Trying to decide on a new rifle...need guidance/advise/fortitude.

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priv8ter

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Okay, so, a few weeks ago, the wife and I went out for an evening of fun and excitement at one of the local casino's. My wife did pretty good on the slot machines, so between that and some of my O.T. money, my wonderful wife asked me when I was going to get a new gun. Talking things over, we set a budget of $1000.

After agonizing over the Bolt Rifle vs. AR question for a while, I decided to get a new bolt action rifle, for Elk/Deer hunting in Eastern Washington. Several fondling trips to Sportsmans Warehouse later, I settled on the Remington Model 700 as my rifle of choice. Since then I have narrowed it down to two rifles in particular:

Model 700 BDL in 7mm Rem Mag or a 700 CDL in .35 Whelen.

I've made a quick list of pro's(no con's, since I'm a positive kind of guy)

BDL in 7mm Rem Mag:
Wider Selection of Factory Loads(hope to get into reloading for Christmas Though)
Shoots faster and flatter
Has Iron Sights, giving me an excuse for see through scope rings.
Nice Wood
Is $70 Cheaper since Sportsmans Warehouse has it stock ready to go.

CDL in .35 Whelen
Is a neat, slightly unusual caliber
Shoots a bigger bullet, some loads still have over a ton of energy out at my max comfortable range of 300 yards.
No nasty-iron sights to require expensive scope mounts.
Doesn't shoot quite as flat, giving me and excuse for a .25-06 a few years from now.
Costs more than the BDL, giving me an excuse to buy a less expensive scope, so I am not tempted to take shots beyond my skill level.

Any one elses opinon on these two calibers is greatly appreciated

Now, here is where I need fortifying: I am a cheapskate. I own 14 guns, and what I am planning to spend on this hunting rig(rifle and scope) is almost twice what any of my other guns cost. I need you folks to tell me not to wimp out and buy a new Savage gun and scope combo just because it costs less. :rolleyes:

Thanks for everyones opinon!

greg
 
Don't look at me for fortitude - I'd get a Savage. I would snap up a Rem 7600 pump in .35 whelen if I found one, since only a few were made and I want one badly. Of those choices, I'd get the .35 Whelen over the 7 remmag, for a variety of reasons, some of which may not apply to you (filling missing rifle niches).

out at my max comfortable range of 300 yards
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See that's me too - with my eyesight and skill, 275 to 300 is about the max I'd want to shoot at any of God's creatures *regardless* of the caliber/trajectory, and .35 whelen is fine for that, and it's good for biiiiig game.
 
I'd greatly prefer the .35 Whelen over the 7mm. Rem. Mag. - but why stop at .35 Whelen? Why not look at .375 H&H, for a superb elk round that will also take anything else on the North American continent with relative ease? The recoil is not much different than a properly loaded .35 Whelen.
 
I should clarify my last paragraph, if it wasn't clear - what I meant was, I wouldn't take a super long shot because I am extremely loathe to taking a chance on wounding an animal. Yeah, look at maybe getting a .375 H&H mag or 9.3x62mm, which is in between the other 2 in power. CZ 550s are chambered in both of these. I had a 7mm remmag rifle and sold it, because I didn't see any point in/use for it - too much ammo expense and recoil, just for gaining some super duper trajectory which I'd never need anyway. If I was looking for a very big game, long range rifle, I'd get something in .30-'06, .300 winmag, .338 winmag, .338-'06, .35 whelen, 9.3x62mm, or .375 H&H mag. Of those, the .338-06 is pretty much wildcat status, and the .35 whelen and 9.3x62 are less common to find ammo for - the others are very common to find (as I'm sure you know). I should say in most places, but I understand tha .35 whelen is common in certain areas, like Alaska and other Rocky Mountain states; not around here.

Doesn't shoot quite as flat, giving me and excuse for a .25-06 a few years from now.
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There ya go - now there's a looooong range rifle that won't beat you up so much.
 
Don't listen to these big bore nuts............

First Congratulatons are in order! I've always lost in games of chance. I've owned both. My Whelen was built an an FN Mauser and it was a great rifle. Now that"s out of the way The 7 Mag is way more practical and has the aproximate recoil of an '06. Do yourself a favor....Mount a QUALITY fixed 4 or 6 power scope in low mounts. Shoot it a lot and you will never have any regrets. Rember this is from someone that knows absolutely everything.. Good shooting, Essex County
 
The stock of a BDL reflects the sun like a mirror. Years ago on a sunny day, while I was sitting on stand, a friend walked a fence line about 200 yards from me. The sun's reflection off his BDL was so bright I needed to close my eyes and look away, it hurt.

So to answer your question:

Buy the 35 Whelen with out the gloss stock (if you reload). They only place the 7mm will better it (by much) will be at distances you are not going to shoot anyway.

Put a nice piece of glass on it. My Rem 700-35 Whelen carries a Leupold 1.5-5.


Respectfully,

jkelly
 
Somethings to think about

The thought of getting a .375 passed briefly through my mind. My boss where I works always brags about how his .300 Wby Mag is the ultimate elk gun, basically cleans and bones them for you. I thought by getting a .375, maybe I could challenge his manhood.

I'm going to admit I don't know much about the 9.3 X 62. It seems people are very excited about the fact that CZ is starting to import them, so it must have some promise.

I passed on the bigger bores though, because I plan to use this gun occasionally for mule deer, and...the guns seem to cost too much. When I am able find a .375 to look at, it seems like they are going for about $150-200 more than the Model 700's I'm looking at. That would mean I would have to skimp on a scope to stay in my budget.

jdkelly, I hadn't thought about the glare. One of the things I like about the BDL is the nice, glossy wood stock. I hadn't thought how that might reflect light out in the field.

Other advise is always helpful.

greg
 
Thanks!

Well, thanks to everyone who helped. I made my decision and went into to put half down on the CDL in .35 Whelen.

In the end, I decided that .375 was just TOO big, 9.3X62 was TOO rare, and 7mm Rem Mag was something I had owned in the past.

The .35 Whelen seemed JUST Right.

Greg
 
My elk rifle is a .35 Brown-Whelen, built on an '03 Sprigfield action. This is the most radical form of the Whelen, and if you don't mind fire-forming cases it will shoot right in there with a .338 Mag.

Having said that, let me hasten to point out that I hunt with a lot of guys who use the 7mm Rem Mag, and it's a fine elk rifle -- just use the heavier bullet weights.
 
Nice goin'!

Priv8er--Nice goin getting the .35 Whelan! I've lusted for one myself. Me, I'd get the .35 Whelan Ackley Improved. If you want that, you can have a gunsmith ream out the regular Whelan chamber to Improved spec if you don't want to do it.

But don't skimp on the 'scope, man! You want decent glass! The $89 specials are OK @ the range in perfect noonday light. But we don't hunt much at noon on sunny days, do we?

Higher qualtiy glass will come in to its own at dawn, dusk, in precipitation, when you lean the rifle against something and it falls over, landing on the 'scope, and as you shoot the rifle more and more. The cheap stuff will handle a few shots. I'm presuming that you want to practice enough with your new rifle to be really good with it. You owe that to the gun, to your quarry, and to yourself.

The Bushnell 3200 Elite or 4200 Elite are good 'scopes. Some will say Leupold; I can't argue. If you got the $$$ get a Kahles or a Swarovski. Quality 'scopes will tell in the long run. A rule of thumb is to spend about as much on the 'scope as you do on the rifle. Good glass will bring out the best in a so-so rifle. Poor cheap glass will limit an XLNT rifle to so-so.

BTW, IMHO see-thru 'scope mounts are an abomination. Good on you not getting them. A good scope will not fog up on you nor break so you don't need the iron sights as backup, and the see-thru's will put the 'scope 'way high up so you can't get a good cheek weld on the rifle stock. If you are going on The Hunt Of Your Lifetime you will have a backup rifle, with its own 'scope, and a backup 'scope, all in its rings and mounts and zeroed, ready to exchange. So there is never a reason for the see-thru mounts. Tip-off mounts, same thing. One more movable joint to work loose.
 
Priv8ter;

I'll toss another vote for the Tikka. However, if I understand things correctly, it'll have to be the .25-06 Tikka as you've already committed to the Remington. Unless, of course, your emporium handles Tikka & would just move the money over to another gun.

Also another vote for good glass. Watch the sales at Midway, Bear Basin, Riflescopes.com & you can possibly expand your cost/benefits ratio.

Congrats on wanting to get into handloading. C'mon over to www.handloadersbench.com, I moderate over there & it's a friendly place with a lot of knowledge.

900F
 
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