New member looking to find the right spot to post/ask questions

[LiveToHunt7]

Good evening everyone,

I admire this website and these forums. I've spent a few hours reading all the information I could as it relates to what I hope to accomplish. I lack the wisdom that many of you have so I am looking for advice and guidance. I am primarily a bowhunter but I recently got back into shooting my rifle. If this is the wrong forum for this, I apologize.

I currently own a Remington 700 XCR II "Bone Collector" in 30-06. I'm not sure of the long range capability of this rifle, but I'm drawn to a flat shooting gun.

I primarily hunt deer. I live in CA but my buddy and I are planning elk trips in the future (With 2 girls both under 3, trips are few and far between). I'd love to shoot an elk with a bow but with the limited time I have, I want to maximize my opportunity at an animal. So this rifle will need the ability to shoot both. I am currently looking at the 6.5 PRC cartridge and the 300 PRC cartridge. The 300 may be overkill for deer, although I've read on here that say the 300 is perfectly fine for deer. I'm a meathunter more than anything so I'd like to reduce meat damage if possible. Could I shoot smaller bullets in a 300? From what I've read, 212's are the bullet of choice for the 300 but is that too much for a CA buck?

I also would like to practice as often as I could, so recoil is a factor. I'm not sure how much of a factor as I have shot my 30-06 many times at the range and in the field and have never felt that I was done with shooting. Most of the rifles I've looked at have muzzle brakes on them but I don't know how much of a difference those make.

This is the current list of rifles I'm looking at and also gives you an idea of the price range I hope to stay around.

CA Mesa LR
Bergara B-14 HMR
The new Tikka T3X Lite (Didn't see a 300 PRC offering though. Just watched the SHOT show youtube video)

If you have other suggestions, outside of those, please feel free to suggest some. I'm spending lots of time researching. I would also like to add that I will be reloading.

Lastly, scope recommendations. I haven't looked much into scopes yet. If this could be a sub $2k rifle, that'd be great.

Hope you all have a great evening.

Thank you,
Rick

 

[25WSM]

Welcome to the site. Your 30-06 will work for both if you just want to upgrade it some for way less money. It will kill as good as a 300prc but at a reduced range. How far are you planning on shooting. Distance really matters as far as how fast you need a bullet to go. An 06 with 175 gr bullets will have 1500 ft pounds to 500 yards or so. A prc with 210s will have 1500 pounds to about 850 or so. This all depends on bullet bc so these are just close. Both will kill deer much farther. As far as meat damage goes keep it in the rids and take out the lungs just like a bow shot and meat damage will be minimal. Between the 6.5 and the 300 I would choose based on what you are going to hunt more often. The 300 is definitely the better elk gun but if I was hunting deer way more with the occasional elk I would do the 6.5. You can't go wrong with either of them.
Shep

 

[Ace Quackhunter]

First of all Welcome, and all questions are great. If you want a new Elk rifle get one. However your 30-06 will do the job on Elk, see if it will toss some 180's out the tube and you will have a 300 yard plus Elk Slayer. Please invest in good optic's and mounts and practice at the distance that you feel you can hit over and over again. I have a 264 Mag. set up for Elk and will sling 160's out to 400 yards all day, but to date my longest shot is a little over 200 yard. Good Hunting.

 

[SteelBanger]

Shep said it all well, there's not much left to add. Like he said, either will work well for you so choose what you're more comfortable and confident with, but the 6.5 PRC seems to be gaining a lot of traction for Elk hunts.

The only suggestion I'd make is to maybe split the difference and get into the 7mm family. A 7 mag or or 280AI would both be excellent choices, as would any of the Sherman 7's if you roll your own.

 

[mwkelso]

Welcome to the site!
As said above, the 30-06 is fine for elk as long as you're inside an effective range for the bullet/load combination you choose.
My .270 has done great with elk, as well as my 300wm. Same with deer for both.
I too am budget oriented for the time being with a 3y/o and an infant at home. Optics are important for obvious reasons, but I personally believe practice is even more so.
The rifle doesn't make the shooter. The shooter makes the rifle.
Good luck and have fun. Don't be afraid to ask questions here!

 

[LiveToHunt7]

Thank you all for the replies.

I plan to shoot 10-20 rounds a month, if not more once I'm fully setup. I'm only going to shoot as far as my ability lets me, but I do plan on improving my ability with the rifle as times passes. I may never shoot at an animal from 1000 yards, but "aim small, miss small" is something I consider. So when the time comes to shoot at 600+, I have practiced more than enough at that range that I feel confident in the shot. One of the main reasons I want to reload is having the ability to shoot more often without having to spend a ton of money to do so.

I haven't looked much into the 7 range but having a conversation with someone here, he suggested a 7-300. A "wildcat" as he described it. Would the 7 Sherman also fall into that category? The rifle manufacturer's caliber offering is a big factor also as I don't have a ton of cash to spend, as those calibers aren't listed on their websites and I'm not sure if that's a whole different setup.

I don't actually have a reloader yet, but that's coming in tandem with my rifle. How is it in terms of reloading for these wildcat cartridges in terms of brass/bullet availability, ease, etc. I'm very open to other cartridges other than the 6.5 or 300. The 280 AI seems like a cartridge that fits the mold I'm looking at also and the 7 Sherm seems like it would too. One of the concerns with other cartridges, for example the 28 nosler, is barrel life.

 

[25WSM]

You need to find a range with steel on it. Once you learn ballistics you will find 700 yard hits simple but after 700 things get much harder especially in the wind. Ringing steel is a blast and really helps you learn what's happening at longer range.
Shep

 

[Westernhuntr]

Thank you all for the replies.

I plan to shoot 10-20 rounds a month, if not more once I'm fully setup. I'm only going to shoot as far as my ability lets me, but I do plan on improving my ability with the rifle as times passes. I may never shoot at an animal from 1000 yards, but "aim small, miss small" is something I consider. So when the time comes to shoot at 600+, I have practiced more than enough at that range that I feel confident in the shot. One of the main reasons I want to reload is having the ability to shoot more often without having to spend a ton of money to do so.

I haven't looked much into the 7 range but having a conversation with someone here, he suggested a 7-300. A "wildcat" as he described it. Would the 7 Sherman also fall into that category? The rifle manufacturer's caliber offering is a big factor also as I don't have a ton of cash to spend, as those calibers aren't listed on their websites and I'm not sure if that's a whole different setup.

I don't actually have a reloader yet, but that's coming in tandem with my rifle. How is it in terms of reloading for these wildcat cartridges in terms of brass/bullet availability, ease, etc. I'm very open to other cartridges other than the 6.5 or 300. The 280 AI seems like a cartridge that fits the mold I'm looking at also and the 7 Sherm seems like it would too. One of the concerns with other cartridges, for example the 28 nosler, is barrel life.

Since you're new to hand loading I'd avoid wildcats

The 6.5 PRC is a good choice if you're not shooting elk beyond 4-500 yards, otherwise the 300 PRC is awesome for big stuff and if you're worried about meat damage that'll be determined a lot more by your bullet choice.

Shoot thin jacketed target bullets and you'll have a lead contaminated mess if you hit anywhere near usable meat .
Since you're in CA you have to use copper bullets and there are plenty of good ones.
Cutting Edge, Hammer Bullets, Barnes LRX to name a few.

 

[Tiny Tim]

Welcome to the forum! I agree with others, any of your choices are valid. You could simply make some upgrades to your current rifle: trigger, stock, GLASS, etc... If money is tight, that may be your best option for now as good glass can be transferred from rifle to rifle in the future. If you plan to shoot a lot, the 6.5 may be easier to shoot for extended periods of practice, though 10-20 rounds a month with even the most punishing of magnums is doable. Reloading is expensive to get into. Make well informed decisions and you will be pleased with the outcome. There is a wealth of information on this sight and the members are great to deal with. And as westernhunter said, You have a lot of great monolithic bullets to choose from since you live in CA. Whatever your choice, none of us can overstate the need for practice, and practice from field positions. As a bowhunter, you already know how to hunt more than shoot. Get into your effective range and go home happy. Good luck!

 

[livetohunt]

Welcome, from the OG Livetohunt.

 

[mfk]

Welcome to the forum! It's exciting to plan for a new adventure-- that is almost half the fun! You have been given lots of good advice. The guys on this forum and really knowledgeable and very generous with their time in dispensing advice. You have tons of options and there are trade offs with every cartridge choice. I had a similar dilemma to you with respect to wanting a longer range elk cartridge than my 308 deer rife --but I like to shoot a lot and want to be able to use the cartridge to hunt deer a fair amount as well as elk. So I went with a 7-- a 280AI. I looked at 7rm and the 300 (wm, RUM, prc, Sherman), and 7 (RM, Sherman, nosler 28), - all good stuff as well. Look at bullet choice early in the process due to where you live, the coronavirus affecting supply, and other factors. I postponed my first Elk hunt to 2021 -- so I have this summer and next to practice, develop loads ...and to dream.... Have fun on your new adventure. Mike

 

[FEENIX]

Good evening everyone,

I admire this website and these forums. I've spent a few hours reading all the information I could as it relates to what I hope to accomplish. I lack the wisdom that many of you have so I am looking for advice and guidance. I am primarily a bowhunter but I recently got back into shooting my rifle. If this is the wrong forum for this, I apologize.

I currently own a Remington 700 XCR II "Bone Collector" in 30-06. I'm not sure of the long range capability of this rifle, but I'm drawn to a flat shooting gun.

I primarily hunt deer. I live in CA but my buddy and I are planning elk trips in the future (With 2 girls both under 3, trips are few and far between). I'd love to shoot an elk with a bow but with the limited time I have, I want to maximize my opportunity at an animal. So this rifle will need the ability to shoot both. I am currently looking at the 6.5 PRC cartridge and the 300 PRC cartridge. The 300 may be overkill for deer, although I've read on here that say the 300 is perfectly fine for deer. I'm a meathunter more than anything so I'd like to reduce meat damage if possible. Could I shoot smaller bullets in a 300? From what I've read, 212's are the bullet of choice for the 300 but is that too much for a CA buck?

I also would like to practice as often as I could, so recoil is a factor. I'm not sure how much of a factor as I have shot my 30-06 many times at the range and in the field and have never felt that I was done with shooting. Most of the rifles I've looked at have muzzle brakes on them but I don't know how much of a difference those make.

This is the current list of rifles I'm looking at and also gives you an idea of the price range I hope to stay around.

CA Mesa LR
Bergara B-14 HMR
The new Tikka T3X Lite (Didn't see a 300 PRC offering though. Just watched the SHOT show youtube video)

If you have other suggestions, outside of those, please feel free to suggest some. I'm spending lots of time researching. I would also like to add that I will be reloading.

Lastly, scope recommendations. I haven't looked much into scopes yet. If this could be a sub $2k rifle, that'd be great.

Hope you all have a great evening.

Thank you,
Rick

Welcome to LRH and enjoy it! Be prepared to get inundated with responses/recommendations. A lot of good folks here with varying real-world hands-on experiences and personal opinions. You need to be able to synthesize the information that is being presented to you and its applicability to your situation - personal preference and intended purpose.

LRH/S does NOT happen overnight, take your time, and enjoy the learning process. As others noted, the venerable .30-06 is will serve your "current" purpose as well as an excellent learning tool. There are members here that shoot at 1500+ yards on target. Yes, magnums will have more recoil but today's muzzle brakes are very good in reducing felt recoil and muzzle rise, and you have plenty to choose from at very reasonable prices. The .300 WM (I have 3) remains "my" go-to chambering from antelope to elk size game up to 1K yards. With muzzle brakes, the felt recoil is approximately in the .243/.308 range, at least for me. The .300 WM is not an overkill. I harvested plenty of antelope and deer with 215 Bergers (yes, I understand you're from CA, sorry I couldn't resist ... my home of records is Fairfield (born in NAS North Island) but left in 1987 and never looked back) out of my .300 WM/WSM and even 225 NABs out of my .338 WM with very little meat damage. Shot placement is the key regardless of the type of hunting to go along with the limitation of the rifle/bullet set-up and the "NUT" behind the trigger.

Good luck and happy safe shooting/hunting.

 

[sourdough44]

Welcome. Not being a reloader(yet), wanting to practice, then not a fan of heavier recoil, I'd lean towards a more common round, and smaller. Why not get something where ammo is easy to find, less recoil, fine at the range, yet plenty for deer?

The common 243 comes to mind. Of you want to be a little different, lots of rage with the 6.5 Creedmore now.

 

[LiveToHunt7]

Thank you everyone.

Something that I have considered and is probably more than likely is I'll be selling the 06 to fund the reloading equipment/scope. I have narrowed down the scope to the Vortex Razor HD LTH with the Leupold VX-5HD narrowly behind. From what I've been reading about the tracking issues with the Leupold, I'm learning towards the Vortex. I also love their lifetime, no questions asked guarantee.

The shootability/recoil is a factor but based on the feedback a muzzle brake might make it plenty fine. From my point of view, it'll probably be a long time before I'm able to add to my safe.

Of the rifles listed, are there any ones within that price range that stand out over the others? Willing to buy used too. I would assume most, if not all, guys that have these types of rifles take great care of them so there isn't a big reservation about buying used.

Welcome to the forum! It's exciting to plan for a new adventure-- that is almost half the fun! You have been given lots of good advice. The guys on this forum and really knowledgeable and very generous with their time in dispensing advice. You have tons of options and there are trade offs with every cartridge choice. I had a similar dilemma to you with respect to wanting a longer range elk cartridge than my 308 deer rife --but I like to shoot a lot and want to be able to use the cartridge to hunt deer a fair amount as well as elk. So I went with a 7-- a 280AI. I looked at 7rm and the 300 (wm, RUM, prc, Sherman), and 7 (RM, Sherman, nosler 28), - all good stuff as well. Look at bullet choice early in the process due to where you live, the coronavirus affecting supply, and other factors. I postponed my first Elk hunt to 2021 -- so I have this summer and next to practice, develop loads ...and to dream.... Have fun on your new adventure. Mike

Sorry, to clarify, you ended up with the 280 AI? That was the close 3rd along with the 28 Nosler. Could you elaborate on your decision? Thank you.




(BTW, yes, CA sucks. Don't doubt that in my lifetime hunting may be banned altogether in this state)