Humor Me: Semi-Custom Rifle

[Pitweiler]

I would like to build a semi-custom rifle based off my Ruger 77 Ultralight Hawkeye. It's a sweet rifle, 7.8 lbs with a Burris E1 3-9x40 scope. I bought it chambered in .243Win.

I want to make this rifle an all-around big game rifle as I hope to slowly start working towards a Super Ten as I gain more experience hunting. Looking at the animal categories, I believe the .243 could easily do the job and complete the Super Ten. I want to accomplish this using the same rifle for every hunt.

Do I keep the rifle chambered in .243? The barrel is stainless steel, good quality, and produces MOA accuracy. I've researched and it looks like the .243 is legal for all the game species on the Super Ten.

I have the ability to reload, so I don't have to depend on factory offerings. Being that this is a Semi-Custom rifle, if I were to change the chambering, I'd prefer something other than super common .308. I have thought about .260 Rem or .338 Fed. I know that I am walking into .30-06 recoil levels with the .338 Fed, but this cartridge looks so versatile.

I'm looking for some opinions on the matter. I really don't want to hear "you need a 7mag". The Super Ten would be a lifelong accomplishment for me and I'll be lucky to complete it. Keep in mind this rifle will mainly be a whitetail deer rifle.

 

[Jetjockey]

280AI.. Great round, not common, and will do everything you need it too. 243 ain't enough for a one time elk or moose hunt. I know you don't want to hear that, but it's true.

 

[shadow2]

I would upgrade the caliber for versatility reasons. If you do not want a .308 I would look at the 7mm-08. It can handle a larger bullet than the 243 and is still a very flat shooting rifle.

If you want to really step up the 270WSM is the one round I would have if I could only have one rifle for what I do in the us.

 

[Pitweiler]

280AI.. Great round, not common, and will do everything you need it too. 243 ain't enough for a one time elk or moose hunt. I know you don't want to hear that, but it's true.

The 280AI is a standard length cartridge. My rifle is a short action. It would be something if I did it with a .243. I've been reading about plenty of folks who kill elk and moose with 6mm rifles all the time. That being said, the .260 Rem seems to be an interesting choice.

 

[wareagle700]

7mm-08 AI.

It will give you near .280 Remington velocities and fit in a short action.

 

[Elkbane]

My $0.02. It's your money to spend, but personally, I wouldn't even try it.

I've been on 14 elk hunts and shot 13 elk. They are tough, magnificent animals deserving of respect. Less than a third of them were at ranges or in conditions where a .243 would be even marginally acceptable (to me at least). When you have that much time and money tied up in a hunt, the last thing you want to do is suddenly realize you are undergunned.

I'm guessing some outfitters will turn down your business if you show up with a .243. I know a few who would. And I do have quite a bit of experience with .243 on deer; it's a fine round, just not for elk, IMO.

Elkbane

 

[abrannon]

Any of these would meet your needs.

243
260
7-08
308
338 Fed
358 Win (Bear/Moose/Elk) Not really practical for Deer and Antelope

 

[Doc_Holliday23]

like jetjockey said, the 243 wouldn't be enough, for me, for a one-time elk or moose hunt. unless you live there and hunt there and have multiple chances, you want to make that shot count as surely as you can, which means a caliber and bullet that can break some big bones if need be.

7-08 would be my minimum in a short action.

 

[Jetjockey]

The 280AI is a standard length cartridge. My rifle is a short action. It would be something if I did it with a .243. I've been reading about plenty of folks who kill elk and moose with 6mm rifles all the time. That being said, the .260 Rem seems to be an interesting choice.

like jetjockey said, the 243 wouldn't be enough, for me, for a one-time elk or moose hunt. unless you live there and hunt there and have multiple chances, you want to make that shot count as surely as you can, which means a caliber and bullet that can break some big bones if need be.

7-08 would be my minimum in a short action.

And I'm related to a bunch of those people. They also live in places where they can shoot elk out their back windows. NONE of them would advocate taking a 243 or 6mm on a hunt of a lifetime, or any "hunt" for that matter. Like DOC said, there's a difference in shooting an animal and hunting an animal. Since it's a short action, go with a 270wsm or even a 300wsm. Since your hunts will most likely be guided, a 270wsm, or 7-08/308 is about the smallest calibers your guide will allow you to take.

 

[cmshoot]

I would go with 7mm-08, .308 or .338 Federal. All will easily take the game on the Super 10 list.

 

[Pitweiler]

And I'm related to a bunch of those people. They also live in places where they can shoot elk out their back windows. NONE of them would advocate taking a 243 or 6mm on a hunt of a lifetime, or any "hunt" for that matter. Like DOC said, there's a difference in shooting an animal and hunting an animal. Since it's a short action, go with a 270wsm or even a 300wsm. Since your hunts will most likely be guided, a 270wsm, or 7-08/308 is about the smallest calibers your guide will allow you to take.

This argument never really made any sense to me. If it kills it for them, why won't it work for anyone else? I mean dead is dead. One would just have to exercise patience and shot selection.

I don't understand why people in America believe that we need huge cartridges to kill these animals when Europeans kill moose with 6.5s and settlers slaughtered bison with weak (compared to modern standards) muzzleloading rifles. Is it because we think it is necessary? Because we paid $5k for the hunt and don't want to pass up a questionable shot? Or because the guide knows that time is money and they want an instant kill, minimal tracking? I'm not sure. I hear that argument all the time. "Just because the locals do it..." Just because they are local doesn't change the size or anatomy of the animal.

Good marksmanship makes kills. Good shot selection and patience. A 95gr .243 through the heart and lungs is better than a 300 Win Mag through the guts.

That being said, I'll still probably rechamber/rebore the barrel, but I'm not going to stuff a magnum into a 7lb rifle, no thanks. The 260 Rem, 7mm-08, and .338 Fed are on the radar. If an outfitter wants a magnum, I'll find a different outfitter. Seems to be a lot out there.

Food for thought.https://youtu.be/nWi1wrsDZ6w

 

[cmshoot]

Yes, the perfect shot will drop 'em dead, but we don't always make that perfect shot. If you end up placing the bullet off a little bit, a larger, "more effective" caliber will give you a much better chance of bringing them down.

 

[Jetjockey]

This argument never really made any sense to me. If it kills it for them, why won't it work for anyone else? I mean dead is dead. One would just have to exercise patience and shot selection.

I don't understand why people in America believe that we need huge cartridges to kill these animals when Europeans kill moose with 6.5s and settlers slaughtered bison with weak (compared to modern standards) muzzleloading rifles. Is it because we think it is necessary? Because we paid $5k for the hunt and don't want to pass up a questionable shot? Or because the guide knows that time is money and they want an instant kill, minimal tracking? I'm not sure. I hear that argument all the time. "Just because the locals do it..." Just because they are local doesn't change the size or anatomy of the animal.

Good marksmanship makes kills. Good shot selection and patience. A 95gr .243 through the heart and lungs is better than a 300 Win Mag through the guts.

That being said, I'll still probably rechamber/rebore the barrel, but I'm not going to stuff a magnum into a 7lb rifle, no thanks. The 260 Rem, 7mm-08, and .338 Fed are on the radar. If an outfitter wants a magnum, I'll find a different outfitter. Seems to be a lot out there.

Food for thought.https://youtu.be/nWi1wrsDZ6w

You answered your own question. Excercising patience and shot selection. You can be VERy patient when the animals live in your back yard and the longest shot is 50 yards. Your not hunting at that point, but rather shooting. I know a guy who has killed hundreds of deer with a 22. Would you ever advocate hunting deer with a 22? Shot selection doesn't mean squat if you hit a rib and the bullet deflects outside the vitals! You don't hunt with a caliber capable of taking game with the perfect shot, you hunt with a caliber that's capable of taking game with a not so perfect shot. Besides the fact that's it's not even legal in some areas, here's an article that sums it up much better than I can.

http://www.petersenshunting.com/gear-accessories/243-winchester-viable-elk-cartridge/

 

[tree cutter 08]

I'd look hard at the 7mm08 for all around hunting in a short action.

 

[killitgrillit]

6.5x55

 

[model88_308]

Nice rifle. I own several Hawkeyes and MKIIs, .308, SS .338 Fed, SS .358 Win, SS .35 Whelen and .350 RM. As far as changing your .243, the easiest solution would be using another standard short action cartridge, such as the 7/08, .308 or .338 Fed. Some of the suggestions thus far have been for cartridges too long for a short action or ones hampered by OAL of cartridge in a short action (6.5x55). If you try to go to a SM cartridge more work will be needed to open up the bolt face for the fatter cases of the SMs.

If your rifle is the UL version (I've never heard of a stainless steel M77 ultra light), some stock modification may also be needed, as the UL uses a very light barrel contour. The 7/08 and .308 might get by in a new barrel with same contour, but I doubt the .338 will. If your rifle was a standard Hawkeye, not the UL version, the same barrel could be used after being rebored to one of the other calibers.

I'm a big fan of the .338 Fed and I'd go with it or the .308. I own a couple 7/08s and have never seen anything it does, the .308 cannot. Reverse cannot be said, IMO.

 

[Pitweiler]

Nice rifle. I own several Hawkeyes and MKIIs, .308, SS .338 Fed, SS .358 Win, SS .35 Whelen and .350 RM. As far as changing your .243, the easiest solution would be using another standard short action cartridge, such as the 7/08, .308 or .338 Fed. Some of the suggestions thus far have been for cartridges too long for a short action or ones hampered by OAL of cartridge in a short action (6.5x55). If you try to go to a SM cartridge more work will be needed to open up the bolt face for the fatter cases of the SMs.

If your rifle is the UL version (I've never heard of a stainless steel M77 ultra light), some stock modification may also be needed, as the UL uses a very light barrel contour. The 7/08 and .308 might get by in a new barrel with same contour, but I doubt the .338 will. If your rifle was a standard Hawkeye, not the UL version, the same barrel could be used after being rebored to one of the other calibers.

I'm a big fan of the .338 Fed and I'd go with it or the .308. I own a couple 7/08s and have never seen anything it does, the .308 cannot. Reverse cannot be said, IMO.

I have a Hawkeye All Weather Ultralight. 20 inch barrel, featherweight contour. So light and handy. I prefer it over my larger rifles.

If I decided to choose the .338, I might need a new barrel. If so, I plan on bedding the rifle in a new stock at some point so the two jobs could go hand in hand.

The rifle handles so nicely I'd hate to make that many changes to it. How bad does the 338 recoil? A 260 seems like it might be the ticket.

 

[Jetjockey]

I have a Hawkeye All Weather Ultralight. 20 inch barrel, featherweight contour. So light and handy. I prefer it over my larger rifles.

If I decided to choose the .338, I might need a new barrel. If so, I plan on bedding the rifle in a new stock at some point so the two jobs could go hand in hand.

The rifle handles so nicely I'd hate to make that many changes to it. How bad does the 338 recoil? A 260 seems like it might be the ticket.

Before you jump into anything. Read up on ballistics and the types of animals you want to kill, and talk to as many guides and outfitters as you can. There are reasons guides have minimum caliber/bullet requirements for their clients. Im a big fan of lighter calibers and own a 270 that has killed over 25 elk. With that said, if I was trying to accomplish the same goal you are, my 270 would stay at home and my 300WSM would be over my shoulder. Remember. A hit animal that's not recovered is a harvested animal to many outfitters. Why chance the hunt of a lifetime, and a goal that's going to cost you tens of thousands of dollars, on equipment that's only marginally capable, and some may say barely capable, of doing the job? You are asking a lot from a gun to be able to hunt 1800lb moose in heavy timber where a 375 shines, to pronghorn on the prairies where a 260 is a great choice. you need something that can be loaded up or down, can fly fast, hit hard, and break lots of bones at ranges easily out to 300-400+ yards. If you've never seen the type of terrain that goats and sheep live in, see it first hand before you buy a gun. Do the same with moose country. And 1800lb moose will make you feel under gunned very quick. As much as I HATE to say it, a 30-06 would fit the bill nicely, but a 300wm or WSM would be even nicer for their flatter tragectory and added power.

 

[Pitweiler]

Jetjockey,

Based on what you're saying, the 338 Federal sounds like an optimal choice. I enjoy my .30-06, but have no desire to lug an almost 11 lb rifle around. The .308 Win can run almost neck and neck with the old '06 with careful loading. That could be another good choice.

The one thing I notice a out the 6.5mm bullets is their extremely high sectional density. Most 140gr 6.5s have a higher sectional density than some .308 bullets.

I'd like to stay in standard cartridges so I'm not messing with bolt face diameters as well.

 

[tred1956]

The 7-08 is hard to beat, but the 308 is equally as qualified. Pick what you love and you will make more GREAT shots.
Safe shooting
Doug