Need A little help

[ptatcman]

Hey all,
I have just found this site and started reading and learning. Great material, just don't have the time to go out and build a new rifle. I love to bowhunt and I feel I am a fairly skilled hunter, but my interest has been sparked.
Sorry for the long story but it's too funny to leave out. Here's my problem, I have a new hunting spot on a massive powerline. Lets say up to 700 yd shots are there. I have never had to shoot that far before. I have always hunted with the same rifle for 28 years, a Rem. 700 30-06 with 165gr ammo. 250 yd shots at best. There is this one particular buck I want to kill that seems to be playing games. If we hunt a certain food plot I set up for my son the buck crosses at 450-550 yds. every time. If I hunt alone trying to close distance with bow, gun, whatever he dissappears. I have even returned the next day with my son and he crossed again!! 500 yds away. I want to cleanly kill this deer from our shooting house at 500+ yards. I assume my 30-06 is outof the hunt. I have 3 weapons available, My father's old Winchester 308 auto., My son's Rem. model 7, 7-08, or a TC Encore 300 win mag. All have good 3x10-50 Leup. on them. All shoot factory ammo 1 inch high with 1.5 inch groups at 100 yds. 300 mag -180 gr. 7-08 shoots 140 gr. 308 not shure, I think 145gr. Which do you shoot??? Thanks and again I appologize for the length. John

 

[300rum]

Hey all,
I have just found this site and started reading and learning. Great material, just don't have the time to go out and build a new rifle. I love to bowhunt and I feel I am a fairly skilled hunter, but my interest has been sparked.
Sorry for the long story but it's too funny to leave out. Here's my problem, I have a new hunting spot on a massive powerline. Lets say up to 700 yd shots are there. I have never had to shoot that far before. I have always hunted with the same rifle for 28 years, a Rem. 700 30-06 with 165gr ammo. 250 yd shots at best. There is this one particular buck I want to kill that seems to be playing games. If we hunt a certain food plot I set up for my son the buck crosses at 450-550 yds. every time. If I hunt alone trying to close distance with bow, gun, whatever he dissappears. I have even returned the next day with my son and he crossed again!! 500 yds away. I want to cleanly kill this deer from our shooting house at 500+ yards. I assume my 30-06 is outof the hunt. I have 3 weapons available, My father's old Winchester 308 auto., My son's Rem. model 7, 7-08, or a TC Encore 300 win mag. All have good 3x10-50 Leup. on them. All shoot factory ammo 1 inch high with 1.5 inch groups at 100 yds. 300 mag -180 gr. 7-08 shoots 140 gr. 308 not shure, I think 145gr. Which do you shoot??? Thanks and again I appologize for the length. John

TC Encore 300 win mag, or 308 will do the job. But first of all you have to do some homework.
Make sure you are practicing with your rifle at that distance, and hit all the time on vital area target 10-12inch target.
Know how many clicks you need to adjust your scope for the shot, or using the mildot reticle to hold over for the shot.
Use rest position all the time: Harris Bipod, and rear rest (bag, sandbag, plastic case, binoculars, case ammo).
just AFTER YOU WILL KNOW YOUR LIMITATION, AND BULLET STRIKES AT THAT PARTICULARY DISTANCE, YOU CAN DO THE SHOT with confidence.

 

[Buffalobob]

Go and get a box of Federal Gold Medal Match in 30-06. See how the rifle groups with that at 100 yards. If it likes it, get some more.

Zero the rifle at 250 yards. This will provide a no holdover range out to 300 yards.
Shoot the rifle at 400, 500 and 600 yards and record the amount of adjustment needed. Draw a picture of what the scope dial looks like when it is at zero and at 400, 500 and at 600 ( you do this so when things get rushed you don't forget what the dial should look like).

Get as much practice at six hundred yards as you can. Make sure the gun is hitting the target on the first cold bore shot. It is that shot that counts.

At the powerline, make a range chart and put some tape or markers every 50 yards out along the power line so you do not have to use a rangefinder when the buck shows up. You just look out there and see the he is half way between the red tape on the pinyon tree and the yellow tape on the oak sapling and you know he is 425 yards.

When it is time to hunt, take the windage and elevation covers off of the scope knobs and lay a nickel or whatever you will use to turn the knobs for setting your drops. Have your range chart tacked up and your drop chart handy and your bullets laid out so there is no fumbling around.

Do not rest the foreend directly on the window sill. Make sure there is some padding under it so the rifle does not bounce under recoil.

Good luck.

When the season is over, go and see one of the many fine gunsmiths on this forum and have them do some simple things to your Rem 700 such as bed it, lighten the trigger and recrown the barrel.

 

[ptatcman]

Thanks gentlemen for your advice. Looks like I better forget him for this year and go to the range and practice. Sounds alot more in depth than "hold over a foot and shoot"! I love my old Rem 30-06 and very accurate at 200 or so yds. Do you realy think it could consistantly do the job (with the right ammo and practice out to those ydgs.,) or would you invest in a different rifle? Thanks

 

[roninflag]

what buffalobob said. plus; my opinion - while any of those calibers can do the job i like the 30-06 and the 300win . i feel you need a gun that shoots less than an inch at 100. if the encore won't shoot either 165 or 180 grain grain loads to less than an inch then sell encore and get a sendero. if you prefer to use the bdl ; if it won't shoot less than an inch rebarrel ( kreiger) . i have as many 3.5 to 10 as i have 6.5X20 and 8.5 to 25. it is a good scope . but i prefer more power for the longer range it helps my confidence.

 

[kcebcj]

From personal experience the 30-06 has plenty of punch for deer out to 500 yards. It takes an accurate rifle and an equally practiced shooter to perform at the long ranges. Out to 700 yards or so the 300 Win Mag is a better choice. Get everything tuned up, practice shooting at distance and you will know when you can do it. Hope you get that buck. Have a couple runnin around here that I have been chasing for a couple years now.

 

[ptatcman]

Thanks again for all your help. Trying to learn all I can. It's good to know my trusty 30-06 is capable of handling 500 yds. if everything is on, including me. I am soo much more comfortable with it. I bought the 300 encore barrel from a friend because the price was right. After shooting it I know why!! He told me it was too much much recoil but I thought he was just being wimpy. MAN that thing is uncomfortable to shoot! Never feel it at the moment of truth, but knowing I had to shoot it 5 or 10 times in a row gives me the willies.
The 1.5 groups I talked about were from me just propping up on a tree limb behind the house. I guess a good shooting rest/vise would tell the tale. Any suggestions?
One more question and I'll leave ya'll alone for awhile...maybe
If you were planning a trip to Canada for those monster whitetails then on to Colorado for elk, would you stay with what you are comfortable with or take to 300. Or do I just save my money and invest in a diff. rifle. If so which one?
Thanks again John

 

[squirrelduster]

Send the encore barrel to Kirby Allen or Shawn and have them put one of the brakes they designed and it will kick about the same as you 30-06 with 150 gr. bullets.
You should get good groups with it if the Encore is tuned up with the trigger reworked.

The 300 will work great for the elk and whitetail if you can get the accuracy tightened up.

Good shooting.

 

[roninflag]

i have guided guys to 28 elk and nine of my own. i shot a 6X6 last year with a 30-06 180 federal high energy 180 partitions ( 2890fps! the 180 factory triple shocks out of my 300 sendero only got 3002 fps).** either the 30-06 or the 300 will be fine. i would not shoot the 300 without a brake