Northern BC mountain rifle

[Rackstar]

Hey guys,
I’m looking for some other perspectives and opinions on the best caliber for my needs in a all around mountain rifle for up here in BC.

I’ve been through many calibers before 270, 243, 30-06, 300wm, and 300wsm

I’ve decided on the rifle and this mountain rifle will be a Kimber Montana.

This rifle would be used for caribou, stones sheep, mountain goat, elk , moose primarily.

I toyed with the thought of going with a light recoiling 7mm-08, but being a solo hunter 90% of the time, in grizzly country, I feel I might feel vulnerable with a smaller gun like such.

I’m going back and forth between the 308 loaded with 165 NP , or a 300wsm 168 ttsx.

IS the 300wsm going 300fps faster with a bunch of extra recoil going to make a diff in real world hunting? My absolute max with a good rest is 400 yards on big game.

Anyone with these Montana’s have any opinions? My prev mountain rig was a T3 300wm, I could shoot It, I just did not like to.

Thanks in advance

 

[Rackstar]

Scope will be a vx3i 3.5-10 40mm

I do not reload yet, open to other calibers. I’m over heavy recoil I don’t think it’s necessary, but with no side arms allowed in Canada eh, I need a bit of insurance for the grizzly bear that may never charge me/eat me.

 

[elkguide]

I have Kimber Montanas in 7mm08, .270 WSM and .300 WSM. There definitely is more recoil in the .300 WSM than in the 7mm08 but I don't find it to much.

 

[Montanated]

I’m running a Kimber Hunter in 6.5 Creedmoor. My opinion is 400 and in you are ok. Reloading definitely helps my thoughts because I can run billets like the Barnes or Hammer pretty easily. But a lot of ammo choices for the 6.5 too.

The 7mm-08 would be a good choice too. With a good solid or bonded bullet. Easily accessible bear spray your set for grizz country. I’d never rely on my weapon for bruins, it’d be spray then gun.

 

[Rackstar]

Awsome thanks for the reply’s.

Can you clip in your full magazine with the bolt closed on the Hunter? Is it possible to get 3 + 1 with the hunter?

 

[Rackstar]

I guess my only “want” for a bigger caliber is bear security. Which I know is absolutely not rational thinking.

 

[Outdoorsman12b]

I see a lot of montanas in 300 WSM go up for sale but not 308. A sub 7 lbs rifle in magnum is sure to rattle your bones.

 

[Montanated]

Awsome thanks for the reply’s.

Can you clip in your full magazine with the bolt closed on the Hunter? Is it possible to get 3 + 1 with the hunter?

Yes. Yes, chamber a round drop the mag add another to the mag.

 

[Camomutt]

Hey guys,
I’m looking for some other perspectives and opinions on the best caliber for my needs in a all around mountain rifle for up here in BC.

I’ve been through many calibers before 270, 243, 30-06, 300wm, and 300wsm

I’ve decided on the rifle and this mountain rifle will be a Kimber Montana.

This rifle would be used for caribou, stones sheep, mountain goat, elk , moose primarily.

I toyed with the thought of going with a light recoiling 7mm-08, but being a solo hunter 90% of the time, in grizzly country, I feel I might feel vulnerable with a smaller gun like such.

I’m going back and forth between the 308 loaded with 165 NP , or a 300wsm 168 ttsx.

IS the 300wsm going 300fps faster with a bunch of extra recoil going to make a diff in real world hunting? My absolute max with a good rest is 400 yards on big game.

Anyone with these Montana’s have any opinions? My prev mountain rig was a T3 300wm, I could shoot It, I just did not like to.

Thanks in advance

Exact scenario I went through a few months ago. The .308 is lighter, and short mags supposedly don't feed as well. The kimber Montanas feeding isnt great, but the recoil isn't bad at all. Obviously, I went with the. 308.

 

[AK Troutbum]

For what you’re describing, pretty much the same species that I purchased my first Kimber Montana for, I’d go with the .300wsm. I bought mine about 13 years ago and although I’ve bought and sold more Kimber’s since, I can’t find a reason to get rid of the .300wsm. A few years ago I put a brake on it, so my 12 yo son could use it on Kodiak for goats, and it just made me like the rifle that much more. It’s always been a very accurate rifle but I think the brake has made it even more accurate, and it’s definitely much more pleasurable to shoot. If I had it to do all over again, and if I could only have the one KM, it would most likely be that .300wsm.


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[Rackstar]

Thanks for the Input guys,

308 I like the shorter barrel, lighter weight

300wsm I like the extra HP. (Is it worth the recoil)

I feel like if I go 308, why don’t I go 7mm-08 then. But for some weird reason I’d feel under gunned with the 7mm-08.

The 7mm-08 would be ideal for sheep goat caribou, but is it enough jam for big moose and elk with a 120 ttsx or 140NP? That’s where I feel the 308 has a bit of edge.

Simple solution would be buy two right? But I’m thinnin the herd and taking a minimalist approach to my hunting setup. I’m keeping it simple with a do it all mountain rifle, potentially adding a 243 for strictly a deer/wolf gun.


tough call it’s going to be. I hope to make the right purchase I’m looking to hang onto this firearm for many many years to come.

 

[Camomutt]

7mm-08 would be awesome for just sheep, but I think it's too small for grizz protection. .308 shoots a wide range of bullet weights, hike with 200 grain bullets for protection, then switch to 150 or 180 when you get on sheep. That was my train of thought.

 

[AK Troutbum]

The 7mm-08 would be ideal for sheep goat caribou, but is it enough jam for big moose and elk with a 120 ttsx or 140NP? That’s where I feel the 308 has a bit of edge.

I couldn’t agree more, as would the 6.5 CM, and I think they would be equally good for moose and elk (my son killed a moose two years ago with the 7-08), but when you factor in being in brown bear/grizzly country, that’s when the .300 starts feeling a little better in the hands.




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[Trees91]

I’m guessing you want a 84m and stay in the shortaction family. But I wouldn’t totally over look a 84l Montana in 30-06. I have a subalpine with a kimber brake and it’s not bad to shoot even off a bench. Load up some accubonds and it’ll kill a big moose no problem.

 

[Trees91]

Also my brother in law and I just did the 7mm08 vs 308 debate. With factory loads available we looked at 7mm08 with a 140 ab vs a 308 with a 165 ab. I know not apples to apples but with factory ammo we went with the best choice for say a elk. Surprisingly close ballistic wise but the 165 out of the 308 carried more engergy (assuming I plugged everything into by ballistics calculator right)

 

[AK Troutbum]

Also my brother in law and I just did the 7mm08 vs 308 debate. With factory loads available we looked at 7mm08 with a 140 ab vs a 308 with a 165 ab. I know not apples to apples but with factory ammo we went with the best choice for say a elk. Surprisingly close ballistic wise but the 165 out of the 308 carried more engergy (assuming I plugged everything into by ballistics calculator right)

I hear ya, and I don’t disagree, but I think a 7-08 will make them just as dead. When it comes to killing big bears though, and even though a .308 will and has killed big bears, I’ll take the .300wsm all day long over the .308.


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[Trees91]

No doubt. For an all around game rifle I think the 7mm08 or 308 fits great, comes down to bullet and shot selection....bear protection is a different story. I’ve seen brown bear shot with 300wm, 338 wm and 375 ruger and it’s not always a one and done deal. Those critters are tough.

 

[Jimbob]

My son has a 7mm-08 and it is all we carried on a goat and a moose hunt in Northern BC this year and I did not feel under gunned.

I carried a 30-06 on my solo sheep hunt but next year I might take my .308.

If I was buying new right now I would swap my 30-06 for 7mm-08. The reason I went with the 30-06 in the tikka was that there was no weight advantage to go for the short action.

Mountain hunting sheep/goats/caribou is my main concern and long shots are needed some time. Moose, on the other hand, were made to be hunted close LOL and I don't feel a need to shoot far.

So, a smaller caliber fits my hunting style/goals. A bigger cartridge really only extends your range, .300 wsm and 7mm-08 are both going to kill a moose at the range I hunt them.

Having said that I do like the idea of having something bigger, almost just for the sake of it and for a hopeful bison hunt in the future.

Ideally, I would convert my Tikka to a .338-06 then keep my .308 as my mountain gun.

 

[Jimbob]

Also, I don't really factor bear protection in, I just don't see the logic.

I bow hunt and when I do that I only have my bow and spray. If I used the logic of needing a caliber that stopped a charging griz I would need to carry a rifle with me every time I archery hunted, hiked, fished, and stepped foot in the bush. There are many times throughout the year that I am in the bush and only have spray, so carrying a rifle of any kind seems like gravy.

 

[Rackstar]

Deff have not ruled out the 30-06,
But in the Montana it has the same barrel length as the WSM. So I figured I’m either going in at 308 or 300wsm

The 30-06 is like a 1986 Toyota pickup, turns over every try and gets you where you need to go. May not be the fastest, or the newest, but it gets the job done.

If it wasn’t for those angry brown things i bump into, I’d go 7mm/08 and not look back. As there’s no question i could put the bullet where it belongs with a 7-08 easier then the wsm.

Trees91

There’s a couple sub alpines in my area too on sale In 308 and 300wsm,

Does your POI change when you shoot with or without the kimber break?