planning my first build

[rukwikenuf]

ok, i'm a total newbie. sorry. i've searched some, but not really gotten the information i wanted, so maybe someone here can help?

i'm looking to build a new rifle for target AND hunting. i'm hoping to get out west for antelope and Alaska for big game. this is admittedly a bit of a pipe dream, but that's my excuse for the next gun

ok, now that i've gotten that outta the way, i'm looking at either 7mm Rem Mag or 300 Win Mag. yes, i know a Magnum will destroy whitetail at the distances i'd have the chance to shoot in MN, but that's not the point.

i'd like to keep this in a reasonable budget (well under $2k with glass, hoping around $1200). i'm planning a good stock (probably an HS precision one), a muzzle break or sorts, and i'll probably lean toward a Vortex PST scope, cuz that's what i can get easily.

so, tell me the reasons i shouldn't get one or the other. i realize that a lot of people like the 300 Win Mag, but i'm kinda thinking that a main reason is because of military use. however, from what i've been seeing, 7mm Rem Mag is just as capable as the 300 Win Mag with lower recoil (not much though!)

tell me my folly folks. please


edit: i should add that i'm also going to try to keep the weight down on this bad-boy. in case i have to go on a trek across the frozen tundra of Alaska, or if i DO take it hunting in the swampy woods here in MN (my hike to the deer stand is around 2 miles+/-). i'm thinking a sporter contour bbl would be the way to go

 

[redbullitt]

Re: planning my first build

I have not gotten to shoot much 300 mag really, but I have thrown some 7s. People use the 300 mag because it is a fine round, definitely worth a look IMO.

Recoil is not too bad on the 7 mag, ballistics are great, there are some great 7mm bullets to choose from.

No reason to not shoot deer with it either. I have taken 5 or 6 with it at distances from 200 to 350 yards and none of mine exploded lol. All were shot in the lungs or neck with 140g class ballistic tips loaded to moderate velocity.

Any reason you are selecting those two rounds over any others?

 

[rukwikenuf]

Re: planning my first build

i like that there's a lot of information on 'em, and for Alaskan bear, i want something that will knock it over.
and most of my hunting is done under 100 yards. last year i shot a big doe at about 15-20 yards with my 357 revolver! i'm saying that this rifle won't be built for deer, not to say that i wont try

 

[CleanMoostang]

Re: planning my first build

Dunno if you would ever consider a .308, but the SPS Varmint can be found in the $550 range, which leaves you $650 range to find a good optic.

 

[Disturbed]

Re: planning my first build

I have shot several deer with a 300 wsm. Light weight hunting rifle not a long range precision rig. The best thing about a .300 or a 7mm mag is there should be no tracking at all.

I am planning the to buy a new 300 for the same purposes that you are and have decided on .300 because I have been pleased with the 300wsm.

If it was only a target rifle I would choose something totally different.

 

[tylerw02]

Re: planning my first build

Good hunting rifles usually suck as target rifles. Good target rifles suck as hunting rifles. To do both, you give up and end up with mediocre in both roles.

I've been there, done that. Looks like your primary goal is hunting. I'd specialize my rifle for that.

For $2k, you could pick up a nice Sako or Remington Mountain Rifle and have enough to outfit it with great glass.

Have you considered other cartridges? You won't "need" the magnum for hunting and it's going to make it an even worse target rifle at the range.

Were I in your shoes, I'd pick up the Rem 700 with a 22" stainless bbl and B&C stock. I'd pick up a 7mm-08 or .308 Win. If that didn't work for me, I'd look at rebarreling to .260 Rem when I burned that barrel out. I'd invest in reloading equipment and components and get as proficient as I can.


Or, but an SPS Tactical/Varmint AND a straight SPS of the caliber you think you need to kill game. Buy the scope you like and switch the scope to the hunting rifle before a hunt, then back to the target rifle after.

 

[rukwikenuf]

Re: planning my first build

yeah, i'm leaning to the hunting side more. if i like shooting it at the longer ranges, i might lean to a target gun. however, the first one has to be light enough to pack all day long, and powerful enough to drop a bear or moose or something (hopefully). i'd like to go out on an Antelope hunt, and from what i've gathered, they are hard to sneak up on. that means longer shots than i'm used to for deer.

however, between the two calibers, is there any serious cons? yes, i'll be handloading the ammo, can't justify spending that kind of money on mediocre ammunition. i'm loading 45acp right now, and when i get a single stage, i'll go to 223 and 270win (my RCBS Green Machine is 45acp only)

 

[tylerw02]

Re: planning my first build

You've already got a .270? Is it in a hunting configuration? If so, just use that for hunting. It'll take antelope just fine. Should take bear and moose easily as well with the right bullets. No reason to go buy a new rifle if that's your goal.

 

[rukwikenuf]

Re: planning my first build

yes, i have a 270. i like the rifle, it's taken a few deer. however, i want something BIGGER, for longer range


screw it, i'll just end up building something, and i'll put some pics up

 

[Sonic Crack]

Re: planning my first build

Whenever someone says "build" I think a custom or semi custom rifle, as in a full build or a re-barrel/re-stock of a current rifle. With that said I really dont think your gona build a rifle for $1200 bucks with optics. You can deff buy a factory rifle and get good optics for that price tho.

 

[rukwikenuf]

Re: planning my first build

very true. i guess what i'm actually planning is more of a mod-as-you-go kinda thing. the thought going in my mind is find a USED rifle (and 7mm Rem Mag's are plentiful around here) and re-stock it with a used stock. notice a theme here? also, i work at a gun shop that has a really good 'smith (he's a gunsmith, not a custom rifle builder) and i'll probably be asking him a lot of questions. also, working at the shop, i get first-crack at anything that comes in, new OR used. i have a few contacts, also, that have parts laying around (hell, my ar build totalled at under $600 with some nice parts!) and i'm sure i could put the word out through them for a stock.
i'm really REALLY liking the McMillan A3 stock, but if i can't find it cheap enough, i probably won't go that route.

eventually, i'm hoping to get a good barrel, and i think i'd be OK with the setup after that. i think i'll go with a Vortex PST 6-24x50 scope. i really like the offerings from Vortex. i've got a cheap-o Vortex Diamondback on my 270 and i really like it. i like it better than the Leupold vx-2 my dad has. plus, since we're a vortex retailer, i get good deals

we'll see what happens

 

[elevendysixty]

Re: planning my first build

I've been looking at doing a similar "build as you go/can afford/skill ste improves" as well. My goal is a long range hunting rig that will be primiarliy used for paper as I live in Pa. I do have access to 200 and 450 yd range and out to 1k once the crops come down.
I'm fairly new to to the longer range stuff, but will share things I have collected scouring the internet and some personal experience...
I'm leaning towards a 7mm rem mag. At about 500yds compared to a 300win mag the 7mm's better b.c. and s.d. overtakes the 300 according to the tables I've seen comparing weight and bc appropriate bullets. slightly lesser recoil.
Savage rifles are affordable and rebarreling is cheap if you would happen to "shoot it out" or decide to upgrade barrel quality or change contour when you have the funds. I dont personally like that you can create a dead trigger with the accutriggers. On my last varmint rig I had an old style 3 screw trigger that was tunable and acceptable to me. A tang safety or model 70 type is appealing to me as my model 700 type safety on my current hunting rifle has been disengaged several times while in the field.
As far as optics go- I went to look at a nightforce 5.5-22x50 with the npr1 reticle yesterday. very nice. But concidering my current skill set I was not able to see a $1100 price increase as compared to a vortex viper pst 4-16x50. From what i've read on the hide and longrangehunting the pst is somewhere around 85% of the optic the nightforce is at less than half the cost.
As a newbe, I think my money is better spent getting operational and having range time and maybe make a larger investment later and repourpse the vortex or sell it when the time comes.
Going from the bench to the ground would probably benefit from something like a karstens kydex cheek piece on a savage accustock.
reloading is definately key. I'm almost completly self taught. search the fourms and you can learn some of the differences between pistol and rifle loading.I've experiemented a little with my current rifle and like what I see with the berger vld's.
for what its worth (post #2 here), thats the direction i'm probably going to head.
I'm interested to see what some of the more experienced people around here have to say about this topic...good luck!

 

[rukwikenuf]

Re: planning my first build

yeah, first thing i'll get after a donor gun is money for practice! reloading supplies, bullets, etc. i'm already sitting on about 250 once fired brass for both 7mm Rem Mag and for 300 Win Mag