Which weapon/caliber should i go with?

[Yoshie]

Hello! I have been a guest reader to longrangehunting.com for over a year and have finally decided to join!
I am just starting to get into long range hunting, but i have been a competitive shooter and a reloader for quite a few years now. I am looking to step up my game and invest in a long range hunting rifle!

My max distance that i am looking to shoot would be 800 - 900 yards. I already have a Huskemaw scope and i am dieing to pair it to a gun and get its custom dial installed.

I have been thinking about purchasing a remington 700 Sendero SF-II in 300 RUM or 7mm RUM. I have heard nothing but good reviews about this weapon and am thinking this would be a good entry level weapon.

Just recently, i started thinking about my Weatherby Vanguard in 300 WBY mag that i have in the safe.. it just is sitting there and once i get my long range hunter i would never use it. I had thought about replacing the stock and barrel and just making that into my long range hunting gun... i do have all the reloading equipment (brass too!) and it seems that this might be another sensible route.

Then there is the Weatherby Mark V Accumark in 30-378 WBY mag that has been staring me down every time i walk into my local gunshop. Would this gun be accurate enough for the distance that i am looking to shoot? I noticed on the manufacture website that they only guarantee a 1.5 MOA accuracy(thats worse than my vanguard guarantee!).

That being said, i am definitely liking the 30-378 ballistics but i am unsure about what to do. any thoughts?

Sorry for the long post, but i want to get all the info out on the table.

 

[rscott5028]

What do you want to kill at 900 yds?

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

An off the shelf 30-378 accumark will easily hit and kill anything you want to at 800-900 yards with proper loads. It is as good a rifle as there is on the market. Next thing to a custom. All I have worked with were shooters. Your 300 wby vanguard will do the same thing so really you don't have to buy another. You have a really nice rifle. The remington 300 RUM is also outstanding but don't go to the 7mm. It burns barrels faster than you can screw them in. I used the 300 RUM this year to make a couple long range kills one morning. I really like the 300 RUM.

 

[trebark]

Lots of factors go into your decision like budget and game you intend to hunt.

So I will make some assumptions...that you intend to keep the expenditure low and that you intend to hunt deer size game to 900 yards.

From these assumptions, here's a couple of ideas on an escalating $$ scale....

1. 'accurize' your current 300wby. This means, new stock, bed action into stock, tune trigger, recrown barrel.

2. 'light custom'. Do the same as #1 but add custom barrel, this would also allow you to choose whatever cartridge you wanted including the 300RUM.

3. Although it might not be the most expensive, the next option would be to buy the sendero and sell the weatherby.

Even tougher decisions than these will be choosing the components you want as this will bring other variables into the process like hunting style, but that's another conversation all together.

 

[Yoshie]

rscott5028: I will mainly be hunting deer, antelope, and Aoudad sheep... I would go on an occasional elk hunt, but it would be at closer ranges im sure (500 and in?).

long time long ranger: I have heard that about a 7mm, its reassuring to hear it again! Would the 300 RUM be that much of an improvement compared to the 300 wby?

trebark: You would assume correct, I would like to keep it as cost effective as possible without sacrificing too much accuracy and power. I am interrested in your second suggestion. What would all be involved with chambering the new barrel to 300 RUM? would i need a new bolt / extractor? and is it worth the extra cost/work(if there is any) to make it a 300 RUM?

If i went with the 'light custom' approach, i was thinking about these components:
-Bell & Carlson Medalist Weatherby Style Stock for Vanguard with Aluminum Bedding
-28" .308 cal Stainless Krieger barrel, fluted with a muzzle break in a 1-11 twist (this would allow me to shoot the heavy 210 bergers)
-Rifle Basix 12oz - 1.5lb trigger

Im not set on any specifics (manufacturer length contour etc). would you guys have any ideas?


thanks so much for the help!

 

[trebark]

trebark: You would assume correct, I would like to keep it as cost effective as possible without sacrificing too much accuracy and power. I am interrested in your second suggestion. What would all be involved with chambering the new barrel to 300 RUM? would i need a new bolt / extractor? and is it worth the extra cost/work(if there is any) to make it a 300 RUM?

If i went with the 'light custom' approach, i was thinking about these components:
-Bell & Carlson Medalist Weatherby Style Stock for Vanguard with Aluminum Bedding
-28" .308 cal Stainless Krieger barrel, fluted with a muzzle break in a 1-11 twist (this would allow me to shoot the heavy 210 bergers)
-Rifle Basix 12oz - 1.5lb trigger

Im not set on any specifics (manufacturer length contour etc). would you guys have any ideas?

28" Krieger, 1:11 twist is a nice set up for a 300RUM. You could even consider 1:10 if you wanted to shoot the 240grain SMK. How you go about having the rebarrel done is with a good gunsmith. They will walk you through the entire process. Essentially you lay out the parameters you want - length, contour, flutes (6, 8, 10 etc), choose the brake you want. Your smith will order the barrel and handle the chambering and install the brake. Your smith will also tell you about what needs to be done to your bolt face if that is necessary (I am not sure). You can get an idea of scope and cost of th project by talking with a gunsmith. I recommend Kevin Cram at Montour County Rifles. He built my 260 last year and I am going to pick up my 300RUM later this week. www.montourcountyrifles.com

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f53/my-260-mcr-59628/

Is it all worth it? Of course, that depends. If you are getting acceptable accuracy from your current barrel, why change? I don't think you gain much ballistically to go from the Wby to the RUM.

I just thought of one more option....rechamber current barrel in 300RUM?? gunsmith could tell you if that is doable.

In terms of your stock and trigger choices, they're pretty good.

 

[Yoshie]

sounds great! thanks for the help!

 

[rscott5028]

Just recently, i started thinking about my Weatherby Vanguard in 300 WBY mag that i have in the safe.. it just is sitting there and once i get my long range hunter i would never use it. I had thought about replacing the stock and barrel and just making that into my long range hunting gun... i do have all the reloading equipment (brass too!) and it seems that this might be another sensible route.

Perfect.

Mount good optics with a 20 MOA picatinny rail.

Start handloading and see how well you can get it to shoot.

Afterwards, have it accurized and/or rebarreled if needed.

When rebarreling, you can stick with 300 Wby in order to continue with your dies and brass. Otherwise, rechamber if desired. But, 7mm RM and up will accomplish your goal.

Good luck and keep us posted!
Richard

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

On average about 125 fps gain with the 300 RUM over the 300 wby. So if your 300 wby shoots accurately no need to go to the trouble. The 300 wby is very capable at 1000+ yards. With a 200 grain bullet the 300 wby hits around 3100 fps and the 300 RUM around 3225 fps with max loads. That is an average of many rifles on my range and the 5-6 300 wby's I have and three 300 RUM's I have. Mine have 26-28 inch barrels. I have owned and shot the 300 wby since the 60's and the 300 RUM since before remington introduced it in 1999.

In the fall of 1999 I started hunting long range with the 300 RUM taking several animals including elk and caribou. I still use it regularly for long range. I have about everything in rifles and the 300 RUM remains one of my top choices when I go hunting.

 

[Yoshie]

ok. That's good to hear about the weatherby! I have never liked the barrel on my vanguard. I have gotten it shooting around 3/4 inch at 100 yards. Unfortunatley, i must let it cool down after 2 - 3 shots because it gets smokin hot incredibly fast. It also feels like a noodle because it so long and skinny. I figured a thicker fluted muzzle-braked barrel would be the best choice. I also dont want to work out a turret for my huskemaw on a barrel that i would most likely replace soon .

I called Kevin from MCR and he said i should look at a 28" sendero contour fluted brux barrel with a muscle break.

He gave me a ballpark for:
-installation and purchase of barrel, stock(bedded), muzzle brake.
-action blueprinted
for around $1325

It seems like that is a good deal?
I asked him to email me a quote with it chambered in 300 wby and 300 RUM. if the price difference is insignificant i'd probably go with the 300 RUM.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

If you rebarrel go with the 300 RUM. Both are great cartridges but my opinion would be the RUM.

 

[trebark]

Given the choice, definitely go with the RUM. Should not be any difference in cost to chamber Wby vs. RUM unless he charges you for the reamer.

Also, depending on your particular hunting style, I would generally opt for a slightly heavier contour than the Sendero. But that's just me.

 

[Yoshie]

ohh i see. well Kevin said that if i go with the 300 RUM the price would stay the same. However, he said that the 300 RUM probably wouldnt be able to fit in the magazine and be able to touch the lands and grooves with the heavier bullets. what contour would you suggest? he aslo asked if i wanted straight or interrupted flutes? are interrupted flutes better or are they for looks?

as for twist rate... i was thinking about using the 185 or 210 berger VLD.... am i on the right track here with a 1 in 11" twist?

 

[trebark]

ohh i see. well Kevin said that if i go with the 300 RUM the price would stay the same. However, he said that the 300 RUM probably wouldnt be able to fit in the magazine and be able to touch the lands and grooves with the heavier bullets. what contour would you suggest? he aslo asked if i wanted straight or interrupted flutes? are interrupted flutes better or are they for looks?

as for twist rate... i was thinking about using the 185 or 210 berger VLD.... am i on the right track here with a 1 in 11" twist?

aaahhh....the RUM is sufficiently longer than the Wby that it won't fit in the magazine well. This means in order to take full advantage of the RUM case, you will have to use the rifle as a single-shot. Alternatively, ask him if he can install a Wyatt's mag box. This would add to your cost, but would allow you to use the rifle as a repeater.

As for flutes, really the only thing they do is cut down on weight and make your rifle look cool. If you search the Gun Photo section of LRH you will find plenty of examples of both.

As for rate of twist, you should set it up with a twist rate appropriate for the heaviest bullet you intend to shoot. 1:11 is fine for the 210 grain class bullets. If you want to shoot the 240grain Sierra Match King, you should go at least 1:10 (this will not hurt your ability to shoot the 210VLD). FYI, I had my RUM set up with a 1:10 just in case I wanted to shoot the 240.

In terms of the contour, I am still fairly young and in good shape, so a heavier rifle doesn't particularly bother me. Also, my two long-range rigs are set up to sit 'here' and shoot 'there'. So with my intended use, I hike to a firing point, set up and shoot. Typically a heavier barrel is more accurate than a lighter one. So when it comes down to it, it's all about your intended use. If you want the rifle for a 'carry' gun, then go with the sendero contour. If you're more like me, then go heavier. My RUM has a modified #18 brux barrel (modified because it is .950 at the muzzle rather than .875)