what kind of rifle
 

i use to rifle hunt then i started bow hunting and i havent picked up a rifle for about 5 years. i was wondering what is the best overall big game rifle i am wanting a flat shooting rifle my average shoots are between 100 to 300 but i have reached out to 500 yards before i was thinking a remington 700 sps 300 wsm or a 7mm ultra mag what do y'all think?

Could get one like mine. Savage 116 weather warrior, with muzzle break, accutrigger, fluted barrel, and a leupold scope 3-9x50

I shoot a Remington 300 Ultra Mag., but the choices you named would be good as well.

I'd shoot a 7 of one flavor or another, and the 700 is a good place to be.

Unless you reload or plan to pass on the RUM. Factory ammo doesn't realize the RUMS potential. Also the fact you haven't picked up a rifle for 5 years..I wouldn't suggest the first one being a big magnum. RUMS can be sharp and even the 300 wm or 300 wsm is at or beyond the limit of a lot of shooters in felt recoil. Not meaning to scare you, realize I have no info or idea on how you shoot/handle recoil just that its been years since you did, so giving food for thought.

Dang near any caliber with the right loads and time behind will work. The key is know your gun, load and limits. That makes up for inches down range everytime. If you want a magnum then i'd suggest looking at a 270wsm or 7mm rem mag. I lean on the latter and have had no problem taking game to 500+ yards.

Good luck

there is a a ton of calibers that will suit out to 500 yrds. 3006, 270, 280 308, 7mm 08 7mm Rem the 300's .If you can handle the recoil go to the Ultra Mags. You don't them for the ranges your willing to shoot though. The .308 is inherently probably the most accurate of all calibers to the range your willing or going to shoot.I gave alot of respect for this caliber and the 7mm08. Tight tight groups little recoil
very efficient cartridge where velocity and retained energy are concerned and good quality bullets made for both. The 6.5 x 284 is an animal killer as well.I got a big Custom Rifle in a .311 CND Imperial Mag.I got into the Ultras over 10 years before companies commercialized them, and it collects dust during the season.It's a 404 Jeffrey necked to a .311 bullet. It gives very very impressive ballistics and velocity especially when Ive got a 28 inch hart barrel out to 800 plus yrds but Learned my lesson a long time ago.You don't need that much thump at something standing 50 yrds away.Nope stick to the standard common calibers, these are more than adequate for the range you want to shoot. shot placement and bullet performance is
what is gonna kill them.

I have a browning XBolt 7mm Rem Mag and a Marlin X7 .243

the .308 is the only cal I would set up for 400+yd shots.

I'm sitting here, shaking my head.

You don't need a magnum rifle, you just need to learn to be a better hunter. Shooting 500 yards does not make you a good hunter, just makes you a shooter.

You need to learn how to deal with nature and if you do not get them today, to go back tomorrow and try harder.
Hunting in my opinion is a up close and personal sport.

If you cannot get closer then 150 yards to a deer, you are not a deer hunter. You don't need a cannon to shoot a deer. There are thousands of 12 year old and younger kids in Pennsylvania who shoots deer with a .222 Remington, 30-30 Winchester or .243 Winchester with no problems. So why can't you?

I would dare to say that 99% of hunters in the woods have no business shooting 500 yards at an animal. I'm not saying the OP isn't in the 1%, although if it's been 5 years since he's shot a rifle, he has a lot of practice to do before he has any business shooting that far. If you're really going to shoot a measured 500 yards, not just "it looks like 500 yards but it's only really 200", you'd be best off with the flattest shooting magnum you can find. If you can't handle the recoil, then you don't need to be shooting that far. I'm a huge fan of the .308, it's what I hunt with most of the time. However, I do not consider it a 500 yard rifle. That bullet is dropping in a hurry at that range, so you'd really have to know exactly where to hold on a deer out at those ranges.