Help me decide on a "Practical Rifle"

[sharps54]

I am in the process of refining my collection and want to end up with two or three nice hunting rifles. I don't hunt as much as I would like (mainly on a friends property in NC) but am not getting any younger so I intend to start branching out and want to hunt across the lower 48 and maybe New Zealand in the next few years. I am currently considering a short, handy .308 for the woods and a .300 Win Mag for open spaces, I think I can cover any hunts I will do between the two. I would also like to take Randy Cain's Practical Rifle course and maybe Gunsite 270 with the woods rifle.

So I have a couple options and would like to pick your educated brains. I would want stocks set up for my short length of pull (I'm 5'3"), iron sights (at least on the .308), extra sling swivels on the side for carrying and a third on the bottom to use Andy's Ching Sling, the ability to use both a low power adjustable optic and a red dot, and maybe threaded for a suppressor. I also want them to share the same action type for familiarity, I missed a deer a few years ago when I brainfarted the safety on a buddy's custom .35 Whelen Mauser...

As I see it here are my options:
1) .308 Model 70 featherweight compact & .300 WM Model 70 Extreme, both will need to be customized.
2) .308 Steyr Scout and a .300 Pro Hunter Elite.
3) 7.62x39 CZ 527 youth, some sort of CZ .300. My concern here is while the 527 would be a great deer/hog rifle it wouldn't be as capable as a .308 and I might end up with another rifle to round out the battery. 7.62x39 would be cheaper to take to 500 round classes. Still the CZ's will require as much gunsmithing as the Winchesters.

The Steyr Scout isn't perfect but is it good enough to justify buying it instead of spending more in the long run to customize the Model 70? The Steyr combo would work almost out of the box. Am I better going that route and spending the left over gunsmithing money on ammo, classes and hunts?

[Robinson]

The LOP is 13.7" so it's longer than the Youth model, but CZ now makes the 527 American Synthetic Suppressor-ready model in 300 BLK and 7.62x39. With the threaded barrel, it's one less thing to have the gunsmith do if you want a rifle in one of those chamberings.

[sharps54]

The LOP is 13.7" so it's longer than the Youth model, but CZ now makes the 527 American Synthetic Suppressor-ready model in 300 BLK and 7.62x39. With the threaded barrel, it's one less thing to have the gunsmith do if you want a rifle in one of those chamberings.

I saw that, the issue there is I'd have to add iron sights if I want them. Of course if I wanted to thread a 527 Youth I'd be paying to move the front sight anyway...

[Robinson]

By the way -- if you like ghost ring/aperture sights, NECG makes one for the CZ 527. I had one on a CZ 550FS and it is a nicely made user-installable sight. Of course, you would still have to figure out something for the front sight. Plus if you want to mount an optical sight this is irrelevant anyway.

[sharps54]

By the way -- if you like ghost ring/aperture sights, NECG makes one for the CZ 527. I had one on a CZ 550FS and it is a nicely made user-installable sight. Of course, you would still have to figure out something for the front sight. Plus if you want to mount an optical sight this is irrelevant anyway.

I am struggling with that. I'm not hunting dangerous game with it and realistically if I have quality QD mounts I can carry a zeroed back up scope or red dot in my pack if the main scope is damaged. I even thought about something like the Leupold D-EVO and LCO combo but ultimately I'm not sure it would do anything a LPV (or even a LPV and a duplicate back up) wouldn't do except cost a lot more.

My main hang up with the CZ 527 is I'd be buying mainly because of the classes. I think the extra range and power of the .308 makes it much more versatile in a two rifle hunting battery. Still I want to keep an open mind. My hunting experience ends with deer and hogs so I'm just depending on what I have read about bear, elk, sheep, etc. I'm confident the .300 is plenty for all the big things I would hunt at longer ranges but I'd rather not carry a 26" barrel through the brush if I can help it and I worry that the commie 7.62 wouldn't be enough for that kind of hunting.

[Robinson]

Sounds like you've thought a lot of this through already.

At least if you decide you would like to suppress both rifles you should be able to find a suppressor that works for both of them. The SilencerCo Omega I have is rated up through 300WM.

Do you think you need iron sights on the bigger gun? I can see wanting them for backup on the woods gun. There are some pretty rugged optical sights available though.

I realize a lot of people don't like Remington at this point, but have you thought about the Model 7 in .308 or 7mm-08? I'm pretty sure they still make one with iron sights.

[sharps54]

I was actually looking at their lighter Harvester 300. I know I want use a can on the .300 as length isn't an issue with it. I'll probably go with the lightest, shortest .300WM suppressor available once I have settled on the rifles and shipped them off to the gunsmith, if needed. Q's Trash Panda might be a contender, a hair heavier but shorter, I'm still researching.

I'm not worried about adding irons on the .300, no real need. I definitely need to research the options for irons. I was thinking NECG's banded front with Brockman's Tally base/pop up rear. I guess I need to check to see how backed up Brockman is...

I looked at the Model 7, they offer a laminated stock version with irons. I don't trust their quality and to be honest I'd really prefer controlled feed and a safety that locks the sear not the trigger. I have probably read my worn copy of "Any Shot You Want" way too many times... I think by the time I had the Remingtons where I want them I would loose the low entry cost advantage.

I know I don't get that with the Steyr combo but again the Steyr combo would be just accepting an off the rack 80-90% solution and calling it good enough.

[StraitR]

If you haven't been through all 130 pages of the scout rifle thread, there's lot's of relevant info.....

Scout Rifle Circa 2016

Not to mention, some seriously sick practical/GP rifle setups similar to what you've described.

[okie john]

Yeah, the Scout Rifle thread will answer your questions, especially about iron sights, and create a good many more. The short answer is “get a Tikka T3 or T3x Lite in 308 and put good glass on it.” You can spend more money, but I’m not sure that you’ll get more rifle. A 1913 rail will let you swap optics, but a low-power variable with an illuminated reticle eliminates the need for that. Your ready-to-hunt cost should be under $1,200, but you’ll need either a chassis or McMillan to get as many sling swivels as you’re talking about.

The 300 WM is a superb tool for experts, but unless you shoot beyond 500m in the wind regularly, it may impart a false sense of confidence. Rather than getting a second rifle in 300 WM, I’d get another T3 in 270 or 30-06 for the next ammo panic. If you need more than a 30-06, then you probably need a LOT more, and that starts at 375.

Do you plan to handload for this rifle?


Okie John

[sharps54]

Yeah, the Scout Rifle thread will answer your questions, especially about iron sights, and create a good many more. The short answer is “get a Tikka T3 or T3x Lite in 308 and put good glass on it.” You can spend more money, but I’m not sure that you’ll get more rifle. A 1913 rail will let you swap optics, but a low-power variable with an illuminated reticle eliminates the need for that. Your ready-to-hunt cost should be under $1,200, but you’ll need either a chassis or McMillan to get as many sling swivels as you’re talking about.

The 300 WM is a superb tool for experts, but unless you shoot beyond 500m in the wind regularly, it may impart a false sense of confidence. Rather than getting a second rifle in 300 WM, I’d get another T3 in 270 or 30-06 for the next ammo panic. If you need more than a 30-06, then you probably need a LOT more, and that starts at 375.

Do you plan to handload for this rifle?


Okie John

I will handload but want readily available ammo for the unlikely event I need to buy some when I am away from home. I figure .308 and .300WM are about as universal as you can get in their respective categories. That said you make a great point about the .300, I would definitely want to start with the .308 especially as all my current hunting is 200 and in.

I didn't mention it as I haven't decided if I will modify it but I do have my late grandfather's pre-64 Model 70 in .30-06 that currently wears a Williams peep with the factory front. I could always modify it as my "out west" rifle. It would just need a different stock and good scope mounts. I don't even think an AI chamber would be necessary with modern powders if I go that route.

Also that is a great point about the illuminated reticle low power variable making the red dot unneeded.