Thinking about a large bore short barrel suppressor host rifle...

[Macchina]

I 'm thinking about a new 30 cal or larger bolt action with a 16" to 20" barrel designed to always be shot suppressed. I have a Rex Silentium MG7k that works great on anything up to 358 caliber. I currently use it on a tiny Ruger 77/357 and a 350 Legend AR. I'm thinking about my next rifle and I would like it to be a 300 yard elk-capable gun. This gun will mostly be used for Whitetails in woodlands.

My current rifle lineup is a Tikka in 6.5 Creedmoor (24"), a Winchester Model 70 (FN) in 30-06 (22"), and a Savage 10 in 7mm-08 (22"). I also have lever guns in 357 and 44, as well as the 357 and 350 Legend mentioned above. Only the 77/357 and 350 Legend are threaded and I've thought about switching a barrel on one of my bolt guns but don't know if I want to go that route. I think the Tikka and Savage action/magazine would work for all the 308 based cartridges I list below.

What's a good round I should be looking at here? I'm thinking possibly the 338 Federal or 338 Ruger. Maybe a 358 Winchester? Or should I just go .308 and keep practice ammo cheap. Any other cartridges I should be looking at? I'm trying to stick to smaller powder capacity cartridges that work well in shorter barrels.

I exclusively reload for all my rifle rounds.

I'm also debating barrel length here. A 16" .308 is somewhat easy to come by, everything else would most likely be a custom barrel unless I could find a 20" 338 Federal.

 

[mitchellmountain]

Large bore elk capable out to 300 would put you in the 35 whelen territory. JES does great work reboring a barrel on a 30-06 and will chop the barrel too. I have a 358 win, love it for deer out to 300 but would think it's getting a tad on the slow side for elk that far out. That being said, 308 is very capable at those ranges.

 

[Presswood_936]

I’ve been eyeing 8.6 blackout . Not sure what the ammo availability will be for awhile .

 

[wildwilderness]

What is the suppressor rated for? Personally I would look at a short magnum- you mentioned the 338 RCM, a good choice. Always easy to go with a 300 wsm if the sup can take it. 325 wsm as well.


Elk can be tough and hard to kill. A short barrel will loose energy so might as well start out faster!

 

[AkMtnRunner]

Factoring in cost and component availability, it's hard to beat the 30-06 or 300 WSM in a short barrel. Those are still very adequate to 300 (and beyond) for elk. Sure, the 338's might look better on paper and if you shoot 100 animals with each, you may see a few animals with different affect, but if one of those 30 cal's fails, it wasn't because it didn't have enough oomph. That's coming from someone who likes the 338's. I have a 20" suppressed 338 win mag but I am also hunting in Alaska. If I were strictly hunting in the other 49 states, I'd go 300 WSM in 20" and not look back.

 

[Oldffemt]

308 is so available for practice ammo and performs just fine at the ranges you’re talking about. You don’t need to burn 50+ grains of powder to kill an elk. Just hit them in the lungs with a modern bullet and you’ll be fine. They’re not armor plated.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

chop that tikka 6.5 barrel somewhere in the 16-18" range, thread it, use your can, and have a ~600 yard capable elk rifle with great component availability and reasonable barrel life.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

chop that tikka 6.5 barrel somewhere in the 16-18" range, thread it, use your can, and have a ~600 yard capable elk rifle with great component availability and reasonable barrel life.

This.

You already have three 300yard capable elk rifles.

 

[atmat]

chop that tikka 6.5 barrel somewhere in the 16-18" range, thread it, use your can, and have a ~600 yard capable elk rifle with great component availability and reasonable barrel life.

This is what I did after similar feedback.

 

[TN2shot07]

The new 338 weatherby rpm was designed with this in mind, they are even chambering it in a 20 inch barrel.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

This is what I did after similar feedback.

same, my tikka 6.5 is at 18", i'll have enough velocity for reliable bullet upset to 600 yards. realistically it's all the rifle, or more, that I'll ever need. It's also handy and fun to shoot.

 

[Shraggs]

Large bore elk capable out to 300 would put you in the 35 whelen territory. JES does great work reboring a barrel on a 30-06 and will chop the barrel too. I have a 358 win, love it for deer out to 300 but would think it's getting a tad on the slow side for elk that far out. That being said, 308 is very capable at those ranges.

FYI…

My 358 win hand loads are 2670 fps. Easily over a 400 yard gun. Details posted on bjborn rebarrel thread.

I’d vote blr in 358 or 338 fed. Then thread it.

 

[mitchellmountain]

FYI…

My 358 win hand loads are 2670 fps. Easily over a 400 yard gun. Details posted on bjborn rebarrel thread.

I’d vote blr in 358 or 338 fed. Then thread it.

 

[BjornF16]

338 Federal, 338 RPM would be nice large bore options.

I have a .358 in BLR, would rather have 338 Federal

 

[BLJ]

338 Federal, 338 RPM would be nice large bore options.

I have a .358 in BLR, would rather have 338 Federal

Can I ask why the 338 Fed over the 358?

 

[BjornF16]

Bullets getting scarcer for .358 (some good bullets discontinued).

More bullet choices for .338. I think 180-200 grains good window for .338 and will give slightly longer effective range than .358

Finally, more suppressor options for .338

 

[BLJ]

I assumed bullet selection was the big one. Thanks.

 

[Shraggs]

I tend Agee with more bullet options for 338. But was concerned that many are designed for much larger powder payload and higher speeds.

I was in load development for my 358 with partions when I switched mid stream to hammer. Generally not a copper fan but these do work differently, but still light for caliber is way. Imo.

 

[BjornF16]

Sectional Density of the 185 gr .33’s will be higher than 200 gr .35’s

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

I 'm thinking about a new 30 cal or larger bolt action with a 16" to 20" barrel designed to always be shot suppressed. I have a Rex Silentium MG7k that works great on anything up to 358 caliber. I currently use it on a tiny Ruger 77/357 and a 350 Legend AR. I'm thinking about my next rifle and I would like it to be a 300 yard elk-capable gun. This gun will mostly be used for Whitetails in woodlands.

My current rifle lineup is a Tikka in 6.5 Creedmoor (24"), a Winchester Model 70 (FN) in 30-06 (22"), and a Savage 10 in 7mm-08 (22"). I also have lever guns in 357 and 44, as well as the 357 and 350 Legend mentioned above. Only the 77/357 and 350 Legend are threaded and I've thought about switching a barrel on one of my bolt guns but don't know if I want to go that route. I think the Tikka and Savage action/magazine would work for all the 308 based cartridges I list below.

What's a good round I should be looking at here? I'm thinking possibly the 338 Federal or 338 Ruger. Maybe a 358 Winchester? Or should I just go .308 and keep practice ammo cheap. Any other cartridges I should be looking at? I'm trying to stick to smaller powder capacity cartridges that work well in shorter barrels.

I exclusively reload for all my rifle rounds.

I'm also debating barrel length here. A 16" .308 is somewhat easy to come by, everything else would most likely be a custom barrel unless I could find a 20" 338 Federal.

From a practical standpoint I'd go 300 wsm, a short 338 gains you nothing, and bullets are twice the price.
But from a want standpoint get whatever excites you the most and have fun