If you could choose........

[jackelope]

In advance I know this is going to be one of those threads that is maybe a little pointless, but let's try it anyway. I have a Savage rifle. It's a 116 Weather Warrior currently in 338 win mag. I don't really have a use for the .338 as I am an archery elk hunter and not much into bear hunting...don't get me wrong, it's a cool caliber but I'd really like something different. I have a couple .223's, a .22-250, a .243 and a .300 win mag. I got some great info from a member on here. The barrel can be switched out to a different caliber. My simple options are as follows. I'd like to stick to simple by just changing the barrel.
7mm magnum
300 win mag
264 win mag
458 win mag
257 weatherby
270 weatherby
7mm weatherby
350 magnum
anything off of the .375 ruger case(which these are I have no clue) including the Ruger Compact Magnums.
I narrowed it down some to the ones that interest me the most. Out of those choices, which one and why would you choose?
This will be a deer sized game rifle. I don't care too much about the cost of ammo because I don't do much plinking. I had a .257 Weatherby that I shoulda kept.
The only other stipulation to this is that it has to be a factory round. No wildcats and no handload only stuff...I don't reload.

[JackOfAllTrades]

From what you list. 257Wby. That is one of the few Wby cartridges I like. A great intermediate between your 243 and the 300wm you have now. Pronghorns to Muledeer or even elk. Bullet selection may not be as good as the 264 but is adequate. The 257Wby isn't offered in many factroy actions either, so in a way, you'd have something pretty unique. Your 300wm will kill anything in Wa... But if you wanted a medium big game cartridge, then I'd have said 358Norma.

-Steve

[270Shooter]

Initially I was going to say .264 win mag, I just think they are really cool, and someday hopefully I'll have one....

.....but since you said you don't want to reload I voted .270 Weatherby. I guess the .257 would good as well.

[FC]

I'm with Steve on the .257 Wby, it's a flat shooting deathray on anything from prairie dogs on up to Moose in a pinch.

[carpsniperg2]

25-06

Of the list you gave I would really want the 264 or 257. They are both great gun and flat shooters. With plenty of power for deer and even larger game animals. If you are not doing much plinking then the 264 would work fine. But ammo is a little harder to find for it. But its still around. The 257 would also be a fine choice because you can find the ammo around. I am not a master of these 2 cals. But I have shot both more then a few times, and been around a 264 in the hands of a friend a lot. The only thoughts I have "which like I said I have not personally looked into" is bullet weight range. I know the 25's because of having the 25-06 I reload for. The range on bullets is not huge like mainly 90-120 grains. I like at least a 100 grain bullet myself. I don't think you could go wrong with either one, myself. there are some other great guns up there. But given what you already have these would be my pick's.

[wsucowboy]

257!

[boneaddict]

.257 out of this list.  (I am also a 25-06 fan)

[yorketransport]

If you want to be practical about it, I say 257 Weatherby. If you want to be slightly less practical, I say 416 Ruger. I'd hate to see you get injured because you went deer hunting with an insufficient caliber and the deer mauled you.

Andrew

[Bigshooter]

I voted other.  

I'd sell it.  I hate belted cartridges!

It's going to cost some money to make it a weatherby.  There is some action work that will have to be done.

[steen]

I shoot a Remington Model 700 in 300 Win. Mag. and I like it alot.  I can use it for most big game and don't need more than on rifle for myself.  It is accurate and I know the balistics from shooting this rifle only.  It just happened to be the one with the best price when my husband was looking.  A 270 or 30-06 was another option but I don't the make or model.  I don't have to decide what rifle I'm going to use for each species, just grab my rifle and pick the bullet and practice til I'm comfortable.  

[addicted]

there are more options...
.244 H&H Magnum
.275 H&H Magnum*
7mm STW
.300 H&H Magnum
.300 Weatherby Magnum
8mm Remington Magnum
.340 Weatherby Magnum
.375 H&H Magnum
.375 Weatherby Magnum
.400 H&H Magnum
.416 Remington Magnum
.458 Lott
.465 H&H Magnum

and the shortened 375 casings

.257 Weatherby Magnum
.264 Winchester Magnum
.270 Weatherby Magnum
7x61 Sharpe & Hart Super*
7mm Remington Magnum
7mm Weatherby Magnum
.308 Norma Magnum
.300 Winchester Magnum
.338 Winchester Magnum
.358 Norma Magnum
.458 Winchester Magnum


I vote for either something BIG or maybe the 7x61 S&H. something a little different that you can still find a ton of bullets to choose from. then i would probably go with a 160grn partition or something. 8mmREMMAG would be cool too, but it is kind of an eccentric step sideways from the 338WM.

[addicted]

i know a guy who hunts everything with his 375. He says it is the best caliber for any game because he doesnt want to track it, he just wants it to die right there. 

[jackelope]

I'm not interested in something big...if I were I'd just keep the .338
A lot of those are exotic by my standards and I don't need anything exotic. I like the .257 Roy and I will likely go that way.
Oh and a few of those that you pasted there I mentioned and/or already have.

[yorketransport]

there are more options...
.244 H&H Magnum
.275 H&H Magnum*
7mm STW
.300 H&H Magnum
.300 Weatherby Magnum
8mm Remington Magnum
.340 Weatherby Magnum
.375 H&H Magnum
.375 Weatherby Magnum
.400 H&H Magnum
.416 Remington Magnum
.458 Lott
.465 H&H Magnum

and the shortened 375 casings

.257 Weatherby Magnum
.264 Winchester Magnum
.270 Weatherby Magnum
7x61 Sharpe & Hart Super*
7mm Remington Magnum
7mm Weatherby Magnum
.308 Norma Magnum
.300 Winchester Magnum
.338 Winchester Magnum
.358 Norma Magnum
.458 Winchester Magnum


I vote for either something BIG or maybe the 7x61 S&H. something a little different that you can still find a ton of bullets to choose from. then i would probably go with a 160grn partition or something. 8mmREMMAG would be cool too, but it is kind of an eccentric step sideways from the 338WM.

Using any of the full length (375 H&H) rounds will require action modifications for them to cycle through the magazine.

I voted other.  

I'd sell it.  I hate belted cartridges!

It's going to cost some money to make it a weatherby.  There is some action work that will have to be done.

The only expense to make it a 257 Weatherby will be a new barrel. There won't be any other gunsmithing required.

Andrew

[jackelope]

I shoot a Remington Model 700 in 300 Win. Mag. and I like it alot.  I can use it for most big game and don't need more than on rifle for myself.  It is accurate and I know the balistics from shooting this rifle only.  It just happened to be the one with the best price when my husband was looking.  A 270 or 30-06 was another option but I don't the make or model.  I don't have to decide what rifle I'm going to use for each species, just grab my rifle and pick the bullet and practice til I'm comfortable.  

I already have a 300 win mag and a 30-06. Really don't need another .30 cal. A .270 is cool but not one that interests me much at this time. It's not really a need issue at this time....I just don't see myself using a .338 when I have a .300 especially if I don't spend much time elk hunting with a rifle. My .300 makes deer very dead.

I voted other.  

I'd sell it.  I hate belted cartridges!

It's going to cost some money to make it a weatherby.  There is some action work that will have to be done.

What would "other" be? I'm open to suggestions. The wow factor of the .257 Roy pretty much does it for me. I was just wanting to hear if anyone had any other ideas. I don't think any action work is needed on a Savage action. Could be wrong but my research says no.