2021. Montana elk and mule deer combo. I don't own a magnum. I figured I'd take my 30-06 with 168gr Nosler Accubond and limit my shots to 400 yards.
A call to the outfitter this week may have changed my mind. He's pushing the 300wm as his go to and the 7mm RM as a second choice. Now don't get me wrong, I've wanted a magnum for years now and I am leaning toward the 7mm (always wanted one).
I want a Tikka T3x Superlite. I've read that the slower twist rate could be problematic for the 175 grain loads. Can anyone help confirm or deny this?
Outfitter says the average shot is under 300 yards but a 400-500 yard shot (Or longer) is not uncommon. I want to keep this rig light without breaking the bank. I'm not aware of another rifle that is under 6.5 pounds (regular t3x is my second choice but the same slower twist) and under a grand.
The Elk in the photo below was taken in Utah with a 30-06 at 150 yards.
I don't recommend a new rifle to shoot beyond 400 Yards unless you want another project and have the time to develop a rifle to shoot accurately beyond 400 yards. Save your money and get some good gear for your trip such as new binoculars.
Lots of good advice in this thread. A super light magnum rifle is terrible to shoot without a muzzle break. My first 300 RUM was light and didn't have a break and the barrel twist was too slow. I couldn't shoot it without lacrosse shoulder pads. I rebuilt it several times. I've taken game with that rifle at just short of 1000 yards, however, the rebuild process and load development took years.
Optics are important. However, I wouldn't focus on "glass". You should consider a first focal plane scope so you can dial in your drop. Holding over works but much less certain as distance increases. I also recommend a good rangefinder that will automatically calculate and display the ballistic solution.
One of the threads above mentioned that shooting elk at distance is much more work. That is for sure true but it sounds like you have an outfitter. They can do most of the work.
If you are going to build a new rifle, I recommend using the heaviest bullet you can and choose a case with enough capacity so you can achieve aMV > 2,900 fps. Use the Berger twist rate calculator on line to make sure you get a barrel with a fast enough twist. I use a 230 gr bullet in my 300 RUM and 170 gr bullet in my 270 WSM. Both rifles are good on Elk and Mule deer >> 500 yards. I have worked with friends to develop LR hunting rifles in 300 WSM and 300 WIN Mag and neither case had sufficient case capacity to realistically use heavier bullets. The 300 WM had a MV of 2700 ish fps with a 215 grain bullet. The 300 WM works fine but is outperformed by my 270 WSM at distances > 600 yards.
All of the above suggests hand loads. You can buy ammo for a particular rifle from companies like Gunworks, but that can get very expensive. If you don't already hand load, that is adds additional time on this project.
Have fun in Montana!