Buying a new gun.....
 

Hey yall this is my first post on this website so i'm a newbie. I've been hunting for about 4 years now and i am wanting to move up to a new gun. I've just about got my heart set on a Browning A-Bolt, but my question is what caliber should i get? I have been considering the 7 mag, .280, .270. I hunt in northwest alabama and most of my shots ranges from 15- 450 yard shot. I have been hunting with a marlin 30-30 and i just don't trust it too much outside of 100 yard shot. I really like the 7 mag but i don't want it to be overkill. I've have also heard very good things about a .280. If you anyone has any input i'd appreciate it.

RE: Buying a new gun.....
 

I do not think the 7mm is overkill. I hunt deer with one in FL, and elk in Montana. You can hunt all kinds of game with it, and if you are going to have only one gun, I would go with the 7mm. If you wanted a gun only to hunt in AL, I would think about a .270.

Have a good season!

RE: Buying a new gun.....
 

7mm and the .280 have very comparable ballistics, with the 7 a little better at longer ranges. The range of ammo you can buy for a 7mm is broader as well. they both would make good deer/elk combos with the right bullets for each species but I would prefer the 7mm. welcome to the boards. good luck

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The 7mmremmag is a great choice as it has a reasonably flat trajectory and is suitable for game from deer to moose.

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Bama, I agree also with stubble and,

RE: Buying a new gun.....
 

Alright thanks guys. Does any of you shoot or have a 7mm in a browning A-Bolt synthetic stock and stainless barrel? This is what i'm leaning toward right now.

RE: Buying a new gun.....
 

I have owned a stainless stalker in 7mmremmag.My rifle had the boss which I would avoid due to the extreme noise and the shorter barrel on boss equipped guns.I also did not like the tang safety or the a-bolt magazine system.The rifle was reliable and accurate though.

RE: Buying a new gun.....
 

Also, you might look at the ruger m77 in stainless. I just bought one last year in 7mm wsm and love it. Avoid those dam muzzle brakes. They suck. Everybody at the range will hate you and 1 shot in the field w/o protection can cause permanent damage.

RE: Buying a new gun.....
 

I would highly recommend a 7mm mag, or 7mmRUM for those distances. It won't be overkill unless you make a bad shot. A 100-yard shot square into the pelvic girdle with a structurally weak bulletwill leave you with 1/2 of a deer.

I use 300 wby and it's fine. I'm comfortable at any range out to 400. 7mm offers similar ballistics.

RE: Buying a new gun.....
 

If you get the A-bolt the BOSS is not purely evil, but it is real loud. If you want the "tunability" of the BOSS you can get the Conventional Recoil model.

I have a Winchester 70 with a BOSS in a 7mmRemMag. Last time I took it to the range I shot a 5 shot group that I could cover with a nickel, using factory ammo. So, needless to say I like the BOSS system.

RE: Buying a new gun.....
 

Ok. here is how i see it... if u have plans for other big game such as elk, moose and maybe even black bear... the 7mm would prefrom good but i would recomend the .300 win mag. I have one and use it on mule deer and moose. and the odd black bear.

RE: Buying a new gun.....
 

My personal preference is the ole .30-06 --- but you won't go wrong with any of the calibers you mentioned. The .270, .280, and .30-06 are nearly ballistically identical with the only real difference being in bullet weight.

The 7mag isn't overkill --- heck, I've got a .300WSM that I take when I'm hunting the bean fields. Is it alittle much for a deer at 50 yds? Yes. Is there such thing as overkill? No. I'd rather hit one a little too hard than not hard enough!

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BROTHER, let me tell ya something. If you have access of ranges out to 450 yards. all the guns youmentioned are not too bad of choices. But i think you might like the 7mm. You wont be dissapointed with it on your wall or gun safe. Good luck hunting....wish i had a chance to try out a 450 yard shot. most of my big guns just sit on the wall and only go to the range. So if you have that opprotunity....take it.

RE: Buying a new gun.....
 

Bama, I suggest you take a look at the 308 Win. Superb accuracy and nock down power for any game you’re great State offers. With the correct bullet selection the 308 is an all around performer from brush to extended power line shots.

RE: Buying a new gun.....
 

I’ve hunted with my 7 mm Rem Mag for years for deer and have never had any problems although I have moved down to the 270 WSM for something different. All three caliber's you mentioned are good caliber's for long distance.

I would stay away from the boss system. I just saw a hunting show where the camera man didn’t know the shooter had a muzzle brake and when it came to for the shot , the camera man nearly dropped his camera because of the loud noise. I’m sure there were some exchange of words when the camera was off.

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Just keep in mind that light guns, especially magnums, will kick harder than the standard weighted guns. A short barrelled, lightweight 30-06 can kick worse than a standard 300wsm. I own a .280 rem. and its a great performer.

RE: Buying a new gun.....
 

I'd also recommend a 308.

I'd prefer the 270 over 7Mag b/c the 270 kicks a lot less, and ammo is $5-10 cheaper per box. Also, for deer, the 270 will do anything the 7Mag will do at any range.

In order, I'd prefer these: 308, 30-06, 270, 25-06, 7Mag, 280. But then again, this is just my opinion

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I fired a ruger ultralight in 270win that produced more felt recoil than any 7mmremmag that I have ever fired.Rifle weight and stock design mean far more than the cartridge where recoil is concerned.


For deer only the 25-06 will do anything that the 270win will do at any range with even less recoil using the same rifleweight and stock design..

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I love both my 270 and 7mm rem, and the best thing about the two is that the recoil is lighter than the 30. cals. My old 300 would leave my shoulder attached to the tree.

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Bama I have a SS Stalker 7mag and would HEARTILY recommend it too anyone for anything except the large bears! It is a GREAT gun and as trustworthy of a "hunting tool" as there is. I likewise have a 280 and it is a superb gun as well, but for a one or two caliber person such as yourself I think the 7mag would be a more useful round. You have your "woods gun" with the 30/30 and a 7mag would be the perfect compliment to round out the "coverin all the bases" aspect of deer huntin. At 450 yds the 280 is "ok" on deer, the 7 at those ranges is still plenty enough to plow through em!

Someone mentioned a M77 7Mag and I have one of those as well. It's been a great gun and was my primary rifle for several years. But if for some reason I could only have one of my 7s it would be my SS Stalker. But that's NOT to say the Ruger is a POC because that is hardly the case, GREAT gun!

Good luck and if you ever find yourself up my way in Jackson, TN stop by The Great Outdoor Store and look me up! ;)
RA

RE: Buying a new gun.....
 

I would look at the A bolt stainless stalker in 300 WSM. I had shot 270 for about 15 years and bought an Encore in300 WSM about 4 years ago (LOVE IT). I friend of mineand his wife both shoot stainless stalkers in 300 WSM and love them. I am considering one myself but can't justify it right now (we had a baby girl on Thursday). The 300WSM isballistically fairly close to the 7 mm mag without all the kick. That would be my pick.

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If you are going to buy a rifle to keep the rest of your life, get the best, get a SAKO.

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Thanks for all the info guys.I am still pretty sure i'm going with the browning stainless stalker. I really am leading toward the 7mm rem mag. When i was saying overkill i meant if i was to shoot one within 100 yards or so i just didn't wanna blow a big hole out the exiting side and ruin the meat. Thanks for all the info guys.

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What about a .308 also. My buddy has one and he really likes his, whats everyones .2 cents on this caliber in this gun?

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Bama I live in Madison Co. Alabama and have hunted here for over 20 years ... I use a 7mm08 and have never had any trouble downing deer here or in Canada .... it has just about the same muzzle velocity as the 30-06 ... just a thought ...

DD

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Yep, the 7mm-08 is the perfect deer rifle IMO.

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If there is any doubt about not hitting the deer at that range, get a howitzer. lol
Me?, I'll just stick to my little 303 british right now.