Your thoughts please
 

I am starting to do some building of a gun collection. Not a serious collection as such, but a nice hunting collection. I guess I am looking for ideas. Mid range is pretty covered already but I am looking for a 25 and a big bore. I was holding a remington lamintated 338 ultra at Cabelas the other day that I liked. Does anyone have one of these? Do you like it? In your opinion is that gun in 300 ultra better?

Also looking for a nice 25 cal. Anyone have a 257 Weatherby, a 25wssm Browning with Dura-touch, or a 257 Hot Tamale that they can give me their thoughts on? The article I read on the Hot Tamale was interesting but I think they run about 5K to get one? Yikes!

Any suggetions welcome. Keep in mind that I probably am only willing to part with about 2-3k for each rifle and scope package. I am trying to build the best that I can, matching looks function and optics. These rifles will be hunted, albeit gingerly. I have some synthetics for the tough hunts. I am looking to build a nice case to talk with the guys about between football and golf, and to hand down the heritage to my son someday.

All opinion are welcome and appreciated.

RE: Your thoughts please
 

What will you be hunting for? Need to know that first.

RE: Your thoughts please
 

Well... deer to sheep with the .25 and whatever I get the urge for with the big bore. The big bore probably wont get too much use. Just looking for some fun guns to pull out of the case every now and then. Thanks.

RE: Your thoughts please
 

WOW!!
2-3k for EACH rifle and scope package! I wished my wife would let me do this:D I honestly dont think any of my guns ever cost me that much. I guess my taste in guns is more in the Ford, Chevy line not Lincoln, Cadillac. But I guess to answer your question, in MY opinion, If I were looking for a nice looking yet functioning gun I would get a Ruger #1 in Stainless/Laminate in 25-06 topped with a Swarovski 4-12. That would probably come in at around 2K I guess. As far as big bore, you didnt say what you were hunting with the big bore, but lets assume you were talking Elk Moose and bigger bear, the 300 Rum would not be a bad choice, but can be a little punishing on the shooter. If I were looking for a "true" big bore it would probably be something along the lines of an 1895 Marlin. If you reload get the 45-70 if you dont get the 450 Marlin. Just my .02 worth.

RE: Your thoughts please
 

Yeah...it's finally my time. All you married guys can appreciate the pain you have to go through in what you have get for her before this can actually happen. It's sort of like golf points...but more expensive. Thanks for the response.

RE: Your thoughts please
 

I like the 25-06 as far as the .257's are concerned.If you are open to wildcats the 25wsm would be a great choice and is the cartridge that winchester should have brought out instead of the 25wssm.

RE: Your thoughts please
 

For a 25cal. I'd recommend the 25-06. Check out a Ruger #1 as noted or maybe go a
Winchester mod.70 from their custom shop with extra fancy walnut stock, and some
engraving.
For a big bore I'd suggest a 375H&H. Again, take a look at Winchester or the Ruger77.

RE: Your thoughts please
 

Ditto on the 25-06. I love mine. Make sure you get at least a 24 inch barrel to get the best performance out of it. I am amazed at how lethal my 25-06 is on deer even compared to the 7mm magnum that I own.

RE: Your thoughts please
 

griller if you are looking for a "nice and purty" gun to hunt with occasionaly and want a hot 25 then get a Weatherby Mark V Deluxe in 257 Wby Mag. Its a badass round, and the gun is a beautiful piece for just such occasions like you mentioned with your buds during half-time. Now with this pretty of a gun I suggest sticking with gloss finished scopes so you might want to look at VX III Leupolds and Monarch Nikons. Pricewise you will be pushing the $3k limit of your range.

338 wise, to be honest I likewise would go for a really pretty one in your price range. Dont get in a hurry, look around (every gun shop you get a chance to call and visit and also on line auctions) and find some sort of custom/semi-custom gun of mid cal vintage. A beautifully stocked 338 Win 70 would really be a nice gun. Maybe even something with some engraving. Also look for customized Mausers with European woods and finishes. They can be had all day in that price range you mentioned and typically are in very good shape.

I mention beatiful rifles because of the reason you want them. I also think its a perfectly good waste of money to spend over $1k-$1.5k (rifle only) for a flat finished metal, fugly synthetic stocked gun that will only be used as a tool. You wouldnt bother getting such a gun out of the safe for your buddies to view as they wouldnt know what the hell it was. But a custom/semi-custom rifle with really nice woods, engraving enhancements and unique markings is something that can be appreciated by even non-shooters alike. :D

Good luck,
RA

RE: Your thoughts please
 

I agree with Red Allison the 257 Wby is a very effective caliber and the Mark V Deluxe will turn some heads in the range.

I personally recomend a Kimber in 300 WSM. They have a really nice fit and finish and the performance of the 300 WSM is hard to beat.

For the amount of money you are willing to spend I say don't go cheap on the scopes. Leupold Vari x III will be your minimum to buy. Take a look at Zeiss and Swarovski.

RE: Your thoughts please
 

I agree with RedAllison on the 257 Weatherby. In fact, considering your budget I would suggest picking up a matching pair of Weatherby's. Get one in 257 and the other in 340 or if you want a serious big bore then get a 460 Weatherby and a good recoil shoulder pad.

RE: Your thoughts please
 

i have a 338win. mag i'd sure like to try out the ultra.

RE: Your thoughts please
 

I guess I'll put my 2 cents worth in on the 25-06 round. I started my hunting years ago in Georgia with only my grandpa's old 257 Roberts right handed bolt action (I'm a Southpaw) and I dropped many a deer with this round. Being left handed, I have become partial to companies that will go out of their way to accommodate us and I like the Ruger company. Later in my life, I came across a great deal on a left handed Ruger in 25-06 from some poor soul going through a nasty divorce who was trying to pay off his "EX" so he could keep his log cabin in the woods. I have shot everything from varmits to a black bear with it and have no complaints on the caliber or the range of it. I'm not a big bore fan as I do not like the punishment that comes with them but I do own a Ruger #1 in 45/70 that I inherited from my grandfather who by the way was 278 pounds buck naked. He loved the big bores and I think he left me the Ruger as a joke although other family members aren't laughing about it. So I have to agree with mossy33oak on his recommending the Ruger #1 as they are excellent rifles as is the Ruger line in general.

RE: Your thoughts please
 

Please be aware of one thing..... a 460 weatherby has 58 lbs of felt recoil, compared to 18 from a 30-06 and 24 from a 7mm rem mag. Not exactly my first choice when considering a gun. Not saying you are wrong popeye, but not all of us eat our spinach, and like that kinda kick:D

RE: Your thoughts please
 

Mossy33oak,

I'm not a big fan of recoil either but the original post asked for a big bore suggestion. It just doesn't get much bigger than a 460Wby :D

RE: Your thoughts please
 

no arguement there popeye, i just felt it was my "duty" to inform him of the recoil. I can see it now, he goes out and buys a 25-06 and a 460 wby, goes to the range shoots the 25 and thinks "man that was nice" then he loads up the 460 and after 1 shot (and several stitches) picks the weatherby off the ground and says "what the he// did I buy that for":D

RE: Your thoughts please
 

Wow...thanks for all the suggestions guys!!! I think I'm a going to stay in the 340 Weatherby or less category. That's plenty of kick for me and it'll do anything I want to go after. Not planning any African Safaris quite yet. Still looking for anyone with 338 ultra experience.

Another question.....Did Remington stop producing the grey laminate guns? Thanks again. -Griller

RE: Your thoughts please
 

I have to agree w/ the guys who recommended the Ruger#1. Dakota arms builds a copy of the #1, its the dakota #10 ,and what a copy it is!:D! The browning high/low walls are beauties to. With the ruger or brownings you'll have to shop around to get one w/ premium wood, w/ the dakota they're all premium. I dont have experience w/ the 338 Ultra, but I am considering it also. If its all its cracked up to be, what a gun!!!

RE: Your thoughts please
 

I have a 257 Roberts in a Ruger77 and love it. It is considered "obsolete" to the 25-06 and such but I have never had anything but good luck with it.