New project

[Thebear_78]

I had been toying with the idea of making a heavier long range hunting rifle. A lot of my hunting is based off a 4 wheeler so something with a little weight won't be a big deal and something with turrets would be nice.

I guess all the long range shooting with my heavy target rifles is spoiling me. My light hunting rifles are a joy to carry but when it comes to shooting little groups they can't compare to the heavier tactical style rifles. Ranging, dialing, and smacking long range steel sure does instill a bit of confidence.

I came across a deal on a local classifieds. It was for an unfinished long range rifle project.

A trued rem 700 magnum action. Bolt face trued, threads recut, bolt face trued, and bolt handle threaded. Nightforce 1pc rail with low 30mm Nightforce rings with bubble and coding indicator. A 30" broughton 1-11 .308 barrel in rem varmint contour and McMillan a4 stock. All said I'm into it for around 800 dollars.

Now I'm kind of stuck deciding what to do with it. I would have preferred a 1-10 twist, and had originally liked the game scout McMillan. I want something that I can use AICS magazines with. This is close to what I had in mind. All I'd need is to thread and chamber this barrel, pick up a bottom metal that takes AIC mags like the seekins. I already have a TIMNEY sitting on top of my gunsafe, so the trigger is covered.

The biggest question would be cartridge choice. If I use this barrel it has to be a 30 cal. I was thinking the time tested 300 WIN MAG. It would allow me to run up to 200-210gr bullets with ample power to kill big game out to 600+ yards. It also works very well with AICS mags, and brass is readily available.

What do you guys think of this plan? What cartridge would you guys recommend?

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[JD338]

I would chamber the 30 Nosler.

JD338

 

[Thebear_78]

Are dies and brass available yet? Do you know if it will feed thru an AICS magazine


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[IdahoCTD]

Personally I think I'd sell the barrel and get a 9 or 10 twist to be able to shoot the heavies. If I wanted to shoot the 208, 210, 212, 215 bullets a 300wm would be a good choice (and a 300wsm gives up very little to it in a long action. I shoot the same MV as my buddy with a 300wm with 215's in 26" barrels and I use 8grs less powder to do it) and if you want to shoot the 230's (and hopefully soon the 245 EOL Bergers) I would go to more hp like the 300 RUM or 300 Norma/ Norma Imp.

Brux is only about 5 weeks out to get barrels right now so it wouldn't kill your timeline much to order what you want.

 

[Guy Miner]

Forget the AICS magazine. You don't need it for a long-range hunting rifle. You're going to shoot one or two shots at most on a game animal. Save your money.

The 1:11 isn't all bad. I too would have rather had a 1:10, but if you're going to keep that barrel, you can still run 180's at serious velocity with good accuracy.

Have you considered the .300 Rem Ultra Mag? It's capable of amazing accuracy, and I was seeing up to 3200 fps with book loads and 200 gr Accubonds... Am thinking a 180 AccuBond would be at least 3300 fps...

Guy

 

[Thebear_78]

My main hunting rifle is a 300 Rum. It's a lighter weight rifle, 7 pounds 10 ounces scoped and slung. It also wears a scope without turrets so it's a hold over proposition at long range.

I think I've just been getting spoiled shooting my heavy target/tactical style rifles. Their just so much easier to shoot. Tiny 5 shot groups and range, dial, and "ping"sure are confidence boosters.


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[IdahoCTD]

I will say that I have a nice buck on my wall that I shot at 813yds with a 180 NBT going 3400fps from a long barreled 300rum and a 11 twist would work fine with that bullet. It's not exactly what I'd consider a LR bullet but it got the job done. I also know of a guy that shot a grizzly with one 200gr ELD-X bullet from a 300rum. It blew through both shoulders and was under the hide on the far side. Well actually he shot the bear twice because the guide insisted he do so when they got up to it and he even wanted him to shoot it a third time but the hunter said no. That was at about 400yds.

Personally I would rather have too much twist for every bullet I intended to shoot then not enough though. I doubt you'd have an issue getting rid of that barrel and getting another 9 or 10 twist barrel if you choose to do so.

I have many heavy rifles and they do make great target killers and steel ringers. They are also much more pleasant to shoot. My 16lb 30-338 Norma Imp pushing 230 Bergers 3045fps with 92grs of powder is a pussy cat compared to a 9 or 10lb 300wm shooting 215's at 2950fps with 77grs of powder.

BTW I bet you could almost get enough out of that A-4 to buy a Game Scout butou'd probably be better with the Game Warden if your going to use a RV contour barrel. The Game Scout forend gets a little thin with a barrel that big and for a long time McMillan wouldn't open a Game Scout up for that big of a barrel. It use to be a #5 contour was the max.

 

[SJB358]

I think a 300 Win is about perfect. It has a bunch of great cases available and with a great set up would really have plenty of power with good bullets. I am with the others, I'd rather have the 9 twist barrel to cover you for anything you'd wanna try from it.

There are a bunch of great cartridges but these days it would be nice to be able to get all of the cases I want instead of waiting on a sole source to produce them.

 

[sask boy]

I really don't own a long range type rifle other than my 280AI with a 26" Krieger SS barrel. If I was going to build one it would be either the 300WM or the 300RUM.
I would also go fast twist like 8.5 or 9.0 max.
Just my thoughts.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Thebear_78]

I sold the barrel today. Now I just need to figure out what barrel to replace it with.

That just opens the option up even further. I could stick with a 1-9 .308 barrel or try a 7mm 1-8. The 28 nosler is pretty impressive looking!


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[IdahoCTD]

The 28 Nosler is impressive but a 30 caliber will always kill better than a 7mm when similar designed bullets are going about the same speed. The thing I don't like about the 28 Nosler and 300RUM is the very limited selection of available brass. Since your set up already to shoot a 300RUM I would almost go that route if I were you. If you choose 300RUM I would call EOL and order enough Norma 300RUM brass to last the life of the barrel so you don't have brass availability issues.

I personally think .30 calibers are slightly more accurate than 7mm's too. Very few 7mm's are used for 1000yd benchrest compared to 6mm, 6.5mm, and .30 calibers. That has to tell you something.