I know this has been beat to death, but I’d still love your input before I make a bad decision.

The newer “hybrid” PRS/hunting rifles have recently caught my eye.  Think Bergara B14HMR or Sako S20.

I currently hunt deer in the PA hills, where having the opportunity to shoot something as far as 200 yards is a stretch, but am going to start applying for elk tags here, and I potentially have the opportunity to go to Colorado with a buddy for elk, and have a good friend in Alaska that I hope to make it to to visit in the next few years for a hunting trip.

I’m hoping to find a great mountain gun that will take care of elk without a problem, but can scale up to moose if I should get the opportunity. I can’t see myself going past a 5-600 yard shot, just not that confident in my abilities.  I want to find something that will fill the gaps in what I already have, and be a nice “semi-premium” type of rifle.  Will use it for elk eventually, but also don’t want something too overkill that I can’t use it here in hilly PA for deer.  Would be nice with the hybrid type of rifle to also shoot some 3-800 yard long range precision I have lots of cheaper and mid tier guns.  

What I have as far as hunting rifles
Ruger American and Remington 7600 in 30-06
Marlin 336 and Remington 788 in 30-30
Cheap savage bolt gun and a Tikka t3 scout CTR(early model, super heavy bull barrel soon to be in a KRG chassis)
1895 in 45/70
Ruger m77 in 25.06.
And a Winchester model 70 in 375 H&H(this would likely be my backup if I go out west)

I know a .308 would technically cover me up to elk, but I’m thinking for peace of mind and flatter trajectory/less worry about wind, I’d like something bigger.  It’s a hard decision, as I have piles of .308 ammo already, but I think I want something different.    Last caveat is that I want something I can use suppressed.  Have a can on the way eared up to 300 win mag.

So with that in mind, what caliber, or even rifle, would you suggest?  I’m really looking hard at the S20 in 300 win mag,  but can’t quite commit.  The cheaper 6.5 cm ammo, and long range target shooting with it seems slightly appealing, but it seems a bit on the underpowered side for elk.

You already have everything you need for such.  The only real question is if you simply want something new.

Keep in mind what the 6.5 has going for it, really good long for caliber (think sectional density) hunting bullets.

I wouldn't hesitate to take an elk with a good 140 grain 6.5mm bullet.  The 6.5 Swede has been doing it for over 100 years on elk sized animals without a problem.

You don't have to get fancy either, Nosler partitions are just fine. Norma Oryx 156 grain if you could find some and really wanted to be sure.

There are so many good choices. I agree with the post above and would choose one of the 6.5’s. They have been killing moose since the early 1900’s. I would choose the one I purchased for my son, 6.5 PRC. The only issue is if you aren’t a hand loader you will need to work on building inventory. But honestly it is my favorite caliber so far. I have killed elk with all the belted mags, except wby, 45-70, 7-08 and others. The 6.5 PRC is the sweet spot for me.

I would take either the Ruger or Rem 7600 30/06

If I just had to get a new gun caliber for Elk and planning on trecking the mountains I would go get me a Bergara b-14 hunter in 6.5cm or 7mag

+1 you have everything you need.


If you just want a lighter mountain rifle go for it.  

I would really love a 6.5x55 myself, ideally a Mauser action in a 20” Mannlicher set up.

So many guns fit, a .270, a .280, old school or one of the more moderns .260, 6.5 Creedmoor, the PRCs.


I suggest if you go light keep it down to a dull roar power wise.  No sense building a flinch inducing setup.

I would use a light for caliber monolithic bullet, keep the speed up to ensure the all copper round opens and get plenty of penetration.  If sticking with lead I would go with a bonded bullet on the heavy side.


Unfortunately all I ever see for sale in light walking rifles is the most modern cartridges I really don’t desire.  Hell I would be happy with a light 7x57 Mauser.

You could use what you have, but if you are looking for something new that would take pretty much any animal in the lower 48, I would suggest a 7mm rem.

Plenty of good factory ammo selections that you can get pretty much any where.

140 grain to 180 grain ammo, fast, flat accurate.

It will cover pretty much everything

Just my 2 cents

I am partial to the 30-06 for elk, took one with one. Almost any caliber will DRT given a cns hit, but a 30-06 with 180 grain Bullets is a really good combo for elk.

6.5 creedmore retains more energy at range I believe than a 30-06

I love my .375
I absolutely love that cartridge. You do not want to fire a .375 out of a mountain rifle
You want a heavier rifle. Preferably over 9 lbs.

Having said that, a .375 loaded with either hornady 270 grain softs, or 300 grain ttsx sits stuff down.
Same trajectory as a 30-06

Get a sako 85 in 30-06

I appreciate all the feedback.  I ended up making the “smart” choice, I think, and buying the bergara B14 HMR in .308.

It’s heavier than I wanted, and the action not quite as crisp, but cheaper than the Sako, and feels great on my shoulder.  Plus, I’ve seen varying reports on the sako accuracy, with some being lasers and others being all over the place.

The upside is that I already have piles of .308 Ammo, and this shares AICS mags with my Tikka, so I just figured it was the smarter play.

Now im looking for an optic.  Looking hard at the leupold vx3hd 4.5-14x40 or x50 or the vx5hd 3-15x44, and standardizing on a load and getting one of the cds turret caps to make life easy.

Is the vx-5 worth the additional $300-350 and  extra 6 oz?

Anything else in the optics department in that price and magnification range I should look at?

Partial to the Vortex "lightweight hunter", or maybe the newer model now

Thanks.  I had quickly looked at vortex options and didn’t see anything I liked.  Checked out the LHT line after this suggestion and ordered a 3-15x50.  Was a hard choice, though.  I love the alumina caps and wish more manufacturers would come up with a similar solution, plus hard to order something Japanese made vs made in US.

I'm surprised you didn't think the action was crisp on the Bergara.  I had a B14 HMR and it was really, really smooth to the point it totally surprised me.  It was so smooth I had to double check it fed a cartridge if I wasn't staring directly at the chamber and seeing it pick up a round.

CDS caps...  These work well IF, and iI do mean IF , the data you send to Leupold is good.  

Do not look at the damned ammo ballistics chart, find the expected factory velocity, and send that to Leupold.  Beg borrow or otherwise find a chronograph, fire at least ten rounds, and average them out.  good data makes for caps that work as intended.

I've got a Leupold VX3 and a Leupold VX6.  Sorry, I don't have a VX5.  The  biggest advantage of the higher end scope is the greater magnification range.  That appealed to me.  However, I wish the VD5 or VX 6 was available in a 1" tube.  I dont really like the added weight.  I'm not a huge fan of heavy scopes...  Mine s a 2-12VX6, and I do like it very much.  Its on a Tikka CTR, and I regard it as my precision rifle.

When opting for MY version of a 'mountain gun", I bought a Cooper Excaliber in 280 Ackley Improved.  I stuck a Leup 3.5-10X VX3 on it, and have not regretted that choice.  I would happily buy a VX5 or VX6 in a 2-12x option if they made one that wasn't so damned heavy (meaning a 1" tube)

I was mostly comparing it to my current Tikka, and the S20 that I handled.  700 actions just pail in comparison to those as far as buttery smoothness, IMO.

As far as 700 actions go it’s not bad.

I’d rather have my BC-5HD 2x10 than a 3x15 magnification.
Shit happens fast in heavy brush like you can find in the eastern mountains, and I don’t see the need for 15 magnification unless you are shooting small stuff at long range.

Yeah, 87% of my hunting is done in those conditions.  I have lots of rifles with 2-7, 3-9, open sights etc….. this gun is more for the other 13% where I might seek out 500 yard opportunities, and also as a backup to my current PRS rifle.

I have VX5HD 3-15X44 and just got a VX6HD 3-18X50 (with firedot).  A few a my opinions:

-You don't need the hubble telescope on a hunting rifle.  I love the low end.  3 power is about perfect for me.  Having the capability to crank it up is really nice under certain conditions.  

-The VX5/VX6 is absolutely worth a couple hundred more dollars.  You will have it for life if you want....

-The firedot reticle is also the cat's ass.  I wish my 5s had it.

-Like another poster said, the 5s and 6s come with a free CDS dial (6s also come with alumina scope caps and a throw lever).  Take your time, collect the correct data on your rifle/round, and the CDS dials are great.  Guess or go by what the box/table says, and you probably should not waste your time.

-Caliber is an endless discussion.  Either dance with what you brought, or find a new caliber that suits your fancy and buy a new gun.  Your money, your life....be happy.


If I had to pick one hunting scope for the rest of my days, it would probably be a VX5HD 3-15X44 with a duplex firedot reticle.  

If you plan on hunting in Idaho a vx-6 is not legal.

Why?  Checked the regs and didn't see anything.  Just curious.  

I did see that a rifle/scope can't weigh more than 16 lbs.  What's the rationale there????

According to an admittedly dated post on ID F&G's site, any powered accessories on a riflescope are not allowed for big game hunting, to include a lighted reticle. Talk about

"With any electronic device attached to, or incorporated
in, the firearm or scope; except scopes containing battery
powered or tritium lighted reticles are allowed."

This is all I found in their regs, which would make illuminated reticles legal.  I assumed it was the magnification that was considered illegal, but I don't see anything.

Savage UltraLite in .308? ...  5.8lbs before the scope.

Here: https://www.savagearms.com/content?p=firearms&a=product_summary&s=57577

I have a Leupold VX 3 4.5X14 on my A-Bolt in 300 Win Mag. I am also a PA hunter.

Just got my custom built 700 in 6.5x55 back Friday. Took it out and got the barrel broke in, plan on taking it on a elk hunt this year. I do believe I have bought up all the remaining Norma 156 in the country.