Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Help Me Fill a Hole

I am looking for a North American big game (let's say everything but big bears) rifle and am experiencing a certain level of purchase paralysis. I am going to do a bucket list pronghorn hunt sometime in the near future, so a gun capable of very good accuracy out to perhaps 400 yards would be important. I may do an elk hunt at some point as well. Let me tell you where I stand so that you can give me the best possible info for my situation.

I had total shoulder replacement surgery, and it didn't heal very well. In fact I need another surgery. I have found that about 15 foot pounds of recoil is my comfort threshold. Closer to 12 is better yet. On the upper end, that means a 7MM-08 is about as much as I want to manage. On the lower end I am looking at 25 caliber cartridges. With those as the upper and lower end, that gives me the following options.

257 Roberts
25-06
6.5 Creedmoor
260 Remington
6.5x55
6.5x284
7x57
7MM-08

Here's where things may sound odd. I have rifles in 4 of the above chamberings. 2 are Ruger ultralights (257R and 7MM-08) that weigh right at 7.5 pounds scoped. One is a Ruger Predator 6.5CM and one is a 6.5x55 Howa. They both weigh 9.5 pounds scoped. The ultralights are accurate enough for the short ranges I normally use them at, but I would not be as comfortable as I'd like to be with their accuracy out to 400 yards. The 6.5 rifles are very accurate, but are too heavy for all purpose walk-about rifles. The hole that I need to fill is a highly accurate rifle that comes in under 8 pounds scoped. I have always made do with standard mass produced rifles. Lately though, I have had an itch to get up into semi-custom territory, though that isn't absolutely necessary.

My options at this point are getting a good gunsmith to either accurize one of my ultralights or put one of my heavyweights on a diet. I'd really prefer to leave the Roberts UL as is. Or I could buy a semi-custom (Nosler, MRC, etc.) rifle. If I went that route, $1500 would be my arbitrary upper limit. Or I could buy a mass produced rifle known for being accurate (Savage or Tikka come to mind.) I do prefer US manufactured rifles, but that's not an absolute must. I also prefer stainless, but that's not an absolute must either.

How would you fill that hole given the information I have provided?

Buy a Tikka in 243. I hate to sound flippant, but this is an easy fix.

6.5 Creedmoor

Lighten up either of your 6.5's. That'd be the ticket.

Tikka 25-06 Rem 115 Partition

Can relate to your issue as I have shoulder and neck issues myself.
Make it easy on yourself, get a Tikka T3/T3X SS in 6.5x55 or 6.5 Creedmoor and enjoy.

StarchedCover

I may never check off the elk hunt on my bucket list, but I'd want more than a 243 for that job. Otherwise, I love the 243.

How much weight could I shed off of the Howa and what would it cost? I do have a heavy scope, rings and bases on it, so I could probably dump 6-8 ounces there. That puts it at 9 pounds. Is there a way to dump another pound?

Paul, a 7x57 loaded with 150s at 2650 is very easy on the body, drop that to 140s and you are in for a nice day shooting...no pain and no feeling like someone has been belting you around the skull with a heavy wet pillow all day.

I like almost everything about that suggestion. I know Tikka builds a great rifle, but they are made overseas and though I am unlikely to ever need Tikka customer support, it's not very good at all from what I have read. In the grand scheme of things those aren't deal breakers. I like the 115 and 120 Partition for the 25-06! The 115 has been perfect for me in my 257 Roberts.

Of all the Tikka offerings, the 6.5x55 in a Stainless T3x Camo is my favorite. I haven't been able to locate one though.

I have a Savage Lightweight Hunter in 223. That rifle has delivered several loads into less than 3/4 of an inch in the little load development I have done so far. It's my favorite rifle and it's an absolute pleasure to carry. That same rifle is available in a stainless with an FDE stock in 6.5 Creedmoor for less than $450 after the rebate. If I knew I could get one in the 6.5CM to give me that kind of accuracy, I'd jump on it. There aren't many reviews on that rifle though, so I don't know if my experience is the norm or not.

What rifle?

On this I am somewhat biased as I firmly believe God hunts with a Brno model 21.

how about this:
http://www.gunbroker.com/item/707691070

What kind of accuracy are you getting from that 7-08 Ruger UL? Seems like that would fill your bill if you could get it shooting around 1 1/2 MOA.
You know asking a question like yours at the center of the rifle loonyism universe is going to get you lots of recommendations on buying new rifles that you don't necessarily need.

I have a 7X57 in a Winchester Lighweight, and a 7-08 in a Remington Mountain Rifle. I shoot handloads in both, and they are full power loads, both with 140 grain bullets, as I only hunt whitetails. I too had shoulder surgery years ago, and still have some pain. They recoil enough that it starts to bother me after 5 rounds or so. You can call me names, but until you've had shoulder pain AND arthritis, you have no idea.

Now, I also have a 6.5 Creedmoor, in a Howa that is heavier than either of the above rifles. I have yet to "feel" the recoil. Given a choice, I'd prefer either the 7X57 or the 7-08 as a deer rifle, but it is what it is, and I'll probably hunt this year with the 6.5 CM. Not to say that I won't use anything else, because I'll also hunt with a 243, maybe a 35 Remington, and perhaps for old times sake, with my 270.

People who have no problems with pain in their shoulders, or any other part of the body that can be affected by shooting, have no idea how lucky they are. People who do, usually figure something out.

get a kimber montana/ barret fieldcraft in .22-250 if you NEED a new gun =]

My 7-08 is still new. I ran a ladder test on it and I think I have found a spot to concentrate on. In my experience with Ruger ULs, I have always been able to find a load that will get down to about an inch and a half ALMOST all the time. Then you will get a round on rare occasion that opens the group up to 3 inches. Extrapolating that out to 400 yards is what gives me pause. I love the way the guns look and feel. Around here a 100 yard shot would be long, so they are perfect for that application. So to be perfectly honest, my 7-08 would very likely do all I need it to do, but at the core of loonyism is the pursuit of the next gun.

I am not willing to play Kimber Roulette. Not with the gun or their customer service. I love the Barrett Fieldcraft as a semi-custom, but as light as they are I am afraid in a 25 cal or greater the recoil might get uncomfortable on my bad shoulder. MRC on the other hand, may be just the ticket. Though I read a thread here about one of the special run 243s they did weighing in at 7 pounds 11 ounces. I need the bare gun to weigh 7#. I did Email MRC and they were nice enough to weigh one of their 257 Roberts for me and it was right at 7#.