WVgoodguy22
Active member
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2019
- Messages
- 398
I have been wanting a .30 caliber rifle to go along with my classic Savage model 110 in .270 Win for quite a while. Nothing wrong with my .270 and I know with the right premium bullet and proper shot placement I can take an elk under 400 yards, but just wanted another big game rifle. Since my Dad and one bro have a .300 Mag and my youngest has a 7 mm Rem Mag I wanted something a little different to try. After looking and thinking about .308s, 30-06, and .300 WSM and looking for deals on rifles to potential go out west with my youngest brother to Idaho this fall after OTC Mule Deer and eventually Elk. I was on BudsGunshop and found the new Savage Model 110 Long Range Hunter with Accufit stock in .300WSM for practically $300 off from $847 down to $560 I decided to put it on a 90 day layaway. It is 8.4 lbs without a scope, about a pound to 2 pounds heavier than what I was looking for, but it was too good of a deal to pass up. I have been looking at the Tikka T3x in .300 WSM for as long as it has been out and there were some other lighter rifles in my less than $700 price range like the Browning AB3 Comp Stalker, even a rifle in the same brand the Savage 110 Storm which had the stainless barrel and comp stock I was hoping to find for all season durability and reliability for some out west backpack type hunts. Sadly Howa doesn't make a .300 WSM that I am aware of. So I jumped on that rifle at that price. I know that there are two camps of thought about weapon systems, some like lightweight easy to pack others like a heavier gun when it's a magnum caliber for a more sturdy platform like Brady Miller from GoHunt does. But that is not the thread topic I want to discuss.
Being that my eventual rifle is already 8.4 lbs, I don't think I want to put a giant scope on it, but I also don't want to put a 3-9x40 on it either. Kind of defeats the purpose of a Long Range Hunter type rifle, even though I am aware that properly trained shooters can make 1,000 yard shots with a 9 or 10 power scope. I am not that well trained in long range shooting even though I have been hunting for over 20 years, most of the shots here in West Virginia are less than 100 yards. So I know I NEED plenty of trigger time to really get close to the potential of that rifle and caliber. Plus ethically shots under 400 yards would be ideal, but nothing wrong with being proficient further. I was thinking at least a 4.5-14x50 with a 30mm tube like in a Leupold VX-3i with CDS and max in that 6.5-20ish x 50 range like the VX-3i LRPs or even some Vortex glass. I would think those wouldn't make the rifle more than 10.5 lbs. Sadly I can't afford those nice pieces at close to $900-$1000. I am looking for a quality scope under $500 that would work well within those parameters and wouldn't break with Magnum caliber recoil. I have hopes of taking her out west next fall season in 2020 if I am lucky enough/blessed enough to go. Maybe even have her ready for a spring bear hunt to learn some areas before the fall seasons. Thanks in advance for any advice or help for this never been before Western Big game hunter.
Being that my eventual rifle is already 8.4 lbs, I don't think I want to put a giant scope on it, but I also don't want to put a 3-9x40 on it either. Kind of defeats the purpose of a Long Range Hunter type rifle, even though I am aware that properly trained shooters can make 1,000 yard shots with a 9 or 10 power scope. I am not that well trained in long range shooting even though I have been hunting for over 20 years, most of the shots here in West Virginia are less than 100 yards. So I know I NEED plenty of trigger time to really get close to the potential of that rifle and caliber. Plus ethically shots under 400 yards would be ideal, but nothing wrong with being proficient further. I was thinking at least a 4.5-14x50 with a 30mm tube like in a Leupold VX-3i with CDS and max in that 6.5-20ish x 50 range like the VX-3i LRPs or even some Vortex glass. I would think those wouldn't make the rifle more than 10.5 lbs. Sadly I can't afford those nice pieces at close to $900-$1000. I am looking for a quality scope under $500 that would work well within those parameters and wouldn't break with Magnum caliber recoil. I have hopes of taking her out west next fall season in 2020 if I am lucky enough/blessed enough to go. Maybe even have her ready for a spring bear hunt to learn some areas before the fall seasons. Thanks in advance for any advice or help for this never been before Western Big game hunter.
