New Rifle from Rem 700 ADL!

[mrussell]

I have been reading and trying to decide what the average cartridge/gun is on this post, but I am seeing alot of different calibers. I want a long range hunting rifle, but have a limited budget(build most myself) and I am looking for the best all around cartirdge. The rifle will take all of my money I have saved, so I want the most efficent bullet for 1000yd elk shots. Elk is the biggest animal i will take with the gun. Mostly I would like to practice shooting at Pairie Dogs to get to know the gun before I take it Elk hunting. That is one of the reasons I want to have it inexpense to shoot, due to shooting Pairie Doging and getting used to my gun.
I know that "The Best Of The West" hunting show use many different type, 6.5-284, 7 STW, 300 WSM, 300 Rem Mag. What is your opinions of cal for me?

My thoughts for myslef are(no order):
6mm AI(Not much of a Elk Gun)
6.5 - 284
7mm Rem Mag
30-06 AI
300 Rem Mag
300 WSM
300 RSUM

Bullets looking at are the:
107 gr(6mm)
150 gr(7mm, .308)
168 gr(7mm, .308)
175 gr(7mm)
180 gr(.308)
200 gr(.308)
220 gr(.308)

With those I look at the BC, Velocity, Energy and of course Trajectory of the bullet.

The parts I will use for the gun:
Rem 700 long action
shilen match grade barrel
Boyds stock
Burris Scope

Thanks.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Finding a single cartridge that will accomodate both ends of the spectrum (P-dogs to 1,000yd Elk) is a bit unrealistic.

One trip to a p-dog town and your 1,000yd elk gun will be toast. A cartridge for 100yd elk and occasional p-dog shooting might be possible but it will require a big compromise in cartridge selection.

Building a rifle for 1,000yd shooting, of any kind, takes the expetise of an accomplished gunsmith. It is rarely possible to do this on a limited budget.

 

[lazylabs]

Elk at 1000 requires a good bit of power. I would start at 300 WSM and consider moving up in powder. The last post is right... really two different worlds of shooting...hitting something at 1000 (6.5-284) and killing (300 RUM).

 

[Michael Eichele]

The best thing to do is have 2 rifles. A long barrel life gun for prairie dogs such as a 308 or 708 and a sledge hammer for 1K yard elk. Elk are tougher than they are big. It will take some horse power at 1K to gitr done. A 300 RUM w/200 grain accubonds minimum would be a good choice. 338 Lapua, or some of the various 300 or 338 wild cats would also be good choices. There is nothing cheap in the art of killing an elk consictently, cleanly and effectivly at 1K. If that is what you want, you will have to suck it up and part with the dough. If you absolutly cannot afford 2 rifles, you will have to do one of 2 things. 1: Get a smaller more cost effective long barrel life rifle and get closer. 2: Get the bigger rifle and shoot much less. Know that it is much harder to hit an elk at 1K with only a few trips to the range. It is hard in this sport to have your cake and eat it too!

 

[ol mike]

He said --shoot at pd's to get used to the rifle-- I don't think he's saying i want a pd/elk rifle.Although the mention of a 6mm AI makes it seem like a combo rifle is being asked for.

Myself i'd stick w/the big 7mm and 30 cal rifle.The 7 stw would be nice w/180gr bullets -good bc and not too horribly bad recoil w/lighter bullets on pd's.Best to you-----Mike

 

[davewilson]

get a 338RUM hopefully with a stock you like/prefer, get it pillar bedded,trigger work, load up some 225 accubonds with good dies and try it.that's the cheapest and probably the easiest 1K elk killing combo going.if it doesn't shoot good enough then rebarrel and get the action trued up.

 

[screech]

If you're still in the learning process of things like I am i would go with a 6.5x284 or 243ai and learn the game on pdogs. If you have expierence in the long range stuff, I would go with the 300rum or a 338 edge or kahn. You wont get the amounts of rounds out of a large caliber as you will a little one so you have more rounds to learn on before you're barrel is toast.

 

[Michael Eichele]

When did anyone practicing on pd's ever quit??!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Michael Eichele]

The 6.5x284 has just as bad a barrel life as a 300 RUM. This is also not a great caliber to cut your teeth on either.

 

[swebb38]

Hey wanna, Like most of the guys said, getting a consistent shooter from factory is hard, but I learned with a 300 H&H and just shot enough lower power loads to learn the rifle without killing barrel life. I would recommend a 300 win or 300 wsm or even the 325 wsm and then work from there. If you reload, then the 30 cal has alot of choices in smaller bullets down to 110 grn, but I shot 150's at 3000 fps and have not had any erosion of barrel life that was noticeable yet. I havent shot more than 400 rnds yet either though. Get the best you can afford and then modify it as you go and learn the rifle, thats the best advice I can give
Stacy

 

[Eaglet]

want-a-be,
This is what would do:
I would build me a 308 using a premium quality barrel of 30" long. I believe it would not be hard to get a 180 Accubond flying at a muzzle velocity of 2700 ft/sec. If your hunting at around 7000' elevation, it would produce the following:
1- Velocity would still be super sonic at 1350 yards.
I could shoot varmints, yotes, out to that distance.
2- Energy @ 1000 yards = 877 ft-lb good for deer & Antelope.
3- Energy @ 700 yards is close to 1300 ft-lb. Good for Elk.

It would last me much longer than most and I would still be
in the long range game. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif IMO

 

[mrussell]

Hey thanks for all the info!
I agree with the comment adout getting a combo gun for elk/pd's, but I feel that the placement of the bullet might be the key to a succesful hunt. The reason for shooting it at the pd's is if I can hit a pd at 1000 yd I should be able to hit the magic mark; i feel needed to take down an animal the size of an elk. If the case of shooting out the barrel I feel it is cheaper in a year or shorter/longer to replace the barrel on the action then to make a new rifle. I also have a 22-250 that I have used on pd's for the last 3 years. the longest shot on pd's was this last year at 497 yd, use a bushnell 800 range finder to find the distance. So, with that I use that rifle the most. I will hopefully in the next year or 2 rebuild it to accomplish my long range rifle collection.
It was also mentioned about relaoding I do reload, also I like the idea pased about the slowing the bullets to save the barrel.
Also I will have help with the project by a gun smith her in Utah, Northern part.

Again thanks Mike

 

[royinidaho]

[ QUOTE ]
get a 338RUM hopefully with a stock you like/prefer, get it pillar bedded,trigger work, load up some 225 accubonds with good dies and try it.that's the cheapest and probably the easiest 1K elk killing combo going.if it doesn't shoot good enough then rebarrel and get the action trued up.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto!

With a brake it will handle like the little fellas.

You won't shoot all the PDs in the patch but you'll shoot enough of them for practice. Works for yotes too, in open very unpopulated territory. Hey, all you want is practice on PDs etc, and a dead elk on the spot, once in a while.

 

[davewilson]

Roy, great minds think alike. or in our case, half a brain, thinks the same!