Many neat recommendations all- I thank you.
BSA must have tarot cards or a crystal ball because I've been thinking lightweight 7x57 all along and I find it very tempting. Might be that a rifle so chambered would be really cool and might wind up being a new favorite for down here in South Texas.
I'd like to stay 30 cal bore diameter or smaller.
I've never been a magnum person, but I feel that the 300 Winchester Mag does have many merits and might find it's own unique role in my battery. I suppose I should consider 7 Mag as well.
Any experience to share on these last two points?
I don't know what it is, it might seem a little odd, but that's just how I was picturing the rifle in my mind. Sweet light, perfect balance, great ballistic standpoint with mild recoil, plus it's a cool old cartridge that doesn't get much mention around here. Kind of like the 6mm rem, which is one of my favorites along with the little 300 savage. However, for potency and gentle mannered, my vote goes for the 7mm mauser.. As for your question about the 300 magnum vs. the 7mm rem mag. I'd choose the 7mm rem mag, hands down over the 300 magnum. Bobin described it well. You get a lot more recoil with the 300 vs. the 7mm rem mag with not a lot more gain (if any, really). The 7mm rem mag is mild mannered (comparable to a 30-06 in recoil), shoots like a laser, and has enough power to knock the hell out of anything in North America. I made my longest 1 shot kill on a mulie buck with a 7mm rem mag at 648 LRF yards (angle comp on= damn near 700 yards with it off). Buck took 1 step and fell over after bullet impact.. Hard to go wrong with the big 7, but that would require much more gunsmithing (and parts) on your rifle. If you would have said, I have this old H&H receiver I need to build a rifle on. It would be a different story: Then my answer would have been something entirely different.....
. You guys have seen what I did to my H&H magnum receiver/rifle. It is a pretty bad azzed 338 win mag...
. Had I wanted a long range rig, it would have ended up a 7mm rem mag. As it were, though, I was after the ultimate elk rig. Since that is the kind of hunting I love the most... As a matter of fact, that's what I'll be doing tomorrow.
