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Longish range deer/?? hunting rifle project

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Eleanor416Rigby

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Dec 19, 2012
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Central Texas
I have a standing invitation to go to far southwest Texas near the Mexican border to hunt desert mule deer. The country is rugged and dry, right out of the cowboy movies. My hillcountry whitetail rifle is a 30/30, which would do the job out to about 200 yds, but after that it's iffy. Shots out there are sometimes longer than that. Finally, next year, I'm planning to go.

I'm contemplating getting a larger caliber for the possibility of a longer shot on a pretty big mule deer. I love .270, but I'm not getting that, because other than the increased range, there is too much overlap with the 30/30. (overlap in the type of game one can effectively take with it) I'm going to get (99% sure) .300 win mag. That way, when I go up for elk in the rockies I can use the same rifle. Don't waste your time trying to talk me into .338, 375 H&H, or whatever for elk because I know .300 win mag will be plenty for everything I may hunt anytime soon. If anything I'd get a 30-06 as a second choice to .300 win mag.

Right now, what I'm leaning toward is the Savage 111 combo with the Nikon 3-9 X 40 BDC reticle. I plan to stiffen the tupperware stock with rods at the forend and in the wrist, fiberglass, and all that. Also, I plan to bed it in devcon, marine tex, etc. (I'm not interested in after market stock--I like DIY and I have until next fall to do it.) I understand that I will end up with a pretty heavy rig, and that's fine. I can lug it. I will try to keep from making it crazy heavy. I'm not really recoil sensitive, and I've shot .300 win mag before. I didn't really notice the recoil. Therefore, I won't make it any heavier than necessary to stiffen the tupperware.

I know some of you folks have undertaken similar projects. This will be my first time to do these modifications. I would greatly appreciate any tips that you have FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE in doing similar projects. I'm not particularly interested in opinions about brands or calibers. Tips from your experience are greatly appreciated.
 
Get the 300 if you are not recoil sensitive. Otherwise the 30-06 is all you will need. Have killed several elk with a 30-06 and a 308 Win. Did not see any difference.
 
I don't really see the overlap of a 270 and 30/30 unless you are just saying both will kill deer out to 150 yards,which you could also say about most any centerfire.The 270 will be a great Elk caliber as well.The 30-06 would give you a little better bullet weight selection.

For really long range deer you might consider the 257 Weatherby.With a TTSX it would do the job on Elk also and recoil a lot less than the 300 win mag.
 
My 2 longest shots 275 yds one shot kill 257 Weatherby and 326 yds 270 WSM. 270 WSM with 130 gr Sie PH hits very hard no problem on deer to at least 400 yds. 300 Win mag is great too, more gun than necessary...for any deer at any practical range. But if you want a rifle that can double for elk go for it.
 
I think you have very much under estimated the 270's abilities. Within the last 10 years or so bullet technology has changed all the rules on what we used to think about what rifles will do. You don't need a 300 mag and you no longer need heavy bullets. The 270 will shoot almost exactly the same trajectory as a 300 mag and with good modern bullets will kill anything in North America. And do it in a much lighter more compact rifle, with a lot less recoil and expense. If you just prefer the 30-06 to a 270 either would be fine but you don't need a 300 mag to do what you want to do.
 
You have a 30-30,that`s it? As you didn`t say you had others and you don`t want opinions but you offer yours on several cal`s. Opinions are based on what folks do,use,like,don`t like,etc.
Sounds like your mind is made up ,to some degree, on that 300 Win Mag that when done with your mods will weigh ?? Nothing lugging a load around all day or as you said," a pretty heavy rig."
I certainly an not here to talk you out of anything. If you want to lug that "pretty heavy rig" around all day,more power to you.
The 270 cal which Jack O`conner took many an animal with and one you like, is not one to overlook.
Your doing all this due to an "invitation" which is outside your normal deer hunting. Which your 30-30 is fine for. If your going to do the invitation thing every year, I can see the need for a larger cal. If not, I`d get some Lever-E ammo for that 30-30, re-sight it for 250 yds and have at it. Remember,the shots you take are up to you.
If I were the one with the invitation, My choice would be the ...25-06.:)
 
narrowing the focus

Thanks to all for replies. Maybe I should have been more specific, but the OP was already pretty long-winded. I know it doesn't take more than .270 to kill elk. I know guys who have taken plenty of them with 30/30. In addition to the elk, I hope to go even farther north.

But my real interest here is in the operations on the tupperware stock: stiffening the wrist, forearm, bedding it, etc.

Proposed: two threaded rods along the forend, one threaded rod in the wrist, fiberglass the exterior and epoxy bedding.

Again thanks for your replies.
 
Good ol 270 is a better long ranged rifle then most think. .460 BC bullets at 3150fps do the math on that. 7mm Rem Mag, 270 WSM and the various 300 magmums are "better" in terms of external ballistics but until you get past 500yds you are really splitting hairs.
 
My best advice is to use the tupperware stock as is with maybe a simple bedding if needed.Personally,I wouldn't put all the time,money and energy into extensive modification into something I would never be satisfied with anyway.

I would just hunt it as is untill I could afford the McMillan of my choice.Just take plenty of time to make sure you have the caliber and platform you want as changing your mind is expensive,at least is has been to me.
 
The 30-06 would be cheaper to shoot but the .300 is great. The only other round that I'd consider is the 7 Mm mag.
Jack got paid plenty to schill the .270. The truth is In heavier bullets it is not accurate as the longer heavier bullets are unstable. You don't see them used in competition shooting.
Also the lighter smaller bullets have a narrower range of operation. Not that they aren't a good round and used very successfully . Just there are better choices for longer range big game.
 
My father pretty much only used a sporterized Springfield, and my own pet rifle was also an '06. We did quite nicely on deer that were sorta "way out yonder", with him nailing a few out to 500 yards and me at 350 and 450.

My last mule deer, up in the Davis Mountains, dressed out at 150. (Shot him at about 25 yards, but that's another story. :D)

I always used my '06 in the Solitario country, north of Terlingua ghost town. Wide open country, for sure. :)

Nothing wrong with a .300, but, me, I wouldn't bother.
 
7mm rem mag is my pet load. I shoot hill country white tail point blank to 300 yards. Sight in 2 inches high and it is 5 inches low at 300. Pretty much the same external ballistics as .300 win mag without the sharp recoil. I bet that Savage shoots MOA even with a cheap stock. Unless you like projects and are good at them you might be better off spending a few bucks more and getting a different rifle stocked the way you like it out of the box. You can always sell the cheap stock and recover a few bucks and buy a good after market stock. I had a savage 16 and I want it back, I have nothing bad to say about their rifles. I am a huge fan of their archery products as well.
 
update

Thank you to all for your input. I find that the little plastic trigger guard is going to have to get replaced if I can find one.

The plastic stock is harder than some I've had my hands on. I think I'm going to follow the general tone of some of the advice I've gotten on here and start out with minimal work on the tupperware. That means bedding and filling in the inner cavities of the forend with epoxy. It already floats free, so I think after the epoxy sets up on the inside I should be more than fine. If it still flexes too easy, I will fiberglass the external of the front half. I don't think rods will be necessary. It feels light as a feather!

YES I really should just shoot it the way it came, but I like projects.

I used to watch my grandad working on his rifles when I was a kid. He was a great bench rest shooter and hunter. I like to tinker, but I don't quite have his talent for mechanics. Maybe one day. He hunted with and competed with the .300. There is sentimentality in the choice.
 
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