Help me find my 3rd rifle

[ryjack70ss]

Personally, I see no need for something as powerful (and big, loud, heavy and hard-kicking) as a .30-.378 Wby. Plenty of folks who put an elk in the freezer year after year with their trusty .243. I’d sell it and get a .280 AI, .30-06, .300 WSM/WM/PRC or maybe something really cool like a .338-06.

The Tikka stocks apparently don’t fit me well, as I even find one in .270 Win to have noticeable recoil. In .300 WSM, they kick like a mule.

I really like the idea of selling the .30-.378 and getting REALLY good glass for your 6.5 Creedmoor. You can probably still afford an easy-to-carry 7mm or .30 after that.

If I had to have three rifles for all the hunting you describe, they’d be:

6.5 Creedmoor - A standard hunting rifle configuration with 3-15 or 3-18 glass that I’d hunt everything on your list with, especially in more open open country where shots might be out to 600 yards (my personal comfort level). I’d run the 129 or 142 ABLR for everything.

.338 Federal - Also in hunting rifle configuration, with 2-10 glass. I’d carry it thick woods for any animal I might find there. Bullets would be either the 160 or 185 TTSX for big critters or the 180 AccuBond or 200 SST for deer-sized game.

6.5 PRC - This would be in a long-range hunting rifle configuration. I’d find whatever 140+ bullet it likes best and use the rifle to practice and get good at dialing and calling wind and quickly calculating dope. This should make me a better shooter in the field. It could also just as easily be a 6.5 Creedmoor if factory ammo availability is important.

Thanks for the input. It’s my dads so he would crap if I sold it. I already asked

Would you use the 6.5 CM on all the game I listed or go with the PRC?


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[ryjack70ss]

Screw off factory barrel, screw on new prefit. Any standard bolt face short action will work with nothing more than that. Any standard bolt face long action will work with replacing the bolt stop and using, or modifying to, long action magazines.

So by just switching the barrel I could go from 6.5 cm to a 309 WSM or 6.5 cm or 280 AI? Or I would need a smith to work on the bolt face too? Sorry for the questions, newbie here when it comes to that.


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[Wapiti1]

That’s good to hear. I haven’t yet mountain hunted but am getting set up next year or the year after. Everything I read is that really heavy. Maybe the few extra pounds aren’t that big a deal and can be lost elsewhere. I was planning on getting the rifle carrier for my exo pack, so maybe that will negate the few extra pounds.


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9-9.5 used to be normal. Still is for a lot of rifles after you add a big scope and bipod.

That Weatherby is a nice rifle and the 6.5 you have will take you from varmints to elk if you want. I'd use the Weatherby on the elk, though.

Don't let me talk you out of another rifle. Finding what you like is part of the game too.

Jeremy

 

[Wapiti1]

So by just switching the barrel I could go from 6.5 cm to a 309 WSM or 6.5 cm or 280 AI? Or I would need a smith to work on the bolt face too? Sorry for the questions, newbie here when it comes to that.


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30-06, or 280AI would require only a barrel and mag box change out.

To go to a magnum (PRC, WSM, or belted mag), you would need to also have the bolt face opened up by a gunsmith. The head of the cartridge is larger on magnums.

Jeremy

 

[sndmn11]

So by just switching the barrel I could go from 6.5 cm to a 309 WSM or 6.5 cm or 280 AI? Or I would need a smith to work on the bolt face too? Sorry for the questions, newbie here when it comes to that.


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What @Wapiti1 said above with the addition of the long action cartridges need the bolt stop changed from the short action stop you currently have.

 

[rootacres]

What you have would have no issues doing everything you want. That said there are a few things that stand out to me in your post and how heavy is "long and heavy" with the 300?

For me, looking at what you intend to do I think a 7 mag of some kind would be a great addition. For elk, bear, caribou the 300 would be just fine but you could substitute in a 7 mag for all those animals and have a lighter package. A 6.5 CM would be great for goat and arguably sheep. If I was spending tens of thousands of dollars going after sheep I would want to show up with more than a 6.5 CM. A 7 mag shines in wind (which you will likely be dealing with on a sheep hunt) and has great ballistics.

CA and Tikka are two great options. I can vouch for the Mesa and Ridgeline for Christensen Arms, I have first hand experience and wouldn't hesitate on either (my brother has a lefty). Id still own one if I didn't sell them to fund a custom build. My dad has a Tikka T3x lite (300 wm) in lefty also, it made quick work of a bull elk at 250 yards in October, its an awesome shooter.

For what its worth, I was basically rifle-less about a year ago trying to pick a rifle caliber to go after everything elk size and smaller. I ended up building a custom 7mm WSM on a 22" McGowen barrel. It tosses a 168gr berger classic hunters at 2850 fps and dumped my bull at 325 yards in October with ease.

7mm Rem Mag, 7mm WSM, 7mm SAUM, 28 Nosler, - they are all good, just pick the right bullet, good luck.

 

[EmperorMA]

Thanks for the input. It’s my dads so he would crap if I sold it. I already asked

Would you use the 6.5 CM on all the game I listed or go with the PRC?


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I have killed more elk with a 6.5 of some sort than any other caliber (most with the 6.5x284, but a few with a .260 Rem and 6.5 Creedmoor), now up to 14 in total, taken from 50 - 435 yards. All were one-shot kills with no tracking. Most with the 125 NPT but a couple with the Barnes 120 TTSX and now one out of the Creed with 142 ABLR.

The only extensive tracking of an elk I have ever had to do was a nice bull I hit perfectly with a 250 NPT fired from a .338 Win Mag ant just under 200 yards. About a mile of tracking.

So yeah, I'd use a 6.5 Creedmoor for everything on your list quite happily.

 

[Phil4]

If I were in this position I’d get a M70 EWSS in .300 win mag or maybe look at a Bergara in .300 win mag.

I have a Model 70 in 7mag and sorta wish I would have got a 300 win mag.


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[ryjack70ss]

I have been in the weeds a lot over this holiday season. Here is what I am considering.

1. 30 cal either a weatherby backcountry 300 wby mag or Christensen arms ridge line titanium 300 win mag.

2. 7mm either a cooper 92 280ai vs 7mm rem mag or the Christensen arms ridge line titanium 7mm rem mag

I think I may get one in each category at some point that way me and my son have many of not all scenarios covered. Now if my of these will ever be for sale again in lefty.


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[wind gypsy]

The obvious gap filler between the modest sized 6.5 and the cartoonishly big 30-378 to me is a healthy sized 7mm. Somewhere from 284 win through 7 rem mag and you'll have less recoil than a 300 mag, slick 7mm bullets, and more power than a 6.5.

Choose whatever tickles your pickle. 284 win, 280, 280ai, 7 SAUM, 7 WSM, 7 Blaser, 7 rem mag. Rem mag or 280ai if you're not a hand loader.

 

[EmperorMA]

Don't forget about the new 6.8 Western that will be announced next month. It is made to fling big, long, 175gr bullets long and flat, which puts it solidly in the same class as the non-overbored 7mm mags. It should be very easy on the shoulder, as well!

 

[ryjack70ss]

Thanks for the input everyone. Just pulled the trigger on a CA Ridgeline Ti mm rem mag in lefty. I hope it isn't one of the overweight ones. Looked long and hard at the cooper, but a grand difference is what separated the two for me. I also wanted a 280 ai but with factory ammo issues and me not reloading yet, I went 7mm rem mag.

 

[SouthernCharm]

The 6.5 with 142gr accubond will perform wonders, but since you want a 3rd gun, I would get a 28 Nosler.

 

[Montana Slim]

Pretty tough to beat a 7mmRM for a 'do everything' gun in NA... out of fashion with a belt and short neck, but it is a hell of a cartridge - ESPECIALLY if you don't reload. Congrats and enjoy!

 

[ryjack70ss]

Pretty tough to beat a 7mmRM for a 'do everything' gun in NA... out of fashion with a belt and short neck, but it is a hell of a cartridge - ESPECIALLY if you don't reload. Congrats and enjoy!

Thanks. I actually cancelled my order for the CA when I waited 2.5 months and they said it may be 2022 before I get it. For an extra $600 I went with a cooper m92 backcountry 7mm rem mag. Beautiful rifle. Another rifle I loved the feel of was the Weatherby backcountry. Again, would have done 280ai but the gun availability and ammo availability tilted me to the rem mag. Just lapped the rings and mounted the scope last night. Cant wait to shoot it.


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[Ecampbell25]

Hey all. I have a Tikka T3x superlite 6.5 CM and a weatherby mark v accumark 30-378 (my dad gave to me). They both shoot nails. Over the next 5 years I am planning hunts for a goat, sheep, caribou, elk and black bear.

The Tikka is a dream to carry. The WBY is long and heavy. Would you all hunt these game with the rifles I have or add a 3rd larger caliber/lighter weight rifle in the mix? If so, which one? I would likely go Tikka again or Christensen Arms as I would want a lefty bolt action.

Thanks!


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I’d look into 6.5 prc CA Mesa got great reviews. Definitely something worth looking into.

 

[Ecampbell25]

But I’d also agree with Ryjack the cooper m92 in 7mm would be the rifle to have. But it’s double the cost of a CA Mesa

 

[ceejay33]

Since you are already familiar with the Weatherby, you could always downsize from 2 guns to 1 and pick up a Weatherby Backcountry Ti in a left handed .257. It will be light and can be used for anything you want to hunt. I am not a big fan of downsizing, but I would say just add the .257 to your collection.

 

[mrbananas]

Sako 85 Finn… and of course…30-06

 

[MTSasquatch]

Tikka t3x superlite in 7 mag. Good for anything in North America.