Rifle advice

[Elkhntr08]

Getting ammo shipped to Illinois is a pain, but not impossible. Yet. I have rounds shipped once in a while.

 

[30338]

Being from the Midwest, I’ve never had a need for a centerfire for my hunting. I picked up a .280 M77(to good of a deal to pass up), but ammo is fairly expensive and very hard to find. I’ve bought the only two boxes I’ve found. I’m thinking I need to buy another rifle with more accessible/cheaper ammo and less recoil to get more practice in. Some buddies and I are planning to start hunting out west, and I need to get a lot of trigger time in(I’ve never shot over 100 yards). I’m torn between getting rid of the .280 and going with a 6.5 creedmoor as a deer rifle and buying a bigger rifle down the road if we decide to try elk, my other thought is buying a .223 bolt gun as a practice rifle and keeping the .280. What are your guy’s thought? Any better options? Thanks

No need for a bigger rifle for elk. As mentioned a 22lr and a 280 for everything else. Now is one of those times when ammo is available and low cost. I'd find a factory load that worked and buy a minimum of 10 boxes of it, probably more actually. The time will come, perhaps not in the distant future, where you will be wishing you had.

 

[Midwestwaterfowl]

Thanks, I’m in the process of getting my hands on as many as possible to try out, hoping it’ll shoot the federal premium partition load. After that I’ll start the stock pile lol

 

[howl]

If you stock up by the case, be sure to get the same lot number as what made good groups for you.

 

[Midwestwaterfowl]

If you stock up by the case, be sure to get the same lot number as what made good groups for you.

Thanks, I did not consider lot number

 

[TauPhi111]

Another option would be to get a smith to rechamber your barrel to 7mm Rem mag and open up your bolt face. 7mm RM is way more common than 280. But I do agree with the others that ordering ammo online is not hard.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I'm hearing a good reason to start reloading.

 

[Midwestwaterfowl]

I'm hearing a good reason to start reloading.

I believe your right, I’m reading up on hand loading right now.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I believe your right, I’m reading up on hand loading right now.

If you like Nosler bullets, keep an eye on Shootersproshop.com. I've ordered a bunch of bullets from them and have had no issues with them.