Favorite round for mountain hunting

What a great idea Dan!

Cutting and lengthening the box magazine opens up a lot of different caliber designs on the Remington 600 action.

I had my gunsmith build me a 221 Fireball on a Remington 600 action, I had it Cerakoted Stainless silver. It turned out beautifully and was a real tack driver. I unfortunately sold it to pay for another build.

I would like to do a Remington Model Seven build in a 284 Winchester caliber, but I would have to cut and extend the box magazine in order to get that 3.0" length that I prefer for heavier .284 bullets.

Did you cut and weld your metal box magazine yourself? Would you care to show pictures of your 284 build?

Thanks,

John (TH)
Had a friend do it, I'm a poor welder. I'll dig it out of a safe for some pics. I borrowed the wildcat stock off it for another 600, and haven't put it back yet. - dan
 
I love this question... But the OP is probably just fueling their need for responses. He, she, it, has spent only a few minutes in total time on this site since becoming a member. The three posts made by the OP were done in less than two minutes and the op was only on for a total of eight minutes before leaving to the world of....... and has not reacted or responded any to the subjects he, she it, created. Just sayin.... probably not worth our effort... but.... I will reply once only to this thread, unless the OP wakes from the slumber of entitlement and engages in communication with the rest of us. Cheers folks. A.I. is getting Freaky
As indicated by my user name. I am somewhat of a fan of the good old .270" projectiles. I own numerous rifles with different cartridge types that shoot them.... But the 6.8 western is really something special. The "Reach out an Touch it" capabilities are incredible. Imagine the ballistics of the 6.5 Creedmore with the whallop of the .270 win and the weight of a 7mm bullet or more. Shooting a 175 grain bullet with low magnum velocity is kinda Goldilocks zone stuff when talking sheep hunts. High BC to buck wind in the no tree zone, high speeds to increase range.
I have developed my reloads with 160 grain Hammer Hunter Tipped bullets and pushed them with Ramshot Grand powder for my 1-7.5" twist Browning Xbolt Mountain Pro Long Range. They are over 3150 FPS with no signs of pressure and have repeatedly removed the small steel at Missions 300 yard with them after hitting it a couple times. I have dropped the big one twice. breaking the welds. I don't do it to ruin the fun for others, many others hit them with bigger bullets than mine, all the time. This is probably a bit of the speed kills equation and the all coppers may have some other advantages when dealing with energy transfer that I can't understand. But they hit HARD. My comments are from experience not speculation. I'm not Phoo Phooing Copper Lead Projectiles. Times are changing though and new guns and cartridges are changing the efficiency of projectiles in leaps and bounds. Personally I think steel high pressure cases and fast monolithic copper will be the future of hunting cartridges. As bullets progress for defeating body armour types, some of those technologies will be adapted for hunting purposes if they can translate to an ethical meat kill. While I have not had the opportunity to go on a hunt of the general description mentioned, I have been intending to be prepared to take that shot.
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I’ve gone through a few. Tried the 84L in .270, still have it just not for sheep. I just couldn’t get confident enough in my accuracy with it. Built up a Fierce CT edge with a Bartlein carbon in 6.5 prc. It adds a touch of weight over the 84L but I shoot it from field positions much better.



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I'm in the market for exactly this for my next purchase. Looking at short-actions, 18-20" barrels, 7.0lbs all in loaded with scope and rings.

I've narrowed down my search to 6.5 Creedmoor and 7mm-08. The Sako 90 Peak is my top contender for the job.
 
While I have not mountain hunted as much as others, I have taken a few mountain animals over the years; sheep, mtn goats, caribou, wolf, and a grizzly.

To date I have used rifles chambered in the following cartridges: 6.5x55, 6.5 Creedmoor, 270 Win, 270 WSM, 7mm Rem Mag, 7MM STW, 300 WSM, 338 Federal, 338 Win Mag, 358 Win, and 375 Win.
One some, it was just the rifle I had with me at the time as I was backing up others on their hunts, and had my backup rifle (358), or coming back from work with my camp rifle (375).
These rifles have typically weighed from about 7 1/2 lbs to just a hair over 9 lbs scoped with full magazines. My preferred mountain rifles weigh from just under 8 lbs to 8 1/2 lbs scoped with full magazines (270 WSM, 7MM STW and 7mm PRC).
I like the flatter shooting sevens for their BC and retained velocity and energy for potentially longer shots, but to date, my longest shot to date was on my bighorn at 300 yards, while my first mountain goat was taken at just 15 yards.

The point is, any cartridge in a 6.5 caliber to the 375 caliber, in a rifle you are comfortable with and shoot well, will work on mountain game...the "best" rifle will be the one that fits you, and provides the performance that you are comfortable with for your intended quarry at the distances you feel confident that you can place the shot accurately in the vitals from a wide variety of field positions that you may need to use in the mountains.
While lightweight rifles are nicer for packing up steep mountains, they are more difficult to shoot when using field positions when out of breath, with your heart pounding after that final stalk in steep terrain to get into a shooting position.
Old Jack had it right when he recommended a rifle that weighed in at 7 1/2 lbs for mountain hunting. Light enough to carry, and heavy enough to hold steady when needed to make an accurate shot quickly with your adrenaline flowing.
I am also reminded of something a friend once said...drop 10 lbs of body weight and it makes it easier to carry an extra 10 ounces up a mountain! There's a hint of truth in that statement.
 
While I have not mountain hunted as much as others, I have taken a few mountain animals over the years; sheep, mtn goats, caribou, wolf, and a grizzly.

To date I have used rifles chambered in the following cartridges: 6.5x55, 6.5 Creedmoor, 270 Win, 270 WSM, 7mm Rem Mag, 7MM STW, 300 WSM, 338 Federal, 338 Win Mag, 358 Win, and 375 Win.
One some, it was just the rifle I had with me at the time as I was backing up others on their hunts, and had my backup rifle (358), or coming back from work with my camp rifle (375).
These rifles have typically weighed from about 7 1/2 lbs to just a hair over 9 lbs scoped with full magazines. My preferred mountain rifles weigh from just under 8 lbs to 8 1/2 lbs scoped with full magazines (270 WSM, 7MM STW and 7mm PRC).
I like the flatter shooting sevens for their BC and retained velocity and energy for potentially longer shots, but to date, my longest shot to date was on my bighorn at 300 yards, while my first mountain goat was taken at just 15 yards.

The point is, any cartridge in a 6.5 caliber to the 375 caliber, in a rifle you are comfortable with and shoot well, will work on mountain game...the "best" rifle will be the one that fits you, and provides the performance that you are comfortable with for your intended quarry at the distances you feel confident that you can place the shot accurately in the vitals from a wide variety of field positions that you may need to use in the mountains.
While lightweight rifles are nicer for packing up steep mountains, they are more difficult to shoot when using field positions when out of breath, with your heart pounding after that final stalk in steep terrain to get into a shooting position.
Old Jack had it right when he recommended a rifle that weighed in at 7 1/2 lbs for mountain hunting. Light enough to carry, and heavy enough to hold steady when needed to make an accurate shot quickly with your adrenaline flowing.
I am also reminded of something a friend once said...drop 10 lbs of body weight and it makes it easier to carry an extra 10 ounces up a mountain! There's a hint of truth in that statement.
I'm very curious how you like the performance of the 7mm STW. I have purchased RCBS dies and would entertain developing ammo for it .... maybe
 
I'm very curious how you like the performance of the 7mm STW. I have purchased RCBS dies and would entertain developing ammo for it .... maybe
I have enjoyed using the 7MM STW over the years.
My rifle is a custom LH Sako AV with a 24" MacLennan SS fluted barrel, in a Fajen nutmeg laminated stock. It weighs 8 lbs 7 oz with a Leupold VX-3 4.5-14x40 B&C scope and a full magazine. I find the recoil very manageable (approx 31 ft lbs of felt recoil).
It will shoot both Federal Premium 160 gr AccuBonds and 160 gr SGK ammo at 3222 fps and produce 1/2" and 1" groups at 100 yards respectively, and 1" groups at 300 yards, and 3" groups at 400 yards respectively. It is more accurate than I am, and I have not really attempted to develop a handload for it as it shoots so well with the factory ammo, I don't think I can produce a better load. And I have a good supply of factory ammo on hand. (Although I do have dies, and plenty of brass and components for it, should I run out.)
No animals has failed to die quickly when I have done my part in placing the bullet accurately in its vitals. (Many are DRT). I have taken game ranging from antelope to elk, at ranges of 30 yards to 475 yards with it (30 animals over the past 28 years).
 
Honestly, these days, it just simply has to be Kimber weight...
not a model Seven weight--- a kimber weight rifle... so lets call them Featherweight rifles.

chambering, i do not mind, depending on the critter - 260rem - 7mm08 - 308 win would do me fine...... as would a 270 Winchester...
 
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