New Rifle?

[Mat243]

I've been hunting for about 9 years now. I've been using a Remington 243 BDl. Now I want a little more power. I need to shoot about 300 yard, and I need to either stop them in thier tracks or have a massive blood trail. Was thinking either a 350 rem mag, 35 whelen, 338 win, 338 rum 340 weatherby, 300 rum or weatherby, or 7mm rem or weatherby. My have the chance to hunt elk or mule deer in the next cople years. Right now it will be used on Whitetail and HUGE feral hog in the 200 to 600 lb range.

[BIGTSV]

Here in Ohio, we can not hunt deer with a high powered rifle, we can if hunting coyote's though. My High powered Rifle I use is a Bolt Action WW2
British Enifield, very accurate in the range you are wanting and a great gun to add to your collection. A good Enifield is also a pretty cheap gun to buy as well! Not to mention you are using a piece of History!

[quigleysharps4570]

Of your choices I'd go the 35 Whelen. Offers 150gr. - 300gr. bullets. Plenty of power for anything on this continent.
A buddy of mine has a sporterized .303 BT. A fine rifle and caliber...can't talk him out of it either.

[cynic]

First let me start off by saying that the 35 Whelen while being the poor mans magnum rifle was not intended to shoot 300 yards. the 300 Rem ultra mag is alot of cartridge and excellent ballistics. Personally I like the 7mm rem mag and the 300 win mag..

[mhancock]

I can only speak from experience, but I love the following two rifles and doubt that I would trade either one. I have shot deer at well over 500 yard and as much as 800 with no problems, None of those deer even ran, so it made tracking a breeze.

Gun #1 Remengington Model 700 Sendero 7mm STW light jewel trigger
I shoot handloads, but the Federal Premiums do a wonerful job as well.

Gun #2 Remengington Model 700 Sendero 25/06 light jewel trigger
I also shoot handloads out of this gun, but killed the first deer with this gun on a Texas hunt. The deer was running at over 450 yards. Stopped him in his tracts. I usually use a pretty hard bullet in this combination.

The deer shown below was killed with the STW at a range of about 600 yards. This deer is only a management buck, so please dont hold the size against me.

This STW honestly is the flatest shooting and most accurate Magnum rifle ever made, and I honestly have tried them alll. Loaded correctly this gun will shoot well over 3600 fps

[cynic]

mhancock, I have only heard about the STW. All that I have heard is that it is the only rifle out with a point blank range of 500 yds. How is the kick? Heck the thing looks like an artilery round. Looking at the ballistics comparison it isn't really that much more impressive that a 7mmrem mag. using same bullet and gr weight. I can't say about grouping on the range though.

[mhancock]

The kick is definately not unbearable. I would more likely compare it to possibly a 30/06 or possibly less. It has a very large case and a small 7mm bullet. I have grained it all the way down to 120 grain hollow point, but I personally like to shoot a Sierra boat tail bullet my self in the 165 grain. This makes it that much better as far as knocldown on the deer's end.

I would be happy to try and post my balistic charts on here as I also have a nice custom 7 mag with muzzle brake and there is a decided difference when shoothing the guns at long range. I hAVE lot of balistic charts that we have made over the years between the 7 mag, and thje STW as well as a 7MM WEATHERBY, AND YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED HOW MUCH DIFFERENCE THERE REALLY IS COMPASRED TO MANUFACTURER DATA!

The STW is dead on at 500 yds sub 1/2" group) where the 7 mm has dropped around 6 inches at best an d is somewhat sporadic 3-4" group from the same shot off of the same shooting bench.

I could get it closer but it is really pusing the limits of the 7 mag case when loading it that "hot....the cases tend to try and split" They are both excellent guns but the STW is just so much more powerful and has a much flatter projectile. They are both great guns and I use both of them as well as my 25/06 regularly, but for extremely long shots, there is no thought given, it is and always will be the 7mm STW.


Goof Luck to all hunters this year on your deer quest.

I am looking for a board to post a few pay hunts that we have availalbe for next year. Does anyone know of any sites that will alllow me to do this including pictures? I have had them deleted from a number of diffetent sites. Thanks in advanc as we are lookinmg to secure at least 3 if nor 4 or 5 more scheduled trophy hunts for this next coming year. This is the best time of the year as far as rut goed so it is to late for this year. We already had a single sign up for this complete week. but we can scedule you a spot for next year as we aquired an additional 400 acre tract last night for next season. It too has been trophy managed for many years and has produced some really nice deer. Our land is steadily growing and so will be the deer heard, so contact me early if you are interested in booking a hunt.

Thanks,
MH

[mhancock]

cynic.

I will have to get out my baliastic charts and look at the difference in fps on the two guns. I know that the load I use is well over 3600fps. (handload all ammo foir this gun)

I also have a nice custom 7mm Magnum, it is a great gun, but doesn't have nearly as much range or grouping cpabilities) I have never even shot the 7mm Ultra so I can't comment on it. I can tell you that the STW has a good little thump, but it will honestly drive 16 penny nails through plyboard at over 100 yard repetedly. I did it 4 times in a row, so it will do very well in the grouping dept. I also had a friend tell me that I only hit the target once when wew sighted it in this year. (Closer Inspection showed 4 in the same hole)


I think that I am, going to build something in 30 cal next time as everyone swears that the 30 is more stable than the 7mm. I have to be shown, but I am up to any challenge. I will post ballistic charts in a day or so.

MH

[Mat243]

TO mhancock, have you heard of the new 257 hot tamale round. It is a 7stw necked down to 257 cal. Supposedly, you can use a dead on hold to 500 or so yards. I would like to see someone load a 30-378 Weatherby with a 130gr BarnesX Or a Lazz Warbird