Suggestions on Caliber in Light Weight Rifle

[SwiftShot]

Looking for a new toy but I only want one toy not 5. I hunt the PNW from Washington to Montana. Mostly I hunt Elk, Black Bear, and Deer. I do every few years do a Pronghorn hunt as well. I will also go up to Alaska for Caribou and looking to add Moose and Sheep to that soon. I have a couple rifles I have used in the past that worked out well.
Those rifles are a 6.5 PRC and a 300 RUM. In the past I have had 300 Win Mag, 7 08 and 25-06. Well about to fully retire and will have a wonderful new toy hauler. I will be doing Summers and Fall in PNW and Alaska. That means border crossing through Canada. I know you can do it alright but it is a hassle at times so trying to make it easier. So that is the thought behind one rifle.
Thought about putting one of my rifles the 300 RUM or the 6.5 PRC in the MDT Hunter 26 stock. That thing is just awesome but runs a little bit of money. I still need to deal with the barrel length as well. So I found the Savage Ultra Lite Elite. Great looking gun and comes in that stock standard. Now the question calibers are 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 308, 7MM PRC, 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag. So the barrels are 20 inches so not too short but you do loose some speed there. The thing will weight if done right complete 7 lbs. with scope. So if I run a can which will complicate the Canada thing. What caliber would you guys pick. The 7 PRC looks promising and I do reload so the price doesn't bother me for ammo. I love my 6.5 PRC but I think it is marginal for elk and moose. I am thinking the 7 PRC, 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag might be a recoil beast in that 7lb rifle. So I am in a weird spot. I don't want to drop 3 grand on a rifle I will not like too shoot. I shoot a lot that is why I reload. I want to be able to stretch out to a reasonable distance and not kill myself with recoil. I like the 7 PRC but have just heard too many stories about it being as bad as the 28 Nosler in a light rifle.
My 300 RUM is in a 8.5 lb. rifle with a Silencer Co 36 M and that doesn't bother me. I know it is a ramble but looking for thoughts on this. Dropping over 3 grand I don't want to really screw this one up. It would be simple if I could go shoot the rifle with most of these calibers but that is not an option. Also 300 PRC is not an option unfortunately.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Dave0317]

How many of those places you hunt require copper?

Opening up the option of using the most efficient bullets would allow you to step down in recoil, while also improving lethality, hit rate, and usually overall external ballistics as well. Would take your lighter calibers from being marginal on moose to being more than adequate. At least, that’s the direction I’ve started to go after reading the .223, 6mm, and 6.5 threads here. Hundreds of pages and dozens or maybe hundreds of large game killed with those calibers using ELD-Ms, TMKs, and similar.

 

[keystone112]

I’ll say 308. I don’t think the recoil would be a problem. Should be a good choice of bullets.

 

[SwiftShot]

How many of those places you hunt require copper?

Opening up the option of using the most efficient bullets would allow you to step down in recoil, while also improving lethality, hit rate, and usually overall external ballistics as well. Would take your lighter calibers from being marginal on moose to being more than adequate. At least, that’s the direction I’ve started to go after reading the .223, 6mm, and 6.5 threads here. Hundreds of pages and dozens or maybe hundreds of large game killed with those calibers using ELD-Ms, TMKs, and similar.

I will never use a 223 on anything larger than deer. I know there is a massive thread about that. Not for me. The 6mm is not an option in that rifle 6.5 is but which one. The whole 223 thing for large game, sorry I am going back to Alaska and I will not carry a 223.

 

[SwiftShot]

I’ll say 308. I don’t think the recoil would be a problem. Should be a good choice of bullets.

308 just works but not really an out west kind of round. Under 300 that is great but pass that marginal, unless I look at hand loading it up. I might be able to get better performance with hand loads.

 

[pbroski]

Tikka T3X Superlite in 6.5 PRC.

 

[waspocrew]

Sounds like you want a magnum.... personally, I think a 6.5 PRC will be plenty adequate for the game you are looking at pursuing.

Again, if you think a 6.5 PRC is marginal, then go 300 WM or 300 WSM in the Savage.

 

[mtnbound]

Looking for a new toy but I only want one toy not 5. I hunt the PNW from Washington to Montana. Mostly I hunt Elk, Black Bear, and Deer. I do every few years do a Pronghorn hunt as well. I will also go up to Alaska for Caribou and looking to add Moose and Sheep to that soon. I have a couple rifles I have used in the past that worked out well.
Those rifles are a 6.5 PRC and a 300 RUM. In the past I have had 300 Win Mag, 7 08 and 25-06. Well about to fully retire and will have a wonderful new toy hauler. I will be doing Summers and Fall in PNW and Alaska. That means border crossing through Canada. I know you can do it alright but it is a hassle at times so trying to make it easier. So that is the thought behind one rifle.
Thought about putting one of my rifles the 300 RUM or the 6.5 PRC in the MDT Hunter 26 stock. That thing is just awesome but runs a little bit of money. I still need to deal with the barrel length as well. So I found the Savage Ultra Lite Elite. Great looking gun and comes in that stock standard. Now the question calibers are 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 308, 7MM PRC, 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag. So the barrels are 20 inches so not too short but you do loose some speed there. The thing will weight if done right complete 7 lbs. with scope. So if I run a can which will complicate the Canada thing. What caliber would you guys pick. The 7 PRC looks promising and I do reload so the price doesn't bother me for ammo. I love my 6.5 PRC but I think it is marginal for elk and moose. I am thinking the 7 PRC, 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag might be a recoil beast in that 7lb rifle. So I am in a weird spot. I don't want to drop 3 grand on a rifle I will not like too shoot. I shoot a lot that is why I reload. I want to be able to stretch out to a reasonable distance and not kill myself with recoil. I like the 7 PRC but have just heard too many stories about it being as bad as the 28 Nosler in a light rifle.
My 300 RUM is in a 8.5 lb. rifle with a Silencer Co 36 M and that doesn't bother me. I know it is a ramble but looking for thoughts on this. Dropping over 3 grand I don't want to really screw this one up. It would be simple if I could go shoot the rifle with most of these calibers but that is not an option. Also 300 PRC is not an option unfortunately.
Thanks in advance.

Based on your information, 6.5 PRC won't work, which means 6.5 CM won't work, and 308 isn't a caliber for the West, so your choices are pretty straightforward. You want to use a copper bullet, so find which one shoots the copper at the highest velocities for your accuracy needs, and I would bet that the 300RUM.

 

[SwiftShot]

Sounds like you want a magnum.... personally, I think a 6.5 PRC will be plenty adequate for the game you are looking at pursuing.

Again, if you think a 6.5 PRC is marginal, then go 300 WM or 300 WSM in the Savage.

I am looking at the 6.5 PRC. I am just concerned it will not do moose or elk as well. I do love my 6.5 PRC I currently have. It is basically a 270 Win Mag. For some reason I have a hang up about it for elk. I do not know why. It is just not what I pull out for elk. Plus after one Brown Bear encounter I am a little nervous about carrying that in Alaska. I hope to be in Alaska at least every other year.

 

[SikaHuntaa]

I've been looking at Steve from EXOs 6mm Creedmore build for awhile, I think that might be my next attempt at a rig to give it a go. Otherwise I know a fair few hunters in NZ have gone to the 7PRC and are really liking it. 7SAUM is another good one.

 

[fuzzymarindave]

I am looking at the 6.5 PRC. I am just concerned it will not do moose or elk as well. I do love my 6.5 PRC I currently have. It is basically a 270 Win Mag. For some reason I have a hang up about it for elk. I do not know why. It is just not what I pull out for elk. Plus after one Brown Bear encounter I am a little nervous about carrying that in Alaska. I hope to be in Alaska at least every other year.

If not 6.5 PRC then a 6.8 Western will be a slight bump up in bullet weight and velocity.

 

[kcm2]

Range?

 

[grappling_hook]

Why not better bullets instead of copper. No need for copper in Alaska.

 

[grappling_hook]

I will never use a 223 on anything larger than deer. I know there is a massive thread about that. Not for me. The 6mm is not an option in that rifle 6.5 is but which one. The whole 223 thing for large game, sorry I am going back to Alaska and I will not carry a 223.

He's saying that if you switch to tipped match bullets, the 6.5cm, 308, and 6.5prc will work great.

 

[carsonkeys]

I will never use a 223 on anything larger than deer. I know there is a massive thread about that. Not for me. The 6mm is not an option in that rifle 6.5 is but which one. The whole 223 thing for large game, sorry I am going back to Alaska and I will not carry a 223.

It may not be for you, but you'd be smart to read the thread with an open mind. You're completely disregarding a literal mountain of information that would be beneficial to your question. Several have already made helpful comments.

 

[SwiftShot]

It may not be for you, but you'd be smart to read the thread with an open mind. You're completely disregarding a literal mountain of information that would be beneficial to your question. Several have already made helpful comments.

The key point many people seem to forget in this post is ALASKA. You live in Alaska. Sorry but I have bumped a brownie before and the come to Jesus moment is real. You want something else in your hand besides a 223 at least I do. Is is logical, maybe not but when your there you there and you know your small. Feel free to shoot elk with a 223 if you want, not my thing. I have killed tons of them almost all with a bow. The number of broadheads and bullets I have found in elk is insane. Those where not 223 bullets, so most important part of that is shot placement. Most people can shoot a 223 way better than anything else because there is no recoil. Yes I know if an arrow can do it a 223 can. I have killed in my youth many a deer with a 22 Hornet. I would never use that today. The point goes back to ALASKA. That is where I plan on do a lot of hunting. Second the 223 is not an option in this rifle so why it was ever discussed is beyond me.

 

[grappling_hook]

The point goes back to ALASKA. That is where I plan on do a lot of hunting. Second the 223 is not an option in this rifle so why it was ever discussed is beyond me.

I think was brought up as more "if you use cup and core bullets, then the 6.5 creedmoor or 308 will be excellent choices out of the ones you suggested. After all, if those tipped match bullets will kill anything even in a 223, as surely demonstrated in the 223 thread, then surely they'll be no problem for you in a 6.5cm/prc or 308."

 

[SwiftShot]

If not 6.5 PRC then a 6.8 Western will be a slight bump up in bullet weight and velocity.

I think the 6.8 Western is a great round. I think Winchester has done a terrible job marketing it. They problem I have is the rifle is not in that caliber. That would actually be a logical compromise. Not as snappy as the 7 PRC but not a small as the 6.5 PRC. I dont quite understand my hang up on it for elk. I kill most of my elk with a bow. If a bow can do it a 6.5 can.
I had a bad experience once with a guy that had a 6.5 Creedmoor. It was a Sheep hunt and I was with my buddy and he took a nice ram. This guy had a ewe tag. In hindsight I think it was the bullets but I watched this guy put round after round in an ewe he had anchored with the first shot. He reloaded. I dont know how many actually hit after the first shot. Maybe he was excited and was just missing the rest I do not know. That made me leery of the 6.5 a little. Completely not rational as I have dropped a nice muley at range with my 6.5 PRC. He just dropped. I know the round is basically a 270. I am really torn between the 6.5 and the 7. The 6.5 PRC is a dream to shoot. Maybe I am trying to talk myself out of the 6.5 I do not know.

 

[SwiftShot]

I think was brought up as more "if you use cup and core bullets, then the 6.5 creedmoor or 308 will be excellent choices out of the ones you suggested. After all, if those tipped match bullets will kill anything even in a 223, as surely demonstrated in the 223 thread, then surely they'll be no problem for you in a 6.5cm/prc or 308."

Valid point. It is 80 percent placement 18 percent bullet and 2 percent caliber.