Heavy Hitter Hunting Rifle ‘21

If you were going to build a long range thumper with normal components ( even though hard to find) what would you build? Long range Hunter, not a wildcat

What would your blue print be?

What's "long range"?

28 Nosler

195 EOLs, coming out at 3020 fps on a 26" barrel.

It hits like a train.

I don’t have an exact answer to that

Just a number 500-700

This^^^

I would build one that doesn’t go “click”.

Went off memory the first time on the MV. It's actually 3050 fps.

5 mph 3 or 9 o'clock wind

500 yards, Elev 2.0, wind .3, ft lbs 2683
600 yards, Elev 2.7, wind .3, ft lbs 2463
700 yards, Elev 3.4, wind .4, ft lbs 2257

280AI

Sheeeeeeiiit

300 win mag, 9-9.5” twist maybe a prc if you can find the brass and dies plan on shooting 200-240gr 30 caliber boolets around 3k

162 gr, 2930 fps MV

500 yards Elev 2.2, wind .3, ft/lbs 1916
600 yards Elev 3.0, wind .4, ft/lbs 1730
700 yards Elev 3.8, wind .4, ft/lbs 1560

Most do not hit the 3k mark with 26" barrels and 200 gr bullets.

Many are under 2880 fps.

300 Lapua Magnum. I almost pulled the trigger on one a few weeks ago. Need to wait a bit....

What about this?

7-338Lapua

That’s a great round (I have a rifle on order), but it ain’t gonna do 500-700 yards.

I actually meant to type 338 Lapua, that's what I want. Some day..

knock the hell out of some nilgai/elk etc...

Which would be the most reloading component friendly?

Cousin has one. Fun gun. Shot with another guy that has a 7-338 Lapua and a 300-338 Lapua. Both were impressive.

I was guessing, I thought you could get really near 3,000 with a 200
My winmag is a 24” and is running a 215 Berger hybrid right at 2800 with a good snort of retumbo or H1000

300 Norma mag would get it done though!

My bad didn't know BIL was looking for that range.

Doesn't really matter right now.

All parts are difficult to come by

Reading is hard.

That would be my choice of caliber, not sure if that bullet but there are options.

scdogman built one before they were commercially available by necking up the 26 Nosler, thread link below is a bull elk he took with it at little over 600 yards. https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/7324304

I would ask rooster lollipop what he would recommend and follow the directions he provideds you. Hell, you killed that doe with his SAUM so you know he knows what is up.

I bet so!

Only read the OP 1st post and then replied, you jackass!

6.5 PRC or 7 Rem Mag.

The 338 round will be easier to find components for without a doubt. and would be my first choice. The more popular stuff like the.264 .284 and .308, well your pretty much screwed unless your interested in spending every waking moment looking for bullets or simply buy them from gun broker and $2 a pull. If your needing brass, bullets, primers and powder at the same time, forget about it and go buy a sling shot..

338 stuff comes up way more often, food for thought…

Mine is being built right now - 7mm SAUM

tell him to buy a 300 Win Mag

Original post has long range hunter in it twice.

Yep, a very good choice.

I’ll vote for the 300wm. I’m running 225’s getting right at 2880 out of 9 twist 28” Obermeyer. Albeit, it’s a fairly hot load. It’s definitely a hammer but after shooting side by side next to a 28 nosler, it can’t buck the wind like that cartridge does. Especially when you get out past 1k.

What about the .33 Nosler?

.338 Lapua

Well your definition of "long" might be different than mine....

Published data, fastest load. With a 300 gr

US-869 104.0 gr 2677 fps

Weatherby 30-378 is a beast

Lots of people saying Lapua. If I was going to build a big 338 it would be the Norma Mag. Can be built on a standard long action, loaded using a standard press, brass is 60-70% cheaper, and performance is near identical.

Oh yeah, and brass last longer. Less body taper and shorter than the Lapua. Both from the Rigby case. It’s like a Creedmoor for adults.

All these heavy hitters what recoil reduction can or break? If a can for 338 you will probably need to get another one.

I'd just stick with my 300 Weatherby's.

I know many here are not a fan of them but a 300 RUM would likely fill the bill also.

my vote

That's what she said.

I would build the rifle exactly like the ones I've been shooting for years. 7mm STW in a Remington m700 or 40x or a Winchester M70. 7mm Rem Mag or 300 Win Mag would also be a good choice. I've also wanted to build a rifle in 7mm Practical but I haven't gotten off my butt to do so yet.

My favorite of the long rang thumpers is the 300 Norma, but that’s not what I would build for a hunter. 7 mag or 300 win mag would be a good choice with easier to find components, but that is not what I would build for a 600-700 yard thumper to be used for a hunting rig. 300 WSM is what I would do. That short fat powder column shines in a 24” barrel and the case has no belt. I would go with the 700 footprint action of your choice. 24” Krieger barrel. Barreled action would be stainless. Trigger of choice at 2 - 2 1/2 pounds. Pillar bedded into a McMillan stock with a hinged floor plate. The hinged floor plate means I will never misplace the magazine when my CRS kicks in. Recoil on that setup would be manageable without a brake in a easy to carry rifle in a wonderfully efficient cartridge.

Many years ago I had a 300 Jarrett and it was a laser as well as a killing machine. In today’s world though the brass for something like a 300 Norma mag or a Lapua is so much more consistent without all the need to work brass and fire form and all of that jazz.

Never seen an animal too dead..

I’ve built 3 but as Smokey said the only one easy to tote and shoot is the 300 WSM...so it gets used.