allen, I know you are know stranger to the .300 Winchester Mag. I was wondering if a rifle weighing about 7 3/4 Lbs. scoped would be a little to light. The barrel tapper would be .650" at the muzzle. From what I can see the Recoil should be about 31 ft lbs. with 180's, ruffly the same as a stiff charge in my muzzle loader. What do you think?
Also, I should have mentioned, not a bolt action, a single shot Encore.

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Thanks, Mark G

"Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." Genesis 9:3

[This message has been edited by Mark G (edited 04-10-2002).]

Mark, I'm not Allen, but I'd be VERY surprised if you could get a scoped 300 Win Mag (I'm assuming a 24" bbl) to weigh that light with a barrel that mic's .650" at the muzzle... that's fairly stout even for a 338 Win Mag.

Brad

Brad, sure you can (just not in a bolt action). I shoot a T/C Encore in .270win right now that weights 7 3/4 lbs. scoped, with a 26" barrel that is .650" at the muzzle. (TACK DRIVER!)
I was thinking of getting a custom made barrel in .300win, 25" .650".
I had a 26" .750" (heavy barrel) in .300win that shot great, but it was a little on the heavy side to carry, so I traded it.

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Thanks, Mark G

"Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." Genesis 9:3

[This message has been edited by Mark G (edited 04-10-2002).]

To get to the weight you want you would need to pick a Rem 700 action over a Mauser or Model 70 and the barrel would need to be around 0.560" to 0.570" at the muzzle....with a composite/fiberglass stock this should get you close to 6 1/2 to 6 3/4 lbs. This means scope and mounts no more than 14-16 ounces so no variable power scope.

Bill, re-read the post.

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Thanks, Mark G

"Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." Genesis 9:3

Mark, I don't care for light rifles in belted magnum calibers. With scope, sling, and full magazine my favorite .300 Winchester weighs just a little under nine pounds with a 24" barrel, and it's built on a Model 70 action. I've packed rifles of this weight up a lot of mountains and in a lot of saddle scabbards, but I've generally not given the weight issue a whole lot of thought or worry.

Years ago, when Remington first came out with their Custom Shop KS Mountain rifle, I ordered one in .300 Winchester, and I installed a matte finished 4X Leupold scope in matte finished Buehler mounts to top it off. This was a good-looking, very light rifle which weighed (complete and field-ready) just under eight pounds. After some tuning and adjustment, I could get 3/4", five-shot groups out of it at 100 yards, but I never learned to love that rifle. It was sort of a bugger to shoot off the bench (subconscious flinch is a very real phenomenon, and carries itself over into the field), and since it wasn't all that steady from field positions, I sold it.

Obviously, you believe in the Encore and it sounds like you'd prefer to own a .300 Winchester in that model of rifle. I guess you'd have to weigh the cost of getting set up for .300 Win. Mag. shooting in the Encore versus the risk of not being able to manage it to your satisfaction after you've laid out your money.

As a sidenote, I know guys with Ultra Light Arms rifles in 7mm Rem.Mag., .300 Win.Mag., and .338 Win.Mag., and they swear by them.

Personally, a .300 magnum that weighs less than 8.5 lbs. is too light to suite me.

AD

I find myself agreeing with Allan all to much these days, wish he would tick me off, so we could get in a good discussion!!

I don't think Miller is the last word in fine rifles, just one of the good ones, hows that?

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

allen & Ray, thanks for the replys. I think you are right on. I guess I will probably go with a custom Heavy barrel .750" and have it wacked back to 24". It will be tiny short (38.5" overall), but still chime in around 8.5 Lbs. scoped & loaded.
kinda like a pocket rocket .300winy!!

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Thanks, Mark G

"Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." Genesis 9:3

Mark, I see you edited your post to add it's to be in an Encore... that makes sense, though I'd not want to shoot a 300 Win Mag in one!

Brad, I used to own a .300win barrel for my Encore. It was 26" Heavy barrel and at 8.7 or so pounds was very pleasent to shoot. I have a small/med frame so the Encore fits me like a glove. Accually the most unpleasent firearm to shoot that I have owned, was a Rem 700ADL in 7mm Rem.Mag. It kicked, it was too loud, and overly long for me. Go figure?

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Thanks, Mark G

"Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." Genesis 9:3

This whole discussion has got me thinking I will just go with a 26" (.650") barrel in 30-06. With some federal High Engery Stuff (and the long Tube) I should be able to push a 180gr Partion in the 2820-2850 range. And I'll get to keep my 7.75lb rifle.
I just wanted something a little more suited to Black Bear/Elk than my .270win.

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Thanks, Mark G

"Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." Genesis 9:3