New rifle caliber choice? You tell me!

[lancetkenyon]

For an all-around LR hunting rifle, with enough for elk, but not way too much for Coues, you are probably in the 6.5mm to .308 caliber range.

 

Here would be my choices:

6.5mm:

.260 Rem (or Ackley)

6.5-06 (or Ackley)

6.5-.284

.264 WM

6.5 STW

 

7MM:

.284 Win

.280 Rem (or Ackley)

7MM RSAUM (possibly my next build)

7MM WSM (possibly my next build )

7MM RM

7MM Weatherby

7MM STW

7MM RUM

 

.308:

.300 WM

.300 Weatherby

.300 RUM

.30-378 Weatherby

[firstcoueswas80]

Lance, gotta ask, why no 28 Nosler or 7 LRM? Im thinking it has to do with brass availability in the future?

[Titanium700]

264 Win Mag with an 8 twist.

[joelpresmyk8]

Ok thank you again everyone. I am now looking at a 7mm mag and a .300 win mag. Any input between these two?

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Hey lance I bet you can't nail it down to 1.

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

7mm mag is very good for just about any north american game. Kicks hard though! My choice would be 7mm mag

[lancetkenyon]

Lance, gotta ask, why no 28 Nosler or 7 LRM? Im thinking it has to do with brass availability in the future?

Exactly. Joel said with easy to find reloading supplies. I think they would be good candidates for a LR hunting rig if you are willing to foot the bill for custom stuff.

Hey lance I bet you can't nail it down to 1.

My next build will be a lightweight mountain rifle for shots 700 and under. I will be building a 7MM RSAUM.

 

If Joel wants to add some info for his build, I could narrow it down.

 

If the OP is not worried about barrel life, 7 RUM with a heavy contour 1 in 8" twist barrel w. brake, pushing a 175-195 bullet.

 

If Joel wants a lighter weight carry rifle, I would do a 7MM RM w. 1 in 8 or 9" twist barrel. Shoot a 165-180 grain bullet.

[Zeke-BE]

7mm or 300 win are good choices. If you want to buy a heavy bullet lets say 200 or 215 grain your better off in a 300 win mag. If your going to get a 7mm rem make sure you reload. Lots of factory rounds really don't out perform the .270. If you reload there are 4-5 powders that can get you maybe around 150-200 fps faster than a .270. With factory a lot of them are shooting 2800-3000 fps kind of odd with that size do brass and powder capacity. If you reload you can make them far more superior than factory around then they are worth it. For myself I bought a 300 win Mag and I'm developing and elk load as well in the 200-210 grain. Serria, Berger and nosler Accurbonds can push those rounds out about 2800-2900 fps.

If you like 300 weathybe they shoot great, but always cost you an arm and a leg. Realistically you are only getting about 50-100 fps faster with a 300'wethy than a 300 win mag. Make more since with the win mag. Just my 2 cents

[Ernesto C]

What are you using it for? Target shooting or hunting? For the distance you want to shoot you can use your 30-06 just put a good scope on it.

[.270]

As hard as it is to find brass these days, I'd look at something that is easier to find. Lark.

[4Falls]

Theres so many choices these days its bordering on overwhelming. Just when I think I know what caliber I'd like to have, I go and read a thread like this and my mind reels with new ideas.

[Coach]

I guess LR is subjective. I'm a new 6.5 groupie and just love that round. My newly-built 6.5 284 Norma is so far the best rifle I've hunted with. My buddy just got a 26 Nosler. My other go-to rifle is a 300 WSM that can do just about anything.

[joelpresmyk8]

Ok well after researching for brass it seems like that as of right now, .300 wby is easier to find brass then the .300 rum

[1denogean]

for me if it was one gun, it would have to be a 300wm

[duckhunter175]

Just had this discussion at work!! I love my 6.5x284 and I had my 7mm rebarreled to .338WM to cover both ends of the spectrum (long range, mid size game and mid range, large game).

 

However, I have 3 friends all with .300RUM and they've harvested everything from Coues, Caribou, Bear and even Moose.

 

My next build will be long range/large game and will be a .300RUM.