foodplooter2, I now have a better understanding of what you are talking about pinning. I own dozens of custom rifles. I see you point in sliding bases, when a good gunsmith trues an action he is SUPPOST to check the action holes and MY gun smith checks the base and screw holes.Nightforce bases are Mil-spec or less. That's pretty tight, and if checked with the proper equipment,it GTG. AS far as screws 8/40 grade A screws in a action that has been checked for screw runout for zero tolorence should be GTG. SOME gunsmiths check and retread if neccacery the slack you are talking about,i know mine does. I see the value in what your doing. But when I pay for an action to be trued I expect the gunsmith to check the screw holes and enlarge to 8/40 if nessary, I also will have my base check on a machinest type level to check for 0 tolerance.With proper tapered grade a screws I have never had a base come loose, even after 400 rds of 338 lapua!

Look at the Winchester ballistics table online. I have the 7mm wsm and it reaches out there like you want. But I don't think they still make that caliber. But they do in the 270wsm that's what I would get it shoots faster and has more knock down other than the 300 then all those calibers. The 300 is just a little big for deer.

I am not knocking .270WSM. However it is not the same as a 7 Mag with heavier bullets. With the short magnums you begin to sacrafice case volume vs. seating depth, etc.

Also, if you don't hand load. 7 mag is so much cheaper about as available as '06.

Having said all that I love the .270WSM. Great round.

Biggest problem with the 7mm wsm is the brass. Sorry but i have had bad luck with winchester. Lots of guys that reload take Norma 300 wsm and size it down to 7mm wsm. I think Nosler is selling loaded ammo for 7mm wsm. You can have rifle custom built and have more case capicity and get 180s to 3000 fps with 7mm wsm! Norma has just started making 270 wsm brass so now you could size up a 270 wsm and make a 7mm wsm if you reload. I have been thinking about a 270 wsm Tikka T3 stainless for short range. 3300 fps with a 130 gr berger would be an intersting rifle load!

If we are talking which caliber to effectively take deer at 500+, I would suggest a 7mm or 300. Heck you could get lucky and hit one at 600 with a 22 rifle in the eye and kill it stone dead. But lets be responsible here. Anything smaller than a .284 just doesn't have enough butt behind it to effectively kill at those distances. Sure you could do it with a smaller caliber, but I wouldn't depend on it. Thats just me. As far as building a capable rifle for 1200 bucks I would start with one of the lower end savages or find an old remington at a pawn shop for a couple hundred bucks. Throw on a new stock and a new barrel on the remington and you could have about 8 to 900 on the cheap side of aftermarket parts. Leaves you roughly 3 or 400 bucks for a decent scope. The scope is equally important if not more, and thats where your 1200 dollars is going to be in trouble.

I don't think their is any way you can buy a rem 700 and put a stock and barrel own it for 800-900 dollars. Fact is unless you are a gunsmith and can but the barrel on your self their is no way you can!!!

ah, forgot to factor in the gunsmith, well played shooters.. well played

Are y'all still talking about long range shooting?

Here's the answer:
Buy a savage (it's key to start with a great gun), chambered in a 30-30 Winchester. Get yourself some 170 grain flat-nose ammo. Top the gun with the best optics around, a Tasco 4x40 and make sure you use the best base/rings available, redfield of course. Then, go to the range and site your tack driver in at 50 yards and then you should be able to take deer at 1800+ yards with no problem at all.

YOU where the 1 still up at 1230am my bed time is at 11am!!!

BGH

I haven't killed as much as Shooters with the Bergers either but they have worked well for me. Also talked to a few guys that take them to AK on their hunts. I remember one guy had great success out of a 7wsm on Grizzly and Moose. Both 1 round DRT. I am with you on the good bonded bullets though, they are proven.

I would go with a 270 wsm i have killed more than one deer over 500 with mine and i love it.check the charts and you will see it shoots very flat. only downside to me is i have shot a few real close up i would say 25 yards and under and they didnt bleed very much if at all but they did die just not a big hole that close.

The 270wsm is flat shooting no 1 will deny this, but they are many reasons WHY it is not the best choice! Number 1 cost every thing is more expensive even if you hand load. Number 2 is DOES NOT shoot flatter than the 7mm wsm or 7mm mag!!! Number 3 better bullet selection= it an apples to orange thing. Here is your example of 500 yards. 7mm wsm 3100fps with a 168 gr bullet Bc of 618= drops 30 inchs at 500 yards. 270 wsm 3200 fps with 140 gr bullet Bc of 510< the highest BC avalibe for 277 caliber bullets> drops 31.5 inchs at 500 yards.Thats also pushing the 270 wsm with handloads. The 7mm wsm or 7mm mag is a much better choice. I think everyone can see that the cost of brass, dies, bullets, will be cheaper for the 7mm than the 270 wsm. Nothing wrong with the 270wsm just NOT the best choice for what the OP is wanting!