Which magnum rifle

[KenLee]

Nobody's saying that all shooting is improvement. But you mentioning that is sort of a dodge.

I'm simply saying that when you tell me how great a shot you are then tell me you don't practice much, I am going to believe *one* of those to be true.

Dang Randy. Watch Sling Blade again

 

[huntnful]

Between the two, go with the 7 PRC. He’ll still think it’s badass, and it’ll kick a good bit less. Recoil isn’t his friend, but I understand not wanting to totally undermine what he wants. Pretty much everything my dad told me was right, but I still wanted to find out for myself (the hard way) lol. He’ll still be able to kill shit with it.

As far as the rifle itself, I don’t know much about any of the factory offerings. But damn sure don’t get something “ultralight” if you see it. Moderate/heavy base weight, and dependable.

Cool to see your son jacked up on shooting and hunting, and you wanting to feed the fire while it’s hot.

 

[Dfou]

I'm really interested in the the Tikka/KRG chassis option. Gonna look into that more

 

[RockAndSage]

Between the two, go with the 7 PRC. He’ll still think it’s badass, and it’ll kick a good bit less. Recoil isn’t his friend, but I understand not wanting to totally undermine what he wants. Pretty much everything my dad told me was right, but I still wanted to find out for myself (the hard way) lol. He’ll still be able to kill shit with it.

As far as the rifle itself, I don’t know much about any of the factory offerings. But damn sure don’t get something “ultralight” if you see it. Moderate/heavy base weight, and dependable.

Cool to see your son jacked up on shooting and hunting, and you wanting to feed the fire while it’s hot.

OP - @huntnful is the only guy on the forum I know of who shoots high-volume with magnum regularly, and who hunts with them regularly as his primary choice. He's a damned wizard with them.

Notice he is also suggesting multiple approaches to going with the least recoil possible.

 

[huntnful]

I'm really interested in the the Tikka/KRG chassis option. Gonna look into that more

That’s exactly what I would do

 

[Dfou]

So, @Dfou , it's great you came in here and asked these questions. If nobody has yet offered you a welcome to the forum, then please consider this a warm and hearty welcome.

Having been on here quite a bit myself the last couple of years, I recognize a lot of the people in this thread and remember a lot about what they've shared regarding their shooting habits, capabilities, fails, successes, etc, over that period. These same guys who might seem like a jumbled mashup of faceless dudes on the internet, to me are, "Oh, the guy who hammered a buck at 630 yds, uphill, seated, resting his gun on a backpack", or "the guy who goes through 1000 rounds a month of centerfire rifle ammo across different cartridges", etc.

Here's a couple of things I can share that might help set the context for the responses you're getting:

1) Every single one of these guys commenting here, is giving you the most sincere, experienced answers we can give, genuinely trying to help, not looking down on you or your son in any way.

2) There's at least 4 in here I can safely say shoot over 3000-5000 centerfire rifle rounds each, annually. Some do more. I personally do about 5k. Just about anyone giving you a detailed answer is going through at least 1000 annually - all of whom share a very strong focus on field-realistic training and riflery competence for hunting realities.

3) Virtually none of us shoot magnums...anymore. Almost all of us used to. Those few commenting in your thread here who do, usually only do so with it as a specialized tool for very specific, uncommon purposes. This is a pattern of success that leaves clues based on high volumes of range and field experience.

4) Because the guys are so focused on field-realities and field competence, we may have a different understanding of what "proficient" would be, so please take that into account. For most of us, minimum proficiency is going to be something approximating being able to hit 8" vitals out to 300yds, in any field-expedient position, in any environmental conditions - rain, wind, snow, sundown, sunup, high-angle, shooting prone off a backpack, to something weird like being crouched low with a broken branch acting like a monopod as the only support. This is a far more difficult standard of proficiency than one would suspect, and it's made a full order of magnitude more difficult with a magnum.

5) Across time and people and experience, almost all of us shoot high volumes of .223 as a trainer, and only escalate cartridge size to the point we can keep that same level of proficiency. It's like starting with training wheels, and just removing them, and then maybe bumping up to a BMX bike...before hopping on a Kawasaki/Magnum. Consequently, few of us shoot anything bigger than 6CM, 6.5CM, or 6.5PRC on any North American big game - and yet we also all know that .223 with a good tipped match bullet will kill anything on the continent. There is over 600 pages of thousands of posts of proof, showing the documented photos of this. It's definitely worthwhile taking your time to read through this.

Please don't take any of this as an attack on you or your son - it's simply the best information we can provide, and it's being given sincerely, trying to help. And every single one of us here has had our worldviews challenged with all of this, especially when we first jump into this community. Much of it is very much against common, accepted wisdom.

So in my first response here in your post, please pardon the efficiency with which I shared the info I did - it wasn't meant to come across as jerkish or as parenting advice. It's just stuff I - and we - have seen our entire lives, and often went through ourselves as kids or parents, myself included.

One piece of advice I will give: If your son is really intent on a .300 Win Mag, bite the bullet and buy him 2 guns. A .223 Tikka, and a .300 Win Mag of his choice. Then set the standards of performance, with plenty of ammo for each to do with as he so chooses. It will be fairly evident for him, personally, where the path to success will be, fairly quickly.

Thanks for the welcome and I can truely appreciate the information you posted and can agree with most of it. I was a 300 win mag only kinda guy when I was younger and now love my 257 wby as well as my 7-08 rifles. I rarely shoot a 300 anymore. As much as I try to explain to him to learn from others mistakes/experiences we all know some people have to make their own decisions and learn for themselves especially young men. I bought them a .223 bolt gun when they first started shooting just for that reason.

 

[The Guide]

I must be missing something. Google search shows the KRG bravo at 899$ I see the Echo at 299$
The HMR is on sale at a little over 900$ right now

The $899 price is for a fully tricked out competition type stock. The standard Bravo Chassis is $399 full price from the manufacturer. They often go on sale and can be found used for $200 to $300 in the Rokslide classified section. You will need a magazine to go with it.

Jay

Bravo Chassis – Kinetic Research Group

kineticresearchgroup.com

KRG Logo AICS Magazine – Kinetic Research Group

kineticresearchgroup.com

 

[KenLee]

I'm really interested in the the Tikka/KRG chassis option. Gonna look into that more

There you go wasting the good scope budget

 

[Dfou]

The $899 price is for a fully tricked out competition type stock. The standard Bravo Chassis is $399 full price from the manufacturer. They often go on sale and can be found used for $200 to $300 in the Rokslide classified section. You will need a magazine to go with it.

Jay

View attachment 981427

Bravo Chassis – Kinetic Research Group

kineticresearchgroup.com

View attachment 981428

KRG Logo AICS Magazine – Kinetic Research Group

kineticresearchgroup.com

Thanks I figured I wasn't looking at the right thing

 

[43.6N]

Thanks I figured I wasn't looking at the right thing

I think your son will find the 6.5prc in a KRG bravo very comfortable to shoot.

What kind of range do you guys have easy access to in Louisiana? And what sort of hunting opportunities do you guys plan on practicing for?

 

[Dfou]

So, @Dfou , it's great you came in here and asked these questions. If nobody has yet offered you a welcome to the forum, then please consider this a warm and hearty welcome.

Having been on here quite a bit myself the last couple of years, I recognize a lot of the people in this thread and remember a lot about what they've shared regarding their shooting habits, capabilities, fails, successes, etc, over that period. These same guys who might seem like a jumbled mashup of faceless dudes on the internet, to me are, "Oh, the guy who hammered a buck at 630 yds, uphill, seated, resting his gun on a backpack", or "the guy who goes through 1000 rounds a month of centerfire rifle ammo across different cartridges", etc.

Here's a couple of things I can share that might help set the context for the responses you're getting:

1) Every single one of these guys commenting here, is giving you the most sincere, experienced answers we can give, genuinely trying to help, not looking down on you or your son in any way.

2) There's at least 4 in here I can safely say shoot over 3000-5000 centerfire rifle rounds each, annually. Some do more. I personally do about 5k. Just about anyone giving you a detailed answer is going through at least 1000 annually - all of whom share a very strong focus on field-realistic training and riflery competence for hunting realities.

3) Virtually none of us shoot magnums...anymore. Almost all of us used to. Those few commenting in your thread here who do, usually only do so with it as a specialized tool for very specific, uncommon purposes. This is a pattern of success that leaves clues based on high volumes of range and field experience.

4) Because the guys are so focused on field-realities and field competence, we may have a different understanding of what "proficient" would be, so please take that into account. For most of us, minimum proficiency is going to be something approximating being able to hit 8" vitals out to 300yds, in any field-expedient position, in any environmental conditions - rain, wind, snow, sundown, sunup, high-angle, shooting prone off a backpack, to something weird like being crouched low with a broken branch acting like a monopod as the only support. This is a far more difficult standard of proficiency than one would suspect, and it's made a full order of magnitude more difficult with a magnum.

5) Across time and people and experience, almost all of us shoot high volumes of .223 as a trainer, and only escalate cartridge size to the point we can keep that same level of proficiency. It's like starting with training wheels, and just removing them, and then maybe bumping up to a BMX bike...before hopping on a Kawasaki/Magnum. Consequently, few of us shoot anything bigger than 6CM, 6.5CM, or 6.5PRC on any North American big game - and yet we also all know that .223 with a good tipped match bullet will kill anything on the continent. There is over 600 pages of thousands of posts of proof, showing the documented photos of this. It's definitely worthwhile taking your time to read through this.

Please don't take any of this as an attack on you or your son - it's simply the best information we can provide, and it's being given sincerely, trying to help. And every single one of us here has had our worldviews challenged with all of this, especially when we first jump into this community. Much of it is very much against common, accepted wisdom.

So in my first response here in your post, please pardon the efficiency with which I shared the info I did - it wasn't meant to come across as jerkish or as parenting advice. It's just stuff I - and we - have seen our entire lives, and often went through ourselves as kids or parents, myself included.

One piece of advice I will give: If your son is really intent on a .300 Win Mag, bite the bullet and buy him 2 guns. A .223 Tikka, and a .300 Win Mag of his choice. Then set the standards of performance, with plenty of ammo for each to do with as he so chooses. It will be fairly evident for him, personally, where the path to success will be, fairly quickly.

I also don't want you to think the knowledge and skill some members have is lost on me. I was hoping I asked my original question in a way to not solicit too much additional knowledge but I know that is hard to do when some of the guys have the level of skill and passion they do. I know what it's like to shoot thousands of rounds in a year. I know what it's like to shoot thousands of rounds in a week. But at this point that's not my son's goal. Not to say that won't change and I'd like him to have a rifle capable of LR shooting. I know he isn't considered competent to some of those guys but I think he's more than competent for the hunting situations he will be in. Currently he won't have many if any opportunities to shoot past 300 yds in a hunting situation and has proven he can shoot that far. With all that being said I think the 6.5 PRC will likely be the best option for him to satisfy the "need" for a magnum and still have decent manners as far as recoil.