decisions decisions..

WhelanLad

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Hey guys on a Aussie forum ive put up my Abolt 300wsm for Swap with something someone else may not be using gathering dust.

Im putting it out for feelers but a few people are biting, So I thought I better get a rough idea of what I would want to swap for it.


Regarding Calibre..

what I have so Far is a .270Win, .303br, .375win, .35Whelen and the 300WSM... For big game anyway.

If you had those an were looking for something else, what would it be?


I'm almost thinking a 308 Bolt, scoped rifle, As the 303 an 375 are open sight and one is a Lever and one is a Single shot.. So a walk about 308 may be one option.
also thinking maybe 30-06 (both cheap for factory ammo)
Tikka V 260 has been offered but is a reload only cartridge in Australia, although short action may be 2 close to the 270.
thinking 7mm Rem Mag aswell if one got offered in a Tikka or Abolt, Rem700 etc.
Would possibly go for a .243 rifle
7mm-08 wouldn't be out of the question

other notable cals would be

338 fed
300/338 rcm
280rem (unlikely chamb in aus)


See the thing with the 300WSM is, I use 150gr projectiles to beat the recoil department, in my last 12 months of using the .270Win, I am confident it can bring the critters undone out to 350m if I do my part.. Plus better projectiles like the TTSX would give it the edge over 130gr SP currently using.

Anything under 200m whilst stalking is Thumped by the .35Whelen 225gr Woodleigh or 200gr TSX.

The open sighters have their place in their odd chamberings and are here to stay.

Your opinions please.

Thanks
WL
 
Having those, how about a 257 Weatherby or 25-06 - using the x bullets as you say, it will punch above its weight class and also reach out with less recoil. Have to say I've never owned one myself as I prefer the 35s for big game myself. However trying a looong distance dialer for hunting in the dinky quarter bore could be downsizing fun - IMO. Good luck.

(BTW a 35 Whelen can reach out waaaay past 200yds and still THUMP - with the right loading/shooting mojo)
 
One extreme to the other....22-250 or 338 Lapua. Since you have so many big game rifles, I'd go 22-250. 30-06?...the .270 Win will do anything that a 30-06 does.
 
Gday Whelen, hows it going mate?

Yep the 35 Whelen could very well reach out further but for now is kind of set up as a Big Game (deer) stalking rifle, Im going to upgrade to a Synthetic stock to keep the weight down for more pleasure whilst walking all day.

I have thought along the lines of down sizing although in Australia we have a .277 Minimum for the Larger deer species, and the .243 for the Smaller species..

Im still tossing up though as a .25 could be a real nice long distance fox an small critter rifle.

I have a .222Rem which gets all the run on the Foxes, but as you see, next step up is the .270win.


So far my thoughts are leaning toward the .308Win ! as a bit of a work horse stalking/backpacking rifle!

Thanks for your input though!

WL


*I could do the deal an Swap a bloke for hes Abolt 30-06 stainless.... I am just finding it hard to justify having .277, a .30 and a .35 all on the same Case!?!
 
Jackrabbit- i replied before i seen your reply.

I mostly just shoot the Deer, 75% Sambar, 20% Fallow and 5% Red deer, I know things can change and maybe if i had a little Varminter i would go out an do more of that but for time being im really interested in Deer hunting.

Cheers
WL
 
I'd be tempted to tell you to go with a 25-06 as well for open country reach on lighter game. I suppose you could whack a Sambar with the 25-06 but it would be a bit light. Ultimately you're asking a bad audience for advice due to the differences in animals and hunting between hither and yon. You say that you load 150s to beat the 300 WSM's recoil so I would recommend not going to anything large or whiz-bang like the 338 Lapua, particularly since you will have difficulty getting ammunition for things like this. I almost hate to recommend it but a 30-06 might also serve well. That A-Bolt swap sounds like the way I would go, as boring and plebeian as it sounds.
 
Just an observation here from me...everything you have is rather modern/sleek & fast.. Why not branch out a little bit from your norm and (unless availability is a problem in your part of the world) try a 45-70, 38-55 type. These type of guns can be very frustrating at times but equally rewarding/exiting to master at the same time. One thing Guaranteed....your patience/hunting skill and appreciation of the sport/kill will get a distinct boost.

Edit; sorry I just re-read your OP and see you have a .375, is that an H.&H or Win?
 
A BLR in 308win would suit your needs.
150's is what I shoot out of my 308win and it would be fun to lighten
the bullet weight up and see what happens on paper way yonder.

Just wartch the yun'un don't steal yer lever and tell you it's a semi.......:pirate:

An observashun is all laddie.........:wave:
 
Edit; sorry I just re-read your OP and see you have a .375, is that an H.&H or Win?

I Agree with all of that Mate, and Yes the 375 Win big bore is a Open sight lever an makes it very fun an quite challenging! So that box is ticked :)

A BLR in 308win would suit your needs.
150's is what I shoot out of my 308win and it would be fun to lighten
the bullet weight up and see what happens on paper way yonder.

Just wartch the yun'un don't steal yer lever and tell you it's a semi.......:pirate:

An observashun is all laddie.........:wave:

Ha Ha Yeah well that's a Very possible outcome LOL! I think im on the Right track with the .308

I'd be tempted to tell you to go with a 25-06 as well for open country reach on lighter game. I suppose you could whack a Sambar with the 25-06 but it would be a bit light. Ultimately you're asking a bad audience for advice due to the differences in animals and hunting between hither and yon. You say that you load 150s to beat the 300 WSM's recoil so I would recommend not going to anything large or whiz-bang like the 338 Lapua, particularly since you will have difficulty getting ammunition for things like this. I almost hate to recommend it but a 30-06 might also serve well. That A-Bolt swap sounds like the way I would go, as boring and plebeian as it sounds.

Yeah all true BUM, Almost thinkin along the same lines as the boring choice may be the go.. Ive been offered a Tikka lite stainless .308...... that's grinding the gears as id never buy a Tikka... but if i swapped it well..... that's another story

WL
 
Just to update, Going through on a Deal with a Tikka T3 .308

See how the tikka goes as a walk about not much care given hunting stick

WL
 
It looks as though you have enough standard hunting cartridges to cover most contingencies, but your buffs are heavier than African buffalo, yet I don't see a big case .375 or a .458 in your line up, maybe that's the direction you should go, or at the very least a 9.3X62. On the other end of the spectrum you've already noted the lack of a .243, or you might find a quarter bore to your liking as well, the .250 Savage, the .25/06 and the .257 Weatherby are all light recoiling, flat shooting options, as is the .243, 6mm Remington, and the 6mm-06 (I think I'd use .25-06 brass).
 
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Haha the Buffs are far away from the sambar me boy!! Overseas clients get preference over the rest of us Id say... Must be something to do with the $$....

I can possibly have a crack at a Buff in the near Future, There would be every chance I use a 35Whelen as the mate who lives there has used (but doesn't write home about) a 308Win with 200gr Projectiles and feeding many of the Locals up in the Camps he works... that aught to start a #### fight .


I have however Traded off the .300 WSM to Greener Pastures, I also received a T3 .308Win in return for that Abolt... And ive never been a Tikka fan but.. I think its rubbin off on me! What a pleasure it is to carry around.... an its accurate too boot! I look forward to many more climbs an hunts with this rifle!!


Boomer just to touch on the Quarter bores, For shooting the Fallow deer or Red deer in Australia (Victoria) actually, You need a .243 minimum, and for the big Sambar it is .270 minimum, So I wasn't going to go quarter bore as it is deemed 'useless' in my possession, unless a dedicated Fallow rifle, but whilst in Fallow country, your tickling Sambar country and last year a big brute stepped out on me whilst Fallow hunting,, luckily I had the .270 an he ended up on my Wall. he was a top 100 Aus head unofficially.

Thanks for the help in this thread... Decision is done!

WL
 
Well.. it works quite well.

one for the freezer for an up coming hunt in the Alps of Victoria in the Famed Wonnangatta valley

IMG_0940fallowdoe.jpg~original


WL
 
Well.. it works quite well.

one for the freezer for an up coming hunt in the Alps of Victoria in the Famed Wonnangatta valley

IMG_0940fallowdoe.jpg~original


WL

Nice! That looks like a fun hunt love the semi open landscape. What kind of deer is that WL, pardon the ignorance don't know squat about your deer species down there:confused:
 
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