New lightweight mountain rifle, with a heavy side of Grizz. Debate starter.

Remember this thread? http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1175555-The-Ultimate-North-American-Hunting-Round

If I had posted on there that the 9.3x57 was the best, I would have been scoffed at, or more likely laughed off the forum. Even if I'd suggested the 7x57, I wouldn't have been taken seriously. Your own pick was the .300 WM, yet now you're considering a cartridge that was obsolescent even before WWII, and isn't ideal for anything except maybe close shots at eastern whitetail and black bears.

Do what Shell Shucker suggests, pick up a Husky in 9.3x57 and see if you even like the cartridge before you spend thousands on a custom rifle. I have one of those, btw, and my biggest regret is that it isn't a 7x57.
 
9.3mauser said:
Remember this thread? http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1175555-The-Ultimate-North-American-Hunting-Round

If I had posted on there that the 9.3x57 was the best, I would have been scoffed at, or more likely laughed off the forum. Even if I'd suggested the 7x57, I wouldn't have been taken seriously. Your own pick was the .300 WM, yet now you're considering a cartridge that was obsolescent even before WWII, and isn't ideal for anything except maybe close shots at eastern whitetail and black bears.
Click to expand...

Different question, different set of parameters... and a required shorter action... see below;

Ardent said:
I have my Satterlee custom Mauser...

The action is intermediate, it's the only titanium he makes, so it will be a x57 case. Yes, WSMs, 284 cases and all that but naw, I'm good, x57 based and never been an 8mm guy.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
When I began to decide on the parameters for my mountain bear gun, I began with the intention of a .350 magnum, built along the lines of a M-7 KS, then I thought about a .35 or a .375-284, and finally decided that nothing would be gained over the choice of a 9.3X62, a cartridge which I had for many years dismissed as anemic, but thanks to Johann22, Ted, and Finn Aagaard, my point of view was corrected. The fly in that ointment was that Ron Smith doesn't make a 9.3 barrel, but I carried on undeterred, with a .375X62 otherwise known as the .375 Scovile.

If your action is best suited to the X57 length, and you have an excess of .375 components on hand, the obvious answer would seem to be to order a quality .375 barrel of suitable contour, length, and twist, and have it chambered .375X57. All you need to do is put a .375 expander button in you 9.3X57 sizing die, and you're off to the races. Anything you could do with the 9.3 can be done equally well with a .375 version, and it saves the necessity of cluttering up you loading bench with bullets of yet another caliber. The best part is, your's would be the only one.
 
This concept of building rifles around the thought of a Grizzly encounter and subsequent immediate need for it is a bit ridiculous. Even more ridiculous when the cartridge decided upon is arguably a complete compromise for everything in every way. What an expensive botch job.
If you are scared of bears pack a rifle for bear. If you are hunting sheep in the mountains pack a rifle accordingly. People have been doing just that for a long time.
 
chuck nelson said:
This concept of building rifles around the thought of a Grizzly encounter and subsequent immediate need for it is a bit ridiculous. Even more ridiculous when the cartridge decided upon is arguably a complete compromise for everything in every way. What an expensive botch job.
If you are scared of bears pack a rifle for bear. If you are hunting sheep in the mountains pack a rifle accordingly. People have been doing just that for a long time.
Click to expand...

Thanks for turning out Chuck. ;) Admittedly it is an uncomfortable concept to come to terms with not all very light rifles are chambered for bores under .30, or that this blasphemy has been going on for a century or more and the walking light medium bore makes excellent sense in a scenario such as mine.

To the general thread what I need here is an ultra-light, walking rifle for guiding on the north coast and my day job flying in northern BC. 6 1/2lbs is good, 5 3/4 is better, and on tough things after a modestly wide variety of experimenting on a couple continents I've found the still very lethal 7x57 rather slow to act. They're always dead at the end, but there are different kinds of dead despite the general argument and assumption being there is only one.

So given I'm packing a glut of a poorly packed client's gear in our own beautiful green hell, I'm trying to avoid doing the shooting, and I'm shaving the ounces while looking to deliver a respectable punch, I'm liking this concept. These moderate small cased rounds look very interesting for the purpose, which is a purpose few share and a few understandably struggle to accept. That's fair, it's not the tool they need.

The more offensive my medium bore walking coast and mountain rifle suggestion becomes certainly the more interesting the concept appears, Mr. Satterlee replied with a lengthy email of quite evident excitement at the concept and eagerly suggested we start cutting one of his .375 blanks down to pencil dimensions. Guess that likely answers that.
 
broadhead67 said:
wants to build a custom rifle in a calibre specific to his specs, how can this be a bad thing?
Click to expand...

Chuck and I have some bad blood, we nearly met amicably on a Grizzly hunt in the Muskwa-Ketchika, then I made an obtuse comment about BC government pencils that seemed to hit a nerve. Long story short we didn't meet up there and he doesn't like my rifle concept, I'm sure he's a nice guy in person.
 
Ardent said:
Chuck and I have some bad blood, we nearly met amicably on a Grizzly hunt in the Muskwa-Ketchika, then I made an obtuse comment about BC government pencils that seemed to hit a nerve. Long story short we didn't meet up there and he doesn't like my rifle concept, I'm sure he's a nice guy in person.
Click to expand...

What in the world are you talking about?
 
chuck nelson said:
This concept of building rifles around the thought of a Grizzly encounter and subsequent immediate need for it is a bit ridiculous. Even more ridiculous when the cartridge decided upon is arguably a complete compromise for everything in every way. What an expensive botch job.
If you are scared of bears pack a rifle for bear. If you are hunting sheep in the mountains pack a rifle accordingly. People have been doing just that for a long time.
Click to expand...

Being a bear enthusiast I can't agree. If you're hunting or hiking in the mountains, its the terrain and altitude that dictate the size and weight of rifle you can conveniently carry. A 10 pound Brno 602 might not be the best choice as you struggle though dense willows on a 60 degree slope at 4000' despite its cartridge's capacity for killing the largest game on earth. A medium bore, medium capacity cartridge chambered in a short, light, handy, rifle might not shoot as flat as a small bore, but it shoots flat enough, and that's the key. Various 9.3 and .375 cartridges have been considered suitable for all types of African game from Duiker to the Big 5, so there's little reason these cartridges shouldn't be equally suitable for a combination bear/caribou/sheep hunt, for bear protection while hunting other game, or even while hiking off season, if a person is so inclined. The key then is to choose a rifle that's not only chambered for a capable cartridge, but more importantly, to choose one that's suitable for packing up those tough mountain trails.
 
fugawi said:
Since I'm mostly a lever guy... that would do just nicely! Or maybe a Savage 99 in that caliber or .450 Marlin BLR. Even a Marlin 444S.
Click to expand...

I had a Savage 99 in .375 Win. an wish I'd kept 'er because these rifles fetch money on the north side of 1K these days. :eek:

The 9.3x57 will work just fine from a carbine length tube (18-20") and not lose enough oomph that the critters could tell the difference.;)
 
Can you use the WSM case as a basis? Would give you more oomph on bear and range on sheep if you're planning on using heavy large caliber bullets. Its a neat concept but its going to be full of compromise as a grizzly stopper and a lightweight sheep rifle are at the extreme opposite ends of the rifle spectrum.
 
thepitchedlink said:
I can't help but think if Ruger would just offer that sweet little RSI, with a nice piece of walnut, in 350 RM.....we'd have it. I'd buy one that's for sure
Click to expand...

Would be such a simple tweak on their part, and such a lovely package.

chuck nelson said:
What in the world are you talking about?
Click to expand...

I thought I had you on one thing, that my memory was longer. Now I've just read your location and realize you are not likely to be come accross hunting Grizzly in the Muskwa-Ketchika, somebody else. So the good news is, we're that much closer to getting along- we're down to a simple strong distaste for ideas in rifles. This day just improves by the minute.
 
bcsteve said:
Can you use the WSM case as a basis? Would give you more oomph on bear and range on sheep if you're planning on using heavy large caliber bullets. Its a neat concept but its going to be full of compromise as a grizzly stopper and a lightweight sheep rifle are at the extreme opposite ends of the rifle spectrum.
Click to expand...

I've looked at it, Stuart is willing to cut titanium any way you want to pay him too. 375-325 WSM cases would form easily. I do struggle with how the WSMs feel in feeding, and the magazine capacity penalty. With a bolt action I like to walk with the chamber empty, and having a minimum of five down makes me happy.
 
9.3mauser said:
Remember this thread? http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1175555-The-Ultimate-North-American-Hunting-Round

If I had posted on there that the 9.3x57 was the best, I would have been scoffed at, or more likely laughed off the forum. Even if I'd suggested the 7x57, I wouldn't have been taken seriously. Your own pick was the .300 WM, yet now you're considering a cartridge that was obsolescent even before WWII, and isn't ideal for anything except maybe close shots at eastern whitetail and black bears.

Do what Shell Shucker suggests, pick up a Husky in 9.3x57 and see if you even like the cartridge before you spend thousands on a custom rifle. I have one of those, btw, and my biggest regret is that it isn't a 7x57.
Click to expand...

Indeed, different parameters, for a client I'd absolutely vote .300 Win as ideal for an accross the board in the area. I need a walking rifle that isn't as much for hunting as it is for just being there and available in a pinch. I need a work tool in essence, not a hunting rifle, and in this category the 9.5x57 / .350RM etc class is intriguing. It also has to fit my intermediate action as hoyt pointed out, so that's a bracket it wouldn't naturally be asked to fit into. Before we get towed in yet another direction by having suggestions of repurposing the titanium action to a pure mountain rifle or selling it and starting with a long action, I like the ti intermediate. Been waiting for it for four years and damn well going to enjoy it, and the 9.5x57 class seems the best way to do so. While the .300 Win is the ultimate, I'm not after the ultimate in this case is the gist, I'm after a slick tool that fits the parameters mentioned.
 
Remington 700 stainless, 21" barrel, McMillan stock in 375 H&H, just a tad over 7 lbs. Run 250 TTSX and it would shoot flat enough for a mountain cartridge
 
As c-fbmi has suggested the 35-284. It is a ballistic twin to the 350 RM but without a belt and you can get one more down.

Neil
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom