Wanting a new rifle (and caliber)

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mlp021

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Hey guys,
I'm falling in love with custom rifles. I've got a 257 Bob that will do everything I need it to do...I only in hunt in Texas and Arkansas for deer and pigs. Having said that, I would still love another rifle. I'd like one that could suffice for elk hunting (probably will never happen - but if an opportunity presented itself, I want the rifle to do the trick). I'm thinking about a 280ai, 300 H&H, or 35 Whelen. What say the folks, knowing this rifle will probably be a second deer rifle, but "might" get used on elk one day (assuming I draw a tag and/or have the free money for a guided trip).

Thanks
 
Of those, the 35 Whelen would be my choice because it is as American as you can get and because it will defend you better if Yogi wants to eat your elk or its butcher.

Cheaper/more available ammo as well...

Greg
 
I'll second the 35 Whelen. It an Efficient and historical North American hunting cartridge.
 
The 30-06 Springfield is the most famous and popular cartridge over the entire world.

Get one in a bolt action with a Featherweight barrel.

That's where to start for a do it all hunting rifle.
 
Looks like it's the 280ai or the 35 Whelen. Decisions, decisions...
 
The 35 Whelen will give you 300 WM recoil with no real gain over what you can do with a 30-06 and 200-250 gr bullets. The 280 or 280 AI won't do anything you can't do with 30-06 and 150-180 gr bullets, but it is something out of the mainstream that won't beat you up with recoil.

If you want to be practical, buy a 30-06 or 270. But most who put together a custom want something a bit out of the ordinary. Considering it is a dual purpose rifle, that would rarely if ever be used on game larger than deer I'd go 280.
 
My elk rifle is a customized '03 Springfield in .35 Brown-Whelen (the most radical form of the Whelen.) I use the 225 grain Nosler Partition Jacket in that rifle, and it performs flawlessly.
 
I would agree with jmr40, I've had a 35 Whelen, and a 9.3x62, but in the end sold them both and kept my '06. To me, with warm loads, they were a decent step up in recoil over the '06, and I couldn't really figure out what I was getting in return. That said, I'm not really a fan of stiff recoil. If it were me (and I realize it's not), I'd buy an FN Winchester, and send it off to Pacnor to have them do their thing to the receiver and lugs, and screw on a barrel in .270 or 30-06. Then when I got it back, I'd bed it in a light composite stock. It wouldn't be a brand name custom, but it would be pretty much what I wanted from the ground up, and would probably come in sub $2k.
 
Ruger guide gun in 375 Ruger
Or
CZ 550 FS in 9.3x62 (I have this one...pure awesome)
Or
Browning X-Bolt White Gold RMEF in 325WSM
 
If you ever get to go elk hunting you may fire 1 or 2 rounds at an elk. Why pick a cartridge that has limitations in ammunition availability. A 30-06 will do everything you want to do and it has many advantages. It is one of the friendliest cartridges for the reloader, just take a look at the availability of components at a reasonable price. After many years of trying everything else one day I looked around and found that I have a whole handful for 30-06 rifles. I am happy!
 
Mlp021;

I live and hunt elk in Outer Montana. This is territory where my house is a mile high and the hunting is up from there. My every year elk gun is my custom LH bolt 6.5 x 55mm Swedish Mauser. The biggest advantage it has over your .257 Roberts is that maximum bullet weights are 120 gr. vs 160 grains. However, my elk load uses the Sierra GameKing #1730 140 grain exiting the muzzle at a nominal 2725 fps. That retains a thousand pounds of terminal energy at 700 yards, and I don't take shots that far, 500 yards is about the limit. Retained energy there is a touch over 1300 ft lbs.

Recoil is moderate, accuracy is outstanding, and the gun is beautiful, but I'm prejudiced. In any case, it'll do just fine pounding pigs and deer as well as being fully elk capable. Elk aren't armor-plated, they're just big deer. You don't need a whomper to kill one, your shoulder will thank you. Flinch! We don't need no steenkink flinch wit da Swede!

900F

PS: Sage gives good advice also.
 
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The 375 Ruger is interesting, especially since several companies are now chambering for it in basic and midlevel rifles. It seems to be picking up momentum. I picked one up last fall because it was the only medium bore rifle I could find with a left hand action (ruger guide gun). Now, if that same rifle was in 35 Whelen or 9.3x62, well I'd be talking about one of those. Savage, Howa, and Mossberg are also chambering the 375 ruger.
 
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