New Hunter, rifle upgrade, is 280AI the right choice?

[Nicaburns]

I agree with what has been said… drop your current savage action into a stocky’s VG2 and it will do everything you need! Spend the extra money on ammo and practice time.

 

[Ztm91]

Never take it lightly, the taking of a life. My personal goal is to do everything I can to make sure that an animal doesn’t know what hit it if I can. I owe him that respect.

I totally agree with you here. I second that goal.

 

[Ztm91]

I agree with what has been said… drop your current savage action into a stocky’s VG2 and it will do everything you need! Spend the extra money on ammo and practice time.

I would certainly be open to trying this. Unfortunately, it looks like they only have left hand savage stocks for bottom bolt release models. They don’t have it available for top bolt release models like mine..

 

[grizz19]

I’m going to second what a lot of guys have set on here. Find a rifle that will have minimum recoil, that you can shoot well, and run it. I used to be a 7mm and larger guy. I just built a 25 creed as my “do all rifle” and am getting ready to sell my 7 prc. Pair a good bullet with whatever you choose and let it rip. My dad has a 280 AI and it’s an awesome round. Could you just find a new stock for what you currently have and drop your weight down? I have one of those chassis’s myself and they are heavy. You could cut a couple lbs if you could find a carbon stock for your set up.

 

[Trogon]

There’s a seekins ph3 in 6.5 creed in the classifieds that would be perfect, if you must have a new rifle

 

[fuzzymarindave]

My 25 year old son just dropped his first bull elk with a 280AI. It is a lefty Weatherby Mark V Backcountry 2.0. He started with a Savage .243 which we swapped barrels into .308 and 7mm-08. The 280AI adds a little more and the extra recoil was manageable for him. I think it would be a great option.

 

[JeffRaines]

Yup once you develop a flinch, you own it.

OP - heed this warning. I started with a lightweight 30-06, and subsequently developed a flinch that took THOUSANDS of rounds to get under control.

280ai is a great cartridge... for a reloader. I have one. I love it. Would I recommend it for someone who doesn't reload? Absolutely not. Feeding the thing factory ammo would be expensive when you can find it. I'm the type that believes in practicing with the rifle you plan to use, so going out and shooting over a box of ammo in an outing is a thing and I just couldn't fathom doing that with that cartridge without reloading.

What you have now is more than enough to kill anything(within reason) regardless of what the haters have to say(just go read the 6mm/223 threads - those are both smaller than what you have and they kill just fine). I say within reason - I doubt youre going to be shooting something at 1k. At nominal hunting distances you dont need anything else.

Have you looked into a lighter weight stock? That Oryx weighs 4.2lbs by itself, I dont see why you couldn't cut that in half.