super_hunt54

Jeep, I have to disagree with you a little there bud. Rifles of today are getting better but the fact remains that rifles built pre 75 or so were things of beauty and functionality. You take a factory Model 70 of today and put it next to one of my pre 64 model 70's and you can bet mine would win hands down in both beauty as well as precision. I wouldn't give a cup of spit for over 3/4 of the rifles made today. The terms hand built and precision hand craftsmanship are things of the past. As well as quality control and people giving a rats rear about what product they turn out. 8 out of 10 rifles you go out and buy today you have to do SOMETHING to them to make them shoot well or feel well. Be it a trigger job, relieving some wood in the barrel channel, bedding, or something that you SHOULDN'T have to do to a brand new rifle. Things that rifle makers of the past would have had the care to do because they gave a damn about what people thought of their work. Nowadays, if it can't be done on a CNC machine then you youngins are totally lost. Quality craftsmanship seems to just be a thing of the past and we are at a sorry loss for it.

brettdag

I got busy studying for finals last week and didn't even think to check back on my question. Thanks everybody for all the feedback!!! From what I heard, it seems like it won't make too much of a difference either way. I don't plan on doing competition matches or anything like that. Now I don't know too much about reloading so I would probably be buying factory ammo. I'm guessing even with factory ammo each caliber still has similar ballistics. I will go with either the 7mm or the 300 win. I didn't realize how hard it is to find 28 nosler ammo.

Blackelk

Either the 7mag or 300WM will suit you fine for life. If I were to choose a factory made gun that will shoot right out of the box, I would save up the money for a Remington 700 Sendero. That would be my choice. Save up for some good optics that makes all the difference in the world. Good luck to you.

brettdag

The Sendero is nice rifle. It seems a tad heavy though. I think I'm gonna go with either a rem SPS stainless or a tikka super lite.

Ridge Runner

when you get past 300 yards the extra weight helps,an example, I have 2 7mm rifles,one is a 7mm stw, it weighs 8.5# ready to hunt, the other isa 7mm Allen mag, both have lilja 9 twist barrels, both will shoot sub 1/2" moa at 100, the stw will not break 8" at 750 yards, the 7mm AM will do 3", the 7mm AM weighs 14#
RR

super_hunt54

For a lot of people, me included, a little bit heavier rifle aids in off hand shooting as well. I steady up MUCH easier with a 10-12 pound rifle. I usually do tons of hog hunting over the spring and summer and early fall so I have to take a lot of off hand shots at running sounders. A heavier rifle aids a lot in making smooth sweeps for running shots.

BTM

Best post of this entire thread!

stalkingbear

Thank you BTM! I knew at least somebody would get a chuckle out of that! Seriously though a lot of times a poster will suddenly read that what has worked for him (or anybody) for YEARS is now extinct and no longer worthy if you believe some of the posts. I'm not talking specifically about any posts in this thread or any other, just keep watching when someone posts a very simple basic question (perhaps too basic?), and all of a sudden the game is on & unless it's the latest whizzbang magnum or a 293 Bremingchester supermag Loudenboomer it's not effective any more! This is more a general observation compiled from forums & facebook groups. I do have to admit to having done the same thing in the past, but try to carefully think out my posts before making that final click. Maybe I should have made a new thread for this by itself instead of inserting it in an existing thread?

Savage_99

The best gun should be one that you can shoot well. We all want lots of power and range however recoil and rifle weight matter a lot!

Long ago now many found that what a 7mm R. magnum could do was about all most could shoot well. That's still true.

Today I like the 'modern' Kimber Montana's I have in 270 WSM and 7mm WSM.

To each his own.

The Kimber Montana in this picture is of my 270 WSM with the Leu. tactical scope.

rickt300

Good thread! Before I put together any of the OP's choices I would get a nice 30-06 built (Mauser or Springfield) to my specifications by someone that makes accurate rifles and hunt with it until I see a reason to get something with more power or velocity. Learn where it hits out to 500 yards and burn a lot of ammo doing it. Might take a bunch of years to find anything less than acceptable performance from that rifle. Don't do as I did, building rifle after rifle testing the 6.5, 270, 7MM, .308, .338, .358 bore diameters in multiple case sizes, trying to find something that measurably outperformed my Springfield 30-06. Thank God I still have that first custom 30-06!