New Rifle choices, need opinions, .300WBY, 300RUM, or 338RUM??

[Sako7STW]

So I am going to buy one of these three rifles and would like to hear which you would choose and why. The rifle I am looking to provide some serious power for Elk hunting and possibly future Alaska/Canada/Africa hunts. Max range 600 yards. Not looking for long range, just serious power to hit like the hammer of Thor. Reason for these 3 is they can be dropped into a thumbhole stock I want to use. Here goes:

Option 1: .300 WBYMAG, Weatherby stainless Vanguard 2, $610
Likes; best price, brother has dies and everything needed for reloading, could easily be re-barreled to .340 WBYMAG, easy to find ammo for, known to be very accurate out of box, 3+1 capacity, leaves more $ for scope
Dislikes; 24" bbl=less Velocities, brass price for good brass, dont know if it offers much over my 7STW

Option 2: .300 RUM, Stainless Rem 700, approx $765
Likes; Highest Velocities, bigger case capacity, lots of brass choices, cheaper brass, easy to find ammo for, good price, 26" bbl
Dislikes; don't know if it offers much over my 7STW, Lower energy VS. .338RUM., questionable Remington quality as of late, less options for heavy bullets, 2+1 capacity, have to buy dies ect. for reloading

Option 3: .338RUM, Remington XCR II, Approx $950
Likes; most energy, big bullets available, 26" BBL, Black finish over stainless good for AK hunt
Dislikes; slowest, Most expensive, questionable Remington quality as of late, 2+1 capacity, have to buy dies ect. for reloading, leaves alot less $ for scope, harder to find ammo and brass for. Brass is more $, only one rifle to choose from.

 

[FAL Shot]

The ultra magnums and compact magnums are a solution looking for a problem to solve.

The .338 Lapua Magnum has been adopted into military service and many more countries are bound to follow. Military standardized cartridges always become super popular: .30-06 Spfd, .308 Win, 7x57mm Mauser, .303 Brit, 6.5x55 Swede, 7.62x54R, etc.

If I wanted a .338 caliber rifle for long range shooting, the .338 Lapua Magnum is a no-brainer. If the others you mentioned were as good, they could have been adopted into military service already. It is a well rounded broad application cartridge, which is what the military shoots for, not a one-trick pony. Because it is military, it will be used in service rifle competitions and become much more popular than it already is. It has a guaranteed future with lots of interest and more development spurred by big military spending. I would go with a winner.

 

[4xforfun]

The ultra magnums and compact magnums are a solution looking for a problem to solve.

The .338 Lapua Magnum has been adopted into military service and many more countries are bound to follow. Military standardized cartridges always become super popular: .30-06 Spfd, .308 Win, 7x57mm Mauser, .303 Brit, 6.5x55 Swede, 7.62x54R, etc.

If I wanted a .338 caliber rifle for long range shooting, the .338 Lapua Magnum is a no-brainer. If the others you mentioned were as good, they could have been adopted into military service already. It is a well rounded broad application cartridge, which is what the military shoots for, not a one-trick pony. Because it is military, it will be used in service rifle competitions and become much more popular than it already is. It has a guaranteed future with lots of interest and more development spurred by big military spending. I would go with a winner.

You say 338 Lapua is a "military" Cartridge. I could be wrong, but I don't think that the US has picked it up yet. THEY SHOULD!!!! It has been adopted by lots of countries so far, but, as far as I know, not the US.

I HOPE I am wrong!!

I have always wanted a Lapua, but ended up with a 338 EDGE.

 

[TJAY]

For out to 600 yards I would go with what I have, 300 RUM. It is fast, accurate and has all the power you need. The rifle is also light enough to carry around and not kick the snot out of you without a brake. But all three meet your needs so just pick the one you like the best. As to Rems quality I have a safe full aged from 1964 to 2008 and all are good quality rifles.

 

[FAL Shot]

I believe that Canada has adopted the .338 Lapua as a military sniper rifle. The better shops here in Montana are carrying the .338 Lapua in stock. I know a person who owns one. I hope he shoots it better than the last .300 RUM shooter I saw at the range. So far, I can beat every .300 RUM owner that has showed up at the range with my out-of-the-box CZ 550 7x57mm Mauser at 200 yards.

I beat one of the .300 RUM guys at 100 yards with my BSA air rifle.....by quite a bit.

 

[jrsolocam]

For out to 600 yards on elk size game anything from a 300 WSM up to the 338-378 Wby will work real well. I think your 7STW would work well too. If its going to be primarily a hunting rifle I wouldn't worry abour brass cost. Taking recoil and weight into consideration just buy the rifle want, if you come across a good deal on one buy it and go hunting.

 

[40crk]

I think the .338 overkill for elk myself but that is a matter of personal perspective. Of the other two I would normally go with the .300 B except you chose a vangard. I would be far more inclined to go with the MrkV action for the 300 up. So....That leaves only the 300 RUM.
Benefit of staying with a .300 rather than the .338 is the easier to handle recoil. Even a strong man will begin to flinch after a while of range practice. Better to practice with a gun you can shoot enough to become proficient.

 

[bigngreen]

If you want to see a difference over what you got a 338 RUM, Edge or Lapua with a 300gr Berger will get you there and will provide a serious smack down in the range your looking at, not needed but fun

 

[cohunter14]

If you are going to be dropping the new rifle into a different stock off the bat, why spend so much initially? You can get a brand new SPS in either of the RUM's for $500. You could also look at buying the action and then looking at a higher end barrel. Just seems like a lot of money to spend on a rifle when you are going to be ditching the stock anyway.

One other note, the magazine capacity for a 300 RUM should be 3+1, not 2+1 I think.

I personally have a 300 RUM and, for 600 yards and less, that is probably what I would recommend. You are going to have a very flat shooting round that has plenty of killing power for any game out to that distance. And really, the 300WBY would also be solid as well. I don't really see the need for a 338 for 600 yards. Just my $.02!

 

[angus-5024]

I have the XCR I in .338 RUM. Its a 3+1. It is also one of the most accurate rifles I have shot (i lucked out, but i'll take it!)
You said the #1 thing is smackdown factor, the .300's dont even come close to the .338.
Flatter shooting... look up 210 barnes TTSX (g1 .414) @ 3400fps or 225 TTSX or AB's at 3265fps-3300.
I have shot from the 210's to 300 grainers in my rifle, out to 1108 and had great results.

Remember that the stock fitting your LOP is going to help you shoot ALOT BETTER. especially when theres alot of recoil involved. little guns dont shoot better than big guns, people shoot better with little guns (a little off point, but i had to say it)

I REALLY like the 300 RUM, especially running the 230's, but when it comes to raw HP, the .338 is the King of the heap by a long shot.

All that being said, the .338 is only the king of the heap if you know that you can handle the recoil.

 

[Lapua Baer]

I have used all three for hunting well pass 600 yards. Remember the more powder and bullet you push the more recoil generated, the harder it is to see your hits and slower on follow up shots. If you were looking from a pure ballistic standpoint a 30-06 would fit the bill. Buy a 300 win mag, shoot bullets like the nosler 200 grain accubond for the moose or bear and use sierra mk or bergers for elk and smaller. I would stay away from the accubonds for over 300 yards because they are to good and may not open up. With the 300 you can still reach out and shoot well past a thousand.

 

[backwoods83]

I'm primarily a Savage fan, however I own a few Vanguards, they give up nothing to the remingtons, the actions are smooter, the extractor is a better design, the bolt is ported which is a plus to vent gases if a primer rupture occurs, the barrel tenion is the same size so no difference in strength, and to top that they offer a accuracy garuantee, remington does not, remington actions are good cheap donors if you want a custom because of available parts but that's about it. As for the 24" barrel on the 300wby Vanguard, I have one, I run 208 amaxs at 2995fps with H1000, granted I have lapped the lugs, put a B&C medalist stock on it and a timney trigger, and a brake which makes it feel like a 308, but it is a 1/2 moa rifle and if it had the 2 more inches of barrel it would be at no disadvantage to the 300RUM, and use a lot less powder. Btw RUM brass cost almost as much as norma for the wby and none of the RUM brass is all that great. You do not need any kind of necked down 404jeffery or a lapua for 600yrds on anything on this continent. Run the numbers for energy with the load I use 208x2995x2995/450400, that's your muzzle energy, plug that into a ballistics calculator with a .648 g1 bc and see what you got left at 600yrds, its enough to look like the animal was smacked by a full size truck running 70mph.

 

[WildRose]

Unless you just really want to go bigger your 7mm STW is more than adequate for anything out to 600yds and beyond.

The .300 Rum or .300wm for that matter are also all you need and more based on your criteria.

To be areal honest the .300wm would be my choice rather than those you list but of those you list the .300Rum would be the way I'd go.

Disclaimer I own several each of the 7mm STW's and 300wm's as well as the 300 Rum.

There's simply nothing on this continent I'm inadequately gunned for with those and even for an African hunt the 7mm STW and 300wm are more than adequate for everything but elephant and cape buff.

 

[WildRose]

I have used all three for hunting well pass 600 yards. Remember the more powder and bullet you push the more recoil generated, the harder it is to see your hits and slower on follow up shots. If you were looking from a pure ballistic standpoint a 30-06 would fit the bill. Buy a 300 win mag, shoot bullets like the nosler 200 grain accubond for the moose or bear and use sierra mk or bergers for elk and smaller. I would stay away from the accubonds for over 300 yards because they are to good and may not open up. With the 300 you can still reach out and shoot well past a thousand.

I'm not sure where you are coming from with this. I've never heard of Accubonds failing to expand even at 600-1000yds.