Hey Fellow CGNers I need your input on what to sell,keep, or replace with..........

DIGGER2 said:
I have been taking the info all in guys. Thanks.... Hoytcannon, I do enjoy my Whelen and maybe will still keep it, the 45-70 is a fun round and I'd probably buy one in a Ruger No 1 just for ####'s and giggles. My main goal here is to find a handy rifle/caliber for big game ie: moose or big bears(my dream hunt of Brown bear) that I can put a world of hurt on at 400 yds or at 25yds. The 340 Wby is a great round but the longer barrel of 26" is a bit to long for me. From looking on the inter web this seems to be the best length for the 340?? Not to sure how it would work on a short barrel. I'm looking in the 20-24" range with 24" being max. My first thought at the beginning of this thread is to selling both and buying one nice gun in the $2000-$3500ish range like Freyr 255 had mentioned. I like the Sauer 202 Hatari XT 375 H&H (24" barrel), but I'm not sure if it's in my price range? The second thought was to buy a new Model 70 SS Mag and re-barrel it to 358 Norma at 22-24". I have my 243 to cover my varmints, 358 Win BLR for close cover deer, and was going to replace the Whelen and 375 Ruger with 1 gun to cover both for now. My plan is to figure this part out first, then in the future decide on a flatter shooter for deer and if I wanted to that day moose. Possibly a 300 or 7mm something. I like quality guns," highest end gun" I've owned was a Sako 75/85, but rugged synthetic versions are my thing. I really appreciate nice wood on a gun , but I wouldn't shoot it because I'd be afraid of putting a mark in it. Thanks for the help guys you've all had some valid points in this thread.

Digger
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Being a .35 fan myself, I like your idea of the .358 Norma Mag (as I hinted in my previous post) although reading your requirements I can't help but thinking .338 Win Mag.
 
DIGGER2 said:
This is my 5th 35 Whelen and 4th 375 H&H/Ruger.
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Perhaps you may wish to consider this. Is there a reason you kept coming back to these models? Or do you still have all 9 of them? It would be a shame if you sold them and then had regrets after with something else, and find yourself buying your old models again.

Cannon
 
bcsteve said:
Being a .35 fan myself, I like your idea of the .358 Norma Mag (as I hinted in my previous post) although reading your requirements I can't help but thinking .338 Win Mag.
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I know, that caliber keeps coming to mind as its factory chambering in pretty much all rifles. Maybe I'll buy one and in the future if the bug hits me I'll get all the parts in order to make it a custom 358 Norma.....

Jonny_Cannon said:
Perhaps you may wish to consider this. Is there a reason you kept coming back to these models? Or do you still have all 9 of them? It would be a shame if you sold them and then had regrets after with something else, and find yourself buying your old models again.

Cannon
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OK you caught me Jonny, I always bought and sold different rifles thinking- Ok this is the one I'll keep. My first Whelen was a Rem 750 carbine, then it went from there Ruger 77, Rem 7600, Ruger 77(still have), Rem 750. Then I wanted, but couldn't find a 7600 carbine 35 Whelen so I bought a 358 BLR SS Lam. The first 375 was a Rem XCR H&H, then Ruger Alaskan, New Model 70 express H&H, then "I don't need a 375" but got bit again by the bug and bought my 2nd Ruger Alaskan which I still have. I've done this with a couple other guns but I'm trying to settle down and make some final decisions........I know that I'll probably buy a couple more guns in my lifetime, but I just want my "main" toys set and any others are just because....
 
Depending on what you mean by "world of hurt at 400y", maybe you should not pussyfoot around, and get a 338-378 Weatherby?

You get the awesome BC's of the 338 bullets, and enough burnt powder to pay a mortgage!
 
Silverado said:
Depending on what you mean by "world of hurt at 400y", maybe you should not pussyfoot around, and get a 338-378 Weatherby?

You get the awesome BC's of the 338 bullets, and enough burnt powder to pay a mortgage!
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That is a little to much in the HP department, I'm thinking 338 Win, 358 Norma, power level. Plus I'm not a huge fan of Weatherby's of any of the ones I've shot.
 
Get a Benelli R1 Conforteck in 338 mag, sub MOA with TSX bullets 225 gr, light rifle and the recoil on par with a 308, reliable as it can be... JP.
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caramel said:
Get a Benelli R1 Conforteck in 338 mag, sub MOA with TSX bullets 225 gr, light rifle and the recoil on par with a 308, reliable as it can be... JP.
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Hey Caramel, I've looked at this option before but I was told that the R1 destroys the brass and didn't recommend it if I wanted to reload for it. Any input to this?? I think there's a little BS going on....
 
DIGGER2 said:
Hey Caramel, I've looked at this option before but I was told that the R1 destroys the brass and didn't recommend it if I wanted to reload for it. Any input to this?? I think there's a little BS going on....
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Brass get a little dent on the neck, nothing that wont go away with full resizing ( always full resized for SA), the Argo system is pretty tamed here, it just eject the brass gently @ 3 feet to the front very steadily, like all Benelli products ( MR-1, M4 this is a total gentle reliability concept), out of my MR-1 just south of 6000 rounds, one bad primer, the rest not a single failure and on both my M4 2500 shells on one and 2000 on the other one, not a single failure... I have to trust my 338 mag R1 will be the same... JP.
 
9.3x62
.366 Alaskan (.375 necked down to 9.3)
Or go totally different and get 8x68S same power as the 8mm Rem mag. but with about 10-15 grs. less powder and chances are you will be the only one who has one, besides me.......
 
Well fellas, the Ruger Alaskan is now gone. I still have the Whelen as I still can't bring myself to get rid of it. I went to my gun shop and looked at a Kimber Montanna,HS precison, Benelli R1, 338 win mag all of which I've never owned or held onto. The HS was wayyy to heavy for my liking, the Kimber was nice but I still couldn't get over not having a floor plate, so I ended up with the R1 to try out. Haven't had a whole lot of semi's in rifles (BAR & 750 Rem) I thought I'd give it a shot. It's not the prettiest thing to look at like some rifles, but hopefully it performs well. If it doesn't do what I want then I'll probably get a Win Model 70 SS. Here it is....

 
I read somewhere that the 338WM was Gods chosen cartridge. :) Can't say I disagree. Does the job, anything in NA anyway, lots of bullets available, doesn't require a huge action, recoil is tolerable if the rifle fits, and accuracy, if you do your part has also been great. It's a cartridge that is not hard to find in stores either.
I don't own one at present, but some day I see it returning to the stable.
 
Yep... Not pretty... But hopefully it makes up for it in performance... Personally would have gone the bolt action route... Especially with your criteria.
 
You will be please to feel the tamed recoil and the overall accuracy of the R1 and being a 338 mag with fast follow up shots, you got all the torque you need for any beast in N.A... JP.
 
hoytcanon said:
Yep... Not pretty... But hopefully it makes up for it in performance... Personally would have gone the bolt action route... Especially with your criteria.
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Ya I know hoytcanon, I just never seen a bolt gun jump out and say BUY ME! I looked at the Kimber Montana and it was nice but a little whippy feeling. I've had a couple of Sako's and ya there nice but just didn't do it for me. Winchester Model 70's was my next bet, but finding a Extreme Weather SS in 338 to look at was non existent. The shop had some on order but won't be in till early 2014. So I ended up with the R1 for something a little different, but if it doesn't work out then my search will start again............I think I'll stay with 338, but maybe I'll build a custom rifle of these days.
 
I predict another similar thread early in 2014... Hold out for the model 70 next time around... And if you do, you might as well play with another NEW caliber! Good luck hunting...
 
hoytcanon said:
I predict another similar thread early in 2014... Hold out for the model 70 next time around... And if you do, you might as well play with another NEW caliber! Good luck hunting...
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No I won't need to post another thread like this one. You guys have gave me lots of info help me make some decisions. Thanks! I think the thread I'll start in 2014 will be "Hey guys look what I got" We'll see what happens. Anyways Ill let u guys know how the R1 shoots when I get to the range. Thanks again fella's!
 
So. Here's my take.

You like the M70 CRF action, whose magazine will handle cart's. to 3.6" oal., if I recall correctly(I dont own a '70).
You wish the ability to slam moose at 400+yd, & with a big bear hunt in future plans for this rifle.
You do handload. ... + :) !
The rifle, it must be fast in both handling and bullet speed, and not be a long barreled brush snagger.

IMO, first choice in factory offerings would be .358 Norma, ... loaded to the t*ts with high BC 250gr TSX's(moose/bear), or AB's(moose).
Or, if finances permit, how about a custom chambered, reformed Lapua cased, 8mm Rem Mag., ... necked up to .338" (fantastic bullets avail.), or maybe .358" (you've 'prolly got a good supply of .35 cal. components already in hand?)
Both of them will really honk in a 22-23" bbl..
Both should be very accurate out past 400.
Both would throw impressive fireballs in the gloaming!! LoL.
 
vviking said:
So. Here's my take.

You like the M70 CRF action, whose magazine will handle cart's. to 3.6" oal., if I recall correctly(I dont own a '70).
You wish the ability to slam moose at 400+yd, & with a big bear hunt in future plans for this rifle.
You do handload. ... + :) !
The rifle, it must be fast in both handling and bullet speed, and not be a long barreled brush snagger.

IMO, first choice in factory offerings would be .358 Norma, ... loaded to the t*ts with high BC 250gr TSX's(moose/bear), or AB's(moose).
Or, if finances permit, how about a custom chambered, reformed Lapua cased, 8mm Rem Mag., ... necked up to .338" (fantastic bullets avail.), or maybe .358" (you've 'prolly got a good supply of .35 cal. components already in hand?)
Both of them will really honk in a 22-23" bbl..
Both should be very accurate out past 400.
Both would throw impressive fireballs in the gloaming!! LoL.
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I'm with you on that one VViking.............

Seeing that a lot of you guys have great insight on things, if I was to buy a Model 70 and re-barrel it, who is making the best hunting barrels out there nowadays? Douglas,Shillen,Pac-Nor, Krieger? I'm thinking a custom type 35 would be fun. I was going to build a 358STA when I had my Sako 75 7mmSTW but ended up selling the gun. I'm still really liking the 358 Norma idea.........
 
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