New Flat Land Hunting Rig

hunter-4-life

hunter-4-life

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Super GunNutz
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SE Sask
Okay fellas. Obviously lots of chatter these days over new cals, and some cals that have been around for years and finally getting the recognition they deserve (280AI) but i'm wanting to put together a newer hunting rig.

Heres kinda what i'm wanting, and what i'm going to use it for:
-Lighter-ish weight (sub 8lbs scoped ish. If its 8.5lbs thats just fine too)
-20-24" barrel
-Shots on game will be under 500 yards, and used on deer, elk, prairie moose once every 10 years when a guy is drawn (not bush, shots from 100 yards to 300) and antelope.

Heres what my arsenal of hunting rifles consists of currently: 243 win, 257 wby, 270 win, 270 wsm and 300 RUM. Will any of these do what I need them to? Absolutely. I have the itch to build a rifle that needs to be scratched, its been a few years and I have some extra coin to put together a nice rifle. And I know I could go buy/build a 6.5 PRC and call it a day but I don't think that will scratch the itch enough haha

The plan is to put together something as described above, I want flat shooting, on the faster side, yet something unique.

Heres my current thoughts:
280 AI with a 145 LRX for deer and antelope, maybe moose, and a 160-168 Accubond or something similar for Elk
7mm Back Country
1-8t 25 PRC (6.5 necked down), run a 133 Berger or 115 TTSX
1-8t 257 wby, again run a 133 Berger, or a 115 TTSX
7-6.5 PRCW, obviously close to a 280 AI, shines a little more with heavy bullets if I want

The plan would be either use the 300 RUM action for any of the magnum cals listed, or sell it and buy a 270, 30-06 etc if I go the 280 AI route. I don't want to re-barrel the 270 win as it was my grandpas rifle, its mint, I still take it out time to time when I feel like it. I could re-barrel the 270 wsm if I go a short action magnum but be nice to run the long to seat the bullets out as far as I can and utilize case capacity as my WSM is a Tikka.

I was leaning towards the 1-8t 257 wby seeing as I already have all the dies and brass for it, lots of H1000 and I could just use the RUM. But the 280 AI seems a little more well rounded for the bigger game.

Any thoughts? I am open to other cals if you have any other ideas but at this point i'm kind of stuck on a fast twist 25 cal or a 7mm of some sort.
 
Obviously you enjoy recoil, so go for a faster and heavier hitting 7mm, 7PRC, 7RUM, 7-338 lapua. As much as I love the 280ai in all kinds of way, if you like recoil, take the advantage of that recoil
 
The 280AI and the 7SAUM are ballistic twins, it can vary a bit depending on the brass but those two have essentially the same case capacity.

7-6.5PRCW is about the same as a .284win and .280rem (and 7x64, incidentally).

Reloaders with more experience than myself seem to think the second group is a little easier and more forgiving to tune when it comes to absolute accuracy, but for a hunting rig, build what you like. No animal is going to know the difference.

The 280AI is a great cartridge. Kind of hamstrung if your magazine is limited to SAAMI overall length (3.340"). This cartridge does best at about 3.5" when loaded with heavies. Make sure your magazine has enough room and ensure chamber has appropriate freebore in order to get the most out of this one.

The 7PRCW is a short action cartridge, so if you want to build a short action to save a little weight and overall length, this might be a good way to go.

Enjoy the process, Good luck in your quest!
 
It sounds like with what you have you already have your bases covered but I understand the itch that needs scratching.

If I wanted something capable of 500 yards moose and elk I would probably give Mike a call at K &S and get him to build me a 1-8 twist 7LRM in a wildcat stock with a 26” barrel
 
Been thinking same thing but looking forward in time, most game will be a draw tag. So I have been thinking more of the 6.5mm range. Does person go with pcr, 6.5-06(imp) 26 nosler, 6.5-300by or other
 
Being a 7mm guy id say fill that hole in your line up. The .280 ai is a good choice or better yet the stw. Just don’t build it with less than a 26” barrel.
Having said all that ,I’m putting a .257 Weatherby together right now to shoot 133 bergers.
 
keith mokry said:
Been thinking same thing but looking forward in time, most game will be a draw tag. So I have been thinking more of the 6.5mm range. Does person go with pcr, 6.5-06(imp) 26 nosler, 6.5-300by or other
Click to expand...
I do know my buddy has a vanguard in 6.5-300 wby, he absolutely loves it. He leant it to his close friend for his daughter to use on her draw elk hunt and when she folded her bull like a cheap lawn chair with it shooting a 130gr Hornady CX. He was so impressed by it he sold his 300 win mag and bought one for himself. My personal opinion if i'm going 6.5 its a PRC for me. I just don't feel like the 6.5 is what i'm looking for right now.
powder monkey said:
Being a 7mm guy id say fill that hole in your line up. The .280 ai is a good choice or better yet the stw. Just don’t build it with less than a 26” barrel.
Having said all that ,I’m putting a .257 Weatherby together right now to shoot 133 bergers.
Click to expand...
I love my 257 wby. Its an absolute laser with the 115gr Berger at 3300fps in a 24" barrel. Thats why I was debating spinning up an 8t pipe for one. But then you have 2 and seems kinda dumb to spend the money on it but I think the 133 at 3100-3150 out of the pipe would be a hammer on anything in SK/AB minus a grizzly. I know a FB group im in thats strictly 25 cal and their wildcats guys run them around 3250-3300 out of the SAUM case. Talk about FLAT shooting. That was an option too I considered as my smith has a reamer for one.
Smokinyotes said:
It sounds like with what you have you already have your bases covered but I understand the itch that needs scratching.

If I wanted something capable of 500 yards moose and elk I would probably give Mike a call at K &S and get him to build me a 1-8 twist 7LRM in a wildcat stock with a 26” barrel
Click to expand...
It will be a KS pipe unless I find a smoking deal on something else. I have a KS SAR 3lug 6BR with a KS pipe that shoots 1.3" 600 Yards. Mike and his crew put out some impressive products.
DGY said:
I think i would go 7mm of some sort for more versatility! Up to 180gn bullets now…
Maybe 28 nosler? 7mm RUM?
Click to expand...
I debated a 28 Nosler actually. The smith also has a 7-300 Norma reamer, but you wanna talk about expensive, brass and dies would cost as much as the barrel if not more, then you're into a Lapua action.
 
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gobigorgohome said:
Obviously you enjoy recoil, so go for a faster and heavier hitting 7mm, 7PRC, 7RUM, 7-338 lapua. As much as I love the 280ai in all kinds of way, if you like recoil, take the advantage of that recoil
Click to expand...
Had a 7 PRC, wasn't all that impressed by it. I also wouldnt say I enjoy recoil but I'm not afraid of it, and I can handle it. I know my limits and I'm not going to put 500 rounds down the barrel a year. Work up a load/Zero it. Confirm ballistics/dope out to 600-700 yards. Once in a while take it out, put 3-5 rounds down it to knock the rust off and put it away. I have smaller, less expensive ammo eating rifles to plink and practice with like 223 and 6BR
 
I vote 280 Ai as well. I decided to have a rifle built for myself for my 40th with the same criteria as you. Went with a tikka lh action, ibi 22" carbon hunter barrel, and stockys cf stock. Topped it with a razor lht 3-15. I'm very happy with it. Haven't shot much for lighter bullets but it really likes barnes 168 lrx # 2960fps and 180 eldm at 2870fps. Keeps both loads under 1/2moa. And that is at tikka 3.360" mag length.
 
Your existing, 243 win, 257 wby, 270 win, 270 wsm and 300 RUM cover it.
if you really need to build keep the 243, sell the rest and build a new 257 WBY.
 
My prairie long ball gun is a rem 700 in 28 nosler with a 26” benchmark and a wildcat stock. It wears a z3 3-10 with the excellent Brh reticle and weighs just a smidge over 8 pounds ready to hunt. Nothing fancy but it works.
I took a 381” bull elk with it last year at 415, reticle is right on the money to 850.
My son has a prairie elk tag this year so it will get walked again.
Most people don’t realize the size and scope of a true prairie hunt, you’ve often got to walk a couple miles before you start walking! That 9 pound rifle with a 2 pound scope gets heavy.
 
I’m thinking you need a 7mm/.284 cartridge in the safe
I would say 280 AI, hard to beat it for a do everything 7mm cartridge but nothing wrong with 7mm PRC, the 7-6.5 PRCW is also a great option but there’s nothing it can do that the 7mm PRC can’t do better velocity wise,

I’ve owned and do own several of each of the
280 AI, 7-6.5 PRCW , 7mm PRC,

Rem Mag, Wby Mag, SAUM, 28 Nosler
I always go back to the 280AI
 
Weatherby Fan said:
I’m thinking you need a 7mm/.284 cartridge in the safe
I would say 280 AI, hard to beat it for a do everything 7mm cartridge but nothing wrong with 7mm PRC, the 7-6.5 PRCW is also a great option but there’s nothing it can do that the 7mm PRC can’t do better velocity wise,

I’ve owned and do own several of each of the
280 AI, 7-6.5 PRCW , 7mm PRC,

Rem Mag, Wby Mag, SAUM, 28 Nosler
I always go back to the 280AI
Click to expand...
I think I’ve told you before I was really leaning towards the AI. Yes it’s not a speed demon like the hot rodded 25’s I’ve mentioned but it does just genuinely seem like an awesome all around caliber.

Maybe I need to do a hot rodded 25 AND the 280 AI 😬
 
guntech said:
Your existing, 243 win, 257 wby, 270 win, 270 wsm and 300 RUM cover it.
if you really need to build keep the 243, sell the rest and build a new 257 WBY.
Click to expand...
This has crossed my mind too. I love my 257, I think thats why I was debating a fast twist one. But I have a lazerguard and I wont ever sell it, it'll just sit in the safe the rest of its life cause I cant even think about scratching it haha
 
hunter-4-life said:
Had a 7 PRC, wasn't all that impressed by it. I also wouldnt say I enjoy recoil but I'm not afraid of it, and I can handle it. I know my limits and I'm not going to put 500 rounds down the barrel a year. Work up a load/Zero it. Confirm ballistics/dope out to 600-700 yards. Once in a while take it out, put 3-5 rounds down it to knock the rust off and put it away. I have smaller, less expensive ammo eating rifles to plink and practice with like 223 and 6BR
Click to expand...
If you aren't impressed with the 7mm PRC, why would you do a .280 AI or any similar or lesser case volume 7mm?
If your .300 RUM isn't enough for pretty much anything in NA, you might be SOL.
Just do one that gets you interested again.
 
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