One caliber

[wk93]

A lot of people think that lightweight guns won't shoot as well as heavy guns which really isn't true from an accuracy capability standpoint. However with a heavier gun can come with steadier holds at distance. Your heart beat can move the crosshairs a lot a distance especially with some adrenaline pumping! A heavier gun does help mitigate this problem. But from a pure accuracy standpoint, there is no reason a lightweight gun can't be accurate at distance.

Mike

Couldn't agree more!

 

[Shrek]

Why is that? I have a lightweight 7-08 with a 22" barrel, and it's accurate way past 400 yards.

Several reasons combined to make the light weight hunter marginal past 400 ish yards. The 20" short barrel will produce less velocity combined with a short light barrel with most of the weight towards the center and rear of the rifle will make it hard to shoot in the field.low velocity means the bullet is really going to drop quick at even modest ranges and energy to open the bullet and do enough damage to quickly kill a marginally hit elk or moose is fading quick past 500 yards. All combine to make it a good rule to live by to limit the range you take a shot. Its not that you can't hit something at great range or kill that bull at 1000 yards if you hit it perfect. It's that doing that long perfect shot after climbing a mountain in the cold and wind with your heart pounding from the climb and excitement. When the bullet is dropping like a stone the difference in thinking it is a 600 yard shot and it really being 635 combined with a 1 moa group combined with how your heart is making the crosshairs dance with that light rifle means it is a crap shoot if you are going to hit the animal well. Over a bench in good conitions you could shoot paper at 1000yards plus but in the field at live animals it gets dicey starting at about 400 and immoral for all but the best trained at 600-700 yards.

 

[Matt Cashell]

Several reasons combined to make the light weight hunter marginal past 400 ish yards. The 20" short barrel will produce less velocity combined with a short light barrel with most of the weight towards the center and rear of the rifle will make it hard to shoot in the field.low velocity means the bullet is really going to drop quick at even modest ranges and energy to open the bullet and do enough damage to quickly kill a marginally hit elk or moose is fading quick past 500 yards. All combine to make it a good rule to live by to limit the range you take a shot. Its not that you can't hit something at great range or kill that bull at 1000 yards if you hit it perfect. It's that doing that long perfect shot after climbing a mountain in the cold and wind with your heart pounding from the climb and excitement. When the bullet is dropping like a stone the difference in thinking it is a 600 yard shot and it really being 635 combined with a 1 moa group combined with how your heart is making the crosshairs dance with that light rifle means it is a crap shoot if you are going to hit the animal well. Over a bench in good conitions you could shoot paper at 1000yards plus but in the field at live animals it gets dicey starting at about 400 and immoral for all but the best trained at 600-700 yards.

Dave, it seems like those negatives can be overcome by proficiency.

 

[Shrek]

Yes they can be overcome. It's a year round commitment to train as you shoot in the field. I'm talking to a man who doesn't handload and is asking advice about chamberings and rifles not giving it. By the time he has done the work to be that good he will be giving advice. For the guy who mostly shoots a bow and is going to shoot factory ammo out of a factory rifle I think the 400 yard limit is solid advice. How many $25 boxes of ammo and how many days of field practice is he going to put in ? I'm betting he shoots his bow a bunch and less than 100 rounds over maybe five days with the rifle ?

 

[Shrek]

I still stand by my original advice. A 7mm rem mag in a full sporter and a 4-12x50 scope. The weight of the rifle and the power of the round will cover a lot of shooting sins. I'm just now getting to read the post and bitterroot bull is right with me on the 7mm rem mag and some 160gr accubonds. Solid combo for anything in the US and Canada.

 

[Biggs300]

Tough choice between my 300 Win Mag and 9.3x62 Mauser but, I would have to go with the 9.3. It is accurate, and the cartridge is easy to reload. Another plus, it is easier on the shoulder than my 300 Win Mag. Game-wise, it will take most anything in North America and in other parts of the world as well.

 

[IrishnId]

7mm Rem Mag. Because I have one, all the reloading supplies, diffrent bullet weights you can use, and it's a caliber thats pretty common.