New rifle. Short action or long action?

[Craig]

Thinking about a new custom rifle. Deer and elk and bear gun. Haven’t decided on a caliber yet. Would you go short action or long action and then narrow it down from there ?

I have a lot of AR type guns. Usually shoot a 6.5 creedmoor or a RBROS 7mm SAUM. I have a .300 ultra mag I never use. I enjoy long range shooting for fun. I like hunting situations to be under 500 yards if possible

[buckfvr]

7 SAUM fills that bill.

[Magnum_Willys]

Well you already have a lotta bases covered…… what are you wantin to use it for?

Do you reload?

Long range target or hunting?  1000 yards?

[Stein]

I would decide caliber and let the action be what it may be.  I have a similar itch and the 6.5 PRC keeps coming to the top of my list.  If it were more elk and less deer, the 300 PRC may be more attractive, but the lighter recoil of the 6.5 would make it much more enjoyable for target shooting.

[phildobaggins]

.300 WSM 

[Jolten]

26 or 28 nosler

[Damnimissed]

.300 WSM 

Yes. I love me some 300wsm

[WapitiTalk1]

.300 WSM 

Yes sir, heck of a round.

[Sakko300wsm]

Obviously I would go 300wsm 🤣- but yes it is a great round and quite a few options if you do not reload
I’ve have a number of 300wsm’s

[ghosthunter]

For those animals and long range. 7 mm 08
Fun to shoot too.

[Mulie87]

I would decide caliber and let the action be what it may be.  I have a similar itch and the 6.5 PRC keeps coming to the top of my list.  If it were more elk and less deer, the 300 PRC may be more attractive, but the lighter recoil of the 6.5 would make it much more enjoyable for target shooting.

I love my 6.5PRC. I have a brake on it and it’s the softest shooting gun I’ve ever had. I too have a 300RUM and rather shoot and hunt with my prc. If you go with a 6.5PRC go with a long action, you’ll get every ounce of its performance by doing so.

[JBar]

Another vote 6.5 PRC, have killed numerous deer and bear with it. Unfortunately I’m not a rifle elk hunter but would not have an issue shooting elk with it. 

[Mulie87]

I’ve only shot deer and antelope with my prc. If I was to elk hunt with it I would use monolithic bullets, due to the light 6.5mm bullets.

[Magnum_Willys]

Long action for any 30 Caliber……

Wsm is tough to beat for long range round you can spit jits on  .

[WapitiTalk1]

Another vote 6.5 PRC, have killed numerous deer and bear with it. Unfortunately I’m not a rifle elk hunter but would not have an issue shooting elk with it. 

A fine round but a bit light for the big boys, sorry.

[EmeraldBullet]

Thinking about a new custom rifle. Deer and elk and bear gun. Haven’t decided on a caliber yet. Would you go short action or long action and then narrow it down from there ?

I have a lot of AR type guns. Usually shoot a 6.5 creedmoor or a RBROS 7mm SAUM. I have a .300 ultra mag I never use. I enjoy long range shooting for fun. I like hunting situations to be under 500 yards if possible

.308 is fairly versatile

[Mulie87]

Another vote 6.5 PRC, have killed numerous deer and bear with it. Unfortunately I’m not a rifle elk hunter but would not have an issue shooting elk with it. 

A fine round but a bit light for the big boys, sorry.

I agree. I would ise my .300RUM or win mag for elk.

[Dan-o]

So, something to think about:

You've already got a couple awesome medium to long range calibers in your safe (6.5 creedmoor, RBROS 7mm SAUM, .300 RUM).   I don't know about the pedigree of the other 2 rifles, but the RBROS has to be accurate.

It seems like you have deer, elk, antelope, bear, sheep, goat, moose, and Sasquatch pretty well covered.

If I was in your position, I'd have to serious consider building a rifle in a much smaller caliber.....
22-250, or something like that.

[huntnphool]

So, something to think about:

You've already got a couple awesome medium to long range calibers in your safe (6.5 creedmoor, RBROS 7mm SAUM, .300 RUM).   I don't know about the pedigree of the other 2 rifles, but the RBROS has to be accurate.

It seems like you have deer, elk, antelope, bear, sheep, goat, moose, and Sasquatch pretty well covered.

If I was in your position, I'd have to serious consider building a rifle in a much smaller caliber.....
22-250, or something like that.

 Sounds like he is looking for a additional deer etc rifle, eliminates .22 caliber in this state.

 Maybe consider 25-06, .257 Roberts, .260 Rem or 7mm-08

[Dan-o]

So, something to think about:

You've already got a couple awesome medium to long range calibers in your safe (6.5 creedmoor, RBROS 7mm SAUM, .300 RUM).   I don't know about the pedigree of the other 2 rifles, but the RBROS has to be accurate.

It seems like you have deer, elk, antelope, bear, sheep, goat, moose, and Sasquatch pretty well covered.

If I was in your position, I'd have to serious consider building a rifle in a much smaller caliber.....
22-250, or something like that.

 Sounds like he is looking for a additional deer etc rifle, eliminates .22 caliber in this state.

 Maybe consider 25-06, .257 Roberts, .260 Rem or 7mm-08

Yeah.

It's just that he's got deer, elk, bear so completely covered.

You and I are also in the same boat. 
Season comes and all the safe queens sit while we take our individual favorites to hunt.   You can have 20 guns suitable for killing an elk, but you can still only hunt with one at a time.

I just thought something way different than what he has might get shot more.


Maybe a 17 hmr......

Ok fine!!!!!!

A 28 Nosler.

[jasnt]

My first question would be do you reload? Or is factory offering needed?

[b23]

Season comes and all the safe queens sit while we take our individual favorites to hunt.

Ugh!  I'm the worst for this.  Safe full of built rifles chambered in a variety of different cartridges yet I reach for the same two nearly every time.  Maybe there's a twelve step program some of us need to check ourselves into.

Depending on the cartridge the OP decides on maybe the answer is neither short or long action but rather a mid length action will best suit your needs.

[phildobaggins]

I said 300 WSM, because if he has a 300 WM -- and reloads, he'd already have bullets, and then he could have a short action of a gun reminiscent of one he is used to.

If we're just throwing out calibers now to compliment his armory, I'd go 280 AI pr 7mm-08 AI 

[Wetwoodshunter]

I'll put in my two cents. I went from 7mm win mag to .300 WSM and am never going back. The short action is nice, recoil negligible and boy does it lay down the smack.

[Magnum_Willys]

I'll put in my two cents. I went from 7mm win mag to .300 WSM and am never going back. The short action is nice, recoil negligible and boy does it lay down the smack.

Will you wish you had a long enough action to run Bergers or other VLD's without them stuffed down in the case ?

[Karl Blanchard]

I'll put in my two cents. I went from 7mm win mag to .300 WSM and am never going back. The short action is nice, recoil negligible and boy does it lay down the smack.

Will you wish you had a long enough action to run Bergers or other VLD's without them stuffed down in the case ?

can be done quite easily on a SA with a Wyatts prc box. I can load 230's in mine with zero length issues.

[Wetwoodshunter]

I'll put in my two cents. I went from 7mm win mag to .300 WSM and am never going back. The short action is nice, recoil negligible and boy does it lay down the smack.

Will you wish you had a long enough action to run Bergers or other VLD's without them stuffed down in the case ?

Nope, I’m shooting hammer hunters out of it

[b23]

I'll put in my two cents. I went from 7mm win mag to .300 WSM and am never going back. The short action is nice, recoil negligible and boy does it lay down the smack.

Will you wish you had a long enough action to run Bergers or other VLD's without them stuffed down in the case ?

can be done quite easily on a SA with a Wyatts prc box. I can load 230's in mine with zero length issues.

Don't you also have SA Rem 700 with one of Wyatt's SA mid length kits which will allow a 3.235 OAL too or am I thinking of someone else?  Kevin's SA mid length kit interests me.

Wyatt's "Baney" box for short action Rem 700's or clones allows a OAL up to 3.100 and then there is the PRC box that's good for 2.990 OAL and Kevin also has an extended SA mag box for use with the WSM/SAUM 3.00 OAL

[Karl Blanchard]

I'll put in my two cents. I went from 7mm win mag to .300 WSM and am never going back. The short action is nice, recoil negligible and boy does it lay down the smack.

Will you wish you had a long enough action to run Bergers or other VLD's without them stuffed down in the case ?

can be done quite easily on a SA with a Wyatts prc box. I can load 230's in mine with zero length issues.

Don't you also have SA Rem 700 with one of Wyatt's SA mid length kits which will allow a 3.235 OAL too or am I thinking of someone else?  Kevin's SA mid length kit interests me.

Wyatt's "Baney" box for short action Rem 700's or clones allows a OAL up to 3.100 and then there is the PRC box that's good for 2.990 OAL and Kevin also has an extended SA mag box for use with the WSM/SAUM 3.00 OAL

sure do. Works like advertised 

[MeatMissile]

Been shooting a wildcat known as the .300 Whelen.  Great performance on the game mentioned by the OP at ranges under 500.  Twisted right, with a long action, you can load any .30 cal bullet into the lands and have magazine room to spare.  Shooting 150gr TTSX at 3000 fps into itty bitty groups.  200gr Partition or Accubond  can be pushed over 2700fps with RL26.  Using a 700 action and I have a solid 1/4 inch of room to spare in the OEM magazine box.  I was turned on to this caliber by my dad.  You can form the brass by necking down .35 Whelen brass and neck turning for concentricity.  I have toyed with the idea of forming from 30-06 brass. 

Here is a pic of one next to a 300 Weatherby.  A lot of performance, a lot less recoil, cheaper to shoot, and lets you really adjust OAL.

[BigGoonTuna]

Been shooting a wildcat known as the .300 Whelen. 

I thought I was the only one left around here with one of those! Never hear too much talk about those in this day of fast twists and mega magnums. The best part is that almost powder in the 4350 rang is dynamite in that chambering, almost like it was tailor made just for it.
 

[Magnum_Willys]

Rechambered my 30-06 to a .300 Whelan and groups tightened up, sd dropped and velocity went up.    Highly recommended.

[mountainman]

Been shooting a wildcat known as the .300 Whelen.  Great performance on the game mentioned by the OP at ranges under 500.  Twisted right, with a long action, you can load any .30 cal bullet into the lands and have magazine room to spare.  Shooting 150gr TTSX at 3000 fps into itty bitty groups.  200gr Partition or Accubond  can be pushed over 2700fps with RL26.  Using a 700 action and I have a solid 1/4 inch of room to spare in the OEM magazine box.  I was turned on to this caliber by my dad.  You can form the brass by necking down .35 Whelen brass and neck turning for concentricity.  I have toyed with the idea of forming from 30-06 brass. 

Here is a pic of one next to a 300 Weatherby.  A lot of performance, a lot less recoil, cheaper to shoot, and lets you really adjust OAL.

I’ve heard you can also neck up 7mm Remington Express?

[Magnum_Willys]

I’ve heard you can also neck up 7mm Remington Express?

Almost..... have to bump shoulder .050 tho !

[mountainman]

I’ve heard you can also neck up 7mm Remington Express?

😉👍

Almost..... have to bump shoulder .050 tho !

[MeatMissile]

270 Winchester can be necked easily to 300 Whelen.  That way, you can sell off that slow twist 270
and still use the brass.