Which Rifle should we choose?

[6mm Remington]

My son wants to save his OWN money and get another rifle. He currently has a Ruger MKII in 6mm Remington and has decided he (13 yoa & has shot a 300 WSM before) needs a 300 WSM for elk and bigger critters. We have been looking at lots of rifles and for various reasons have kind of narrowed the field down to one of these. Which would you guys choose, or something else?

Winchester Model 70 (The new ones. Are they shooters?)

Remington Model 700

Kimber

Ruger MKII (They don't carry the 300 WSM any longer, but have their 300 RCM which is almost a twin. Almost hate to get one of those in case they don't prove popular enough and are dropped from the Ruger line. I don't see anyone else chambering them yet.)

:? :?

 

[DrMike]

I have three of the new Model 70s. Each shoots acceptably. I took a young mule deer doe with the newer Model 70 chambered in 30-06 this fall. The 300 WSM is still in break-in, but it certainly shoots acceptably. The 270 WSM shoots very well indeed, and I used it to take a moose and a good mule deer buck this fall. I will say that for the new Winchesters that the fit and finish is very good indeed. I looked at two new Featherweights on the shelf this past week, chambered in 7mm-08 and in 300 WSM. The quality continues. I sold a Model 70 Super Grade in 300 WM. The craftsmanship in that rifle was superb. I like the Model 70, and I am comfortable in saying that you would not be disappointed with one of the newer Model 70s.

Remington certainly has a good reputation. You know what you are getting when you buy one. Recently, some of the Model 700s have not had the quality for which Remington is justly noted. However, I have no great complaints about the CDL I recently purchased. It is a good rifle and I don't believe I will be disappointed.

Kimber has a reputation for quality. They went through a period when quality control was questionable, but then, so has almost every manufacturer. Presently, there are no significant detractors on any of the forums that I watch.

Ruger makes a good rifle, but your hesitation to invest in the 300 RCM is probably well advised. Until the cartridge is established and brass becomes generally available, one should be cautious. Because it is a late arrival on the shooting scene, it is difficult to believe that it will ever become an industry leader.

All told, if your son is looking at any of these, he probably won't be disappointed. Best of luck.

 

[ram161]

I would check out the new Trophy Grade Nosler rifle.

 

[JD338]

I am a 700 fan. I have always had good luck with them and every one I have owned or worked with has shot MOA or better.
The 300 WSM would make for an excellent all around rifle.

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

Winchester Model 70 (The new ones. Are they shooters?)

That would be my choice.

 

[SJB358]

Every new M70 I have handled has been pretty nice, and had great wood and good metal to wood tolerances. I really like the M70, and have a few of the older New Haven ones and they are great rifles also. I would go with the M70, I like Remington CDL's also, but being an M70 fan, that would be my pick. Scotty

 

[6mm Remington]

Thanks for the input guys. I think the Nosler might be out of our reach cost wise. They do look like a great rifle though. I personally have had good luck with a Remington 700 I owned. It shot great without a lot of work. My two Ruger #1B's shoot great as well, and my sons MKII 6mm shoots good as well. I did have to do quite a bit of load work though to find the combination it liked. The scope mounting system is one of the best/most rugged ones out there too. I have only shot a couple of Kimbers and have never owned one. I have also never owned a Model 70, but from what I've read, the new ones made by FN are better than they ever have been. We thought about Tikka and Sako as they seem to make a rifle that shoots really well. I load for a friend who has the 325 WSM in a Tikka and it is a great rifle. My son does not like the detachable magazine though, both how it looks and how it feels to carry.

We have considered a rifle from HSM or the Montana Rifle Company, but again the price is a bit out of my sons reach even with me helping. I'm sure they would be nice just as the Nosler M48 probably is. I've been leaning towards the Winchester with the controlled round feed, or even contemplating getting a Ruger Hawkeye in 300 RCM and either having it rechambered or having a new barrel put on it. The 300 RCM and 300 WSM both should have a 24" barrel on them no matter how good the powders are from the factory. Does not do us much good if we cannot get the same powders and cannot possibly duplicate the loading procedures. More thought are welcome and I appreciate the help. :idea:

 

[Big Squeeze]

My son wants to save his OWN money and get another rifle. He currently has a Ruger MKII in 6mm Remington and has decided he (13 yoa & has shot a 300 WSM before) needs a 300 WSM for elk and bigger critters. We have been looking at lots of rifles and for various reasons have kind of narrowed the field down to one of these. Which would you guys choose, or something else?

Winchester Model 70 (The new ones. Are they shooters?)

Remington Model 700

Kimber

Ruger MKII (They don't carry the 300 WSM any longer, but have their 300 RCM which is almost a twin. Almost hate to get one of those in case they don't prove popular enough and are dropped from the Ruger line. I don't see anyone else chambering them yet.)

:? :?

...........................Before ruling out the 300 RCM, you may want to give Hornady a call and discuss with their sales or marketing dept any on-going marketing programs for the RCMs, such as RCM brass distribution and availability. After all, it was they who developed the RCMs.

I also remember these same concerns after the 375 Ruger was introduced too. Well! We all know too well what`s happening with the popularity of that cartridge!!!

I don`t know how large or how strong your son is, but if it were my son, my first concern would be how a rifle would feel, balances, carrys and when he shoulders it.

Sounds like he wants a 30 cal magnum, but in a more compact rifle pkg! The 300 RCM Ruger Hawkeye looks like a real sweety and for hunting, it would certainly do anything for him that he would need to do.

I myself have a handy little truck gun, which is an ideal rifle to carry in thick brush/timber, and is also capable as a serious long ranged open plains rifle too. He`d love this one for its size, but as you point out, it is no longer available from Ruger!! Although very handy, great handling and shorter, its too much imo for younger person to shoot well because of the added noise or blast!....But what fun they are!

From my shorty 300 WSM Ruger Frontier, I get 26" tubed 30-06 AI performance. The 300 RCM Ruger compact will approach, but not quite!

 

[R Flowers]

If your son really is set on a 300 WSM I would suggest he buy the Remington 700 SPS or XCR depending on his budget. You can get into the SPS for some really good prices.

I own a Remington 700 XCR in 300 WSM and am very happy with it. It shoots well. I have had NO feeding problems with it. It handles so well that when hunting with it I feel like it is lighter than it really is. It kicks a good deal less than my 300 Wby Mag.

On the other hand, the new Model 70 Winchesters I have seen in the store look like great rifles, good quality control. I just have not talked to anyone who has shot one as of yet.

I would stay away from Kimber at all costs. Their quality is like a roller coaster. I tried to develop loads for a couple guys who bought Kimber's and I never could get them to shoot for crap. Another friend bought one in 300 WSM and when he tried to adjust the trigger he wound up breaking it, not sure what he did, but it had to go back for a new trigger.

I agree with you on the Ruger. Ruger makes good guns that are hell for stout, but I feel like the 300 RCM is going to be short lived.

Try the Remington 700, hard to beat, in my opinion. (I am not prejudiced or anything, I only own about a dozen of them.)

 

[corbin9191]

You can take a look at the weatherby vanguards. They have a 300 wsm for $399.99.

 

[3006savage]

I would lean toward a control round feed for the WSM series cartridges. The Kimber or Winchester Classic would be my choice.

 

[Powerstroke]

AS a couple of the above mentioned posts I'm biased towards the Rem 700's. I have a newer SPS that I can say isn't the quality of the older 700's, but with that said, I believe it to be cosmetic because it shoots well under an inch @ a hundred yards.

It sounds like your Son is definately sticking to his guns ( no pun intended ) for a .30 cal.
If " BIG " critters are in the near future, don't over-look the .300RUM in a CDL model.......?? Remington has their power level ammo of which can be duplicated I believe fairly easily...... Load it light for now and get some trigger time and then certianly able to step it up for anything that walks N-America....??

 

[257 Ackley]

Don't overlook the Tikka rifles. They chamber the 300 WSM, and I have yet to find someone say that they don't shoot well. They are nice light rifles that use the same barrels as Sako's. Save some money and put it into a better scope.

The model 70 would be my second choice, especially in a featherweight. It is a great classic rifle with a controled feed bolt.

Remingtons do not have out-of-the-box accuracy anymore (imho) and you will need to do some work on them (trigger, removal of pressure point and bedding).

Tell him to hurry up and buy the rifle, so he can sell me the 6mm :wink:

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

The Remington SPS is a good value for a 13 year old. It's a great action, and the rifle won't bust the budget. Remington also has alot of after market options avaliable.

If he plan's to buy it, and keep it as is forever, the Winchester Model 70 Classics are hard to beat.

 

[nodak7mm]

Ford - Chevy - Dodge???? Just dont buy a Yugo.

Everyone has named quality off the shelf rifles, everyone has their favorites. Take junior and go off and have some quality man time while teaching him the finer points of countertop foreplay and rack fondling techniques. Let him decide... He's the one dreaming...

Me, I am partial perusing the used racks, all they need is a little loving... Dont forget the 300 Winnie. If he is shooting a wsm, he can handle the win mag.

:wink: Rod

 

[6mm Remington]

257 Ackley
He IS NOT selling his 6mm! Sorry :grin: Right now he is leaning towards the Model 70.

Nodak 7mm
I am letting him do the drooling, it's just nice to get some more opinions and see what experiences other folks have had with a particular rifle. We did look at the Tikka's, and I am aware of the fact that they are shooters. He just doesn't care for them with the detachable magazine. I load for a friend with a Tikka in 325 WSM and it really is a nice rifle and it shoots very well.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

Would go with a 700 or 70 personally.

Never had or seen one that wouldn't shoot 1" or better with a trigger job and reloads relatively easy.

If your set on the 300 WSM, theres all sorts of configurations in them and they are a good caliber. Nothing wrong with the 300 Win mag either, as well as a ton of choices there. I wouldn't put any money on that ruger compact magnum. It wont stay around to long I bet. Stockpile on brass if thats what ya decide...

 

[SJB358]

Your right about the 300 Win Mag. Great round and it will shoot the heavier 200gr bullets very well. I love mine. Plus, your boy wouldn't have to look for another rifle for any hunting here in North America and probably most of Africa. Scotty

 

[sask boy]

700 is my choice as I have 4 of them right now.
The cdl is a great rifle.
I think my second choice would be the Vanguard maybe my first if they made them in a lefty model.


Blessings,
Dan