Building an Elk Rifle

[Guy Miner]

"Rem 700 SPS Stainless 300RUM"

Well, you'll have plenty of power on tap. I was seeing roughly 3200 fps with factory loaded Remington ammo and 200 grain Nosler Partitions!

For handloading I turned to what has become a near standard load for that cartridge: 200 gr Nosler AccuBond and 95 grains of Retumbo. It's fierce. And accurate.

Guy

 

[Woodycreek]

"Rem 700 SPS Stainless 300RUM"

Well, you'll have plenty of power on tap. I was seeing roughly 3200 fps with factory loaded Remington ammo and 200 grain Nosler Partitions!

For handloading I turned to what has become a near standard load for that cartridge: 200 gr Nosler AccuBond and 95 grains of Retumbo. It's fierce. And accurate.

Guy

That's the load that I use in the Sendero. Thinking about using 180s and 7828ssc or RL-22 to get the recoil down on a rifle that will weigh 2.5-3 pounds less. If I go with 7828 that means I use 10gr less powder than Retumbo and hopefully less recoil?

 

[IdahoCTD]

That's why I'm not a big fan of the RUM....the amount of powder used for the gain over a .30-8mm is incredible. I use 76gr of R-22 with a 210gr Matrix bullet out of a 27 1/2" barrel for 3100fps. So even if you use R-22 or 7828 in the RUM (which isn't ideal) your about 10gr of additional powder for around 100fps. If I want to burn a lot of powder I'd go .30-.338 Lapua. With the Lapua you get about the best brass available and the OAL length is shorter than a RUM. You could sell the bolt from the standard action you have and get a PTG .338 Lapua bolt. Get a good barrel, a mag box, and follower and away you go. I bought a resizing reamer for a .30-.338 Lapua AI so I can build dies for anything from the .30 caliber version of a .338 Lapua AI and up. I plan on doing a .30, .338, and possibly a .375.

The 6.5-.280 AI will get you close to a 6.5WSM but it won't match it. Probably within 100fps and not enough for an animal to tell the difference.

 

[SJB358]

That's why I'm not a big fan of the RUM....the amount of powder used for the gain over a .30-8mm is incredible. I use 76gr of R-22 with a 210gr Matrix bullet out of a 27 1/2" barrel for 3100fps. So even if you use R-22 or 7828 in the RUM (which isn't ideal) your about 10gr of additional powder for around 100fps. If I want to burn a lot of powder I'd go .30-.338 Lapua. With the Lapua you get about the best brass available and the OAL length is shorter than a RUM. You could sell the bolt from the standard action you have and get a PTG .338 Lapua bolt. Get a good barrel, a mag box, and follower and away you go. I bought a resizing reamer for a .30-.338 Lapua AI so I can build dies for anything from the .30 caliber version of a .338 Lapua AI and up. I plan on doing a .30, .338, and possibly a .375.

The 6.5-.280 AI will get you close to a 6.5WSM but it won't match it. Probably within 100fps and not enough for an animal to tell the difference.

Thats great info IdahoCTD. That sounds like alot of wisdom behind these big cases. The 30-338 Lapua AI sounds like a beast as well. What a horse of a 30 cal...

I know Joel's 264WSM is a beast. It really is hammering with 130's and it is accurate as all get out. My 264WM isn't a slouch either, but I do like the WSM's a bit more. Scotty

 

[IdahoCTD]

The bad thing about WSM's and the RUM's is they are limited by mag box length. My .30-8mm is the same way but the throat is shorter than a RUM. So with a standard mag box I can put one down with the bullets seated .040" from the lands. OAL is just under 3.8". The .300 Norma is better because it is shorter and fatter but you have to deal with the larger bolt face and case diameter. Most accuracy loads for the Norma run about the same speed as my .30-8mm. The Lapua is also shorter and also has the bigger bolt face but holds more powder. That is why I recommended the 300wm at the beginning. With bullets seated out they still fit the magazine and why I'd do the Lapua case if I wanted more than it or a .300 Dakota. The down side to the Dakota is the bolt face size (.545). If you have a lathe and some time then that is a easy fix for the brass as it's only .013" different (.0065" per side). If you need a larger bolt face anyway and go with a sako/m-16 extractor then it is easy to deal with the additional size also. The Dakota is about the same speed as my .30-8mm just shorter but it's better brass. I do the .30-8mm because I have the reamer and have built a bunch of them and they all shoot crazy accurate.

In the same thinking I'm going to build a 7-300wm. You can seat the bullets out and get close to STW velocity but it still fits the standard mag boxes. 3200+fps out of a 26" barrel with a 168gr bullet with a OAL of 3.6". You can get RWS brass for it which I just got last week to neck down and send a sample for the reamer. I sold my friend a STW I built with a Brux 30" barrel and he is getting 3325fps with 168's in a 30" barrel. I'd give up 125fps for 4" less barrel and loaded rounds that function through a standard mag box.

When you've done tons of different wildcats and standard calibers over the years you look for ways to make life easier, the best brass you can get, fitting in a standard mag, shorter barrels, etc.

 

[Wondermutt]

I have killed more elk with my 700 bdl 30-06 than with my 300 ultra mag. But, I feel more comfortable making longer shots with the RUM.

I got the ultra mag a impulse buy and don't regret it. I think that any of the calibers listed will do the job. After all, bullet placement is more important than what puts that bullet there.

 

[35 Whelen]

I couldnt choose Scotty because you didnt list the .338 WM ............. my 1st choice for an Elk Rifle so now that I know you are building up another lets get your Featherweight Stainless boxed up to send to Maine............. I will take that off your hands anytime and you can put all your attention into this new build???? Whata say hosay???

 

[SJB358]

The rifle isn't for me buddy. I have the 338 and its not likely to go anywhere. It's been good to my family and I. This was posted for Woodycreek. I'm pretty sure he will end up getting another Ultramag to tote around. Not a bad choice and certainly alot of smash, but until Winchester starts chambering them, I can't condone it! Ha. Just kidding! Kind of :twisted:

 

[BK]

Well you're sure trying hard to talk me out of my RUM!

 

[SJB358]

Well you're sure trying hard to talk me out of my RUM!

Kurt, I just found a Stainless Classic 300RUM on GunBroker. It was listed at 650-700... That would be the combo I would go after for an all weather rifle.

I would take your Sporter in a heartbeat.

 

[BK]

Man, I hope you are all over that! That's a screaming deal!

 

[DrMike]

So, does the 300 WSM win a place in Brian's heart? What's it going to be?

 

[SJB358]

Man, I hope you are all over that! That's a screaming deal!

It was sold! Not to me or Brian though. 650.00. That would have been a sweet set up for him.

Mike, I'm pretty sure Brian is sticking with his RUM. He already has loads, dies and components so it is less expensive overall to stick with the same cartridge. As for me, the little 300 is winning my attention one round at a time.