Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting If you were setting up a new LR elk gun?

Sounds like a killer!

This is a common cartridge case converted to AI - a rather inexpensive conversion, Dies are (at least were) readily available from RCBS, a long action would be required, the action likely can be had at a reasonable price from a donor rifle, finished price including stock, and barrel should be pretty reasonable unless you go with a very highly recognized (expensive) custom rifle builder. If you’re not recoil sensitive, the complete package can be had in a very “hunter friendly weight (under 10# assuming a fairly heavy scope is used) and length.

With a couple of assumptions made: the shooter is capable of shots exceeding 1000 yards, the shooter can “dope” wind accurately at long range, the rifle/cartridge/bullet is capable of the needed accuracy @ 1000 yards, a rangefinder is used to adjust for fairly significant bullet drop which is the easy part of the shot. This should more than satisfy the ft/lbs energy that many see as important for elk sized game.

It may not be a desirable choice by many, but checks many boxes pretty good. memtb

What common cartridge can fire a 270 grain bullet 3100 fps?

Under 10#’s with a scope?

😆🤣

I'd like to thank Scott for that nudge...😆

I’m not sure how I get credit.. I said I’d stick with the 7 Rem Mag if I was building..


But I’ll take the credit

I was in my local gun shop and two different retail stores within 50 or 60 miles of my house and they were loaded to the hilt with prc ammo. Not one single box of 7 rem. I pulled a 7 prc cartridge out of the box and thought it didn't look too shabby. Looked at some numbers with 175s and decided it might be a good one for what I do. Would I take a 7 rem and re-barrel? No way. But a build from scratch, absolutely. Yall are enablers. Can't have too many hunting rigs!

I already have the Borden Alpine action, McMillan Stock, Brux barrel, trigger, and brass for my 7mm PRC build.
Just waiting for my 25-284 to be finished first.

My “only” hunting rifle since 1990. Actually it weighs 9 pounds 1 ounce, scoped, loaded, slung. I used 10# in my post as my 3.5-10 Leupold is considerably lighter than the scopes that a lot of the LR hunters/shooters use.

I personally will never shoot game at 1000 yards……this was to primarily show that getting 1000 ft/lbs energy @ 1000 yards isn’t that difficult in a rifle with generally available components, and actions in a reasonably priced build.

The base cartridge case is fairly common as it’s been around since 1912 and has been a very popular hunting cartridge on most every continent since it’s conception. As stated it was converted to an Ackley Improved…..a very simple, common, and inexpensive conversion. I will not suggest that every 24” barrel will/can give you 3100 mv…..but, that’s what I was getting during load development this past summer. I expect my velocities to be somewhat less in hunting conditions…..and hope to go out soon and run a few over the chrono with temperatures around zero F.

To directly answer your comment…..a .375 AI. I did fail to mention that it’s not in the middle…..I should’ve read the OP’s criteria a little better. Though inthe world of big game cartridges….. it’s considered a “medium bore” ! 😉 I was reading through the many comments about ft/lbs energy, and brought this to the forefront! memtb

Depends on what someone considers long range. If you’re serious for game at 800 - 1000 yds you’ll need to spend some coin. Roughly spending $3,000 on a barreled action, $700 for a stock and around $2,000 for optics at a minimum. Its fairly easy to acquire an OEM rig from Remington, Howa, Ruger, Kimber, etc., and get a MOA rifle. You can tweak it by bedding, reloads and range time. You don’t cut corners on optics and that’s where the majority of money goes.

If you acquire an OEM or have an older 7mm Rem Mag, you already have a long range rig. Even with a 9.5 or 9.25 twist barrel you can stabilize a 175 grain Berger Elite Hunter (BC .656) yielding 3,000 fps velocity and 3,500 ft-lbs at the muzzle. At 800 yards you’ll have about 34” of drift, close to 2,000 fps impact velocity and about 1,500 ft-lbs of energy. I can’t figure out why so many folks want to dump their 7 Rem Mags for a twist rate. You already have great capabilities with high BC 175 gr bullets and with that you also have 3,000 fps launch which is pretty optimal when you consider bullet weight and form/BC combined with high velocity.

Even if you never go to that distance you’ll have a great rig at 500-600 yards and it won’t cost an arm and a leg. Most factory rifles today can be fine tuned to yield 0.4” - 0.7” MOA. That would give you between 3.2” - 5.6” leeway for accuracy and hitting vital zone at 800 yds if you do your job.

It only depends on how serious and dedicated one becomes as a long range hunter. 500 yds is a very long poke on a game animal for most, 800 yds at game is for serious hunters with shooting skills. Equipment matters, however training and experience in the field matter way more IMO.

Pretty well said. A fella with a good 7mm shooting a moderately good bullet is a great place to be.

To everyone, I want to offer a sincere apology…..somehow, I used the wrong BC number for my data. I have no idea how I did it…..I didn’t switch numbers around, I didn’t get a line off on the chart, no explanation for my screw-up ! memtb

Well, it took a bit, but I found my mistake. When making an updated chart, I saw and used the “corrected BC” from a previous chart. Dumb ……I know!

With the correct BC……the difference is huge! With my bullet, it’s barely a 1000 yard cartridge because of the bullet expansion velocity window……and that’s using the Barnes’ minimum listed expansion velocity. memtb

Long range shooting is nothing new to me, but I typically hunt at "normal" ranges, under 500 yards.

I do like the 7mm Rem Mag and recently the 7 PRC for those long shots. Heavy, high BC bullets. Best velocity I can get coupled with accuracy. I tend to shoot the 7's better than the 30 cal magnums, though of course individual rifles will vary a lot in that. Did have a 300 WSM that I shot real well. Sold it off a while ago. Probably shouldn't have.

Lots of answers as to what a hunter should use for long range elk. Whatever it is, be sure to shoot it well in practice to be truly ready for that shot in the field.

Regards, Guy

Not that I have the itch or want, but went on a trip to South Africa with a fellow in our group that had a Rem 700 custom built in 338 Ultra Mag, with a 29" barrel. I spotted for him using my x18 scope. That 338 Ultra with 225s was quite impressive. He said he had been practicing for two years, in order to take long range shots on plains game, his years of practice and the power of the 338 ultra was very apparent. Some of those African plains game critters are big, like 1,200 #s, live on mountain sides and are very wary.

Rapier, if I were starting over today, and not wanting to hunt any of Africa’s Big 5…..I’d strongly consider the .338 RUM. It seems to be one of the best introductions from Remington since the 7 Mag. And, I don’t like the 7 Mag. 😉 memtb

700 Remington Sendero in 300 RUM. Cartridge is a hammer accurate, flat shooting, and it can go yard and drop anything in its tracks. I own both a 338 RUM Sendero and 338 Lapua Rem 700, and I'd reach for that 300 RUM. Next would be the 338 RUM Sendero.

Not everyone is lucky enough to afford a porter to carry said rifle. Perfect LR road hunting set up me thinks. Lol.

What bullet, powder, charge, seating depth etc are you using? I've got a 378 Weatherby that will achieve what you're describing but it requires about 15% more case capacity than your 375 AI and a longer barrel. I'm finding it difficult to believe you're getting those velocities with a 24 inch barrel without being over 70K psi.

You make a strong case. I still have an AWR in 7 RUM but with the days of hold and hope over with the dialing of scopes nowadays I use a 1/8” 7 mm Remington with 180 vld hunting. If I was going to do it I would build the 7 but in a package that ended up between 8 and 9 lbs.

Would you add Staball HD to the powder recommendations?