7mmRUM, 300RUM, 338 edge

I have both a 300rum and a 338edge. Actually I have both 300 Winchesters as well (long and short). If you want a dedicated build for long range hunting first and target shooting second I would go edge. It burns the same amount of powder as a 300rum, with higher BC bullets, and has better barrel life. I can push the 300 hybrid 2930fps and with my local conditions have as much energy at 960yards as a 30-06 does at the muzzle. The one catch is weight and the fact it needs to be braked. The larger calibers deliver the energy at longer ranges very well. If you are not interested in hunting at 600 plus then a much lighter and smaller rifle will do.

If you want to primarily shoot targets first with the possibility of hunting and do not want a brake, I would go 300wsm on a long action. Have it throughted to seat the 208 amax or 210VLD long and shoot distant targets with those, and then use the 165ttsx for short range hunting (it likes to be seated well off the lands anyway). The 300 win mag is too long when loaded with the longer vld bullets to fit in the factory magazine anyway. In fact I might just go with Obtunded and go 6mmbr, and buy a second hunting rifle with the left over cash from the reloading supplies.

Any of the RUM cased cartridges are a handful in a rifle under 10 pounds scoped. I can fire about 20 rounds prone with my 300rum before it gets tiring, but my braked 18+ pound 338 edge is like shooting a very loud 243. You really need to decide exactly what you want to do with the rifle as you are getting into the specialized rifles when you start talking about long range stuff.
I would also take a look on longrangehunting.com for a little more info. Lots of guys are involved in exactly what you are looking at.
 
Hunting what? I built a 7wsm for the same thing granted we are hunting the same species. Why a 7wsm? Because it has enough energy for deer out to 1000, it is very accurate (probably less shooter error due to flinching), and I dont' need a brake. If you care about those two flaps on the side of your head, you will need to use muffs when you shoot with a brake, and if you're like me you shoot when you hunt. Not pushing the 7wsm, there are many great calibers out there. Look at what you need off some charts and go with an accurate caliber in that range. Ballistically the edge wins over all of them, but it's a big cannon. If you're doing moose at 1000 well then, ..the edge.
 
If you are going to take a shot at an animal at 1000 you have plenty of time to put on a set of muffs. In the time it takes to plot the drops I can put on my muffs. Did you know that you damage your hearing with every shot with no protection? Any centerfire is well into the damaging range of decibels.

If you are into long range with a 30 cal you should look at matrix bullets vld. If their BC is correct it is on of the highest for a 30 caliber and they are Canadian made. I may give them a go in the new year.
 
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