Looking for a fast accurate medium caliber heavy barreled commercially produced rifle

[Againstthegrains]

Over the years, I have realised, that where I live, most of the hunting I do is on the open flats of the Karoo, and most of the shots I take are off a bipod in a "voorsit" situation, followed by from a rest, or from a vehicle. I rarely ever do the bushveld style walk and stalk, and have only once taken an animal shooting off the shoulder. Some of the shots are at distances up to 350m. I find that a heavy barrel rifle gives me more stability and thus more accuracy. I shoot everything from springbok to Eland.

So I am in the market for a flat shooting medium caliber production rifle (the custom road can be a disappointing and expensive process) with a heavy 24" -26" varmint barrel (tapered to+-22 mm diameter) that shoots a <1/2 inch group at 100m with handloads at velocities above 3000ft/sec. Rifle to be fitted with a Recoil Reaper suppressor. I also need to be able to find 200 cases of quality (Norma or Lapua) brass and a collet neck size and seating die.

I am very fond of the 7mm caliber, so something in the line of 7mm win, 7mm Tombi, 7mm WSM, 280AI, 7mm Shehane. The 7x64 that I currently have in a 22 inch barrel is a bit slow and light, which is why I am looking for something more specific to my needs.

The problem, is that I can't seem to find many commercially produced offerings in 7mm, so I am Ok to cast the net a bit wider to 6.5 6.8 or 300 cal. For example, in a heavy barrel, Howa makes 6.5 PRC, or a 300 WIN Mag or 300 PRC, nothing in between. With a 6.5 , I'm worried it might lack a bit of oomph (seen too many Creedmoore kwes bokke in my life), and the 300 magnum calibers may be a bit hard on the shoulder. Barrel life is not a big issue, I doubt if I am going to fire more than a 1000 rounds in the next 10 years.

My budget is in the Howa + range.

[DaavG]

Not sure if you're asking for advice on a calibre or looking for an actual rifle.

My only is that I shot a mate's Howa 300 Win Mag, bull barrel plus suppressor (Not sure brand) in a beautiful wood stock (He imported the stock from Microfit stocks and finished it himself) off the bench in seated position during the load development process.

I was nervous as hell for the shoulder. I cannot tell you how much of a pleasure it was and I shot the 3 best groups of my life at under 0.5mm - Thought it was a fluke 1st group!

My point: 300 Win Mag, bull barrel, wood stock and all the adds on = fairly heavy setup weight wise and absolutely tame recoil - would be the way I'd go. Ammo available if you don't reload and components by the ton if you. Plenty of ummph to the 400m range.

[pblaauw]

Either wait for the 7mm PRC to become commercial here, or rebarrel. Spoke to a barrel manufacturer the other day, SAPS allows you to 271 a prefit barrel as long as you're ok with carrying two cards and keep the old barrel in the safe. Far faster that the permission to alter bullshit people go through. I'm starting this very process in September on my 300PRC's noodle barrel.

[Pirate]

What real advantage in point blank range will 3000fps give you above 2800fps. The latter you can do easily with a 308 and 150gr bullets, and then your answer is a Howa. You can also load lighter bullets (say 130gr monos) easily do 3000fps if you really want to.

ETA: I see bigger things like Eland is on your menu. If a heavy barrel 300WM is available that really sounds like a good option then. With the type of silencer you're looking at it should really not be that punishing on the shoulder.

[Bonedoc]

I have a Howa 300 WinMag, 24" heavy varmint, with a Warrior silencer. Shoot 180gr at 2950fps for hunting, 215gr at 2780fps, could push it harder. I put mine in a custom laminated stock



Easy on the shoulder with silencer. Even without, it not unpleasant to shoot because of the weight. Mine consistantly shoots sub 0.75MOA if I do my part.

Components and store ammo available.

300PRC will be similar, put dies/cases a lot more expensive. You could wait for the 7PRC to be launched, but expect the same as when 6.5CM, the 6.5PRC/300PRC came out. Batch of rifles reach us, but case and dies are either hellishly expensive or unobtainable for first year.

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

[Desperatezulu]

I echo the suggestions for anything in the 7mm-30 cal magnum range, given your outline. 160gr mono in a 7 or 180gr in the 30 is going to do the business at 3000ft/s. With suppressor and 26" bull barrel, recoil will be a non-event.
Given the hassles and costs of finding exotic brass and dies, I'd encourage you to look at the 7RM or 300WM.

I'd be tempted by the 7PRC but as has been pointed out, finding dies and brass that aren't the same cost as a Howa won't be easy. Also, finding heavy, high BC hunting bullets in 7mm (to really take advantage of the PRC's attributes) is a challenge.

I cannot tell you how much of a pleasure it was and I shot the 3 best groups of my life at under 0.5mm

Daav, you should take up benchrest competitions

[DaavG]

Daav, you should take up benchrest competitions

Erick Cortina ain't got diddly on me!

[oafpatroll]

Erick Cortina ain't got diddly on me!

Would that make you Jerry Granada?

[Adoons]

Medium Caliber in my opinion should be 7mm / .30 at least. I like my 6.5x55 Swede, but in my arsenal it is not counting as "medium". It can get the job done, but that is not the issue at hand.

If Eland is on the menu more often than not I would stick to the "good old standard stuff" like 7mm RM or 300 Win or even 300 HH.

For a hobby and just because if I ever get to it and want to go for a custom job in medium bore it will be 8X68 S. Not practical or what you want, just telling what I would have done.

On the other hand, a .270 Win might serve your purposes to perfection? Blue bulls of Eland and decent bonded bullets or mono's feels slightly undergunned, but not by a wide margin. Soft recoil, accurate, flat trajectory, readily available, tried and tested etc.

[wlm]

270 Win