I just want to verify some thoughts in my head. I have swapped a couple barrels on my rifles, but I'm not a frequent swapper so the limits of what can be done escapes me.

I have a Early 2000s era 110 in .300 win mag that I have swapped the barrel on already. It came with a heavy barrel and I swapped it for a Shaw magnum contour fluted barrel. It shoots good enough for me, but it's not what I consider light or a balanced carry gun. At 9 lbs 12 oz it seems top heavy and muzzle heavy with a 24 inch barrel that tapers to .73 muzzle diameter. The current recoil is okay since I'm not a high volume shooter and I did have a muzzle brake but ditched it as I really don't like them. I don't want to increase perceived recoil.

Purpose: Definitely an elk gun since that's the one tag I can get when I don't draw an archery elk tag. Could get a goat, moose, or sheep tag if I ever beat the LOTTO like odds. I regularly shoot out to 500-600 meters (546-656 more or less yards for non military trained football players). I don't care about killing paper or steel at 1000 yards. And since the elk typically go to timber once rifle season starts, in the end this will mostly be used by being carried in the timber in very steep terrain. Yes I have other guns better for timber, but we all have seen elk out in the middle of the sage on the last day of rifle season just basking in the sun with no covered approach so my .270 hits a little soft out at 500 meters. In my mind an 8 1/2 pound gun would be an okay carry weight for a 600 meter gun.

1. .300 win mag barrels can be had at 24 inches down to a muzzle diameter of .6 to .565. Is this too light a contour for a .300 wm in that 500-600 meter range?

2. Is it time to let the .300 wm nostalgia go? Does a 7rm make more sense for this purpose? High BC lighter bullet. Maybe a slight bit less perceived recoil with the lighter rifle weight?

3. Is it time to let go of the heirloom calibers and go with something totally different? Not too big a fan of boutique calibers that can't be picked up off the shelf. I assume with a long action magnum bolt I could still chamber short action magnum bullets. Is this thought correct and what would that on the shelf caliber be considering the parameters I have laid out.

4. Or do I just ask too many question, and a person in his mid 50s should be happy with a heavy gun.

Thanks for the input.