Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Rebarrel caliber question

I have a LH post 64 in 7mm STW. While I find the rifle great for open country mule deer and antelope I spend more time in the woods and on a horse where this outfit is not very handy in my opinion. So, I am looking at a new barrel and my thoughts are 300 HH, 338 WM, 358 Norma. I like large calibers and I have an itch for an HH. I would like to keep the barrel at 22 inches. What are your thoughts?

My other rifles are a 375 and a 450 marlin and lots of little ones. No middle of the road rifles. My rifles are used primarily for elk and bear. I would like to add another smaller caliber rifle as well down the road but there are more options for those in LH configurations hence leaning on converting this one to a .30 + caliber. Suggestions?
thanks

You should be just fine. You will see most efficiency in reverse order, but all will work at 22". Slow powders might give you a bit of flash in the smaller two.

With your list, it's the 338 WM hands down. It has plenty of everything you're looking for in a rifle/cartridge combo.

340 Roy is plenty of a good thing, the 338 RUM a little more.

For your use the 338 Win Mag is about as good as it gets. I would stay with the 24 inch barrel over the 22 regardless of the round you decide on

I would buy another bolt and then re-barrel to 35Whelen !

Thanks for the input guys

I had a Win model 70 rebarreled to 358 Norma Mag and couldn't be happier. I'm a big 35 fan so it was easy decision for me. After I got it back and shot it to work up loads I sold my 338 WM. The 358 is much more pleasant to shoot and like I said I really like 35s.

The action you have gives you a wide-open selection.. I've built a .358 Norma for a guy and he loves it.. Also built a .358STA.. The Norma would probably give you better overall performance in the shorter barrel, but if you want all the power, you can easily go to the STA and thump anything on the continent..

In that rifle with a long magazine, I'd make it a 300 Weatherby in a heart best.

They didn't make many of those lefty 7 STW's. Rather than rebarreling that one you ought to sell it and get another rifle in the chambering you want. You ought to be able to get a pretty good price for it on gunbroker and have enough money to buy what you want. If you rebarrel, you are looking at $400-500 cost and a loss if you sell it. Just my two cents.