800 yard rifle

[KSB209]

I'm planning a new build and want to get everyone's opinion on calibers. I have a 270, 308, and 300wm as my primary hunting rifles. Have a few others in smaller calibers for "fun."

Right now I'm not comfortable past 500 yards and I honestly don't think illl ever take a shot past 700-800 yards when I get more range time at those distances. So with a 800 yard max range is there anything a 300wm can't do on game up to an elk? I keep toying with the idea of a 28 Nosler or the new "fancy" 7 prc but I don't really see that much benefit when I compare them to the 300wm. Sure I could step up to the 338 calibers but sticking with 300 WM I already have components to load and if I need factory ammo it's relatively available.

My question is will I be missing out on a huge advantage with a different caliber. I don't think so but open to suggestions. At this stage in my life I don't have time to play with loading as much and spend more time shooting. Can anyone talk me out of a new 300wm?

 

[MtPockets]

A 300 Win Mag is fully capable but my question is- if you already have one, what's the fun in building another? If it was me, I'd look at a .338 of about any flavor just to have something different.
Or I'd take the current 300 apart and do some crazy stuff to it to make it "new" again.

Good luck in your search!

 

[Longtine88]

300wm will sling a 215 berger 3,000' per sec and is a viable elk round to 1000 like that. Your 300 wsm in comparison will have the same energy same bullet at 900 yards.

 

[DoneNOut]

If you can't shoot past 500yds with confidence then don't shoot at game past that.

 

[HARPERC]

.300 Winchester Magnum is the bar the rest are measured by. A worldwide standard.

 

[Longtine88]

.300 Winchester Magnum is the bar the rest are measured by. A worldwide standard.

So true.

 

[DoneNOut]

.300 Winchester Magnum is the bar the rest are measured by. A worldwide standard.

Amen

 

[KSB209]

If you can't shoot past 500yds with confidence then don't shoot at game past that.

Absolutely agree. At this stage in my life I won't.! But maybe someday when I have many many rounds down range and I am very comfortable I might but for right now I'm 400-500 and under

 

[codyadams]

Absolutely agree. At this stage in my life I won't.! But maybe someday when I have many many rounds down range and I am very comfortable I might but for right now I'm 400-500 and under

Because of this, I would suggest against the 28 nosler. I prefer a 30 cal for elk anyway.

Honestly, for 800 and in, on a gun you would be able to shoot a lot, I would build a 300 wsm on a medium length action. With any barrel length 20"+ or so, you will get more than enough performance with a 200+ grain Berger or similar bullet with a good bc to have authority at those ranges, the WSM is an easy round to load for, tune, and keep in tune (why it is so popular in some benchrest classes), and you will get a lot of rounds out of your barrel, so that means a lot of practice with the gun you intend to use, and recoil will be manageable even without a brake in a mid weight gun, and a pleasure to shoot with an efficient brake or suppressed.

Or if you want to save money, your 300 wm is just a little more juice, and you already have it. Outfit it with a good optic, some quality components and work up a load, if you haven't already. But, a 300 wsm is a good excuse to build another rifle.

 

[Chadp82]

Go with the 300wm. If it were me, I would spend the money there. Bedding, scope, trigger. You can make large strides with what you have

 

[Gundog74]

Another vote for the 300wm here. If you just wanna build another rifle, that's always fun. My suggestion would be go for better glass. Really good glass and lots of practice is what gets you to LRH. I'd rather have a better scope on a 300wm than a new "latest and greatest" with less glass.

 

[sea2summit]

If you can't shoot past 500yds with confidence then don't shoot at game past that.

I'll go one better and say if you don't practice at farther ranges and stressed often than you probably shouldn't shoot past your "confidence" range. Confidence on a good day on a known distance range close to home is a lot different that five days into a seven day hunt, cold, tired, and really wanting the round to connect.

 

[FEENIX]

I'm planning a new build and want to get everyone's opinion on calibers. I have a 270, 308, and 300wm as my primary hunting rifles. Have a few others in smaller calibers for "fun."

Right now I'm not comfortable past 500 yards and I honestly don't think illl ever take a shot past 700-800 yards when I get more range time at those distances. So with a 800 yard max range is there anything a 300wm can't do on game up to an elk? I keep toying with the idea of a 28 Nosler or the new "fancy" 7 prc but I don't really see that much benefit when I compare them to the 300wm. Sure I could step up to the 338 calibers but sticking with 300 WM I already have components to load and if I need factory ammo it's relatively available.

My question is will I be missing out on a huge advantage with a different caliber. I don't think so but open to suggestions. At this stage in my life I don't have time to play with loading as much and spend more time shooting. Can anyone talk me out of a new 300wm?

Another vote for the .300 WM. I have plenty of choices for your intended purpose, but the .300 WM (I have 3) remains my go-to chambering from antelope to elk size game up to 1KY. As others already noted, the .300 WM will meet your goal and then some with the right bullet and shot placement, but the NUT behind the trigger, regardless of chambering, is the most significant factor. LRH/S does not happen overnight; practice, practice, practice. Do NOT let anyone, including myself, talk you out of what you really want. Good luck!

 

[highfinblue]

A really smart man, and incredible shot one time told me you can't hit what you can't see. Almost any gun can be made to shoot nowadays, spend your money on glass, really good glass; NF is hard to beat for the money.