Thread: Firearm upgrade options?

Just looking for some advice/opinions on what to do with my current rifle situation, I've been hunting for a couple years now and have had a Howa 1500 in .270, I've taken deer from 5m-380m with this but I've treated it like a bush pig and accuracy is starting to waiver, and I kind of just want a new gun anyway (I know at least the crown has some pitting).
I would also like to start practicing pushing my shots out further in preparation for a trip down south (<600m). The .270 has served me very well as an all rounder, but I'm thinking of getting two different rifles for the different type of hunting I do, so a long range rifle and a bush rifle.
My only concern with that is often I hunt in mixed areas where I might be bush hunting 1/2 the time and the other 1/2 glassing faces at 200-500m, I'd hate to have a deer that I would be able to shoot with my long range rifle but can't because I've got the bush rifle. On the contrary I'd feel stupid lugging a big LR rifle through the bush to get to some slips only to have a big stag come before me and not be able to shoot it with my huge scope.
From the way I see it I've got a few options:
1: Keep the .270, recrown and continue to use that as an all rounder
2: Recrown .270, use that as long range rig with speciality projectiles, buy bush rifle
3: Chop down .270, use as bush rifle, buy long range rifle
4: Sell .270, buy long range rifle, buy bush rifle
5: Sell .270, buy something else that acts as an all rounder

For sake of argument let's just pretent cost isn't an issue.

So, what would you do in my situation? (open to other opinions)

1 or 5

the specialty long range pills in 270 will likely work great at bush ranges too
simply using hornady superformance factory loaded stuff will get you 95% of the way there

Option 3.. short 270 goes well, even if you don’t reload.

Only option I see working for option 5 would be something like a 20 inch 300wsm/7mmRM/6.5prc with a suppressor - but to get the best out of those reloading is really the way to go. I run a 6.5prc at 20inches and it’s awesome

What is the twist rate? Will it stabilize long range projectiles?

If cost isn't an issue then option 4.
Sell Howa and by two Tikkas.

If cost is an issue then option 3 or 5.

If you aren't going to use a suppressor something like 6.5PRC/7SAUM in a 20" barrel will be fine in the bush amd also have more than enough ompff to get out to 600 yards.

…… .308…….

Option 1 or 5.

Send it my way and Ill send you back either a 7PRC.

Got a brand new 7mm barrel, M24 profile, currently 24" long, chambered in 7 PRC sitting on the shelf.

Can always profile it down and shorten it.

#1

Originally Posted by Jaco Goosen

Option 1 or 5.

Send it my way and Ill send you back either a 7PRC.

Got a brand new 7mm barrel, M24 profile, currently 24" long, chambered in 7 PRC sitting on the shelf.

Can always profile it down and shorten it.

A great option

Sent from my CPH2145 using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Bill999

the specialty long range pills in 270 will likely work great at bush ranges too
simply using hornady superformance factory loaded stuff will get you 95% of the way there

The precision rounds in the .270 are pretty impressive, when comparing to 7mmRM you have practically the same drop, but lose about 50m on kill energy, so definitely a tempting option but the itch for a new rifle might just be too much to handle

Originally Posted by Missalot

Option 3.. short 270 goes well, even if you don’t reload.

Only option I see working for option 5 would be something like a 20 inch 300wsm/7mmRM/6.5prc with a suppressor - but to get the best out of those reloading is really the way to go. I run a 6.5prc at 20inches and it’s awesome

Hmmm an excuse to get into l reloading you say, I've been tempted before but couldn't justify it. But if it saves buying a whole other rifle while not sacrificing significant performance then maybe that's the way to go. I do like the idea of a 20" T3X lite in 7mmRM.

Originally Posted by Bol Tackshin

What is the twist rate? Will it stabilize long range projectiles?

Great question, I've been trying to figure that out since I owned the rifle, from overseas listings I think it's 1-10"

Originally Posted by Beetroot

If cost isn't an issue then option 4.
Sell Howa and by two Tikkas.

If cost is an issue then option 3 or 5.

If you aren't going to use a suppressor something like 6.5PRC/7SAUM in a 20" barrel will be fine in the bush amd also have more than enough ompff to get out to 600 yards.

I just know on some hunts I'm gonna struggle to decide which one to pick up, so at this point I think I'm leaning towards a do it all rifle.
I'll be using a supressor, I'm currently used to lugging around my 22" barrel with a barrel forward supressor so any improvement in overall length will be a win for me, hopefully that should be achievable with a 20" barrel and an overbarrel supressor.

Originally Posted by Jaco Goosen

Option 1 or 5.

Send it my way and Ill send you back either a 7PRC.

Got a brand new 7mm barrel, M24 profile, currently 24" long, chambered in 7 PRC sitting on the shelf.

Can always profile it down and shorten it.

Have been eyeing up the 7mmPRC but wanted a Tikka and they don't do that yet, what would something like that set me back?

Option 2

Originally Posted by samohtxotom

Just looking for some advice/opinions on what to do with my current rifle situation, I've been hunting for a couple years now and have had a Howa 1500 in .270, I've taken deer from 5m-380m with this but I've treated it like a bush pig and accuracy is starting to waiver, and I kind of just want a new gun anyway (I know at least the crown has some pitting).
I would also like to start practicing pushing my shots out further in preparation for a trip down south (<600m). The .270 has served me very well as an all rounder, but I'm thinking of getting two different rifles for the different type of hunting I do, so a long range rifle and a bush rifle.
My only concern with that is often I hunt in mixed areas where I might be bush hunting 1/2 the time and the other 1/2 glassing faces at 200-500m, I'd hate to have a deer that I would be able to shoot with my long range rifle but can't because I've got the bush rifle. On the contrary I'd feel stupid lugging a big LR rifle through the bush to get to some slips only to have a big stag come before me and not be able to shoot it with my huge scope.
From the way I see it I've got a few options:
1: Keep the .270, recrown and continue to use that as an all rounder
2: Recrown .270, use that as long range rig with speciality projectiles, buy bush rifle
3: Chop down .270, use as bush rifle, buy long range rifle
4: Sell .270, buy long range rifle, buy bush rifle
5: Sell .270, buy something else that acts as an all rounder

For sake of argument let's just pretent cost isn't an issue.

So, what would you do in my situation? (open to other opinions)

I would go with 1 definitely, then possibly look at shortening it / suppressing it. Rather than a whole LR rig while you are starting out, find a scope that has a spread suitable for med LR and a low power (4-16 or 3-16 ) Use your budget here first....Then do two things
- Leave it at the lowest magnification when hunting as default...if a longer shot presents itself you will usually have time to adjust it and get ready for the shot....
- Learn to dial your scope and get a decent range finder. 270 with 140gr interlock whitetail at 500 yards is still very close to the 7mm RM interlock 139gr so 'trading up' will not make a great difference unless you go BIG.....(you can load biggger pills into the 7mmRM but the gains still do not justify the cost of a new rifle)
- Spend you new rifle budget on more ammo and get some practise in.....the more practise especially at med to longer ranges , the better....Especially if learning to dial...

The 270 is a good alrounder calibre...it will shoot further than most shooters are capable of. As you wear the Howa out over its life- or as any rifle starts to lose accuracy as it wears, then start to focus it more as a bush pig....But in the meantime it will be more than capable to do both.

Option 5 imo.
All you really need is a more long range capable caliber in a reasonably light weight setup. A 7mm mag or 300wm would be the go id think.

Id not suggest a heavy dedicated LR rig unless you actually wanted to do LR target shooting. Even then a hunting rifle in a suitable cal would do. An actual LR rig is a very specialized thing.

Option 6 (cause you have big wallet) keep & recrown. Buy bigger gun safe (or another extra one or two)...then fill safes up with all sorts of calibers/capabilities ...why? because you can with big open wallet. Don't need any other reasons.