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  • Kicking myself in the ass

    I have managed to save up a little extra spending money, and am looking at buying a new rifle. Practical considerations make me lean towards a decent larger game gun, my frontrunner is a Rem 700 CDL in .300 Win mag.

    It's intended to be an Alaska gun, but has to be small enough to take deer. The 300 Winny is a little light for brownies, but I don't plan to ever hunt bear. It can handle 165 or 180 gr bullets for deer hunting, and 200 and 220 gr for elk and moose. The 220 gr is still enough still stop a brownie in a pinch (if a moose hunt goes bad), which is why I am not interested in anything smaller.

    My budget is around $1500 counting optics, 50/50 between rifle and scope. Nothing super fancy in a scope, most likely just a classic Leu 3x9x40.

    But this what I'm kicking myself over:

    I don't need one, but I have always liked Sig 550's. When they first came to the US, I could have bought a new one for about a grand. At the time, I was doing a lot of trap shooting, so I spent the dough on shotguns instead.

    Now pre-ban 550's are selling for 8-9 grand!!! Grrrrr.
    "We will go through our federal budget – page by page, line by line – eliminating those programs we don’t need, and insisting that those we do operate in a sensible cost-effective way." -President Barack Obama 11/25/2008

  • #2
    Originally posted by highsea View Post
    I have managed to save up a little extra spending money, and am looking at buying a new rifle. Practical considerations make me lean towards a decent larger game gun, my frontrunner is a Rem 700 CDL in .300 Win mag.

    It's intended to be an Alaska gun, but has to be small enough to take deer. The 300 Winny is a little light for brownies, but I don't plan to ever hunt bear. It can handle 165 or 180 gr bullets for deer hunting, and 200 and 220 gr for elk and moose. The 220 gr is still enough still stop a brownie in a pinch (if a moose hunt goes bad), which is why I am not interested in anything smaller.

    My budget is around $1500 counting optics, 50/50 between rifle and scope. Nothing super fancy in a scope, most likely just a classic Leu 3x9x40.

    But this what I'm kicking myself over:

    I don't need one, but I have always liked Sig 550's. When they first came to the US, I could have bought a new one for about a grand. At the time, I was doing a lot of trap shooting, so I spent the dough on shotguns instead.

    Now pre-ban 550's are selling for 8-9 grand!!! Grrrrr.
    You sure do like kicking yourself in the a$$, don't you? You've done it twice now
    "So little pains do the vulgar take in the investigation of truth, accepting readily the first story that comes to hand." Thucydides 1.20.3

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    • #3
      My dad has always given himself a similar ass-kicking because he didn't buy up all the $50 Garands and other surplus rifles that were floating around in the 50s and 60s.
      "The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world. So wake up, Mr. Freeman. Wake up and smell the ashes." G-Man

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      • #4
        Originally posted by shek View Post
        You sure do like kicking yourself in the a$$, don't you? You've done it twice now
        Lol. damn wireless connections. I asked the mods to delete on of the ass-kickings...
        "We will go through our federal budget – page by page, line by line – eliminating those programs we don’t need, and insisting that those we do operate in a sensible cost-effective way." -President Barack Obama 11/25/2008

        Comment


        • #5
          If hindsight were foresight.

          My oldest son liked to give me $hit about not buying a truckload of AK’s when they were $125 in the early 80’s. Still can’t even build one for that price.

          And then there was the famous “I’m not going to pay $1300 for a FAMAS, that’s outrageous!!!” Damn Century Arms.

          How about this? Remington 700 CDL 300 Win Mag

          Then: Leupold VX-II 3x9x40 or LEUPOLD V-X III 3.5x10x40
          Check the Puyallup Fun Show venders to touchie-feelie the scopes before buying.

          IIRC Clint told me he is on file with Impact Guns. Order one on-line and pick it up at a show or take a short road trip.

          On the way home stop by and I’ll help you break it in.
          AK-Dave

          Those who trade liberty for security have none.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by ak-dave View Post
            ...On the way home stop by and I’ll help you break it in.
            Thanks Dave. Does you friend Clint show in Monroe as well as Puyallup? I definitely want to check out the scopes in person- not sure if I will like the side focus on that VX-III.

            My only problem with ordering the rifle online is that I don't get to see the wood first. But considering that a local dealer will most likely have to order it anyway, it probably doesn't make much difference.

            Do you know how much Clint will charge to receive the rifle for me?
            "We will go through our federal budget – page by page, line by line – eliminating those programs we don’t need, and insisting that those we do operate in a sensible cost-effective way." -President Barack Obama 11/25/2008

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            • #7
              i,m still kicking myself i didn't buy 30lb cans of R12, back in the days it was $100. now it's like $1200, or more. and i could have gotten them without a license.
              "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" B. Franklin

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              • #8
                Highsea,

                I don’t think Clint does Monroe since he’s down in Lacey. Besides Puyallup is a much better show anyway. IRRC he charges @ $15 for a transfer.

                The next show is 20-21 Jan 07. I’ll be there Sunday the 21st. If your planning to be there, shoot me a PM; I could even meet up with you on Saturday too.

                And maybe since you’ll be down here in the South end, we could get in some trigger time.

                Dave
                AK-Dave

                Those who trade liberty for security have none.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Sounds good Dave, I will PM you when the date gets closer.

                  Thanks.
                  "We will go through our federal budget – page by page, line by line – eliminating those programs we don’t need, and insisting that those we do operate in a sensible cost-effective way." -President Barack Obama 11/25/2008

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by highsea View Post
                    I have managed to save up a little extra spending money, and am looking at buying a new rifle. Practical considerations make me lean towards a decent larger game gun, my frontrunner is a Rem 700 CDL in .300 Win mag.

                    It's intended to be an Alaska gun, but has to be small enough to take deer. The 300 Winny is a little light for brownies, but I don't plan to ever hunt bear. It can handle 165 or 180 gr bullets for deer hunting, and 200 and 220 gr for elk and moose. The 220 gr is still enough still stop a brownie in a pinch (if a moose hunt goes bad), which is why I am not interested in anything smaller.

                    My budget is around $1500 counting optics, 50/50 between rifle and scope. Nothing super fancy in a scope, most likely just a classic Leu 3x9x40.
                    highsea,

                    Given your budget and the description of what you want to use the weapon for, I would be hesitant to lean towards the .300 Win Mag.

                    While .300 Win Mag is a decent enough proposition, I never did like the cost of factory ammuntion, the cost of components, the short case neck and call me old fashioned and silly but I was raised to look crosseyed at belted cartridges for any one of a number of good reasons.

                    I would be tempted to look at a clean,used Rem. 700 CDL chambered for the .30-06 and have a competent, reputable riflesmith run your choice of .30-06 Improved chambering reamers.

                    The advantage here is that you can fire standard .30-06 cartridges to your heart's content with all of the attendant advantages yet load the fire formed brass to your specifications with 220 or 250 grain projectiles of the appropriate construction to your choice of game.

                    Doing it this way, you will not incur the costs of the .300 Win Mag and you can throw more bullet than many .300 Win Mag factory loads so the difference in energy (at the muzzle) is only going to be in the low single digits in the favor of the .300 if that bear comes around to see what the ruckus is.

                    Naturally, this course of action would require you to get some dies and a press but the cost savings over the new magnum rifle and performance methinks might justify the effort. Besides, you will get best accuracy and most consistent performance rolling your own anyway regardless of which rifle and chambering you settle on.

                    Another advantage is the reduced cost of shooting encourages practice and we all know the rifle you can hit with from several positions at many ranges is the one you want to have in your hands when "you see the elephant".

                    A potential alternative is to pick up the forementioned used .30-06 and have any one of a number of stellar, American barrel makers swap out the factory pipe and go for something along the lines of a .338-06 or maybe better one of the .338-06 Improved chamberings. This is a really interesting proposition I have no experience with but those who have reccomend it for all North American game.

                    If you really want to pimp it out, go for a gain twist barrel. One of my clients was Sterling Davenport and he has done some interesting things with this type of barrel.

                    .35 Whelen is an interesting possibility as well while retaining the convenience of factory rifles and ammunition. If you already do or choose to manufacture your own ammunition, this represents some serious potential.

                    Incidentally, a guy I used to spot for took a brown bear and several other Alaskan spieces at different ranges with a Rem. 700 Stainless Synthetic chambered for 7 MM Rem. Magnum.

                    We cooked up one load for the trip using a heavy for caliber, flat based, tough soft point (I want to say Nosler Partition but I do not have my log handy) and zeroed it to give danger space on the vitals of the smaller animals which came out to be several hundred yards.

                    Too, it sounds like you may be paying to much for the very good Leupold product you speced. I have two of them and I certainly did not pay anywhere near half of the $1,500 you mentioned.

                    Anyway, I suspect your proposed budget might yield more utility and good performance if you think about the options.

                    Have a nice weekend and happy hunting kind of regards,

                    William
                    Last edited by Swift Sword; 19 Jan 07,, 22:51.
                    Pharoh was pimp but now he is dead. What are you going to do today?

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I used to own a 700 BDL Custom Deluxe in 7 Mag. At close range with a Barnes bullet you should be able to put down a 1200 pound bear.... I really don't like being in country where bears get that big without something really big. Like a .375 H&H or a .458 Winchester. I've heard a lever action in 45-70 is good for close range.

                      I actually bought my 7 Mag to hunt bears, but the bear around here are 400# max. I wish I had a scope of the quality of the Varex II on that gun. I love the one on my HBAR but it's too small (1x by 4x) for that much rifle. I also paid around $300 for it IIRC. But that was 3 years ago. I never should have sold that gun, Paid $375 for it brand new back in '84-'85.... Probably didn't put 200 rounds through it before I sold it, but that SPAS-12 and that AR-15A2 were just too tempting.....
                      Revelation 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
                      (Been There)

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                      • #12
                        Well, I missed the gun show, I was down in Portland.

                        I have a 7mm already (Rem 700 ADL). It was my dad's rifle, and he did use it for bear once. It will do the job, but it's really too light for a close-up charging brownie (a .375 or .416 is much better). I don't want to hunt bear- I only want bear protection when moose or deer hunting in Alaska.

                        But I am now leaning towards a .338 Win Mag, since the .300 is too close to my -06 and 7mm, either of which I would pick first for smaller game anyway.

                        William- wrt the leupold- I plan to add a ballistic matched reticle, which will run the price up a bit.
                        Last edited by highsea; 25 Jan 07,, 20:05.
                        "We will go through our federal budget – page by page, line by line – eliminating those programs we don’t need, and insisting that those we do operate in a sensible cost-effective way." -President Barack Obama 11/25/2008

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Dude next time I'm in Seattle I totally wanna go shooting with you guys.
                          In Iran people belive pepsi stands for pay each penny save israel. -urmomma158
                          The Russian Navy is still a threat, but only to those unlucky enough to be Russian sailors.-highsea

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                          • #14
                            I'm sure Dave would be up for that, he has a big ol' pile of guns.
                            "We will go through our federal budget – page by page, line by line – eliminating those programs we don’t need, and insisting that those we do operate in a sensible cost-effective way." -President Barack Obama 11/25/2008

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                            • #15
                              Sweet, a Seattle WABer party!
                              In Iran people belive pepsi stands for pay each penny save israel. -urmomma158
                              The Russian Navy is still a threat, but only to those unlucky enough to be Russian sailors.-highsea

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