring more unnecessary recoil which you'll have to deal with. If your rifle shoots well just make it more functional, stocks change, get it bedded, tune the trigger, trim the bolt stop or whatever is hanging your bolt up and tune a load.

I've worked with a couple bone stock Rem 700 ADL 7mags that all they needed was a little tune up and a load and they were good 600 yard hunting rifles.

A Vortex PST in the 2.5-10x44 would be awesome for your needs and keeps your rifle functional for the entire 600 yards!

 

[milkie62]

Not Happy With Responses..........Too many good ideas .Now how do I decide ? Appreciate all the great help and ideas being given to me for only my first post.Thank you ,I may have some more questions as I go along here.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Not Happy With Responses..........Too many good ideas .Now how do I decide ? Appreciate all the great help and ideas being given to me for only my first post.Thank you ,I may have some more questions as I go along here.

Just let us know...We'll all be glad to help. That's what these forums are for.

 

[milkie62]

Well on the bolt not going back ,it seems like a fair amount --maybe close to 1/8" that the shell can go back without the bolt being able to grab it.I had thought about sending my gun out to Hill Country for some work after the first of the year.Anyone could post or pm me other available options. Thanks

 

[etisll40]

I will say Hill Country is awesome and I am sure they can help.

 

[dogdinger]

I will chime in here with my 2 cents worth.... I agree with bigngreen's comments. I started out in this LRH stuff with a pure stock Remington 700 BDL that I bought used/cheap, thinking I would use it as a donor to build on, but after shooting it I decided I did not need anything more. Being a tinkerer, and liking gun work I pillar bedded and free floated the original stock, adjusted the original trigger, tuned a load with 168gr SMK"S and this gun is still a 1/4" tackdriver with a cheap BSA scope, and it will handle anything you want to do out to 1k yards. Remingtons, especially the older ones, were known for their accuracy right out of the box with very little work.
There is nothing wrong with wanting bigger/better, but this is a very good platform to start with and learn from. AJ