Rifle Selection

[Pocu0801]

Hey Guys,

Newbie rifle guy here.

Looking at picking up a new boom stick for an elk hunt this year. I am hoping I can get good enough with this gun to get comfortable to 500, and hope the gun is capable of further. Based on my research I feel this can be obtained with a production rifle, that said I have been looking at these three...browning x bolt LR, M70 extreme weather stainless and the weatherby weathermark.

My question to you all is if the weatherby is worth the extra $$? What upgrades would any of these need?

Thanks fellas

 

[wannakillabigbull]

Hey Pocu, welcome to the world of rifles! Have you taken a look at any of these rifles in a store yet? It's interesting that you chose three rifles with entirely different actions and safety styles, and some different magazine options. Some people definitely have preferences for how their actions and safeties and magazines/floor plates work. If I were you I would check them all out in store and find which one fit my fancy the best.
I prefer Remington or weatherby style safeties and hinged floor plates, so I would like the weatherby the most of your choices. All those rifles are capable of what you need assuming you can find some ammo they like and are accurate enough yourself.

Regarding upgrades, I think that may depend on what it is you are looking for. Two of the rifles you listed are stainless, the x bolt isn't, so maybe that would be a candidate to get cerakoted? The extreme weather and weatherby have aluminum bedding blocks but may shoot better if they were glass bedded, so that's an option for those two rifles. The x bolt is also the only of the three with a muzzle brake. Is that something you're interested in? That'll be quite a bit more expensive to get installed on either of the other two.

I'm sure some others can chime in on the weatherby as I haven't owned one before. I do know weatherbys have a good reputation for a reason and that would be my pick of the three you listed. There are plenty of other choices out there, though.

 

[Pocu0801]

Thanks for the feedback. I would throw a break on any of them, I’m a small dude with a history of a flinch issue with heavy recoil. I do like a controlled feed, but with the great things I have heard about the xbolt and weatherbys they have me very intrigued.

 

[FURMAN]

Budget and animals you will be hunting would dictate what I would suggest. In any case Weatherby would not be on my list.


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[Pocu0801]

Primarily deer and elk, I don’t really wanna go over $2k...

 

[NDGuy]

I wouldn't spend 2k on a first rifle . Get a rifle in the $600-1000 range and you can always drop 2k in the future. You wouldn't want to spend 2k and not like it after shooting awhile. Plus you need a scope. Get a $700 rifle and then put a nice dialing scope if you want to go past 400-500 yards. If you buy a Weatherby you will still need to put an $500-1000 scope on it.

Tikka T3X
Browning Xbolt
Ruger American Predator
Savage 16/116

 

[Pocu0801]

Sorry, I should have clarified before that I have a leupold vx2 that I was gunna throw on it.

 

[FURMAN]

With Elk in the picture I would recommend a 30 cal and make sure you go with a rifle that does not restrict the magazine length. I would recommend a Fierce Fury, or a Christensen Arms Mesa in 300 WM. I say buy once cry once. If you go cheap you will most likely upgrade and lose money in the progress.

 

[Pocu0801]

Are the Mesa and Fury glass bedded? Couldn’t find info on either site.

 

[Pocu0801]

Deifnetly going 300 wm, no question.

 

[NDGuy]

If you are spending $1000+ on a rifle, do not put a $200 scope on it..

 

[NDGuy]

With Elk in the picture I would recommend a 30 cal and make sure you go with a rifle that does not restrict the magazine length. I would recommend a Fierce Fury, or a Christensen Arms Mesa in 300 WM. I say buy once cry once. If you go cheap you will most likely upgrade and lose money in the progress.

More guns the better. Always nice having a rifle you don't care about scratching or getting dirty.

 

[FURMAN]

Are the Mesa and Fury glass bedded? Couldn’t find info on either site.

The Fury uses a Sako style front lug that is bedded and the rear tang is spot bedded. The Mesa is spot bedded in the front lug.


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[Pocu0801]

The Fury uses a Sako style front lug that is bedded and the rear tang is spot bedded. The Mesa is spot bedded in the front lug.


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Is this as accurate as glass bedding?

 

[FURMAN]

It is "glass bedding". I believe you are asking if it is as good as a full bedding job. The with the design of the Fierce I believe so. I feel the Christensens could benefit from full bedding.

 

[Jon C]

The Browning Hells Canyon speed comes with a brake and is cerakoted or a Tikka T3 stainless lite and add a brake. Don’t think you could go wrong with either. The scope you have now will work good just can’t dial. If you shoot a lot longer range might want to step up later on.

 

[ofl0926]

you should look into the weatherby vanguard series. definitely a great rifle and they are shooters. they have all different type of models and they wont break the bank. they have a vanguard similar to the weathermark called the weatherguard. go look at them. excellent shooting rifles.

 

[2five7]

This would be a good choice. Factory bedded, cerakote, muzzle brake, 10 twist barrel will handle heavy bullets. Find a good scope in the $1000 range and your set.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/749743832

 

[handwerk]

I would get a model 70 EW for around $1000 and then order a mcmillian stock that fits you well, you'll be well under $2000 and have a rifle made for you.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Deifnetly going 300 wm, no question.

Above you said you have a history of flinching, this seems like an odd pairing. 30-06 can get you 500yd and its an easier shooter FYI. Good luck on your selection, the flinching statement followed by the 300WM caught my eye. Obviously a brake will help if you are thinking of going that route.

Just don't assume you NEED a magnum for elk at shorter ranges even though you hear lots of inexperience folks propagating that tale. Putting a bullet where it needs to go is what really matters and that means you need to have trigger time on your gun and be comfortable shooting it (a heavy recoil you can't handle isn't going to encourage trigger time and subsequent accuracy).