850 yard elk rifle

[sigmatero]

This question probably gets asked a lot but what do you all recommend for the rifle with the lowest recoil that's affordable and accurate and that can humanely harvest an elk at 850 yards (1500 ft-lb min energy) and a deer at 1000 yards (1000 ft-lb min energy)? I eventually want to get something like a .338 Edge but for now want to practice out to 1200 yards with something more affordable and with less kick.

I already have a really light (5.5 lb) .270 mountain rifle for shots under 400 yards. This new rifle will be my mid-weight hunter. And eventually I want to get a heavy LRH rig.

So far it looks like a 7mm might fit the bill if used with VLD bullets. But other options I should really consider?
Thanks.

 

[flyin lizard]

Hi Sig, my opinion would be to get the .338 rig install a really good recoil pad and handload on the light side for initial practice. Then you could work up loads to do what you need.
Good luck..

 

[kiwi3006]

Most of the guys shooting the edge muzzle break them and say the recoil is about the same as a 243.
If you are worried about the expense of shooting the edge factor in how much shooting you could do for the cost of buying/building this rifle and then building an edge, thats a lot of shooting.

If you want to stick with a 7mm then the 7mm mag with 168 Berger is worth looking at or the 7STW shooting the 180 Bergers would probably be better.

Otherwise one of the 300 magnums shooting 200 accubonds/208 a-max/210 berger would be a good bet.

Stu.

 

[sigmatero]

Yaa, I've considered using the edge and even loading it light.

Problem is, I eventually want to build up a really long range shooter which will end up being a darn heavy rifle for lugging around.

In the meantime I want something to shoot game out to reasonably long distances and further than my .270.

I don't want to be "that guy" with the big rifle that can't shoot worth beans... I'm happy to pay my dues and work up from something small. That's what I'm doing with the .270- I'm getting it dialed in more all the time. I'm just looking for the next step.

 

[sigmatero]

Most of the guys shooting the edge muzzle break them and say the recoil is about the same as a 243.
If you are worried about the expense of shooting the edge factor in how much shooting you could do for the cost of buying/building this rifle and then building an edge, thats a lot of shooting.

If you want to stick with a 7mm then the 7mm mag with 168 Berger is worth looking at or the 7STW shooting the 180 Bergers would probably be better.

Otherwise one of the 300 magnums shooting 200 accubonds/208 a-max/210 berger would be a good bet.

Stu.

I'm not really stuck on 7mm- that's just one that on paper seems to do well at the longer ranges. The 7mm seems to be to the .300 magnums what the .270 is to the .30-06. With the smaller diameter bullet the BC goes up and at long distances wins out over the bigger bullets with less recoil.

 

[kiwi3006]

I agree with you I shoot a 7mm mag with 162 a-max and 168 bergers. I love it!! I have taken red deer and tahr out to 630 yards with it. It weighs about 10 lb and is a joy to shoot. With a hand around the bipod I can spot my shots easily.

Stu.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I think you would be well off with any 7mm mag or 300 mag of some sort. They'll easily kill elk to 850 yards on the far side with some of todays bullets.

Your right about the kick on the EDGE. I wished mine kicked like a 243...Mine weighs around 13lbs w/ammo, bipod. I have the DE brake, and the orginal remington recoild pad on the LSS stock, plus a limbsaver slip on over that, and I still get a bit of a bruised shoulder from shooting prone, granted I weigh 150# but its more like a 7 mag still. Spotting my own shots even at 1K with a 20x leupold is non existent, must have a spotter. Unless your EDGE is 15-16 lbs, its still got kick behind it...

Also right about the cost. 90-92g of powder and 300g slugs aren't cheap. At least $1 a pop.

I'm thinking about keeping my 7 mag around just for that reason. It reaches out to 1K very nicely with the 162g amax or vld and only burns 61-64g of powder to do so. And even in my stock rem 700 BDL w/holland brake (lightweight rig), I can spot my own shots and dont need a spotter. It kicks like a 243.

 

[sigmatero]

Yaa, the 7mm mag seems a good choice. There are probably other options (hence the question) but this one is looking the best so far.

For example I love the looks of the 6.5-284 but it might just be a touch light for elk at 850 yards.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Remington 700 338 ultramag. Have it accurized and a brake installed. All your problems solved. It is lightweight, inexpensive and all the gun you are ever going to need in north america. I took a beautiful 350 class 6x6 bull with mine yesterday at 740 yards with 225 accubonds going 3264 fps.

I bought this rifle with scope used before the season for $700. Loaded my generic 338 ultramag accuracy load in it and fired a 4 1/2" 3 shot group at 750 yards. You do not need to spend a fortune for 800 yard elk hunting. Why in the world fool with a 338-300 ultramag when you can buy a 338 ultramag that does the same thing and feeds better through a 700 action?

 

[Moman]

+1 on the 7mm or 300 mag's. Either of these would serve you well while you advance through this sport. I have been using a 6-3/4 lb 300 WM and have no problem shooting 1000 yds with it. Although, I realize a 12+ lb Edge will do this much more accurately. To me, this gun is the best of both worlds as I can pack it 10 miles a day and still shoot long distance with it.

I would also pick up a decent 308 Win for practice. I wish I had sooner and I wouldn't be rebarreling my 300 right now. I shoot both of these guns 1,000 + and now am looking for that heavier gun in 300 RUM or the Edge.

Find a ballistic program and run a few figures with these calibers, that will tell you a lot about downrange performance and energy. Good luck.

 

[yobuck]

remingtonman2506,
the need for a spotter goes beyond seeing hits.
yes you can see your hits with a brake far more easily than without one.
but i doubt you can follow the bullet trail, and be certain of hits on the animal.
they dont always show that theve been hit, even with large bullets.
a spotter with good glasses is invaluable in this respect.

 

[royinidaho]

- 2 for Rem 25-06
+1 for Long Time Long Ranger

My favorite gun at the moment is a Rem 700 LH with a tupperware stock, a 26" REM sporter barrel and a defensive edge brake. She weighs in at just under 10 LBS all up.

I shoot it all afternoon prone wearing a tee shirt, prone with only the very slightest notice of shoulder muscle ache the next morning. I have to probe the ol shoulder pretty hard to feel what little ache there is.

I shoot nothing but 300 SMKS at around 2750 only about 150 FPS less than a moderate load in an Edge.

I feel I am limited to right at 900 yds only because the scope I have on it has 1/8 min clicks and I don't really trust them. The reticle is a mil dot. With a 300 yd zero she is pretty much spot on at 900 at the top of the post.

I'm seriously considering a reticle w/more hash marks to extend the range to 1100 which is about as far as I need to consider at this stage in life.

BTW, accuracy is awesome. I shoot 3 shot groups due to the lightness of the rifle and she demonstrated the ability to approach 1/4 MOA at 200, 300, 500, 600, 700 and 880 yds. Of course I cheated and shot only on cloud covered (read no mirage) and windless days. We had a week's worth of them last week.

3 shots X 6 ranges = 18 shots. About a half dose of Tubbs Final Finish on the new unfired factory barrel, add a dozen or so break in shots plus some dinking around with Hornady and Sierra bullets which weren't impressive performers and the discovery that US 863 worked well with the 300 SMKs then learning that Retumo worked just a little better there ain't much more shooting to do.

The biggest shot saver I've come across is Exbal. Do range shooting based on velocity and Exbal data then adjust trajectory based on the actual drops. Confirm drop chart at several distances and your ready to go. there is no need to burn up pounds of powder and bullets to get ready.

Then when the time comes, which it may not, rebarrel to a longer heavier barrel chambered for the 338 Edge and gain several hundred more yards of effectiveness, if you really think you need them.

Just my humble open minded unbiased opinion.

 

[angus-5024]

Im no expert. my longest shot on game was 450 yards. But when getting started into LR hunting I searched for the holy grail of rifles that would do what I needed. It came down to being able to harvest elk beyond 600 yards. I bought a .338 Ultra and had a brake installed, glass bedded, stock modifications, a harris bi-pod and a Mark 4. I like to have EXTRA for game at long range. Elk are tough, the .338 Ultra is big. makes sense to me.

If recoil is really an issue, then I think the 300 WM or 7mm Rem. I feel the 6.5-284 is a little light for elk at that range (just from personall research).

JM

 

[sigmatero]

- 2 for Rem 25-06
+1 for Long Time Long Ranger

My favorite gun at the moment is a Rem 700 LH with a tupperware stock, a 26" REM sporter barrel and a defensive edge brake. She weighs in at just under 10 LBS all up.

I shoot it all afternoon prone wearing a tee shirt, prone with only the very slightest notice of shoulder muscle ache the next morning. I have to probe the ol shoulder pretty hard to feel what little ache there is.

I shoot nothing but 300 SMKS at around 2750 only about 150 FPS less than a moderate load in an Edge.

I feel I am limited to right at 900 yds only because the scope I have on it has 1/8 min clicks and I don't really trust them. The reticle is a mil dot. With a 300 yd zero she is pretty much spot on at 900 at the top of the post.

I'm seriously considering a reticle w/more hash marks to extend the range to 1100 which is about as far as I need to consider at this stage in life.

BTW, accuracy is awesome. I shoot 3 shot groups due to the lightness of the rifle and she demonstrated the ability to approach 1/4 MOA at 200, 300, 500, 600, 700 and 880 yds. Of course I cheated and shot only on cloud covered (read no mirage) and windless days. We had a week's worth of them last week.

3 shots X 6 ranges = 18 shots. About a half dose of Tubbs Final Finish on the new unfired factory barrel, add a dozen or so break in shots plus some dinking around with Hornady and Sierra bullets which weren't impressive performers and the discovery that US 863 worked well with the 300 SMKs then learning that Retumo worked just a little better there ain't much more shooting to do.

The biggest shot saver I've come across is Exbal. Do range shooting based on velocity and Exbal data then adjust trajectory based on the actual drops. Confirm drop chart at several distances and your ready to go. there is no need to burn up pounds of powder and bullets to get ready.

Then when the time comes, which it may not, rebarrel to a longer heavier barrel chambered for the 338 Edge and gain several hundred more yards of effectiveness, if you really think you need them.

Just my humble open minded unbiased opinion.

[FONT=&quot]Roy, what caliber? I'm assuming .338 RUM. Good news about the recoil. I just looked at Carlock's classes and they shoot 80 rounds a day so a comfortable rifle is pretty important. But not too light… I talked to him this morning and he said that students that are shooting varmint rounds don't have as much fun on the metal targets. So it's really got to be something elk-worthy it sounds like.[/FONT]