Appologize if this is some what of a dumb question

[DartonJager]

I am trying to decide on a rifle who's primary use will be long range fun, secondary hunting and one day competition. Based on info I received here and else where I was pretty well sold on a M700 Mil-Spec 5R in 300WM as the best value for my dollar for a sub $1k rifle.

I use to own a Savage 116 SF WW in 7mm STW with factory fluted barrel and factory brake, I picked up NIB at a gun show for an outrageously low price less than half of normal. Was a complete impulse buy figured I use it as a back up to my .338wm. About 14 years ago gifted it along with a set of Redding dies, 300 pieces of brass and a pound of H1000, and IMR 7828 to a friend who asked for it as payment for a favor VS cash.

Well he called me up just recently and asked if I wanted it back as he never took it out of his safe, lest shot it after he got it home. I advised he sell it but he said he had no interest in trying to. So its has found its way back to me along with all the brass (untouched) the dies and powder.

The rifle is in like new shape and I per my reloading log I still have I fired exactly 124 shots out of it so the barrel should have a lot of life left in it.

My question is seeing as I already have a guy locally who wants to buy it for more than double I paid for it, (he is a competent enough smith to re-barrel a Savage, a huge fan of Savages and desperately wants a rifle in 8mm RM) he plans on converting it to a 8mm Remington mag. I'm thinking it a better idea to sell it and put the money towards the Remington Mil-Spec 5R 300wm? I'm considering selling instead of using it because the factory Savage stock is really just awful and I would undoubtedly replace it with a B&C or a Choate (as my buyer plans on doing) that cost combined with what I could sell it for amounts to about 50-60% of the cost of the Remington and there is nothing I would do to the Remington save for maybe getting it bedded. And I believe the barrel life of a 300wm will be reasonably longer than the 7mm stw, but the main reason I wish to go with the 300wm is brass availability for reloading. 300wm brass will without doubt always be available at all times. Even though the new heavy for caliber 7mm bullets make the 7mm STW an excellent long range competitor, I feel I'm correct in being very concerned about brass availability long term for the 7mm stw.

Thoughts on the matter?

 

[User4302021]

There are a bunch of questions that need to be answered...

What is your experience with big magnums? The 300wm is not a casual cartridge. It is difficult for most people to master. It will do long range. I take mine out to 1500yds, but it has a 26 inch heavy barrel, weighs 14 lbs, and has a muzzle break.

What kind of competition? The 300wm has fallen out of favor for just about any kind of competition I can think of. It needs heavy bullets to even begin to compete with the big 7mm's or even the smaller 6.5's and 6mm's. The factory HS precision stock wouldn't be optimal for any of those comps either.

What kind of hunting? The 300wm is a superb hunting caliber no doubt. It will take anything you need to take, but the heavy barrel version you are considering would be more than a bit heavy to drag through the woods for most people.

The Rem700 you are considering is a purpose built rifle. It was meant to be a heavy tactical precision rifle. It was meant to carry a heavy bullet with authority to long range, and put holes in things that might otherwise shoot back. It does that fairly well. It is ill suited for much else.

I'm not trying to tell you not to get one, just trying to make sure you know what you will be getting. Good shooting!

 

[g0rd0]

There are a bunch of questions that need to be answered...

What is your experience with big magnums? The 300wm is not a casual cartridge. It is difficult for most people to master. It will do long range. I take mine out to 1500yds, but it has a 26 inch heavy barrel, weighs 14 lbs, and has a muzzle break.

What kind of competition? The 300wm has fallen out of favor for just about any kind of competition I can think of. It needs heavy bullets to even begin to compete with the big 7mm's or even the smaller 6.5's and 6mm's. The factory HS precision stock wouldn't be optimal for any of those comps either.

What kind of hunting? The 300wm is a superb hunting caliber no doubt. It will take anything you need to take, but the heavy barrel version you are considering would be more than a bit heavy to drag through the woods for most people.

The Rem700 you are considering is a purpose built rifle. It was meant to be a heavy tactical precision rifle. It was meant to carry a heavy bullet with authority to long range, and put holes in things that might otherwise shoot back. It does that fairly well. It is ill suited for much else.

I'm not trying to tell you not to get one, just trying to make sure you know what you will be getting. Good shooting!

what he said times 10

 

[Slick8]

I am trying to decide on a rifle who's primary use will be long range fun, secondary hunting and one day competition. Based on info I received here and else where I was pretty well sold on a M700 Mil-Spec 5R in 300WM as the best value for my dollar for a sub $1k rifle.Thoughts on the matter?

Based on the above, a 300wm is good but a lot of thump for long range fun. Hard to beat as a hunting round. Good but far from the best at competition unless you're looking well beyond 1k.

If you really like the 5R, I'd look for one in 65 Creed or 260 Remington. I'd really lean toward the 6.5x284 but factory offerings are limited. You could always go with the good ole 308 or 7mm08 as well. Those will do well for fun / comp out to 1k and hunting up to elk at reasonable ranges.

You'll find the short action to be much more enjoyable to shoot long range and much easier on your barrel.

If looking at a short action and wanting to stay in the 5R budget you could also look at the Ruger RPR or the Savage.

 

[DCAN]

Check out the books written by Nathan Foster. His research may be of some help in sorting out your questions.

 

[DUSTY NOGGIN]

no question ,3 separate guns is gonna make you a lot happier person

 

[DartonJager]

Thanks for well thought out replies. The only reason I was considering the 300wm is if I were to sit and add up all the very heavy recoiling loads I've shot from my 12ga slug guns, smokeless and non-smokeless inline ML's, my 338wm, and my 12ga turkey guns I would be well over 2500 rounds. So recoil is not an issue with me.

Now that the .308 was mentioned I have friend who has a Savage 10FCP with the 24" 5r barrel in .308 he fitted a B&C Tactical medalist II stock that I know 1st hand shoots extremely well. He has since moved onto the 6.5 Creed and has offered the rifle to me for a price I would be a fool to not buy at this point. The price includes Forster COMP/BR dies as well.

 

[Canhunter35]

Since you have the brass and everything you need, shoot the barrel out of the stw. Shouldn't take a 1000 rounds.
I own a 700 milspec, I changed the stock because I never liked it. Keep that in mind with changing the stock on the savage.
Recoil is an issue for everyone-it's not whether you can take it-recoil changes your point of impact. That's why prs guys are moving from light recoiling 6.5s to lighter recoiling 6mms.
As mentioned I would go with a 308 or 6.5 for target shooting

 

[gohring3006]

I started with a magnum as my long range target gun, that I said I would also use for hunting. Well I never hunted with it, so I quickly realized, the short action competition specific rounds were much more practical for my needs.
So I bought a 6.5 Creedmoor.
I have several magnums, but they don't get much use anymore, with the exception of my 338 Lapua. The 6.5 Creed is practical for 1000 yards, the Lapua goes out to the mile plate. The 30-06 gets the animals when I'm hungry.

 

[DartonJager]

Since you have the brass and everything you need, shoot the barrel out of the stw. Shouldn't take a 1000 rounds.
I own a 700 milspec, I changed the stock because I never liked it. Keep that in mind with changing the stock on the savage.
Recoil is an issue for everyone-it's not whether you can take it-recoil changes your point of impact. That's why prs guys are moving from light recoiling 6.5s to lighter recoiling 6mms.
As mentioned I would go with a 308 or 6.5 for target shooting

Never thought about recoil like that, makes perfect sense. It's just I began my big game hunting with 12ga 1oz Foster slugs weighing 437.5 grains at a MV of 1650 fps out of cylinder choked smooth bore shotguns and transitioned over time to fully rifled bolt and single action slug guns with saboted projectiles weighing from 300 to 375 grains and a MV of 1750-1800fps, all had recoil well above that of a 30/06.

But I also forgot to consider how many rounds you will shoot in any event you compete in. I should've applied a lesson I learned from watching handgun competitions where the being fastest is as if not more important than accuracy and save for a few divisions like limited 10 and single stack, 38super/9mm are now shot by 80-90% of competitors, because to a lessor degree you can get more 9mm in any given magazine than any other round and because most importantly it's easier for most people to shoot a 9mm fast and accurate VS a 45acp or 40 S&W.

Should've known same holds true for rifles, that's why .223/.556 dominates service rifle competitions.

 

[Canhunter35]

Never thought about recoil like that, makes perfect sense. It's just I began my big game hunting with 12ga 1oz Foster slugs weighing 437.5 grains at a MV of 1650 fps out of cylinder choked smooth bore shotguns and transitioned over time to fully rifled bolt and single action slug guns with saboted projectiles weighing from 300 to 375 grains and a MV of 1750-1800fps, all had recoil well above that of a 30/06.

But I also forgot to consider how many rounds you will shoot in any event you compete in. I should've applied a lesson I learned from watching handgun competitions where the being fastest is as if not more important than accuracy and save for a few divisions like limited 10 and single stack, 38super/9mm are now shot by 80-90% of competitors, because to a lessor degree you can get more 9mm in any given magazine than any other round and because most importantly it's easier for most people to shoot a 9mm fast and accurate VS a 45acp or 40 S&W.

Should've known same holds true for rifles, that's why .223/.556 dominates service rifle competitions.

Muzzle brakes are your friend for lr shooting...that and scope levels.