Rifle and caliber question

Hey all, so I have won a few rifles and am looking into selling them for a big game rifle(elk and moose).
One of the rifles is a kimber mountain ascent in 7mm. I am debating between 338 win mag- winchester model 70 extreme weather or 338 lapua CZ badlands 550. I know I can kill elk and moose with smaller. But I have smaller and want a big caliber. I dont see myself shooting passed 4 or 5 hundred yards, mainly because I enjoy getting close (under 300). The scope i am leaning toward for either would be leupold vx 5hd.
My question is which set up would you use or prefer?
And, I know lapua ammo is pricey and reloading is the thing to do. I don't reload and it might be a dumb question, but is there people or companies that you can buy reloaded ammo from at a discounted cost?
Thanks

You won't notice anything different in your caliber choices...dead is dead.

You won't find remanufactured (aka reloaded) ammo in 338 Win or 338 Lapua...you can have custom ammo made for you

The lapua as a hunting rifle makes zero sense to me. Ringing steel at 1000 yards seems more practical so I'd go with the 338WM from the options. If there was a category C, I'd run that ascent and love every steptaken of sub 6lb bliss.

Keep one of the smaller calibers that you feel comfortable with hunting every species with your range, sell the rest that you won and invest in a really, really good scope. I've had the same Savage 30-06 for over a decade and I can't see myself ever getting rid of it, I did however finally upgrade the scope and it feels like a different weapon.

I’d hump it up a few elk mountains before dumping that Kimber.

If you want a big gun, go get one. It won't take long before you figure out if it will work for you or not. mtmuley

I'd shoot the 7mm, great caliber and shoots flat with enough for elk. Moose are big animals, hit any animal in the right spot and it's dead.

Win Mag...I don't trust reloads from anyone other than myself.

I’d go .338 Win Mag. As mentioned above, more of a hunting round and I’m willing to bet the availability of ammo is much greater.

Thanks guys. I was about 80 20 in favor of 338 win mag. I also have a tikka t3 in 7mm that shoots great which is the reason I was going to get rid of the kimber. I have heard that the kimber is either a great shooter or a lemon. That has prevented me from investing in a scope for it just to find out the one I have doesn't shoot well

Your could always take the scope back off and remount it. Keep in mind that you're going to carry a rifle more than shoot it. Weight does matter. When I first went west, I thought I needed a big magnum. As I got to know some locals, most of them look at the 7 mag as a big gun. Most carry .270, .280, 30-06. A few use the 300 mag family. I settled on a .300 saum in a Remington 673. Short, not a total light weight, but points like a shotgun for me. I guess my point is, you don't need a big bore that weighs 10# plus to take animals, and if you're limiting yourself to 400 yards, why lug a 1000 yard rifle up the mountain?

I went through almost the same dilemma a few years ago. I have a 257 Weatherby that is a great gun...well I made it a great gun. It was a stainless Weatherby Vanguard (shout out to Howa). I got a Bell & Carlson stock, glass bedding and a 2.5 lbs Timney trigger. That gun is a joy to shoot. It is more than capable of 1/4 inch MOA from the bench and I have used it for everything from prairie dogs to elk. With the right bullet, than gun can do about everything.

I did feel a little under-gunned when I went elk hunting. I am not sure why because I always had complete pass throughs and one shot kills when using a Barnes bullet. Something about a 115 grn traveling at about 3450 seems to work exceptionally well.

So...I bought another Weatherby Vanguard in 270 WSM. I could never get that gun to shoot great even though I tried just about every combo you can think of for reloading. Also, the ballistics were very similar to the 257 Weatherby. I took the gun to my gunsmith and swapped a out 300 WSM barrel. I had the action “trued”, added the Bell & Carlson stock, glass bedding and same 2.5 Timney trigger. I shoot the Barnes 175 grn long range and it will easily shoot 1/4 inch MOA from bench. The Howa actions on these rifles are phenomenal. They will simply flat out shoot!

Now that The entire process is several years behind me, I consistently find myself grabbing my 257 for hunting. It has a very reasonable recoil and is a real pleasure to shoot. I have yet to kill anything with the 300 WSM but I have the rifle for Moose and elk (if I could just leave my 257 home when elk hunting).

If I could do it all over, I would have simply gotten a 300 WM for the second rifle and done the same things to it. There is better ammo selection and the two guns are very similar. I still think I would be grabbbing the 257. I am in the process of building my 9 year old son a 7mm-08 in a Howa action with all the same mods as my other rifles.

From the rifle you listed, I would keep the 7mm because of ammo availability. I reload so the availability is not as big of an issue but it is harder to find the brass. I had a 338 and it’s a great rifle but has a sizable recoil and you can do everything you need/want with the 7mm.

CTELK83 said:

Thanks guys. I was about 80 20 in favor of 338 win mag. I also have a tikka t3 in 7mm that shoots great which is the reason I was going to get rid of the kimber. I have heard that the kimber is either a great shooter or a lemon. That has prevented me from investing in a scope for it just to find out the one I have doesn't shoot well

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I now have eight Kimbers. Only one didn’t want to shoot .5-1” and it was a pretty early model. I think the days of Kimbers being finicky are over, but the reputation is hard to shake.

belly-deep said:

I now have eight Kimbers. Only one didn’t want to shoot .5-1” and it was a pretty early model. I think the days of Kimbers being finicky are over, but the reputation is hard to shake.

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I have a couple kimbers myself and can’t complain about them at all.

If I were starting over buy rifles, I would never buy a magnum. I only have one and like it, but a 7-08, 308, or 30-06 will do just as well.

I have a 22 250, 6.5 creedmore, 30 06, 2- 7mm's, 338 win mag and a 270. So I don't "need" a new rifle but I have a buddy that wants my 338 win mag and another one that wants one of the 7mm. After reading these responses I'm thinking about putting a decent scope on the kimber 7mm and trying it out and getting the winchester 338 win mag haha. For moose, I feel like you need more knock down power, but I don't know.

I'm glad to see so many people saying that they've found that magnums aren't really necessary, I've had that argument for many years. Most people that think they need a mag are those that are from the east and want to hunt our west for the first time or people that want to take long range shots at paper/steel or at an animal. The standard .270 to 30-06 chamberings will take most anything that the average hunter will ever go after and the ammo is easy to find and a lot cheaper than magnums and the recoil is less. Recoil is big issue, I have a friend that loves his .300 RUM but he only shoots it once a year so his accuracy isn't as good as it could be, in his mind it's very good but that's because he hasn't had enough experience with other rifles to know the difference. My .308 is my standard go to gun with my 30-06 being my big animal gun. I've built loads that work very well that cover the bullet weight range of 110 grains to 200 grains so I can use them on any kind of critter from groundhogs to moose out to 300 yards at a minimum. I shoot paper at long range (600 yards and longer) but I'll never shoot an animal at more than 300 yards so I don't need the knockdown power of a magnum at long range.

Magnums are great, and there is no such phenomenon as knockdown power. mtmuley

This thread made me think of this quote by Uncle Ted;

Vegetarians are cool. All I eat are vegetarians - except for the occasional mountain lion steak.

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I like me some neanderthal powder burning shoulder gristle jarring magnums...


http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/overbore-cartridges-defined-by-formula/

You must be from the East then. Is Texas the East? mtmuley