$1000 Budget take 2

[Hunttheamericandream]

I want to thank everyone who gave me all of the great advise from my first post.

I have decided to go with the Remington 700 CDL w/wood stock. I think this rifle will suite my needs and fits the majority of my "must have" criteria.

I now need to venture into the dangerous topic of caliber. For the sake of avoiding hurt feelings and back and forth arguments I would prefer facts along with your opinions.

I'm looking for a caliber that will take down the biggest animal North America has to offer at a range of at least 400 yards. While I know I will more than likely never have the opportunity to take a shot at that distance I would like the security in know it's within the capabilities of the gun and ammunition.

With the little research I have done it seems that the 7mm has the greatest velocity and flattest trajectory of the most common hunting calibers ie: 243, 270, 30-06, 308, 300 Win Mag. Like I said my research has been minimal thus far so I'm open to hearing the facts if they need to be set straight.

 

[Nicholas909]

I'd go with the 300 win mag over the 7mm do to more bullet weight choices for different game. They are close on velocity & energy out to 400yrd. The 300 out performes it by a little though. If you reload than the 300 win mag is limitless

 

[Bonejour]

I'd go with the 300 win mag over the 7mm do to more bullet weight choices for different game. They are close on velocity & energy out to 400yrd. The 300 out performes it by a little though. If you reload than the 300 win mag is limitless

What's the difference in cost per round, roughly? 300 WM is more expensive and harder to find than the others if you don't reload, but is that an issue with reloads?

 

[Nicholas909]

I'd go with the 300 win mag over the 7mm do to more bullet weight choices for different game. They are close on velocity & energy out to 400yrd. The 300 out performes it by a little though. If you reload than the 300 win mag is limitless

What's the difference in cost per round, roughly? 300 WM is more expensive and harder to find than the others if you don't reload, but is that an issue with reloads?

I never have any problems finding 300 win mag on the shelves, But you are correct on them being more expensive than a , 243,270, 308, 30-06. The 7mm will cost the same as a 300win mag. The energy at 400yds with a 30-06 & 270 is around 600ft/lb less then a 300. This is just a personal choice of mine.

 

[Aeon]

I would say nothing in that model is suitable for brown/grizzly or moose at 400 yards. So this topic fails. Go with the non mag offerings and have fun hunting.

There is only one choice in the 700cdl, the 243

 

[msteiger]

I'm all for minimalism, and I like tools that can serve multiple purposes. BUT, ask yourself how many tools you can buy that are good for everything? "You don't use a hatchet to remove a fly from your friend's forehead." Everyone wants to buy the most versatile rifle ever, but you also need to think about the right tool for the job.

Ask yourself what game you are most likely to hunt, most often. Chances are it's deer, pigs, and maybe elk and bears later. Then ask yourself if you're trying to be a hunter or a sniper? The "Into The Wild" kid killed a moose with a 22 because he was super close, hit a double lung, and tracked the animal. With modern ammunition, that holds its weight, shot placement goes a long way.

If you buy a gun that can kill a bear at 400 yards are you really going to enjoy your time at the range? And what happens when you shoot that 100 lb muley in the shoulder at 100 yards? Just buy a solid gun, learn to shoot well, and learn to get close to your prey. 270, 30-06, and 308 are all good rounds, with lots of available ammo, and differentiated mostly by subtle trade-offs and opinions. Those will kill MOST of the big game in North America, especially if you do your part. On the day you decide to long-range hunt a grizzly, good news, you get to buy a new gun.

 

[Bonejour]

That about says it all. Exactly why my first rifle was an A bolt .30-06.

 

[NBK]

Ha ha ha...

It is a trick topic. But if you must know, a .338 Win Mag will fill the bill and so will a .375 H&H. The .300 WSM and .300 WM would be my second choice in that order.

Now for the lower 48 long range caliber where ammo is easy to find over the counter - It is hands down the 7mm Rem Mag. No question! You can smash moose on down with this deep penetrating, flat shooting sledge hammer.

 

[Hunttheamericandream]

I would say nothing in that model is suitable for brown/grizzly or moose at 400 yards. So this topic fails. Go with the non mag offerings and have fun hunting.

There is only one choice in the 700cdl, the 243

Are you saying the 243 is the only choice in that model or it would be the choice you would make in that model?

 

[Hunttheamericandream]

I'd go with the 300 win mag over the 7mm do to more bullet weight choices for different game. They are close on velocity & energy out to 400yrd. The 300 out performes it by a little though. If you reload than the 300 win mag is limitless

I would really love to be able to reload but it's just not in the cards financially.

 

[Aeon]

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-700/model-700-cdl.aspx

Was just kidding, I like all things 6mm aka. 243 so it's what I would pick off the list.

 

[MJB]

Weatherby has a few calibers to match those needs.......

Like all have said above 06 or 270 unless you like magnums

 

[TonyS]

I personally don't like the kick of .06. .270 is available anywhere and can reach out and touch whatever you are shooting at. If you want to shoot a .500 Nitro double gun then great. But to tout it as being 'the best' is a little overstated.

 

[Hunttheamericandream]

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-700/model-700-cdl.aspx

Was just kidding, I like all things 6mm aka. 243 so it's what I would pick off the list.

Sorry I had just woke up when I responded to you. My sarcasm sensors where not fully awake. Lol

 

[Hunttheamericandream]

I'm all for minimalism, and I like tools that can serve multiple purposes. BUT, ask yourself how many tools you can buy that are good for everything? "You don't use a hatchet to remove a fly from your friend's forehead." Everyone wants to buy the most versatile rifle ever, but you also need to think about the right tool for the job.

Ask yourself what game you are most likely to hunt, most often. Chances are it's deer, pigs, and maybe elk and bears later. Then ask yourself if you're trying to be a hunter or a sniper? The "Into The Wild" kid killed a moose with a 22 because he was super close, hit a double lung, and tracked the animal. With modern ammunition, that holds its weight, shot placement goes a long way.

If you buy a gun that can kill a bear at 400 yarnds are you really going to enjoy your time at the range? And what happens when you shoot that 100 lb muley in the shoulder at 100 yards? Just buy a solid gun, learn to shoot well, and learn to get close to your prey. 270, 30-06, and 308 are all good rounds, with lots of available ammo, and differentiated mostly by subtle trade-offs and opinions. Those will kill MOST of the big game in North America, especially if you do your part. On the day you decide to long-range hunt a grizzly, good news, you get to buy a new gun.

I guess I was describing the Swiss Army knife of rifles. I don't want to be a sniper I want to be a good hunter. I understand that here in so cal my big game opportunities will be more limited than if I lived in another state.

The comment about being able to take down a bear 400 yards was a little over zealous and the only animal that I can really say I would even attempt a shot at that far would be a coyote. I guess I have got caught up in the "which caliber is best" pissing contest.

I would still consider myself a beginner when it comes to hunting and have a lot to learn and greatly appreciate the information I have received on this site. I'm looking forward to the many opportunities to get out in the wild and enjoy the privilege of being able to hunt fine tune my skills.

 

[TRICER]

Well why the heck not?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXTwfKID6D4

Seriously 300 win mag is more than enough rife I think most of your shots will be less than 200 yards. The cartridge is readily available. I would never consider the price of ammo for a gun like this you are not going to be plinking with it. 10-15 rounds to site it in and then you will barely use any ammo after that. A few rounds here and there to make sure you are still zeroed.

 

[Aeon]

That had to be a under loaded round in that 50, the wind runner I shoot is 35lbs and just the concusion knocks you into next week.
http://youtu.be/PQlhXeS84hg

This gun is good to go on any animal on earth up to blue whales. 750gr amax that has over 6k ft-lb at 1k yards

 

[El Matavenados]

My first rifle was a .30-06. I bought it because I looked at the load tables published in the Shooter's Bible, and saw that it would shoot a "50gr accelerator" all the way up to a 220gr bullet. I wanted the rifle that would "do it all". I've since learned that this is a poor plan, and it should be avoided. No one rifle will do it all WELL. So, to add to/repeat what others have already said, here are some factors you should consider:
1. What are you going to hunt year in, year out? This should be your primary consideration. If it's "coyotes and deer and pigs", get a .223 and big game rifle (see the input of others on this). If you will hunt birds, get a shotgun, too. If you will hunt small game, get a .22 as well. Those 4 guns will allow you to hunt most north American game species WELL. Don't try to do it all with 1 gun.
2. Recoil - how sensitive are you to it, and how sensitive will you become as a result of shooting the rifle you choose? I flinch a LOT, and I attribute some of it to that first rifle. See point 1, then pick a rifle that will do the job WELL, with the minimum amount of recoil.
3. Weight - weight is a big factor in recoil. If you get a Tikka T3 Lite (very light gun), don't be surprised if it packs a wallop. My brother got one in .308, and it's fantastic- after he put a thicker, softer recoil pad on it. He first shot it with 180gr bullets. He won't be doing that anymore. Remember, though, that when hunting, you'll be carrying that sucker around with you all day, uphill, downhill, sidehill, flat, mile after mile. A buddy of mine found out that hauling around his new T3 Lite was WAY better than the AR-10 he tried to carry around during his first season. Pick the lightest recoiling rifle that will get the job done WELL.
4. Cost and availability of ammo - remember, starting in July DFW will begin phasing in the lead ban. It will be bad enough for handloaders, but for those who buy their ammo, that's going to hurt. Will you be able to walk into WalMart and buy hunting ammo for a .338 Lapua? Probably not. A friend once went into Turners to get some copper loads for his .308, and all they had was Black Hills at nearly $50/box. That was 5 years ago! Even if you find lead free .30-06 ammo online for $30/box, do you really want to shoot that at coyotes and squirrels?

I would recommend a medium weight rifle in .308 for hunting most big game in North America. Ammo is more readily available, recoil will be manageable, you can get heavier loads for larger-bodied game (elk and moose), and the recoil won't kill you. And it's a very efficient cartridge, getting very near .30-06 performance with less powder.

 

[NBK]

Yes I totally agree. The .260 is the best choice. Funny, I was just thinking the same thing!

 

[Tbob]

For me personally, I don't enjoy shooting heavy recoil rifles at the range. To be a good shot you need to spend a bit of time at the range learning your new rifle. I like the .308 or .270. Both good caliberes and not to heavy in the recoil dept. I took down a large Alaskan moose a few years back with my .308 at about a hundred yards. 2 shots in the shoulder and lights out! My .308 has taken a few nice sized elk up in WA state as well.. Works great on deer and didn't destroy my antelope last year either(348yrd shot) .308 gets my vote for a good "all around" caliber.