Looking for a rifle that meets the following criteria and just looking for some extra discussion to point me in the right direction. Budget is ~$2500 tops, but I’d prefer to be under.
Looking to shoot elk and smaller, 0-500 yards. Backpack hunting rifle, but I’m a Wisconsin guy cosplaying as a backpack hunter, ultralight is not necessary. Would strongly prefer a factory rifle here though. Also, I have range guns, this is going to be a “killing stuff” gun so im not worried about barrel life, but the barrel change systems (Seekins or Sig) seem nice. I haven’t done a barrel swap before but those two look super doable.
—Seekins PH3: I would buy the 20” 6.5 PRC. I’ve handled them in the store and like the stock a lot. Tempting to buy another barrel as well. 300 WSM or 6.8 Western would work with the same bolt, right?
—X Bolt 2 Speed SPR: love the barrel lengths here on the SPR rifles. Either a 20” in 6.5 or 7 PRC
—Cross Sawtooth: Again, in either 6.5 PRC or 7 PRC. The barrels are longer than I prefer and the 7 PRC is over budget.
—Standard Sig Cross: Probably in the 308 w/ 16” barrel
—Tikka Build: This is an option but for this use, I’d really prefer to just buy a factory rifle.
Mostly interested in the rifles, rather than the cartridge discussions as I have wasted enough time on Rokslide and have read the .223/6mm AND 6.5 threads. This is going to be my “big” gun and I don’t think 6.5 PRC or .308 are laughably too big as cartridge choice despite the ongoing Rokslide shift to .223 for everything.
Looking to shoot elk and smaller, 0-500 yards. Backpack hunting rifle, but I’m a Wisconsin guy cosplaying as a backpack hunter, ultralight is not necessary. Would strongly prefer a factory rifle here though. Also, I have range guns, this is going to be a “killing stuff” gun so im not worried about barrel life, but the barrel change systems (Seekins or Sig) seem nice. I haven’t done a barrel swap before but those two look super doable.
—Seekins PH3: I would buy the 20” 6.5 PRC. I’ve handled them in the store and like the stock a lot. Tempting to buy another barrel as well. 300 WSM or 6.8 Western would work with the same bolt, right?
—X Bolt 2 Speed SPR: love the barrel lengths here on the SPR rifles. Either a 20” in 6.5 or 7 PRC
—Cross Sawtooth: Again, in either 6.5 PRC or 7 PRC. The barrels are longer than I prefer and the 7 PRC is over budget.
—Standard Sig Cross: Probably in the 308 w/ 16” barrel
—Tikka Build: This is an option but for this use, I’d really prefer to just buy a factory rifle.
Mostly interested in the rifles, rather than the cartridge discussions as I have wasted enough time on Rokslide and have read the .223/6mm AND 6.5 threads. This is going to be my “big” gun and I don’t think 6.5 PRC or .308 are laughably too big as cartridge choice despite the ongoing Rokslide shift to .223 for everything.
