Big Gun info?

[TAK]

Any of you big game hunters or big gun shooters?

I am looking for personal information on the Short Mags 270 short mag, 7mm short-mag 300 short-mag and on.....

Elk hunting is this weekend and I blew the dust off of the Ruger 7mm. Still pleased with the ol gal but would like to add a new age gun to the gun vault.

[Greg Jennings]

Any of you big game hunters or big gun shooters?

I am looking for personal information on the Short Mags 270 short mag, 7mm short-mag 300 short-mag and on.....

Elk hunting is this weekend and I blew the dust off of the Ruger 7mm. Still pleased with the ol gal but would like to add a new age gun to the gun vault.

Before you buy, take a look at the chamber pressures the short mag cartridges.

I was all hot for one to replace my .300 Win Mag beanfield rifle and ended up sticking with it.

If you still decide to buy, I would by-pass the Ruger. There are a lot of better actions and triggers out there.

Best,

[portsider44]

Tak,

I almost had myself talked into a 270wsm but ended up scrapping the idea for now. Here's a good place to look around & get some info.

http://www.shortmags.org/shortmags/snit ... efault.asp

Lots of good info & if roll your own, lots of good reloading stuff.

[Dirtysteve]

TAK
Of the 3 I would look into the 270 wsm. It is the only one that performs better than the longer versions. If you want the same ballistics and speed but want it in a shorter action than look into the 7 and 300 wsm.
I think that your old 7mm will do anything that the others will do. If you want another elk gun why not step up to a 338 or a 375?
I have killed alot of elk with my old 7mm but was itching for a new gun last year. I ended up getting a 338 and I am very happy with my decision.
Just my .02

[Addict]

Tak,

My friend loves and swears his 270 WSM is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Says the recoil is mild and just loves shooting it. I think his is a Winchester.

I don't know if they resolved the problem or not but I read that they had high pressure problems with the 300 wsm. This was for anything heavier than 180 gr bullets. I can't remember if it was the 180's as well.

I know the 338 is popular with the elk hunters but have never shot one to see how bad it kicks. Since you have the 7mm caliber covered already I would look into this one or a 30 caliber.

Whatever you get make sure you can handle the recoil and don't get something that will make you flinch or turn you into a spastic cripple sighting it in. Also I would recommend if you get a bigger gun get a scope with good eye relief. Seen a couple of guys get cut above their eye because of poor eye relief at the range.

Addict

[Addict]

Another good thing to do is go to the winchester ammunition website. This way you can compare ballistics between calibers.

Addict

[AHGSP]

Tak,

If your looking for a bigger gun , DS's suggestion of the 338 would be a good one.

There are some advantages to the short and fats:
1) Shorter action means slightly lighter weight or you can add a lil more barrel and squeeze a bit more velocity and "usually" accuracy out of them or even go with a heavier contour barrel that is a bit stiffer and thus, "usually" a bit more accurate.

2) The short mags headspace on the shoulders vs. the belts which makes them a bit, and sometimes a lot, more accurate.

3) The guys shooting bench learned a long time ago that the short fat powder column burned much more efficiently and consistently to obtain the same speeds as standard chamberings with less powder for much more accuracy.

4) Gains in velocity over the standard chamberings they were meant to replace won't happen with factory loads and can only be made if you have the experience and knowledge to SAFELY roll your own. Then you can make significant gains over the chamberings they were meant to replace and if you are knowledgeable, you can usually blow factory accuracy out of the box. I'm talking 1/2 M.O.A. here! On long shots where your at, that can be a big advantage!

5) A shorter action is more stiff and rigid and therefore, also has it's accuracy advantages.

Roll all the accuracy gains in one package, then it becomes apparent what "can" make the WSM's better than their standard counterparts.

I do really like the .300 WSM, think of it as a .308 on steroids. The .308 is the most widely used chambering of all Swat and Military Sniper teams in the world, though there has been quite a bit of recent interest in coming up with a replacement for this chambering. The reason these guys are using the .308? ACCURACY and CONSISTENCY!

If you want more accuracy, it could be worth the investment, but think what your needs are going to be and pick the gun to fit the bill. Me personally, anymore I think I'd rather buy another O/U or SxS, but then I have a bad affliction for dogs, birds!

[TAK]

Thanks for the info all......
I had a .338 and shot it about a dozen times and even used it to take a cow Elk a few years ago. Very impressive gun as long as you dare shoot it! Man did it kick. I won it at the Rocky Mt Elk Foundatiuon dinner a few years back. It was the Rugar with the black stock, I think it is the Mark II M77? To me Just to much gun for what I like. I traded off.
I love the .308 I have a Rem PSS (Police Sniper Speicial) I would just soon hunt with it but the department frowns on me when I use it for hunting. Plus I hate lugging a ton around in the hills! I will say I have always been a Rugar fan until I shot the Rem!

I love my Rugar 7mm but I need to get me some more calibers around the house to pass down to the boys. Heck I have one that is 4 months old and I am sure here in a month or two he will be needing a good trusty gun! That is what I told the wife when I hashed out the details. I think she bought it!

[TAK]

Tak,

My friend loves and swears his 270 WSM is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Says the recoil is mild and just loves shooting it. I think his is a Winchester.

I don't know if they resolved the problem or not but I read that they had high pressure problems with the 300 wsm. This was for anything heavier than 180 gr bullets. I can't remember if it was the 180's as well.

I know the 338 is popular with the elk hunters but have never shot one to see how bad it kicks. Since you have the 7mm caliber covered already I would look into this one or a 30 caliber.

Whatever you get make sure you can handle the recoil and don't get something that will make you flinch or turn you into a spastic cripple sighting it in. Also I would recommend if you get a bigger gun get a scope with good eye relief. Seen a couple of guys get cut above their eye because of poor eye relief at the range.

Addict

It sounds as you have seen me out shooting! The ol Scope ring love! I can show you a scar from other years of sighting in! Not to mention on year I shot and Elk and had the scope hit me good. My buddy came over to me while walking to the animal and thought that I had shot myself!

[Dirtysteve]

Every Ruger I have shot that has the black plastic stock on it is a kickin SOB! :shock:
Whatever you get put a good Leupold VX III on it and eye relief shouldn't be a problem.
After a while of using that on the wife they grow a little smarter, Now I just take my boys with me and tell them how neat that gun is and that if they can talk there mom into letting me get it, I will give it too them someday

[Addict]

Now I just take my boys with me and tell them how neat that gun is and that if they can talk there mom into letting me get it, I will give it too them someday

LOL,

I just found another argument to use. That's a good one. Thank you Dirysteve!

The wife thinks I have too many guns as it is. I need a bigger safe before expanding my arsenal. I just can't part with any of them.

Addict

[Casper]

Tak if you are loking for an elk gun dont go with the 270 unless you keep your shots under 200 yrds. Anything past that there isnt enough energy and weight in a bullet to effectivly kill an elk.

A real example, dad shot a cow at something like 400 yards with a 270 the first bullet hit the scapula about 2 inches from the edge and even with the top of the heart. The bulletwent through the bone and angled 90 deg. and lodged in the spine. Seconed shot was same height and 4 inches to the right of the first hit striking a rib and angling in to the gut.

You are better off not getting yourself a new gun but buying me one instead. All I have are measly .22s a .308 and a 30-06 that I would sell right now for $400 with a timmny trigger and leupold rings and bases A real steal

You are better off getting something bigger than .30 cal. Elk suck up lead like a cape buffalo so go bigger

[AHGSP]

I don't have personal experience on Elk, but the .270 and the .30's have been used on Elk for a mighty long time. Black Bear are routinely taken with these calibers, both East and West, and I've never seen one walk, short of a bad shot. What may be much more important is bullet construction. As an example, using a Nosler Ballistic Tip or like bullet on these types of game is just asking for a wounded animal, or even worse, a pi$$ed off animal! On the other hand, go with a Nosler Partition Gold, Fail Safe or a Barnes X-Bullet and you have a dead animal walking with a well placed shot. Bigger is not always better; if you can't shoot a rifle accurately because you flinch like an epilectic everytime you pull the trigger, then a .450 Marlin will not put an animal down when you miss! JMHO.

[TAK]

I don't have personal experience on Elk, but the .270 and the .30's have been used on Elk for a mighty long time. Black Bear are routinely taken with these calibers, both East and West, and I've never seen one walk, short of a bad shot. What may be much more important is bullet construction. As an example, using a Nosler Ballistic Tip or like bullet on these types of game is just asking for a wounded animal, or even worse, a pi$$ed off animal! On the other hand, go with a Nosler Partition Gold, Fail Safe or a Barnes X-Bullet and you have a dead animal walking with a well placed shot. Bigger is not always better; if you can't shoot a rifle accurately because you flinch like an epilectic everytime you pull the trigger, then a .450 Marlin will not put an animal down when you miss! JMHO.

I live by the Ballistic Tip's! I love them..... I have shot the Partition and the Barns X's with a happy smile also. I love the shot groups with the BT's. Shot placement is everything.

[AHGSP]

I don't have personal experience on Elk, but the .270 and the .30's have been used on Elk for a mighty long time. Black Bear are routinely taken with these calibers, both East and West, and I've never seen one walk, short of a bad shot. What may be much more important is bullet construction. As an example, using a Nosler Ballistic Tip or like bullet on these types of game is just asking for a wounded animal, or even worse, a pi$$ed off animal! On the other hand, go with a Nosler Partition Gold, Fail Safe or a Barnes X-Bullet and you have a dead animal walking with a well placed shot. Bigger is not always better; if you can't shoot a rifle accurately because you flinch like an epilectic everytime you pull the trigger, then a .450 Marlin will not put an animal down when you miss! JMHO.

I live by the Ballistic Tip's! I love them..... I have shot the Partition and the Barns X's with a happy smile also. I love the shot groups with the BT's. Shot placement is everything.

Amen TAK,

I love the BT's!

I've been using BT's since they came out(handload) and have also used the BT Silvertip from CT. I have a Model 78 Sportsman(ugly as sin, accurate as he!!) in .308 that is my primary "go to" deer rifle that I use the BT's in. I shoot it alot throughout the year, but for my sight in at deer season, I have a target I have been using for 11 yrs. this season, that I fire one shot into and put the gun back in the case. There is one .48 inch hole which 10 BT's have gone through!

I certainly agree, shot placement is EVERYTHING! That is something I'm fairly sure I don't have to tell you though, considering your primary employment. Since I don't get the opportunity to hunt Elk though, I'm not sure I would chance a, perhaps once in a lifetime, shot with the BT.... but then again I couldn't begin to count how many crop damage Whitetails I've headshot with my .22 Mag. More deer have been dropped by that Mag than all my other rifles combined!

[Casper]

Hey Tak check into the 325 wsm I hear that it makes a very good elk round

[TAK]

Hey Tak check into the 325 wsm I hear that it makes a very good elk round

You are right! A buddy of mine told me about this same round. I have been researching it tonight and it sounds and looks like a dandy! This might be the one!

[Casper]

Hope you get it. I think I am done with rifles. Think I will stick to my archery and front stuffers.