Ballistic heads and long range guys, caliber recommendation

I went through this process about four years ago. My goal for long range was for the most part 1,000 yards and in to start with. I wanted a gun that didn't help create a flinch due to recoil.

For me the 6.5 creedmoor was what I decided on I am VERY happy with it. I bought the parts and put some of it together myself and had Pheonix arms do what I couldn't. The 140 Amax has an excellent ballistic coefficient and in a light wind will shoot sub MOA out to 1,500 yards with me pulling the trigger.

Lots of love these days for .338, .300, etc I stayed away from them. The .308 is something else to consider as an excellent long range gun, lots of stuff out there on it, I shot one for years I got away from it because after Sandy Hook when I was looking it was too hard to get components to reload. However it's a round worth looking at also.

A lot depends upon how far you want to shoot and what you want to shoot at.

the 7STW is a really expensive round and hard to find sometimes. buddy of mine retired his for this reason and its a big gun to be packing around.
have you looked at 300 weatherby mag?

I've always been intrigued by the RUM concept. Since you've set that aside (I understand), there are a handful of possibilities:

I consider it a boutique cartridge, but you're to be handloading anyway. 6mm Norma BR might be an option. You'll have to go Savage or custom (I think) on the rifle, but a great cartridge for your intended application.

.300 magnum, either Winchester or Weatherby - just a matter of preference (I like Weatherby products), although .300 Win Magnum is going to be tough to beat out here on all the usual bolt gun criteria, particularly for your intended application.

.338 Win Magnum (or even .338 Lapua, if you want to be trendy)? But, honestly, I think 7mm Mag could do the job you're looking to do.

(So could a .30-06 at ranges of about 500 yards and closer. You might be undergunned with an aught six at extreme ranges on an elk hunt, but you have dozens of factory loads from which to choose. But, since you're handloading, I wouldn't seriously consider a .30-06.)

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The 140 Amax has an excellent ballistic coefficient and in a light wind will shoot sub MOA out to 1,500 yards with me pulling the trigger.

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That's pretty strong shooting Hammer.

I have a McMillan 30-378 that I custom load. I'm crazy about it.

The obvious downsides are recoil and weight due to barrel length. Still an awesome weapon. Versatile enough to cold drop sheep or elk-sized animals beyond 1000 yards.

Unless you're itching to do a wildcat I would just go 300 Win and call it a day. You say reloading is down the road, but that's pretty much a necessity when you get into wildcats. 300 Win has plenty of readily available loads commercially produced.

I havent completely ruled out the 300RUM just not dead set on it like I was.

A 300 WIN is a no go, I am looking for a hot rod round since I do plan to reload for it in the future. I already have a 270 with custom hot loads and a 25-06 AI with hot loads so a 30-06 and similar rounds are useless to me.

I will have to check out the 30 Nosler, didnt realize they can out with it. 300 WTHY is another I need to look at.

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I havent completely ruled out the 300RUM just not dead set on it like I was.

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FWIW, I believe there is a decent base of handloaders to take advantage of the variable power nature of the round. I would also proceed very slowly and cautiously. I also take your issue of barrel life seriously. If you ended up going custom, maybe there are some longer life barrels out there. Still intriguing as a "one gun" concept, but just less than fully successful application at this time, as I understand it.

I think the Noslers are almost too new to tell, at this point. But, if you were thinking 28 Nosler was a viable option before, 30 is probably going to be even better for something Elk-sized at 400 or 500 yards - just MHO.

You shelved the RUM because of lack of ammo availability and your next two options are 28 Nosler and 7stw? Lmfao!

Srsly, you better start hand loading.

If you're really worried about ammo, then buy the 300 winny and don't look back. If by future big game hunts you mean whitetail, then 260 remington and 6.5 Creedmore are where it's at. Ammo, again, will be an issue. 308 would be a good option.