Any thoughts

[plumber1969]

I’ve acquired a few .280’s, not the AI’s. Wife has a Browning BAR in a 7mm. Been debating an elk gun that doesn’t weigh a metric ton like the BAR. One of the 280’s is a single shot and doesn’t offer quick second shots. The other is a Ruger M77 mark 2 and needs a trigger job and could certainly use a new stock/free float the barrel. So I could be out $500 quickly on that. She said to go buy a new gun that we could both use on our elk hunts and looking at either a 3006 or 308 in a browning x bolt, possibly a hells canyon speed. I would pull my Leopold vx 3 3.5-10x50 to put on the new gun if this is the route we go. This gun will/could be used during or deer seasons here as well. I am not nor will ever be a reloader or long range hunter. I can’t ever see me shooting much past 350 yards at an elk and the longest I’ve ever killed a deer was less than 200 yards here.

So if given the green light to rebuild a good old gun, buy a new barrel for the encore or purchase a new one, what would you do?

 

[BrentD]

What's wrong with the single shot? Quick follow ups are 1. aay overrated and 2. not so slow with the single as you think.

It may well be that my purpose on this planet is the salvation and redemption of the singleshot rifle. If so, I'm okay with that, but seriously, folks seem to view them as some sort of strange stunt-hunt rifle. They are not. They are perfectly fine, maybe even superior hunting rifles.

 

[plumber1969]

Having never killed an elk and listening to others on here for the need of quick follow up shots had me thinking. I also considered a 308 or 3006 barrel for the encore so we could get a heavier bullet as the 280 Nosler partition only gets to 160 grains. Maybe I’m over thinking the bullet weight also. Thanks for your support of the single shots.

 

[SFC B]

I would say it depends on your emotional attachment to the gun. The new setup you are talking about sounds like a fine rifle (I am an '06 man) which would be up for all Western game, save maybe a griz. However, I know that certain guns hold meaning beyond function. For example, I shot my first deer and first 2 elk with a Remington 710. It is ugly and cheap but shot lights out until one of the set screws in the mounts sheared off in the receiver. I was under the gun for an antelope hunt and (with the help of a little extra cash) ended up buying a savage 110 and putting a nice Vortex on it instead of fixing the 710 at the same cost as what I paid for it. That being said, I won't get rid of that 710 and will get it up and shooting again "someday" due to what it did for me. Best of luck in your choice!!

 

[sneakypete]

I'd invest in a new either bolt or the hells canyon. If going the hells canyon get one with a muzzle brake which will take away any extra recoil for you and your wife. I have a xbolt in 3006 which I really like but my go to gun is model 70 extreme weather 7mm it's taken two moose. Elk and many mule deer. Good luck.

 

[plumber1969]

My son shot his first deer with the ruger and it’s on the to do list just for him regardless of what we decide to do. If it was a 30-06 I would just put the new trigger and stock on it and call it a day. Nice to have a wife who loves to hunt and doesn’t mind gun porn :hump:

 

[6mm Remington]

What's wrong with the single shot? Quick follow ups are 1. aay overrated and 2. not so slow with the single as you think.

It may well be that my purpose on this planet is the salvation and redemption of the singleshot rifle. If so, I'm okay with that, but seriously, folks seem to view them as some sort of strange stunt-hunt rifle. They are not. They are perfectly fine, maybe even superior hunting rifles.

What he said about single shots. I have two Ruger #1B's in 6mm Remington and 30-06 and have never felt at a disadvantage because of it. I've hunted for years and years with these rifles. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with the 280 Remington for elk and such beasts either. It is one of the best all around cartridges out there and it won't beat you or you wife silly shooting it. Have the trigger worked on by a good gunsmith on the Ruger MKII, it's not tough to do and not that costly. Pillar bed, glass bed, and float the barrel and you would spend about another $150.00 and have a fine rifle that will hold zero and shoot more consistently.

 

[6mm Remington]

Having never killed an elk and listening to others on here for the need of quick follow up shots had me thinking. I also considered a 308 or 3006 barrel for the encore so we could get a heavier bullet as the 280 Nosler partition only gets to 160 grains. Maybe I’m over thinking the bullet weight also. Thanks for your support of the single shots.

I'm a huge 30-06 fan and it is a wonderful cartridge. That being said, the 280 Remington is outstanding as well. You can shoot a 175 gr. Partition in the 280 Remington if you thought you needed that extra bullet weight. I used nothing but 140 gr. Partitions or Accubonds in my 280 Remington and 280 AI and I've killed many elk with my 280 Remington. My 280 AI I just had built and it's only taken one elk so far. I shot a cow at 450 yards with a 140 gr. Partition.. She went 20 yards and tipped over.

 

[std7mag]

So $189 for a Boyds stock and $100 on an aftermarket trigger for the 77MKII .

Don't fully understand the need for all the work on the Ruger.

Nothing to worry about as far as the 280 for elk is concerned.
Heck people still shoot them with 243 Win.

 

[plumber1969]

So $189 for a Boyds stock and $100 on an aftermarket trigger for the 77MKII .

Don't fully understand the need for all the work on the Ruger.

Nothing to worry about as far as the 280 for elk is concerned.
Heck people still shoot them with 243 Win.

The Ruger's stock is in pretty bad shape. It has seen some harsh days in the field and the wood needs to be replaced. The trigger, well everyone knows about the Ruger triggers from 25 years ago and while we are going to get this far in to a rebuild, we are going to have the barrel cerakoted. The trigger is $125, new stock from Hogue = $260 (full bed and block) and the cerakote should run around $100. So if we can get it done for around $500 then that's the way we are proceeding.

I appreciate everyone responses and we will post up the before and after pictures.

 

[Mthuntinfool]

Unless you are dead set on the hogue stock, I would look at some other options first before you buy one. it sounds to me like you are looking to have a lighter weight rig, and in my experience hogue stocks are anything but light. and I wouldn't worry about shooting heavy bullets on a .280, a well made bullet is more important than the weight in my opinion. In my family we have killed quite a few elk shooting nothing heavier than 143 grains, from .243 up to 7mm RM.
Just my 2 cents, let us know how it turns out.

 

[plumber1969]

I looked around and Hogue full bed block had the better recommendations short of a Mcmillian that I wont pay that much for. I am not a fan of putting another wood/laminate due to weather, heat and moisture. Bell and carlson doesn't make a replacement stock for the M77 Mark II. I've never had a rubber/synthetic stock before so this will definitely be new to me. If you know of another company I am open to look at them as well. I'm glad to hear about the .280's being suited for this endeavor. Out east and in the south, we are in a minority by far.

 

[plumber1969]

Might not have to worry about a Hogue stock. I placed an order on Friday morning. I got my order number right away and was told that I would get an email confirmation that afternoon since I ordered it at 9:30AM. Well that never happened. I didn't expect much over the weekend so I called today at 12:30PM eastern time and they said they apologized but it was being processed and I asked what that meant. He told me that if you ordered it after 2PM or on the weekends that it would ship the next day. I explained to him that I ordered it before 10:00AM their time and he was able to confirm this but has no idea why it is being held up. It will be canceled tomorrow if I don't get an email confirmation on a ship date by tomorrow morning. I may look into getting the stock refinished and bedded if this happens.

 

[std7mag]

Refinish and bed is an excellent option.
Will be far lighter than a Hogue stock.

 

[plumber1969]

Well the Hogue is installed as well as the Timmney trigger. Yes its heavy, but since we only get a couple weeks a year to stomp the mountains, I will grin and bear it this year. Trigger is a huge upgrade! Cerakote is next. We ordered 160 grain Nosler partition spitzers for it. Hopefully they group well as I've now done everything I can to make her shoot well. Before the upgrades, we would still get decent accuracy with core lokt bullets. That all I've needed for our deer in the Southeast. When I get home, I will post some pictures.

 

[plumber1969]

Not the best one but it's all I have now.

 

[haiku_rodney]

Very nice looking rifle. My go to rifle is an old Savage that carries many scars.

I am a believer in the importance of bullet construction and sectional density when shooting large animals. The sectional density of the 160 partition has a sectional density of .286 which is slightly higher than a 30 cal 180 gr. bullet. I have not shot elk, however I have shot a number of feral cattle and they drop with a 200 gr accubond in my 30-06.

 

[Cerebral Stalker]

I think you've done fine. Just shoot that rifle frequently this summer and you'll be ready come fall.

 

[Don Fischer]

Either/or? 308 should recoil less.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Do you still have the original stock? Ruger factory stocks are clubs and respond well to slimming down if you know what you're doing with a file & chisel. Lots of wood on them, and there's a guy who does customization that has my interest peaked enough to buy a smithing file set and see if I can ruin a cheap piece of walnut emulating the Rigby style.

http://www.rjrenner.com/pre-war-77.html

I also don't think you need a new trigger, just a trigger job. I rebarrelled my tang safety M77 and had the smith work the trigger over and it's 100% better than the factory which was a little heavy for my tastes.

Ruger makes a great starter rifle for a custom build.