264 wm or 30/06 or possibly...

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brybenn

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Hey all I'm starting to acquire the parts to assemble New toy. I've convinced the wife a longer reaching rifle is safer and thus needed instead of finishing the basement. I have most of it planned out and I know exactly how it will be used. However I can't decide on a caliber as so many will do what I want

The gun will be an unusual hunting rifle for northern Ontario hunting. It will be a bolt action in a stock similar to the xlr tactical with a 26" heavy barrel. It will be packed in while I still hunt and spot and stock for moose bear and wolf. I normally carry a double rifle or 458 wm while mouching around but the area I hunt has recently had many areas clear cut leaving pockets up to 400 yards open creating a want for a longer reaching rifle. I'd like it to carry more weight and hit harder than my 25/06 can. It will see a fair bit of range time but will be used for game mainly bear and wolf Between 225 and 350 yards as a max hunting range. This gives me the time to switch rifles and get a good solid rest. I will eventually get into moose hunting as well

So with all that is the 30/06 the best choice or is the psychological advantage of 300 fps (300wm) more worth the extra powder?
My other thought was the 264 wm because I haven't had one Firstly but I could also use it for coyotes in around my home town

I know this gun will weigh upto or over 12 lbs but I can pack it in Np. I'm not climbing mountains. I'm not shooting big game past 400 yards. I'll be using the most accurate bullet designed for the game I'm pursuing for the impact velocities of the range I intend to use this rifle

I'm interested to hear what caliber everyone would use for Ontario big game between 225 and 400 yards
 
There is a limit of no greater than 275 cal. A 275 Rigby if so named is legal as well. I have a 223 25/06 and hope to acquire another quarter bore so I'm covered for yotes. The 264 wm was one of my original choices along with the 300wm but the boring old 30/06 isn't hard on barrels and I get an extra one in the mag
 
Since you believe you will shoot big game such as bears, wolf and moose, in clearcut areas out as far as 400 yards, go for the 300 win, 7 mm mag, .264 Win.
 
Gyrfalcon said:
A limit of no larger caliber the .275 in Ontario??? For what game, under what conditions?
What does the law exactly say? Hard to believe.
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In Southern Ontario you're prohibited from using anything over that size to hunt game. Apparently its due to all the people that live there etc etc. Makes no sense but it is what it is.
 
One of my favourite hunting bullets for big game is the .308" 200gr Partition. It flies a lot flatter than you'd imagine. Bryan Litz states the tested BC is around .484 and my own testing out to 500 yards confirms this. You should be able to get well over 2700 with that bullet and a .30-06 out of a 26" barrel. Good brass is easy to find, you don't need to burn a ton of powder per shot and it will get the job done. So out of those two choices I would choose the .30-06. But I can't see the point of a heavy barrel on a big game hunting rifle being used out to 400 yards. A Douglas #3 is one of my favourites.
 
Cal restriction a moot point, as most if not all the areas that have the restrictions, have no rifle season for big game anyway. I use a .338wm for moose, and have no worries out to 500 yds with it, which is about the furthest reasonable shot here anyway. Second choice would be a .300wm.
 
I use a 30.06 because that's what I've always had, no complaints, but if I was to try something different for ontario hunting I'd look at the 7 rem mag,,
 
If you go with the .264 Win Mag be aware it is a little finicky to load for. And to get any advantage out of the .264 handloading is a requirement as factory loads are pretty tame. The new ultra slow burning RL 33 is supposed to be the cat's ass for the .264. Not too hard to get 3200-3300 out of 140 grain bullet.
 
I'd get a .300 Win. It's only downside is that the recoil
Is a bit much for many shooters; but since you are regularly using a .458 that doesn't apply to you. That's not to say that there aren't dozens of cartridges that will kill 350 yard moose, or that one of the other .300s wouldn't work just as well, it's nust that there's no need to explore the oddball or arcane when there is such a solid mainstream choice with undebatable capability.
 
Given that you intend to use the rifle near your home town in southern Ontario, the .264 has some appeal. You specified a 26" barrel, but might consider a 28" or even a 30" tube since this rifle will be in all likely hood be fired from a rest or prone anyway. With the .264 cartridge, a 26" barrel would be the absolute minimum length, otherwise a handier 24" .270 will do as well with equal weight bullets. If you don't like the idea of an extremely long barrel, consider a 6.5-06 or a 6.5-284, mated to a 26" barrel.
 
Mike Webb said:
If you go with the .264 Win Mag be aware it is a little finicky to load for. And to get any advantage out of the .264 handloading is a requirement as factory loads are pretty tame. The new ultra slow burning RL 33 is supposed to be the cat's ass for the .264. Not too hard to get 3200-3300 out of 140 grain bullet.
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Where can you buy some RL33?
 
I hand load all my own and I'm not recoil shy by any means. Plus with the weight of this gun it should be a joy to shoot. It will most likely be used prone or rested over a stump. I have a versa pod for it as well. I do want to be able to fire it offhand as well for those times a wolf pops up right close instead of the clearing you expected it to cross. I have several other smaller calibers so I'm not stuck under the caliber limit.
How Is the 264 wm on barrels in real world experience?
Realistically I'm looking at only 750/1000 shots a year after sighting in and load development
 
I'd resist the urge to build a big heavy rifle for what amounts to short range shooting. The same features that are great on a 1000 yard range toy, specialty long range hunting rifle, or target rifle can make for a clumsy piece of crap under hunting situations that resemble normal and needs to be shot from all positions. On the other hand it is very hard to take a bolt action sporter in suitable caliber and screw it up so bad that it wont still be a 350 yard moose gun.
 
Dogleg said:
I'd get a .300 Win. It's only downside is that the recoil
Is a bit much for many shooters; but since you are regularly using a .458 that doesn't apply to you. That's not to say that there aren't dozens of cartridges that will kill 350 yard moose, or that one of the other .300s wouldn't work just as well, it's nust that there's no need to explore the oddball or arcane when there is such a solid mainstream choice with undebatable capability.
Click to expand...

This.....

Dogleg said:
I'd resist the urge to build a big heavy rifle for what amounts to short range shooting. The same features that are great on a 1000 yard range toy, specialty long range hunting rifle, or target rifle can make for a clumsy piece of crap under hunting situations that resemble normal and needs to be shot from all positions. On the other hand it is very hard to take a bolt action sporter in suitable caliber and screw it up so bad that it wont still be a 350 yard moose gun.
Click to expand...

...and this.

Even though 300-400 yds is not necessarily considered "long range" these days (on the internet, anyway), you say you want something for biggish game at longish range. I'd go with the 7mm Rem Mag, .300 WSM or .300 Win Mag. Lots of quality bullets available in these two calibers suitable for either ends of the spectrum to do what you want.

I'd also go with a sporter weight rifle, especially if you're having something built. There's no reason it can't be as accurate as a heavy beast.
 
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