Need help deciding what to build

[Bullchaser65]

Hey guys so I have a custom 7mag I built a few years back. It shoots 1/2 moa or better depending on me. It’s a 26” barrel and the with the brake the entire gun is just about 4ft long. Without glass it’s 7lbs 4oz so a fairly lightweight rifle.

However, I’m in idaho and I find myself wanting to get into riding dirt bikes into the woods and setting up camp from there. A 4ft long rifle just isn’t really ideal for that. So I’m trying to figure out what to build. My plan is to run either an xlr 4.0 magnesium or mdt hnt26 chassis with a 20-22” proof barrel at most. I know the mdt will be lighter so leaning more towards that route in hopes I can get this gun to about 6.5 lbs at most.
Now the question is, should I build a 6.5 prc with a 20” barrel, a 30-06 with a 20” barrel (I have all of the brass, dies, pills right now and brass is easy to find), or a 300wsm with a 20” barrel?

I like the idea of a LA since I could ultimately throw it on my 7mag if I wanted.

This will mainly be a dirt bike packing rifle and a rifle that will be used for mainly deer and antelope. I’ll use the 7mag for elk still.

 

[Wymatt22]

I think the 300wsm or 6.5prc would be your best bet. Only for deer and pronghorn I might lean to the 6.5. It’s a little more efficient and will have less recoil and noise. If you want to use the gun for elk too I would go with the 300wsm. I’m by no means an expert, just my thoughts.

 

[Bullchaser65]

I think the 300wsm or 6.5prc would be your best bet. Only for deer and pronghorn I might lean to the 6.5. It’s a little more efficient and will have less recoil and noise. If you want to use the gun for elk too I would go with the 300wsm. I’m by no means an expert, just my thoughts.

my biggest issue with the 6.5prc is the lack of brass and pills. But factory ammo does shoot really well typically

 

[davidsapp]

Have you thought about a TC Encore. Could take it down into two parts if needed, but it’s overall shorter than a bolt action due to the single shot action. Could also change caliber depending on what hunting season it is.

 

[Bullchaser65]

Have you thought about a TC Encore. Could take it down into two parts if needed, but it’s overall shorter than a bolt action due to the single shot action. Could also change caliber depending on what hunting season it is.

I have not looked at those at all. I’ll take a look!

 

[Unckebob]

my biggest issue with the 6.5prc is the lack of brass and pills. But factory ammo does shoot really well typically

That was my thought about the 300WSM as well.. I never see brass available or loaded ammo for it. 6.5 PRC loaded ammo is more available but it is often Hornady Match Ammo.

30-06 is the most available. Of his three choices, I would pick it by a mile.

Rather than get either. I think OP should consider a 270. Since it will be a custom rifle, he could order a barrel with a faster twist if he wanted.

280AI would work if he is willing to form 280AI brass from -06 based cartridges.

 

[Ucsdryder]

You mentioned riding a dirt bike, hunting, and setting up camps. I’m curious what order you plan to do those things…

 

[long hunter]

The older cals. are easier to find componets for now of days, I would go 30-06 very time proven cal. wide range of bullet weight and proven performer. The other thing is factory loads are redialy available in a wide range, also if you get to camp and perhaps forgot youe ammo theres a good chance somebody around will have a 06.

 

[Bullchaser65]

That was my thought about the 300WSM as well.. I never see brass available or loaded ammo for it. 6.5 PRC loaded ammo is more available but it is often Hornady Match Ammo.

30-06 is the most available. Of his three choices, I would pick it by a mile.

Rather than get either. I think OP should consider a 270. Since it will be a custom rifle, he could order a barrel with a faster twist if he wanted.

280AI would work if he is willing to form 280AI brass from -06 based

That was my thought about the 300WSM as well.. I never see brass available or loaded ammo for it. 6.5 PRC loaded ammo is more available but it is often Hornady Match Ammo.

30-06 is the most available. Of his three choices, I would pick it by a mile.

Rather than get either. I think OP should consider a 270. Since it will be a custom rifle, he could order a barrel with a faster twist if he wanted.

280AI would work if he is willing to form 280AI brass from -06 based cartridges.

I’m not really worried as much about loaded ammo mainly just finding the brass and projectiles. I have plenty of 30-06 brass and .30 cal projectiles from my 30-06 Savage 110 that I hate haha
I’ve thought about the 270 but I don’t really hear a lot of people using that anymore. I don’t want to go with a .284 as I already have a 7mag haha.

 

[Bullchaser65]

You mentioned riding a dirt bike, hunting, and setting up camps. I’m curious what order you plan to do those things…

Riding a dirt bike, setting up camp, hiking another mile or two from camp and hunting

 

[SC HUNTER]

Somebody mentioned an Encore and I will say I have one with the 7mm-08 and 243 barrels currently. I've had the 2 mentioned along with a 270, 22-250 and a 7mag barrel at one time or another. The barrels either got traded off or sold to buy something else. I don't mind the single shot aspect of it a bit and have killed a pile of animals with mine over the last 12 or so years that I've owned it.

If you're just set on having one built I'd go with a 300 wsm or win mag due to the wide variety of bullet weights you can choose from. Good luck on your venture and the camping in the back country sounds like loads of fun!

 

[Unckebob]

I’m not really worried as much about loaded ammo mainly just finding the brass and projectiles. I have plenty of 30-06 brass and .30 cal projectiles from my 30-06 Savage 110 that I hate haha
I’ve thought about the 270 but I don’t really hear a lot of people using that anymore. I don’t want to go with a .284 as I already have a 7mag haha.

The 270 is old and boring when the ammo companies are trying to sell everyone on the need for “new” cartridges. Those cartridges are nice for hitting steel at insane distances.

But, there is a reason that the 270 is an available option on just about every factory long action rifle.

It works great in the vast majority of situations hunters actually find themselves in. For over 100 years, it has been slaying deer, elk, bears, and moose.

 

[GAHunterJim]

I think the 308 Win is a good choice for short barreled suppressed, that's what I did, Proof pre-fit at 20".

 

[Firestone]

Mdt chassis with the 300 wsm is what I would do with the options you listed. I was thinking about going the route with my next gun as well. With a Mark 5 3.6×18 I think would be a bad mother

 

[kingfisher]

My 24 inch 300 WSM proof Tikka prefit shoots 180s at 2940 with H4350 without pushing the brass. If you chopped 4 inches off of it you would loose some speed, but still be way ahead of the 308. There is also availability of components which may be consideration. I have seen some H4350 around. If you custom throated it, you would have more speed and it would open you up to 200+ grain bullets with a higher BC.

 

[Go West Old Man]

I think the 308 Win is a good choice for short barreled suppressed, that's what I did, Proof pre-fit at 20".

@GAHunterJim , is this the Defiance action build that you spoke of in earlier post? Looks really nice!

 

[Trackselk]

If you want light and don't want to develop a flinch, guys are slaying elk at 900 yards with the 6.5CM. With modern bullets I think anything bigger is a waste of your shoulder, unless you want the lighter weight of the larger chamber.
Just think about how many huge bears that were taken with a bow or 30-30 under 2,000 fps...
Your 6.5 PRC gets my vote

 

[Bullchaser65]

If you want light and don't want to develop a flinch, guys are slaying elk at 900 yards with the 6.5CM. With modern bullets I think anything bigger is a waste of your shoulder, unless you want the lighter weight of the larger chamber.
Just think about how many huge bears that were taken with a bow or 30-30 under 2,000 fps...
Your 6.5 PRC gets my vote

Yeah, ill be honest, There will never be a time I will take an elk at 900 with a 6.5cm. Just not anywhere close to being an ethical shot in my opinion, but everyone is different.

Let's take an example. Shooting a 140gn Berger VLD out of a 6.5cm pushing 2800 fps out of a 26" barrel (high end on velocity for reference) gives you:
200 yards: 1946 ft-lbs energy
400 yards: 1536 ft-lbs energy
600 yards: 1197 ft-lbs energy
800 yards: 918 ft-lbs energy
1000 yards: 689 ft-lbs energy

Idk about you, but in this case im 400 yards and in on an elk. I want at least 1500 ft lbs of energy to kill an elk. Sure you can hit it in the head or get the perfect heart shot an itll kill it haha

nonetheless, I ended up holding on a new rifle for now and continuing to use my 7mag. Threw an MDT HNT 26 folding chassis on it and its still light as shit and i can collapse the chassis saving 12"

 

[Trackselk]

Yeah, ill be honest, There will never be a time I will take an elk at 900 with a 6.5cm. Just not anywhere close to being an ethical shot in my opinion, but everyone is different.

Let's take an example. Shooting a 140gn Berger VLD out of a 6.5cm pushing 2800 fps out of a 26" barrel (high end on velocity for reference) gives you:
200 yards: 1946 ft-lbs energy
400 yards: 1536 ft-lbs energy
600 yards: 1197 ft-lbs energy
800 yards: 918 ft-lbs energy
1000 yards: 689 ft-lbs energy

Idk about you, but in this case im 400 yards and in on an elk. I want at least 1500 ft lbs of energy to kill an elk. Sure you can hit it in the head or get the perfect heart shot an itll kill it haha

nonetheless, I ended up holding on a new rifle for now and continuing to use my 7mag. Threw an MDT HNT 26 folding chassis on it and its still light as shit and i can collapse the chassis saving 12"

Yeah, I followed that energy mantra up until recently, largely due to this forum. The fact that almost all bows are under 100 ft/lbs of energy shows how ridiculous that measure is. My longest shots were both at 400 (.308), and both elk, and I'm putting in the practice to get to 500 (new 6.5CM), my "long range" goal, so I'm with you on shooting 900, but I'm sure there are the rare few that can do it ethically. Me, I'd rather hunt closer anyway...
Without getting off subject too far, I think you should look at the damage to MOOSE with the .223 tmk in the .223 thread. Apparently they offer similar lethality to high end lead bullets out of magnums. I don't want the meat loss and lead atomization into the meat, so I'm sticking with 6.5CM and copper bullets, and 500 yards. But, its tough to argue with the proof in that thread that tells me that magnums are silly. That, and I've punched a 1" hole through an elk with an arrow, and killed 3 elk with a 30-30 (1 DRT, 1 70 yards, and 1 crawled 50-100 yards in a few seconds).
Just trying to help people shoot better (recoil) and waste less precious animals. The west is getting swarmed with people, and there aren't as many deer and elk to go around.
Dumpster fire started

suppressed, either of your existing rifles would be pretty mild with an 18-20" barrel as well

 

[ID_Matt]

Yeah, ill be honest, There will never be a time I will take an elk at 900 with a 6.5cm. Just not anywhere close to being an ethical shot in my opinion, but everyone is different.

Let's take an example. Shooting a 140gn Berger VLD out of a 6.5cm pushing 2800 fps out of a 26" barrel (high end on velocity for reference) gives you:
200 yards: 1946 ft-lbs energy
400 yards: 1536 ft-lbs energy
600 yards: 1197 ft-lbs energy
800 yards: 918 ft-lbs energy
1000 yards: 689 ft-lbs energy

Idk about you, but in this case im 400 yards and in on an elk. I want at least 1500 ft lbs of energy to kill an elk. Sure you can hit it in the head or get the perfect heart shot an itll kill it haha

nonetheless, I ended up holding on a new rifle for now and continuing to use my 7mag. Threw an MDT HNT 26 folding chassis on it and its still light as shit and i can collapse the chassis saving 12"

I really think energy has less influence on killing power than a lot of people think. Meaning I bet that little baby 6.5 CM with a 140 berger kills better at 800 yards than most magnums with an inferior bullet, regardless of how much energy they are carrying.