Searching for my new rifle

[lungpuncher1]

I've been bit by the reloading bug and its caused me to want a new rifle/ caliber to play around with.

I have a couple 270s and a 223. Ill never get rid of any of them or replace the 270s as far as deer killers however I'm bored. I want something new to play around with. Caliber and rifle.

My needs/ wants are first and foremost a deer killer up to 300 yards.

Secondly a gun that i could in a pinch take on a western hunt for mulies or elk at reasonable distances, under 300 or so.

A caliber that i could find a box of ammo for at a walmart if i were to get in a tight spot on a trip.

And lastly, recoil isn't a big deal as I'm not recoil sensitive but I also dont enjoy getting the crap knocked out of me, and im sure it does hurt accuracy to an extent.

Im leaning towards the 7mm08 but im concerned about it being too similar to my 270 and it being enough for elk. Also thought about the 7mm mag and loading it with two different loads. One for Whitetail and one for Western hunts.

Any advice?

 

[Sniper]

30-06 or 7 mag if you want to find ammo everywhere. My personal choice would be 300 wsm.

 

[lungpuncher1]

30-06 or 7 mag if you want to find ammo everywhere. My personal choice would be 300 wsm.

Would the 300wsm be hard to find ammo for in a pinch? I've never had much to do with a 300wsm.

 

[Riverday]

have you looked at the 6.5 creedmoor?

 

[lungpuncher1]

have you looked at the 6.5 creedmoor?

Yes, just not looking for a sub 277 caliber. Im not interested in the long range game. I just hunt.

My 270 can fill the 6.5 niche as far as my uses and needs are concerned.

 

[Urban_Hunter]

I vote 7 rem mag. Tons of bullets to choose from, plenty factory ammo available, lighter bullets reduce recoil. This round is fun to load because there are so many options, and if you crank up the powder on a match bullet you can really reach out there. My second vote would probably go for 300 win mag.

 

[Urban_Hunter]

I'll add a bit that may be irrelevant to you. If you ever decide down the road to get into the long range game this may apply: my bolt guns are mostly 700s. But... I have long and short actions. Since you already have 270s I would think hard before getting a short action like an -08. If you ever decide to build one you can rebarrel to whatever caliber you want and you can interchange parts such as stocks as you decide what you like. I had two long actions I traded and now have 3 short actions... but I have two nice stocks I can't use that are long action.... I think I've confused myself now. Anyways, simplify where you can if you can. I wish I had.

 

[lungpuncher1]

I'll add a bit that may be irrelevant to you. If you ever decide down the road to get into the long range game this may apply: my bolt guns are mostly 700s. But... I have long and short actions. Since you already have 270s I would think hard before getting a short action like an -08. If you ever decide to build one you can rebarrel to whatever caliber you want and you can interchange parts such as stocks as you decide what you like. I had two long actions I traded and now have 3 short actions... but I have two nice stocks I can't use that are long action.... I think I've confused myself now. Anyways, simplify where you can if you can. I wish I had.

I've been a tikka fan from day one but i have been thinking of getting this next rifle in a 700sps just for the sole reason of upgrades. I like tinkering. My tikkas are great out of the box but not much there to customize other than a different stock. Which they don't even need that.

 

[Riverday]

If i were going to buy another gun it would be a 280 ... look at it also....

 

[Sniper]

30-06 or 7 mag if you want to find ammo everywhere. My personal choice would be 300 wsm.

Would the 300wsm be hard to find ammo for in a pinch? I've never had much to do with a 300wsm.

Not sure if you would find 300wsm at wallyworld but any halfway stocked gun store should have it. 30-06 or 7 mag will be more common and less expensive.

 

[lungpuncher1]

30-06 or 7 mag if you want to find ammo everywhere. My personal choice would be 300 wsm.

Would the 300wsm be hard to find ammo for in a pinch? I've never had much to do with a 300wsm.

Not sure if you would find 300wsm at wallyworld but any halfway stocked gun store should have it. 30-06 or 7 mag will be more common and less expensive.

7 mag is looking good.

My only issue with it is i wouldn't feel comfortable letting my wife use it in a pinch. Which is why i was leaning towards the 7mm08 but i could always load a 270 for light loads for her.

 

[wsm]

308 is a solid round and easy to find.

 

[Hardwoodmaterials]

I think my next one will be a 300Win Mag. It will be enough gun to kill anything here or out West and I can pick up ammo about any where in a pinch.

 

[Jon54]

Easy, 338 Win Mag.Go big or go home.

 

[vixty]

I think a 30-06 would be a good step-up. i think its some of the easiest ammo to find on the market and it can even be downloaded to light recoling loads. Or you can push a 168gr pill with some authority. I use the same case for my 35 whelen and its very versitile.

 

[user 14220]

Everyone needs at least 30-06.

 

[MUP]

30-06 or 7 mag if you want to find ammo everywhere. My personal choice would be 300 wsm.

x2 The 06 is probably the perfect fit for what the OP is searching for IMO. But if he is loading his own the 300WSM would be my choice also. Good thing about loading your own, you don't have to rely on factory ammo off the shelf. ;)

 

[lungpuncher1]

30-06 or 7 mag if you want to find ammo everywhere. My personal choice would be 300 wsm.

x2 The 06 is probably the perfect fit for what the OP is searching for IMO. But if he is loading his own the 300WSM would be my choice also. Good thing about loading your own, you don't have to rely on factory ammo off the shelf. ;)

I'm definitely going to be loading my own.

 

[MUP]

lp, I have an 06, and I also have a 300WSM. Loading for them both is a blast, literally! :super: I'm about an inch away from MOA at 600 yds with the 300 with a cheap Simmons scope, and I expect to be MOA with some good glass soon. Also using 150 gr pills for both, which saves storage space. ;)

 

[DaveB]

I have hunted and killed elk with my 300 WinMag. I also shot a bull elk with my 06 and he traveled far enough to get killed by someone with a 7 Mag.

People kill elk with 243 and up every year. If I was to head west, I'd be carrying my 300 WinMag. My backup, you MUST have a backup, would be my 06 or maybe my 300WSM.

Range recoil can indeed wear you down. This is why I wear the PAST Magnum recoil shield under my shirt when at the range.

The 300 WSM will push a 180 Partition at about the right speed. Elk have really thick hides and are tough to kill, tv shows aside. Don't think I'd be chambering anything but Partitions in Elk Country.

As for deer I am working on a 125 grain AccuBond load for my 300 WSM. I am postiive it will kill farther than I can see.

 

[landman]

I have a 30-06 and a 25-06 both for sale in the classifieds

 

[jakeway]

I think you'll have to re-think your requirements of something you can find ammo at Walmart. Their ammo selection is getting less and less, while big box sporting stores like Bass Pro, Cabela's, Gander Mountain, Richard's, and even Academy are increasing their ammo selections and building stores all over the place. I've found 6.5 Creedmoor at all these stores, with prices from $17.49/box for Hornady's bottom price version to $40/box for premium stuff. Anything common enough for Walmart will not be significantly better than your 270.

If you want to play around with lots of handloading options, and be able to shoot all day without beating the heck out of your shoulder (or use a muzzle break and beat up on your and your buddy's ears) I'd go with the Creedmoor. In fact, I did. I already have a 260, 270, 7MM-08, and 308, but the Creedmoor is my current "messing around with" gun. I have 85 gr, 90 gr, 120 gr, 129 gr, and 140 gr bullets and several powders to work up loads for everything from groundhogs to Mulies. If I ever decide to hunt Elk, I'll have plenty of time to look at high BC bullets in 147 -160 grains.

 

[cmc934]

7/08 is my favorite, but you can cover a lot with a 270 & 30.06


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[Nsghunter]

Everyone needs at least 30-06.

^^ I love this...

 

[Nsghunter]

I do vote for some form of 7mm magnum would be my choice. I am not sure how light loads do with recoil though, would a limbsaver pad combined with a lighter load be enough for her to tolerate,hmm?

The .270 is such an in-between that 7-08, 308, 30-06, and on and on would be similar. Heck I think I might even vote for a monster like a .338 line before those. Buy what you like and shoot the durnit out of it.

I'm not the authority but I think the 7-08 can be pushed hard enough with good bullet choice to ethically harvest mullies and elk but with shorter ranges (and much more clavicular Peace) than the magnums.

Magnum'itis is a tricky thing though. They get touted as great "long range" guns and they stinking are but this comes with two caveats; the shooter has a big part to do when it comes to the long range shot and will the wind allow for a greater than 2-300 yard shot if you are in the mountains at elevation when you see your cervid of choice?