Hey Glamdring, OK, OK, you got me with the original question. I thought you had not thought this through all that far.
Now, let me say I see no problem at all with what you are considering. One thing to keep in mind is if you did happen to decide to try the 7mmSTW, it takes a real l-o-n-g barrel (28" is not too long) to get a "significant" advantage over the good old 7mmRemMag in a 24" barrel. That does not seem to be the situation with the other rounds you mentioned.
As a follow-up on the kinds of "used Big Bores" I've seen at some of the Gun Shows, here is one example that still sticks in my mind:
I was at a Gun Show in Charlotte, NC about 8-10 years ago that had 5000 tables of rifles and goodies for us to drool over. Went cutting around the end of a table and there was one of those HIGH $,$$$.oo Weatherby's. It had the Myrtle wood stock with all the fancy inlays and the blueing on it looked so deep that it looked like you could "reach into" the blueing.
I almost kept going, but all of a sudden it finally sunk in that it had a HUGE barrel on it with a muzzle brake that was so well fit, that it did not appear to be removeable (but it was removeable). Backed up just to see what the caliber was and the guy who owned it told me to pick it up. Well, come to find out it was a 460Wby.
It caught me a bit off guard and I said something about it being so beautiful. I was thinking about the Ballistics on this thing and asked if it was new. He said no, it was used and he only wanted $900 for it. I could not see a single wear indication, no scratches in the stock finish, no stain in the blueing nor a speck of rust on it anywhere. He then told me it looked so new because it had only been fired 3 times and handed me a box of cartridges with only 3 spent rounds. Then I asked why he was selling it at such an apparently low price. He said, he never intended to fire it again since the 3rd shot had broken his collar bone.
So, there are some real bargains out there occasionally.
I completely agree with your idea of getting both rifles from the same manufacturer. Especially if you do intend to hunt some dangerous Game.
Looks like you are on the right track to me. I do like the list of "Custom Options" you have listed.
Good luck with the project, Hot Core
Now, let me say I see no problem at all with what you are considering. One thing to keep in mind is if you did happen to decide to try the 7mmSTW, it takes a real l-o-n-g barrel (28" is not too long) to get a "significant" advantage over the good old 7mmRemMag in a 24" barrel. That does not seem to be the situation with the other rounds you mentioned.
As a follow-up on the kinds of "used Big Bores" I've seen at some of the Gun Shows, here is one example that still sticks in my mind:
I was at a Gun Show in Charlotte, NC about 8-10 years ago that had 5000 tables of rifles and goodies for us to drool over. Went cutting around the end of a table and there was one of those HIGH $,$$$.oo Weatherby's. It had the Myrtle wood stock with all the fancy inlays and the blueing on it looked so deep that it looked like you could "reach into" the blueing.
I almost kept going, but all of a sudden it finally sunk in that it had a HUGE barrel on it with a muzzle brake that was so well fit, that it did not appear to be removeable (but it was removeable). Backed up just to see what the caliber was and the guy who owned it told me to pick it up. Well, come to find out it was a 460Wby.
It caught me a bit off guard and I said something about it being so beautiful. I was thinking about the Ballistics on this thing and asked if it was new. He said no, it was used and he only wanted $900 for it. I could not see a single wear indication, no scratches in the stock finish, no stain in the blueing nor a speck of rust on it anywhere. He then told me it looked so new because it had only been fired 3 times and handed me a box of cartridges with only 3 spent rounds. Then I asked why he was selling it at such an apparently low price. He said, he never intended to fire it again since the 3rd shot had broken his collar bone.
So, there are some real bargains out there occasionally.
I completely agree with your idea of getting both rifles from the same manufacturer. Especially if you do intend to hunt some dangerous Game.
Looks like you are on the right track to me. I do like the list of "Custom Options" you have listed.
Good luck with the project, Hot Core
