M48 Professional....what cartridge?

[Anonymous]

I've been thinking about ordering a M48 Professional and can't for the life of me decide which cartridge I would get.

I've got a .300WSM that i like so a .30-06 or .300WM would be too similar and sort of pointless...same for a .308Win.

Same sort of thinking could be applied to the 7mmRM- although I've never been a fan of the cartridge, the 7mm bug is growing on me. .280AI is intriguing but ultimately I'd take a 7mmRM over one.

.338WM kind of gets my heart rate up....I pretty much use a .300WSM and a .375Rug for everything- the .338 pretty well splits the difference and toting a .338 in AK is never a really BAD idea.

.35 Whelen has some proponents but it leaves me cold. Similarly, I love my .270 but I'm not going to lay down that kind of scratch for a smaller bore rifle...I've got a pretty nice .270 already as a "Sunday go to meeting rifle".

Thoughts folks?

 

[Mortis]

Sounds like ya got your heart set on a 338WM......

If ya needing a nudge in that direction, consier yourself nudged.

 

[SJB358]

Sounds like ya got your heart set on a 338WM......

If ya needing a nudge in that direction, consier yourself nudged.

I second the 338 Win Mag.. Pretty awesome cartridge and you won't ever be short of places to find ammo in your neck of the woods, it has to be about as common as 30-06..

 

[Anonymous]

I hear you guys...the .338WM is the odds on choice. A lot of guys use them for everything- the ".30-06 of the North".

Still toying with the idea of a 7mmRM but I'm not sure it will do anything any better than my .300WSM whereas the .338 is an entirely different class of cartridge.

 

[IdahoCTD]

I'd do a .338-.375 Ruger like Scotty and Brian are doing. A shorter version of a .340 Weatherby. Then again there is nothing the .338 will do that the .375 Ruger parent can't come close to or better.

 

[DrMike]

Since your focus is the M48 Professional, you have to work with that they offer. What are you planning to use it for? That would determine the cartridge, I should think. Since you have a 300WSM and don't particularly want a 35 Whelen ( :shock: ), that leaves a 338WM or a 325WSM in larger cartridges. If you are looking for a smaller rifle, perhaps a 260 Rem or a 257 Bob would scratch your itch. If a varmint rifle is in the picture, then a 22-250 Rem would fit the bill quite nicely.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm thinking just a general big game rifle...moose, bears, caribou. If I sheep hunt again, my .300 will get to go.

.338WM is probably the most sensible choice although I could easily hunt everything with a .300WM or WSM.

The .325 is interesting but I'm not sure it's that much more potent in reality than the the .300.

 

[DrMike]

When considering 200 grain bullets or 220 grain bullets, the 325WSM and the 300WSM are essentially identical. You get the slight advantage of some more frontal area in the 325WSM and a modicum of lower bearing surface for a modest velocity increase. Still, it is a fine cartridge that does a good job. In light of your comment, however, you really have only one choice, and that is the 338WM. One could do a whole lot worse than to carry a 338WM, however.

 

[JD338]

The choice is between the 338 Win Mag and the 280 AI.

There is a lot of cool factor with the 280 AI. Same performance as the 7mm Rem Mag but in a smaller case.
You already have to bigger bores covering both sides of the 338 Win Mag so of the two choices, I would suggest the 280 AI.

JD338

 

[Anonymous]

I've found a M48 TGR locally in .338WM. What a very nice feeling rifle.

How does it differ from the M48 Professional. Color and bottom metal?

 

[SJB358]

Not sure, but a TGR in a 338WM would be a cool customer!

 

[Nosler4]

I've found a M48 TGR locally in .338WM. What a very nice feeling rifle.

How does it differ from the M48 Professional. Color and bottom metal?

Color, bottom metal and trigger guard (TGR is a blind bottom magazine), TGR has a chrome-moly steel barrel, M48 Pro has a stainless steel barrel. Accuracy guarantee is the same for both rifles, as is the stock.

FWIW, I hunt with a 35 Whelen TGR and absolutely love it--the 338 Win would be a great choice for sure.

Any questions, let me know!

Thx

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I seem to be the odd man out here, these guys like the medium bore calibers, LOL...and I do too, many here sing the well deserved praises of the 35 Whelen...I've never owned a Whelen that I fired (I do have an unfired Remington 700 Classic in that caliber) but I have three 350 Remington Magnums...which is pretty much a ballistic twin to the 35 Whelen.

I have outgrown being young and tough...I don't much like recoil as much as I used to...My vote goes to the 280AI...A good bit of power and versatility in a package with 2" less barrel, less recoil, and less barrel wear than the 7mmRM.

 

[bullet]

Go with the TGR, absolutely a fine rifle for the field and I have held the other Noslers models but so glad I bought a TGR. Go with 338WM, 325WSM or 35 Whelen and never worry about what you will be hunting and if it is enough. I like the 7mm08 over the 280AI because when I can get as Q/L says (and they were correct about it being under max pressures) a 160gr bullet moving over 2800fps, that is like some factory ammo for the 7mm Mag and I use much less powder, the 7mm08 with a 24inch barrel is very efficient. Now don't anybody get all bent out of shape because I would choose the 7mm08 over the 280AI because I have a very light rifle, less recoil, outstanding and consistent accuracy from group to group and bullet weight to bullet weight and much easier to load for than the 280AI which is a great round, but I think the cartridges from .325 - .358 would be more pleasing for your needs because you have the smaller bores.

 

[Guy Miner]

If I ever go for a Nosler rifle - it's going to have to be a "do it all" kind of cartridge, because I'd have to sell off several rifles, large and small bore, to afford it.

Likely bigger than my .25-06, but not as big as the .375 H&H. Good thing since Nosler doesn't make one.

Probably the very prosaic .30-06, since it will handle the outstanding 220 gr Nosler Partition so well, or can do just fine with the more standard 165 & 180 gr bullets.

Honestly, I could see replacing most of my hunting rifles with one good Nosler rifle chambered for a versatile cartridge like a .280 AI or .30-06, for deer, bear, pronghorn & elk. Hunting anything else would be very unusual for me.

FWIW, Guy

 

[DrMike]

If I ever go for a Nosler rifle - it's going to have to be a "do it all" kind of cartridge, because I'd have to sell off several rifles, large and small bore, to afford it.

Likely bigger than my .25-06, but not as big as the .375 H&H. Good thing since Nosler doesn't make one.

Probably the very prosaic .30-06, since it will handle the outstanding 220 gr Nosler Partition so well, or can do just fine with the more standard 165 & 180 gr bullets.

Honestly, I could see replacing most of my hunting rifles with one good Nosler rifle chambered for a versatile cartridge like a .280 AI or .30-06, for deer, bear, pronghorn & elk. Hunting anything else would be very unusual for me.

FWIW, Guy

Good thinking, Guy.

 

[FOTIS]

338 win mag

Stop complicating your life....

 

[bullet]

If I ever go for a Nosler rifle - it's going to have to be a "do it all" kind of cartridge, because I'd have to sell off several rifles, large and small bore, to afford it.

Likely bigger than my .25-06, but not as big as the .375 H&H. Good thing since Nosler doesn't make one.

Probably the very prosaic .30-06, since it will handle the outstanding 220 gr Nosler Partition so well, or can do just fine with the more standard 165 & 180 gr bullets.

Honestly, I could see replacing most of my hunting rifles with one good Nosler rifle chambered for a versatile cartridge like a .280 AI or .30-06, for deer, bear, pronghorn & elk. Hunting anything else would be very unusual for me.

FWIW, Guy

Very well said, and if one cartridge in a M48 I would have to go with the 30-06 because of its ability to handle the heavier bullets making it more of an all around than the 280AI and the same reason I would choose the 30-06 over the 7mm Rem mag for an all around cartridge.

 

[SJB358]

338 win mag

Stop complicating your life....

I am with Fotis there.... Or a 35 Whelen if you wanna get a little off the path..

 

[Oldtrader3]

I would go with the .338 WM.