New guy with a question

[JustC]

Hi all. Looks like I have found a forum with my favorite hobby at heart. I am still getting into the long range hunts, I.E. 500yds and out. I shoot crop damage most of the year and absolutely love it.

what is anyone's experience or opinon of the 300wthby AI? Good 1000yd caliber for paper? Good for deer?

 

[JustC]

Thanks guys. I already have the Leupold MK IV 10x that I removed from a Wthby MK V action and a 26" Pac-nor 1:8 barrel in 6.5-06AI. It has a lower priced synthetic stock on it, but i built it anyway. the trigger was worked very well and breaks great. I am planning on selling it to start the project.

My plan is at least a 700 action, but I am toying with a Nesika Bay or Stoli action. Probably a 28" Hart barrel, a jewell trigger, a McMillian or H&S stock and long range mounts. I may also use a nightforce scope instead of the MK IV, I may use that on a custom 308 that I have. I am still doing my research at this point. What do you think of my preliminary parts list?

also, any opinions on these
300UM
30-378 wthby
30 hart
338 lapua
338-378
340 wthby

thanks in advance.

 

[Mysticplayer]

Well, you sure got the part's list down. Very good stuff. I built my 300Wby on a P14 action with a tuned trigger (2.5lbs) and homemade stock. Works great. Under $500Cdn complete. No glitz or fancy lables, just functionality.

I have a 300RUM with a 35" barrel which is waiting for a stock. Also built on a P14 Enfield action. This is the best cost vs performance cartridge on the market at this time.

You will read a number of posts with some excellent results using the RUM or improved version (Tomahawk). The bigger cases are just more money. If you really want big and super sized performance, look up posts from Darryl Cassel on his 338-416 Rigby improved.

That is pretty much the best large case, long range magnum based on commercially available and affordable stuff. The next step are custom cartridges or the 50BMG.

Have fun spending your money...

Jerry

 

[Guest]

JustC, were you going with a hunting, tactical, or benchrest stock?

FYI - look at prairiegunworks.com

I purchased a m18-sts action for a 338 Lapua I am building. I went with the M-18 because it is identical dimensions as the 700 action and I want a Monte Carlo type hunting stock. His Timberwolf is great but I would have had to use a tactical stock.

Sorry I cant tell you about the caliber as I have yet to shoot it. In a few months I'll post results!

You might also want to look into the 7mm STW for deer.

Good Luck!

 

[DANTEC]

300 weatherby even not AI is good for 1000 yards , cartridge base on similar design 30/8 REM , 308 BAER ... have get tight group at 1000 with 200 and 220 SMK and even record some year ago but :

a accurate rifle is not only a cartridge that a assembly of mecanical parts and each parts need to be good or more than good .

if you plan to go with 300 Wea family for target / longrange use best is to use a chamber with short throat , original weatherby is not really inaccurate but short throat help you to get better accuracy and take a good barrel lenght to get max velocity , long range rifle are not carbine .

any idea of the 300 Wea use at 1000 yards o, deer sorry .

Good shooting

DANTEC

 

[Mysticplayer]

Welcome to the site. There is lots of great info and help here.

I presently shoot a 300wby for long range hunting and hope to get a 800 to 1000yd shot at a buck in the coming weeks. My rifle is based on a 1 in 12 Douglas heavy barrel and muzzle brake. It has the standard Wby chamber but I found that this shoots very well. Of course, the shorter throat would shoot well too.

I have used 165, 168 and 155gr bullets from Nosler (168 J4 and 165 Ballistic tip), Hornady Amax (168 and 155). I have settled on moly coated 155gr Amax over H4831SC, lit by a Fed 215M primer, in neck sized (Lee Collet die) weatherby and Rem 7STW brass. Muzzle vel is 3250fps and will shoot consistently under MOA at long range. Have now shot this combo to 1800m (1960yds).

There are many who have used the 308 Baer for 1000yd BR. This is an improved Wby and very close to a 30/8mm Rem Mag or 30/7STW. Accuracy and power is there for deer out to 1000yds. The reg. wby works well enough.

Key is making sure that your combo will shoot accurately that far from hunting positions or portable benches. Good optics are a must and most will recommend a scope with repeatable target turrents. You will need about 25min. of elevation to get from 100yds to 1000yds.

Read old posts to get an idea of the support equipment you should have in order to do this well. Laser rangefinder and good binos are a min.

If you lean towards heavier bullets, I would suggest the 190 to 220gr MK. I think the 240 is a little too heavy for this case. Try to get at least 3000fps accurately from your set up. The faster the better.

Try to use the longest barrel practical. Some have rigs with 36" barrels. Most of us build our rifles for the bench. Pretty hard to take an accurate 1000yd shot leaning up against a tree.

Good luck...

Jerry

 

[HoytemanPA]

JustC,
In regards to the 30-378 caliber. I am using a factory Mark V Accumark.
The only work that has been done to the rifle is bedding the action. That in itself was an immense improvement. Ammunition is hand rolled neckturned, neck sized matched (weight)cases. Concentricity is held .0025 and below. Matchkings of course.
My expectations may be lower than others but accuracy as of writing is 1.9" 5 shot groups at 300 yards.(with no wind)
The recoil isn't overwhelming in my opinion with the Accubrake. I haven't tried it without or intend to. I am looking forward to the barrel burning out so I might purchase a Darryl Barrel of longer length, or better yet I'm silently awaiting Nighthawk to get his 30-378 rebarreled to some exotic caliber so I can buy his.

But if it takes another 300 rounds for that to happen that would be OK too.
Good Luck,
HPA

 

[JustC]

John M, I mostly prefer a stock with a tactical/hunting design. I have used HS precisions on several rifles in the past. I do like the way the stocks fit and function, and as of yet, have no compliants. As far as the 7STW goes, I have a 280AI on a 700 action with a Hart 27 1/2" .875 barrel, jewell trigger, HS stock, and MK IV scope. That should have the STW angle covered, as it is faster than my 7mm mag, which puts it right there with the STW.

hoytemanPA, How many rounds have you fired? I was wondering about the burnout factor with the 30-378, and from what I have heard, cleaning every couple shots is paramount with that caliber. That doesn't mean I have ruled it out, I am still doing my research at this point.

[ 09-26-2002: Message edited by: JustC ]

 

[Darryl Cassel]

JustC

For the application you are after, the 300 Weatherby, the 300 RUM or the Tomahawk (IMP 300 RUM) will do quite well.

You will need at "least" a 30" barrel to give the velocity you are should have for the 1000 yard kills you are after. Keep in mind, you may want to go hunting for elk also.

The three mentioned above would be my suggestions for the application you are after. Good accuracy at 1000 yards and good hunting ability in any of the three, plus the availability of great bullets in the 30 cal bores. I would use the 200 and the 220 gr bullets in the 300 Weatherby and the 200,220 and 240 in the RUM or Tomahawk.
With the brass available, the edge (at this time) would have to go to the 300 Weatherby or improved Weatherbys for 1000 yard match shooting. For LR hunting the edge would go to the 300 RUM or the Tomahawk. Sort of take your pick.

If you chamber a Weatherby make sure there is very little freebore in it, not like the factory stuff.

Good luck
DC

 

[JustC]

Thanks Darryl. I e-mailed you through the board earlier today, keep an eye out for my question. I am interested in just why the paper goes to the wthby and the hunting edge goes to the 300UM and tomahawk? Is it just a velocity/powder capacity difference, or is it just less inherent accuracy with the 2 latter cartridges? I may wish to try my hand at some benchrest shooting and would prefer to have a more accurate cartridge, even to hunt at 1000 with, while relying on my ability to place the shot than just to have the extra power with less paper appeal. Is think that was what you were saying, right? I will ask thousands of questions of the people who know the real story, before I buy any components. Thanks for any help/knowledge you may bestow upon me. Thanks in advance.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Darryl,

Whose 300 Wby brass do you favor?
VH

 

[HoytemanPA]

JustC,
Im at 280 rounds down the tube. Accuracy has been best during the last 80 rounds but it is mostly due to the bedding I think. I was very particular during the first hundred rounds or so, Did the one shot clean for the first 20 then after every 3 to 5 for that first hundred. Since then I go 12 to 20 before cleaning. Patches are clear after about 4 passes of shooters choice. About every other cleaning I hit it with sweets. I leave SC in the bore overnight when finished shooting for the day then patch out and apply BreakFree CLP the next day. I guess I keep it clean. I wish my 22-250 rem cleaned up as easy.
Good luck on your choice, IMO all overbores are great!
HPA