getting ready to pull the trigger on a new custom hunting rifle. haven't pinned down the caliber yet. what experience have you guys seen with 28 nosler. the round intrigues me to say the least. open to other ideas course. Mostly want this to be a longer range elk gun that is lighter than my dta srs 338lm.
Advice on Custom Hunting Rifle
- Thread starter Blandbland
- Start date
What are you talking for "longer range elk" as I've seen a number of very nice, quickly harvested elk taken with the pretty unassuming 6.5 Creedmoor... The 28 Nosler is a pretty sizeable cartridge, especially up close. I've seen some major issues with too much velocity causing poor results due to bullet failures with otherwise normal hunting bullets.
My long range elk gun is a 300WM shooting 215gr Berger Hybrids. It might be worth a look. There is a huge 80 page thread on longrange hunting forums.
What is your definition of "Long Range" Elk rifle? 500 yards? 700 yards? 900 yards? 1K+?
Your .338 LM should be your long range elk rifle. I would build a lighter carry weight (8-10#) mountain/cross canyon "mid-range" rifle (800-1000) if it were my build.
I have loaded for a few 28 Noslers running the 195 Berger Elite Hunter. They shoot amazingly. But these are 12# rifles with brakes. 3150ish MV translates to a true LR elk rifle. But they still pack some punch to the shooter. I would not want a 9# carry rifle in this chambering unless you plan on only using it for hunting.
A 7RM or .280AI will get you enough for a true 800-900+ elk rifle and be more forgiving on the shoulder, and use a lot less powder. You could do a sub-9# rifle with a brake and be very comfortable. I took my bull this year at 662 yards (not a really long shot) with my 10# 7RM pushing a 180 Hybrid at a leisurely 2996MV, and the bull went 50 yards before he piled up. My conditions I was hunting made it about an 1100 yard gun. My backup carry weight .280AI (sub-9# scoped) pushing a 175 Berger Elite Hunter @ 2975 is about a 950-1000 yard elk rifle.
Your .338 LM should be your long range elk rifle. I would build a lighter carry weight (8-10#) mountain/cross canyon "mid-range" rifle (800-1000) if it were my build.
I have loaded for a few 28 Noslers running the 195 Berger Elite Hunter. They shoot amazingly. But these are 12# rifles with brakes. 3150ish MV translates to a true LR elk rifle. But they still pack some punch to the shooter. I would not want a 9# carry rifle in this chambering unless you plan on only using it for hunting.
A 7RM or .280AI will get you enough for a true 800-900+ elk rifle and be more forgiving on the shoulder, and use a lot less powder. You could do a sub-9# rifle with a brake and be very comfortable. I took my bull this year at 662 yards (not a really long shot) with my 10# 7RM pushing a 180 Hybrid at a leisurely 2996MV, and the bull went 50 yards before he piled up. My conditions I was hunting made it about an 1100 yard gun. My backup carry weight .280AI (sub-9# scoped) pushing a 175 Berger Elite Hunter @ 2975 is about a 950-1000 yard elk rifle.
I'm finishing up a build in 338 WM for this very application. Mine is somewhat unusual (a T/C Icon action), but there's certainly no reason that a more conventional action couldn't be used (a Tikka would be a great choice, IMO).
Between the Berger 250 EH and the recently released 230 ELD-X, I think that the 338 WM has the potential to be a REALLY versatile hunting round for pretty much anything you're likely to hunt in North America.
Between the Berger 250 EH and the recently released 230 ELD-X, I think that the 338 WM has the potential to be a REALLY versatile hunting round for pretty much anything you're likely to hunt in North America.
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- Feb 16, 2017
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I rock a 28 Nosler Defiance build and it’s tits! I’m not one for buying the new hotness but when I started reloading for this one I fell in love with the cartridge. It will serve you well no matter what your definition of long range hunting is. I toss 180 burgers at a trued MV of 3280 out of a #3 fluted bartlein. I only shoot 180’s because it’s a 1-9 twist. It doesn’t ultimately matter as it’s an absolute hammer and my favorite round to shoot from 600-1500. I had a 338 Edge build planned and scrapped it. I only wish I went with a bighorn SR3 so I could have barrels in reserve as I’m sure I’ll burn this one out pretty quick with my “warm” load. In an EH1 with a S&B 3-20 in seekins rings it weighs 10lbs, which I’m my opinion is perfect for LR Hunting.
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Criterion makes prefits for Remingtons. Northland Shooters Supply has barrel nuts.
http://northlandshooterssupply.com/match-grade-barrels/criterion-remington-remage/
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- Feb 16, 2017
- 478
- 427
Yeah, I’m tracking the remage bizz, I’m a bartlein or Proof junkie though. The SR3 also provides the option of prefit shouldered barrels. I realize some smiths keep your action specs on file, but the one I used for this build did not. Hind sight being 20/20 and all that....
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