Thread: Reaching out a bit rifle thoughts

Originally Posted by Tentman

You are of course right.... but its glorious wallowing in an agony of indecision!

I know exactly what You mean I wallow [ wallow is a great description] in these sorts questions at least once every week, it's marvellous ..
Put together a damn good 30 06 and call it done.

500 metres with reliable accuracy requires a powerful cartridge throwing at least 140 grain bullets at 3000 fps, a longish barrel (24-26") to burn all the powder, medium contour to prevent barrel whip and give it enough weight to absorb some recoil, good quality scope and rings, and a lightweight bipod is useful. All-up weight will probably be 4.5-5 kg. Lighter rifles are available, of course, but lack the consistent reliability you need for long shots, plus they are less pleasant to shoot. Some suggested calibres are 6.5PRC, .270 Win, .280 Rem, 7mm Rem Mag .30/06, .300 Win Mag. The 6.5PRC and .280 are more difficult to find ammo for.

Originally Posted by gundoc

500 metres with reliable accuracy requires a powerful cartridge throwing at least 140 grain bullets at 3000 fps, a longish barrel (24-26") to burn all the powder, medium contour to prevent barrel whip and give it enough weight to absorb some recoil, good quality scope and rings, and a lightweight bipod is useful. All-up weight will probably be 4.5-5 kg. Lighter rifles are available, of course, but lack the consistent reliability you need for long shots, plus they are less pleasant to shoot. Some suggested calibres are 6.5PRC, .270 Win, .280 Rem, 7mm Rem Mag .30/06, .300 Win Mag. The 6.5PRC and .280 are more difficult to find ammo for.

A very useful summary of pretty much everything I was thinking (including weight). .... with the addition of a modern ergonomic stock in either wood laminate or decent synthetic.

Originally Posted by gundoc

500 metres with reliable accuracy requires a powerful cartridge throwing at least 140 grain bullets at 3000 fps, a longish barrel (24-26") to burn all the powder, medium contour to prevent barrel whip and give it enough weight to absorb some recoil, good quality scope and rings, and a lightweight bipod is useful. All-up weight will probably be 4.5-5 kg. Lighter rifles are available, of course, but lack the consistent reliability you need for long shots, plus they are less pleasant to shoot. Some suggested calibres are 6.5PRC, .270 Win, .280 Rem, 7mm Rem Mag .30/06, .300 Win Mag. The 6.5PRC and .280 are more difficult to find ammo for.

20” barrels do just fine in the short cases even shorter with the 300wsm

Originally Posted by Kelton

20” barrels do just fine in the short cases even shorter with the 300wsm

yup my 300wsm is only 18" it's brilliant, wears a suppressor and is really well balance, it throws the same 178gn eldm's at just shy of 2800fps which is still plenty out to plenty far enough.
it is a whole kilo heavier than the weatherby mk v ultralight at just over 4kg even with all the light weight stuff done to it.....but hey variety is the spice of life

should add that the wsm load could be pushed harder....but it's just not necessary it has enough grunt and is probably the most accurate rifle I have ever owned.

Originally Posted by Kelton

20” barrels do just fine in the short cases even shorter with the 300wsm

Just put a round right on point through a deers boiler room at 450m with my 3.3kg 18” 260 this morning. My 20” 3.7kg 7mm SAUM does the same and my 3.6kg 21” rem mag before that never failed to accurately take deer out to 800 either. You don’t need a big heavy rifle to be accurate at extended hunting ranges.

I recently had the chance to shoot a 300 win mag for the first time and see what all the fuss was about. I've got a 308, and both rifles are tikka T3X superlites with DPT cans (magnum can on the magnum gun)
To be bloody honest, for all that I've heard about magnums and recoil I thought it was quite tame. Another mates wood stocked sako 7mm08 without brake or suppressor on the other hand, boots me in the shoulder something fierce and I bloody hate it.
If I wanted to do all my hunting beyond 4-500m, I'd be having a 300 win mag (or similar) for sure. Suppressed or braked, pick your poison.

Originally Posted by Jt89

I recently had the chance to shoot a 300 win mag for the first time and see what all the fuss was about. I've got a 308, and both rifles are tikka T3X superlites with DPT cans (magnum can on the magnum gun)
To be bloody honest, for all that I've heard about magnums and recoil I thought it was quite tame. Another mates wood stocked sako 7mm08 without brake or suppressor on the other hand, boots me in the shoulder something fierce and I bloody hate it.
If I wanted to do all my hunting beyond 4-500m, I'd be having a 300 win mag (or similar) for sure. Suppressed or braked, pick your poison.

the hardest kick I have ever had was from an old 8x57 german mauser - the fact I was sitting with my back against an angle post did not help either - but I did nail the pig - plus rifle had been hanging in the cab of my dozer so likely had some crud down Barrell

Foster I've got Vanguard 7mm mag and 300 win mag I don't use if you would like to try one.

Originally Posted by Brian

Foster I've got Vanguard 7mm mag and 300 win mag I don't use if you would like to try one.

A mighty offer, I'll give you a ring . ..

Originally Posted by Tentman

A mighty offer, I'll give you a ring . ..

Get on the weights mate, remember Brian considers 10 lbs light weight.

Originally Posted by nor-west

Get on the weights mate, remember Brian considers 10 lbs light weight.

Hah! Exactly. Everything is compared to a Bren and 10 spare mags.

sorry bit late to the party but I am currrently finalising load development for a 30-06ai Mk v Weatherby ultralight it's got a fluted pencil thin barrel 24" long and weighs 3kg on the button scoped ready to go.
and yup even with the greystone titainium (radial) muzzle brake it's still quite lively to shoot running 178gn elm's at 2950ish fps, it's got more than enough snot out to much further than I'll likely ever need and looks to be a 1/2" 3 shot group shooter (pending final verification on Monday).
I'll probably change to a dedicated directional brake to help reduce recoil (well actually the recoil is managable but it certainly gets a fair whack of muzzle jump) it's not difficult to accurately shoot a light weight sharp recoiling rifle, it just takes practice.

I will remind you of that after you have scoped yourself shooting up hill on steep slope or in tall tussocks when balancing rifle on top of walking pole LOL.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

I will remind you of that after you have scoped yourself shooting up hill on steep slope or in tall tussocks when balancing rifle on top of walking pole LOL.

haven't managed to yet......don't hold your breath waiting, I don't plan on getting scoped anytime soon