Opinions on Best Long Range Rifle for Deer, Moose and Elk

[KodiakHntr]

Think about bullets first, in what diameter....Bullets matter more than headstamps.

Read that again. And one more time, just for luck.

At this point and from I have learned from different gun stores is that a 300 RUM may be the best choice for me.

Very few people out of the myriad of folks who buy a 300 RUM will ever learn to shoot it to its true potential. There are always a few of them on the EE for sale with less than 60 rounds through them, and for good reason. To a novice they look like a great idea, right up until they shoot them......

The longest shot I have taken to date with my 30-06 is around 450 yards. Typically most of my kills are under 200 yards, but I am thinking of going on hunts for Elk where longer can be necessary, so I do not want to be under-rifled and I am looking for a flatter shooting rifle with enough energy to get the job done.

I have watched videos of people doing it, so I know it is possible.

A) Bullets, not headstamps...
B) Energy rarely kills animals...Holes in important parts kills them fairly reliably though.
C) It doesn't take a 300 RUM to poke an appropriate bullet in an elks lungs at any range you'll be able to hit him...
D) You need to learn how to dial a turret. "Flat shooting" means less than nothing when it comes to reliably hitting targets at extended ranges.

I want to do a lot of practicing, and I do not want to get into loading, so ammo availability is important.

Gunning RUM ammo at $100 per 20 rounds gets old fast... And finding a reliable lot of factory rounds that will do what you want will get pricey up front fast.... And by that, I mean finding a factory round with acceptable accuracy, and then buying every single box of it that you can get your hands on in the same manufacturing lot. Don't expect that just because you find a box it likes, that the next 20 round box of the same stuff 6 months down the road will shoot the same, or at least acceptably well enough so that you could reasonably expect to hit a thousand yard steel plate.......

 

[djt]

I use a remington 700xcr long range tactical in .338lm bedded in an accuracy international Ax-aics for longe range.
The scope is a sightron 6x24-50ffp in a Sphur mount.
This rig can take any North American game and is very accurate.
I can hit Gongs at 1400m fairly consistently with my major issue at long range being reading the wind.

 

[Dogleg]

Any thoughts on where you'll shoot it? There's Nokomis but that rules out brakes, and ruling out brakes is going to impact weight, and caliber. A do everything in North America from zero to 1000 rifle is a pretty tall order. Then jump over to Africa? And its going to be portable? From what I've seen of Africa you can forgot about long range shooting.

I know a lot of long range shooters and not one of them is using factory loads for it. Why don't you pick up a decent turret scope and get your feet wet with your 30-06? At least you'd get an idea of what you're up against. Once you're comfortable with buying bullets by the thousands and powder by the multiple case some things are going to get a lot clearer.

 

[huntingsask]

Thank you for your detailed response Kodiak,

Like I have mentioned I like 30 Cal., but I am open to change. Let me ask you this question because you seem like a knowledge guy.

With the types of hunting I have planned, if you were me and had the choice to buy just on rig of your choice and it would be the last rifle and scope you ever bought, what would you go with?

Thanks

Read that again. And one more time, just for luck.

Very few people out of the myriad of folks who buy a 300 RUM will ever learn to shoot it to its true potential. There are always a few of them on the EE for sale with less than 60 rounds through them, and for good reason. To a novice they look like a great idea, right up until they shoot them......


A) Bullets, not headstamps...
B) Energy rarely kills animals...Holes in important parts kills them fairly reliably though.
C) It doesn't take a 300 RUM to poke an appropriate bullet in an elks lungs at any range you'll be able to hit him...
D) You need to learn how to dial a turret. "Flat shooting" means less than nothing when it comes to reliably hitting targets at extended ranges.



Gunning RUM ammo at $100 per 20 rounds gets old fast... And finding a reliable lot of factory rounds that will do what you want will get pricey up front fast.... And by that, I mean finding a factory round with acceptable accuracy, and then buying every single box of it that you can get your hands on in the same manufacturing lot. Don't expect that just because you find a box it likes, that the next 20 round box of the same stuff 6 months down the road will shoot the same, or at least acceptably well enough so that you could reasonably expect to hit a thousand yard steel plate.......

 

[FLHTCUI]

Hi,

I am a new here, but I have been viewing this forum for awhile, lots of good information!

I am in the process of buying my first rifle for long range shooting and was wondering what some of you think. Thanks!

.338-.378Wby Magnum.
Cause Nothing hits Harder or Shoots flatter than a Weatherby.
Tight Groups,
Rob

 

[huntingsask]

Any thoughts on where you'll shoot it? There's Nokomis but that rules out brakes, and ruling out brakes is going to impact weight, and caliber. A do everything in North America from zero to 1000 rifle is a pretty tall order. Then jump over to Africa? And its going to be portable? From what I've seen of Africa you can forgot about long range shooting.

I know a lot of long range shooters and not one of them is using factory loads for it. Why don't you pick up a decent turret scope and get your feet wet with your 30-06? At least you'd get an idea of what you're up against. Once you're comfortable with buying bullets by the thousands and powder by the multiple case some things are going to get a lot clearer.

I have gotten my feet wet with my friends 300 WM set up with a Huskemaw, 5 shots @500 yards at a 10" plate 5 hits, which I why I want something similar and I was shooting factory loads. I have never shot anything but factory loads and the animals seem to expire quickly! I love the turret system, takes the guess work out of it for sure!

 

[bat119]

Shooting an animal over 400 yds. can lead to other unforeseen circumstances beside wounding an animal.
I was looking at a moose with my spotting scope, range finder said 458 yards I was trying to figure a way to get in closer, when "bang" I heard the pop from across the swamp I watched the moose stagger and fall he tried to stand up again there was a bang and a pop the moose was down. My partner had been watching the moose through his scope on his Sako 338 win. he figured he'd been shooting steel plates at 500 yards on the farm why not.
This was at about 11 AM at 3PM after crossing a dozen beaver runs and a river we reached the moose laying in 2' of water the huge horns we saw had shrunk to 46". We quartered the moose with our knives, our saw and other tools were back on the quads we abandoned 3 beaver runs ago. We dragged/carried the pieces back to the quads and ferried all the bits back to our camp it was now 7AM. We each had one sip out the beer we opened to celebrate and slept the rest of the day.
That was the day I learned sometimes long distance doesn't always work out for the best--watch out for that horn shrinkage!

 

[KodiakHntr]

I couldn't hold myself to one rig for that range of purpose. I don't golf with one club, and I don't hunt with one rifle.

 

[Dogleg]

I have gotten my feet wet with my friends 300 WM set up with a Huskemaw, 5 shots @500 yards at a 10" plate 5 hits, which I why I want something similar and I was shooting factory loads. I have never shot anything but factory loads and the animals seem to expire quickly! I love the turret system, takes the guess work out of it for sure!

That's one toe wet. 1000 is a different world.

 

[Northern Amateur]

.338-.378Wby Magnum.
Cause Nothing hits Harder or Shoots flatter than a Weatherby.
Tight Groups,
Rob

That will do it!

 

[huntingsask]

lol, I hear you, but I am sure I could have hit the target further out, and like I said I do plan on getting a lot of practice in with my new rifle, for sure!!!!

That's one toe wet. 1000 is a different world.

 

[KodiakHntr]

I have gotten my feet wet with my friends 300 WM set up with a Huskemaw, 5 shots @500 yards at a 10" plate 5 hits, which I why I want something similar and I was shooting factory loads. I have never shot anything but factory loads and the animals seem to expire quickly! I love the turret system, takes the guess work out of it for sure!

Elevation is physics, wind is voodoo. A 10" plate at 500 yards doesn't even start to scratch the surface of the level of precision you need, if you are shooting plates at 1000+.

When you are shooting groups onto a 5" plate at 500 yards, not simply happy with hits, then you can start moving out farther. And there is a LOT more to a long range cold bore first round hit, than walking shots onto a 2 MOA plate with a husky.... Reliable tracking is key.

If you truly want to learn how to make extended range hits, learn how to reload, and buy a 1 in 8 twisted 223, or 243, and start flinging amax's by the thousand. About the time you learn what it takes to hit 10" plate at 1000 yards, you'll realize how little you know about doping wind.

To put it in perspective, I shoot a fair bit, and I have enough knowledge to be dangerous. I run through a few 600 count boxes of amax's every year. And I've not yet attempted a shot past 600 yards on a live animal. Guys I know, that I would bet a pay cheque on to make a cold bore first round hit, will burn HUNDREDS of pounds of powder in a year from small case capacity cartridges just to maintain their skill set.

 

[quarterman]

I would recommend any of the 300 magnums, I currently use a 300wsm and a 300 rum. I have also used the 300 wby, 30-378 and 308 norma and liked them alot. I think they are all great for long range shooting and hunting .

 

[Brian46]

I have gotten my feet wet with my friends 300 WM set up with a Huskemaw, 5 shots @500 yards at a 10" plate 5 hits, which I why I want something similar and I was shooting factory loads. I have never shot anything but factory loads and the animals seem to expire quickly! I love the turret system, takes the guess work out of it for sure!

other brand optics can burn a scope turret to your rifle/load just like Huskemaw. For example, Zeiss offers this and then you have a far better quality glass on the rifle.

 

[huntingsask]

Of the 30 Cals. you mentioned which would you pick if you only had one choice? Thanks

I would recommend any of the 300 magnums, I currently use a 300wsm and a 300 rum. I have also used the 300 wby, 30-378 and 308 norma and liked them alot. I think they are all great for long range shooting and hunting .

 

[hoytcanon]

With all due respect, I am here asking for sound and knowledgeable advice, not here for sarcasm. Thank you.

That was a statement... and the advice is sound... alot of animals will thank me if you take it.

 

[Dogleg]

Wait until you're shooting at 1000 and the wind is blowing in 3 different directions and changing by the second. Then just for fun let the mirage move your target around a couple MOA. Could be up, could be up and over. Then there's lift over a terrain feature. I'd love to get the guesswork out of shooting. By target shooting definition 500 yards isn't even long range, 3-600 is mid-range. Plinking a plate at 500 with a .300 is fun and easy. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for anything that gets more people shooting. Its just that telling people that if they have a yardage turret and a Kestrel they are going to be some extreme range killing machine has turned into a big business. Delusion sells.

 

[huntingsask]

Like I said I am a proficient shot, I have killed more animals then most have with a rifle and a bow. Just looking for a new rifle that I can use in all situations, my trusty 30-06 setup will not cut what I am about to do.

By the way I am curious, what caliber did you kill that Giraffe with and at how many yards?

Wait until you're shooting at 1000 and the wind is blowing in 3 different directions and changing by the second. Then just for fun let the mirage move your target around a couple MOA. Could be up, could be up and over. Then there's lift over a terrain feature. I'd love to get the guesswork out of shooting. By target shooting definition 500 yards isn't even long range, 3-600 is mid-range. Plinking a plate at 500 with a .300 is fun and easy. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for anything that gets more people shooting. Its just that telling people that if they have a yardage turret and a Kestrel they are going to be some extreme range killing machine has turned into a big business. Delusion sells.

 

[K45]

other brand optics can burn a scope turret to your rifle/load just like Huskemaw. For example, Zeiss offers this and then you have a far better quality glass on the rifle.

I have to say something here, I have Nightforce on my Desert tactical, sightron on my 338 lapua, Zeiss on a 338-378, leupolds on a few guns, bushnell on a couple, Huskemaw on my 280 Ai and 264. The 2 best brands of scopes for me are the Huskemaws and Nightforce, also they are very close for my eyes in all light conditions.

I use a G7-BR2 range finder as well for any elevation/angles that the turrets are not calibrated for - makes for an almost fool proof combo.

As for longe range calibers the 7,s and 300,s are where I would look, not many practice enough with the bigger calibers to us proficiently I.M.H.O.

I practice long range shots alot and shot a crap load of big game in my day but have never shot at animal past 500 yrds.

I have nothing against long range hunting if your well practiced and use good judgement , probably better than alot of so called hunters that get buck fever bad and just yank the trigger or others that try the hail marry running shot and blow the leg off or hit it in the azz.

 

[Northern Amateur]

As mentioned, can't go wrong with a weatherby cartridge for long range, hard hitting rounds. Never had a 30 or 338-378 however would love to have one. Had a 338 LM and have read the ballistics are similiar. 338 LM is a beast to shoot. Personally found it 'intensive'. About as violent as my 375 H&H and much more than either of my 300WM or 338WM.
I am not a long range hunter and can only comment on shooting these cartridges at shorter ranges. I own these calibres mainly for collecting and the joy of shooting and hunt with lever actions rifles.
I can also comment on some scope brands. I have two Vortex scopes, the better one being a Viper. I also have a Leupold VXIII and several lesser brands. The glass on the Leupold and Viper are really nice. I recommend spending some money here!
Another calibre just came to mind though not overly popular, 375 Ruger. Generally found in Savage rifles, which by the way, are very nice rifles in terms of accuracy and affordability.