Rifle help

[wcasey755]

Hey everyone, Im about to card out to become a 01 electrician. For finishing my apprenticeship im going to spend some decent money to get a lightweight backcountry rifle as a atta boy to myself. My issue is in everything, overthinking myself into the ground. My budget for the rifle is 2,000. Give or take for the right rifle. I prefer the new verticle style grip. I have it narrowed down to a few paths and could use some insight on what you guys think. It will be in 7 PRC and likely have a can on it when im not going deep. Let me know what you guys think.

Weatherby 307 Alpine ST- Seems to check all the boxes. Comes stock with the Peak 44 bastian stock. Have seen some negatives about the cerakoted action and early production issues with the 307 in general. Not sure if thats still the case but lately ive seen a lot of great reviews.

Bergara crest carbon or cima CF- I prefer the vertical grip but not super picky but I do worry on the crest with the box mag on a backcountry rifle. feel like I read more and more about guys dropping their mags and ending up with a single shot rifle.

Tikka Superlite- This one I would want to put a different stock on and possibly barrel. Seems like a fun project but also not sure how it would stack up price wise and accuracy. ALSO im a big warranty guy and not sure if swapping parts like that, if tikka will still help.

Horizon Vandal 2- Little over budget and a little heavier than im after but ive seen NOTHING but shining reviews and insane accuracy. my question on this one is if the quality and accuracy is worth the extra pound or two and a a couple hundred bucks.

Thanks guys i apperciate the input!

 

[Hnthrdr]

Seems like the tikka superlite roughtech offered by @EuroOptic would fit your goal, leave money for a scope and suppressor, add a vertical grip and then when you start making that electrician money get a chassis or another stock for it. Personally I would go with a 6.5cm especially with the advent of the 6.5 backcountry…

 

[wcasey755]

Seems like the tikka superlite roughtech offered by @EuroOptic would fit your goal, leave money for a scope and suppressor, add a vertical grip and then when you start making that electrician money get a chassis or another stock for it. Personally I would go with a 6.5cm especially with the advent of the 6.5 backcountry…

Already have scope and money set aside for supressor, I’d rather get it all done at once.

Is The 6.5 backcountry going to do the same thing to an elk at 700 yards as a 7prc? I’ve seen it but not versed. Obviously I won’t be trying to shoot that far but the extra knockdown is nice.

 

[elsb0048]

I got to handle the weatherby 307 with bastion stock about 8mo ago as the smith that did my custom had one sitting there to work on when I picked my rifle up. The stock felt nice for relatively modern ergos with vertical grip, flat or slightly negative comb, and shallow toe line. Many folks on the taller end (myself included) find the shortish LOP a little annoying, there's a couple threads on here of folks jerry-rigging spacers to fix it which seems like a hassle. That weatherby I handled was brand new and in the shop to fix some feeding and functioning issues out of the box apparently, whether that's common or not I don't know...

Personally of the options you've tossed out I'd go tikka with a stockys vg or rokstock or something in a 6.5 something whether PRC or creed depending on how much you want that velocity.

 

[Taudisio]

Already have scope and money set aside for supressor, I’d rather get it all done at once.

Is The 6.5 backcountry going to do the same thing to an elk at 700 yards as a 7prc? I’ve seen it but not versed. Obviously I won’t be trying to shoot that far but the extra knockdown is nice.

If you’re shooting the 143 eld-x at 2700fps, you will have the velocity to kill elk out to 700 yards at sea level. So yes.

 

[wcasey755]

I got to handle the weatherby 307 with bastion stock about 8mo ago as the smith that did my custom had one sitting there to work on when I picked my rifle up. The stock felt nice for relatively modern ergos with vertical grip, flat or slightly negative comb, and shallow toe line. Many folks on the taller end (myself included) find the shortish LOP a little annoying, there's a couple threads on here of folks jerry-rigging spacers to fix it which seems like a hassle. That weatherby I handled was brand new and in the shop to fix some feeding and functioning issues out of the box apparently, whether that's common or not I don't know...

Personally of the options you've tossed out I'd go tikka with a stockys vg or rokstock or something in a 6.5 something whether PRC or creed depending on how much you want that velocity.

I’m 6’3 so sounds like the 307 would be a bit short for me. Beyond swapping stocks I don’t really want to go crazy garage gunsmithing.

 

[wcasey755]

If you’re shooting the 143 eld-x at 2700fps, you will have the velocity to kill elk out to 700 yards at sea level. So yes.

Is it actually called the 6.5 backcountry? Or is it the 6.5 creemore with some special ammo? I saw something about like a 6.5 creed plus I think? Just a higher pressure 6.5 creed if I’m correct?

 

[elsb0048]

Is it actually called the 6.5 backcountry? Or is it the 6.5 creemore with some special ammo? I saw something about like a 6.5 creed plus I think? Just a higher pressure 6.5 creed if I’m correct?

It's called 6.5 +peak

 

[wcasey755]

It's called 6.5 +peak

So you shoot it out of your normal 6.5 creed? What happens if that ammo and your gun don’t get along and the groups suck? Haha

 

[Forkasauras]

regarding 307:

Pros: 700 action so lots of upgrades
Cons: bolt does not lock on safe, can't be upgraded. Not drop safe (though I think there is one trigger out there that is better than the rest but I don't remember which one. Trigger freezes in the cold.

Tikka
Pros: great factory trigger, you can get a peak 44 if you like that stock, intergral scope mounting to the reciever, smooooooth action
Cons: forced to use a detachable magazine

 

[heavyhorns]

Tikka T3x is hard to beat for the money. They just flat out shoot. Easy to change the grip on the factory stock too. Great triggers too. I lean 6.5 PRC over the 7 for lower 48.

 

[wcasey755]

regarding 307:

Pros: 700 action so lots of upgrades
Cons: bolt does not lock on safe, can't be upgraded. Not drop safe (though I think there is one trigger out there that is better than the rest but I don't remember which one. Trigger freezes in the cold.

Tikka
Pros: great factory trigger, you can get a peak 44 if you like that stock, intergral scope mounting to the reciever, smooooooth action
Cons: forced to use a detachable magazine

Yeah man that detachable mag is really the only thing killing it for me. It would be just my luck to lose my mag 8 miles in. Yes I can carry a spare but man that feels bad to think about haha.