New lightweight rifle

[JohnyRingo]

I just sold my old Remington Model 700 300 H&H rifle to a buddy who needed a good saddle gun for elk hunting. Now I'm looking for an all-weather lightweight 300 H&H. I've narrowed it down to a Cooper 92, Browning X-Bolt and Montana Arms X2 because they are a few who make the H&H.

I really thought it was going to be the Cooper 92 ($2800) until I went and looked at one today. I didn't like it. I thought the stock felt cheap and noisy. The detachable magazine was loose and rattled while in the rifle. I thought the barrel was too pencil thin. I then looked at the Cooper 52 Excalibur Custom ($2600) right below it and like everything about it except it's not very light. I can't find anywhere on the web how much it weighs but I am guessing 7.5+ lbs.

I then went and looked at an X-Bolt ($1000) and really like it. It is lightweight and feels durable. It's barrel is thin too but not as thin as the Cooper 92. I would probably have to have a muzzle break put on it. My only concern with this rifle is that Browning will not guarantee any accuracy whereas Cooper guarantees 1/2 MOA. I love the price of it too. I would save about $1600 and that would allow me to buy the two other toys I want.

I haven't looked at the Montana X2 ($1600) yet, but I am already turned off by the 7.75+ weight and I would have to have a muzzle break put on it.

I know you get what you pay for but is the Cooper 52 going to be that much more accurate than the Browning for that price. I plan to shoot elk and deer with it out 500 yards with a good BDC scope. I do a ton of backpack style hunting and want the lightest all-weather rifle in a 300 H&H so it's down to these two rifles. Does anyone have any experience with these two rifles?

 

[hodgeman]

I've had an X-Bolt for a couple of years in .270 and have zero complaints. It shoots 3/4" with Federal Blue box 130gr ammo and Trophy Bonded Tipped. I'd have no reservations about buying another one.

 

[wind gypsy]

I have a high end custom that doesn't shoot as well as my factory 300wsm stainless stalker xbolt and the custom has a heavier barrel contour and less recoil. If the xbolt shoots groups bigger than 1/2" at 100 yards with hand loads it is probably my fault. I run warm 200 grain eldx loads in it and it barks pretty good but the recoil pads are very good and it doesn't beat a guy up.

 

[GKPrice]

I have a high end custom that doesn't shoot as well as my factory 300wsm stainless stalker xbolt and the custom has a heavier barrel contour and less recoil. If the xbolt shoots groups bigger than 1/2" at 100 yards with hand loads it is probably my fault. I run warm 200 grain eldx loads in it and it barks pretty good but the recoil pads are very good and it doesn't beat a guy up.

I don't own an X-both yet but I'm tempted every time I'm in Sportsmans Warehouse - Just another option is a Tikka T3x superlight in 300 Win Mag and change out the recoil pad for a Limbsaver gen 2 - My son loves his, I was gonna have Richard Buss put one of his patented brakes on it for him but he says "no ! leave it just as it is !" $800 all in (rifle)

 

[JohnyRingo]

I was just reading some of the fine print on the Browning Stainless Stalker 300 H&H. It says it has a safari barrel contour. I have been looking all over the internet to find out what size that barrel is and what that does to the weight. Browning advertises the weight at 6 lbs 13 oz but I read somewhere that safari contour results in a bore diameter of 22 mm, which is. 866 in. I have a 22-250 with a bull barrel and its bore diameter is. 75 inches.

Does anyone know anything about safari contour barrels? This could be a deal breaker. I want to stick with a 300 H&H but it has to be lightweight.

 

[pldawg]

Just curious...what worries you about thin barrels? seems like it is pretty unavoidable for a light rifle but just wondering what part you don't like about it?

 

[JohnyRingo]

It could be something that's just in my head. I am concerned with accuracy if the barrel heats up from taking quick, multiple shots.

 

[pldawg]

I am new to the firearm world in all reality...I've been a bow hunter for the last 25 years so I am still learning this discipline. I was at the range with my Cooper Model 92 the other day...it was about 55 degrees and I was taking a break between my 5 shot stepping powder charge increments but I was not intentionally taking a break between shots(when it was warm out..like 85-95degrees I was taking timed breaks between shots) but I was still able to shoot a 5 shot group at .409" so while barrel heat does affect accuracy I don't think it would make a 1/2" gun a 5" gun in ANY hunting scenario. From my experience(just under 500 rounds downrange with my model 92) in all reality none of us "NEED" a 1/2" gun for a hunting scenario...in my mind it just gives me extreme confidence that when I pull the trigger the RIFLE and LOAD will do its part. I might not always be able to do my part(buck fever, winded from climbing the mountain, not good enough rest, not enough light etc...) but I can be confident in my equipment.

You've already handled the Cooper Model 92 and sounds like you weren't all that impressed with it but I certainly have enjoyed mine. I have only taken it on one elk hunt and one deer hunt so far but I will be carrying it again this week on another elk hunt. As far as carrying it in the field...very nice light weight rifle.

 

[JohnyRingo]

I am not trying to ruffle any feathers. I am trying to do my due diligence. I just sold a perfect shooting 300 H&H and don't want to go the wrong direction with my next purchase. It's me that has made this next purchase difficult because I want to stick with a 300 H&H and there aren't alot of options out there.

I have kicked around going to a different caliber (300 Win Mag, Short Mag, Ultra Mag, 28 and 30 Nosler and 7 mm STW are a few that I considered. I looked at Christensen Arms and Legendary Arms rifles. To be honest with you, the rifle I like best is the Sako Finlight but it doesn't come in a 300 H&H.

At this point, I think it's going to be the X-Bolt unless a safari contour barrel doesn't actually weight 6 lbs 13 oz as advertised. I'll throw either a Leupold VX-3 or a Swaro Z3 scope on it and I will have dropped about 1.5 lbs and will have an all-weather mountain rifle. Hopefully, the new rifle will like the 150 rounds of ammo I had loaded for my old H&H.

 

[pldawg]

yeah I don't think your ruffling any feathers, certainly not mine... and maybe I didn't articulate my point very well. I was just trying to say that from my experience the thin barrel has not made it an inaccurate rifle with consecutive shots...and I think any rifle that you get shooting well with a light barrel would be similar for any big game hunting scenario. It would be different if you were looking for a prairie dog gun, but any "light" rifle you decide on will almost undoubtedly have a thin barrel and I don't think you'll have a problem with accurately placed quick consecutive shots once you find the right load for your new rifle.

 

[Jimbob]

My bud has an bolt and it is a nice gun, I like the stock. All of the x-bolt SS stalker magnums have a 26" barrel and weigh 6lbs13ozs but the 300H&H has a 24" barrel and still weighs 6lbs13ozs. Looks like they shortened the barrel and made it thicker but kept the weight the same.

 

[elkguide]

What feels best in your hands is the most important thing, after accuracy in my book. The Browning stock and bolt do not work for me but I have shot plenty that were very accurate and have several friends that swear by them. The H&H is a great old caliber and does the job well and since it sounds like you load your own you'll be fine. Might be a little bit harder to get ammo if you were to travel and need ammo.

So my advice would be to put the rifle in your hands and then decide if it works for you.

 

[GKPrice]

What feels best in your hands is the most important thing, after accuracy in my book. The Browning stock and bolt do not work for me but I have shot plenty that were very accurate and have several friends that swear by them. The H&H is a great old caliber and does the job well and since it sounds like you load your own you'll be fine. Might be a little bit harder to get ammo if you were to travel and need ammo.

So my advice would be to put the rifle in your hands and then decide if it works for you.

the H&H uses a magnum length action - Just curious why you're hung up on the H&H ? Its a great cartridge but outclassed by the 300 Win Mag (in a standard length action) with today's powders - I think you are doing yourself a disservice in that respect

 

[JohnyRingo]

I guess my response to this is that I don't feel that the Win Mag outclasses it. With the load I have been using for years, I get 2950 fps with a 180 grain bullet and from what little I pay attention to the Win Mag, it does the same. I also like having a gun that very few other people shoot. If it's not broke, don't fix it. I have had tremendous success with one-shot kills versus the 270 Win that I used to shoot back when I was a kid.

 

[JohnyRingo]

I just talked with Browning and the safari contour is a little heavier barrel than the sporter contour. The muzzle diameter on the safari contour is .68" as opposed to my current hunting rifles with a diameter of .625". With the X-Bolt barrel being a heavier contour and still the rifle only weighing in at 6 lbs 13 oz, it's the rifle I will probably be buying.

 

[Yellowknife]

I just talked with Browning and the safari contour is a little heavier barrel than the sporter contour. The muzzle diameter on the safari contour is .68" as opposed to my current hunting rifles with a diameter of .625". With the X-Bolt barrel being a heavier contour and still the rifle only weighing in at 6 lbs 13 oz, it's the rifle I will probably be buying.

I'd speculate that the 6 lb 13 oz weight is really for the .375 H&H version of that gun. The .300 (with a smaller bore size) would be heavier simply due to the smaller hole in the barrel.

Another option would be to buy a stainless magnum action Remington and just have a gunsmith screw on a barrel of whatever weight you want. Suspect costs would be pretty comparable. .300 H&H is a fun round, and gets 3000 fps from my 26" barrel.

 

[JohnyRingo]

The 375 H&H model probably has a slightly lighter barrel than the 300 H&H because of the different size holes, but the 375 has a front and rear sight on the barrel to add to its overall rifle weight. I am guessing that the 6lbs 13oz is an accurate weight for both.

 

[wyosteve]

I don't think you need to worry about a thin barrel heating up too badly in a hunting situation. Very rarely will you get more than 3 shots and most likely 1 will do it most of the time if you go about the stalk correctly. I've never had an accuracy problem with any rifle shooting a quick 3 shot barrage, including my very lightweight custom that has a thin barrel.

 

[luke moffat]

I don't think you need to worry about a thin barrel heating up too badly in a hunting situation. Very rarely will you get more than 3 shots and most likely 1 will do it most of the time if you go about the stalk correctly. I've never had an accuracy problem with any rifle shooting a quick 3 shot barrage, including my very lightweight custom that has a thin barrel.

Agree with this 100%. If you are a bench shooter then yeah a heavy barrel makes sense. But for a hunting rifle I am not worried about skinny the barrel is so long as there is .1" of metal all the way around the bore....

 

[husky390]

Have you called Sako and ask them if they will build you one in 300H&H? A couple years ago I was thinking about buying a Savage chambered in .257 Roberts but Savage didn't list that caliber in their catalogue. I called Savage and they said they would build it for me for an additional charge. Maybe Sako will do the same?