Another long range caliber thread...

S

std7mag

New member
Looking for input from our long range group. (you know who you are!)

Planning on building a designated target/range rifle. Will probably be built on a Savage/Stevens action.

Anyways, what works well for long range, hopefully without too much recoil, and a new barrel after 800 rounds.

I guess I'm leaning towards 6.5mm, or 7mm. Just don't need the recoil of the 300's +.

I don't care if it's a wildcat. Just need easily obtainable parent casings.

Thanks

Std7mag
 
Shot a 25-06 built on a Savage it is a great rifle but tops out around 500 yds with 117 Sierra spitzer bolt tail . The 6.5 Lapua seems to be one of the top runners in the caliber range you are looking at . Couple of the earlier wildcats would be 6.5 X 300 Weatherby Mag and 7mm X 300 Weatherby Mag .
 
Easily obtained quality brass?
Low recoil?
6 to 7 mm?

243 Winchester.

Use a tighter twist for the heavier bullets.

Jimro
 
This won't be popular, but I have two .308's for long range target and hunting. The target gun I'm running 168 grain match bullets.

With this rig I've successfully placed in the top three in numerous steel sniper matches while going up against the 6.5's and other similar cartridges. Sure I haven't done stellar in all the shoots, but it's nowhere near impossible to be competitive with the .308.

For my hunting rifle I have a Bighorn long action, 26" Bartlein 1:10 twist in a McMillan stock. Just had this rifle built this past summer for a dedicated hunting rifle.

The first victim was a mulie out in Nebraska a couple weeks back at 358 yards. In this rifle I'm running 208g AMAXs at around 2550 fps with Reloader 17. The 208's are a dream to shoot in the wind, they just don't move much with their .648 BC.

So there are of course better calibers out there that'll let you buck the wind better, but when it comes to availability the .308 is near the top with regards to components and platforms.
 
I'm not adverse to shooting the 308. Just seems like everybody and their brother has one. I like to be a little different. :rolleyes:

As for the 6.5, or 7mm-300 Weatherby, barrel life would be kinda short.

Have always heard what a barrel burner the 6.5-284 was. Was looking at 6.5 Rem Mag, and 6.5-06, but the 3 are rather close in case volume.

Have been leaning towards either 260Rem (with a longer throat to load bullets out of the powder column more) or the 280 Rem/280 AI.

Targeted barrel length would be in the 26-28" range.
 
The 260 Rem or 6.5 Creedmoor is a popular choice, and neither are barrel-burners. I'm not sure how much the longer throat will give you, as the magazine generally limits COAL.

The 162gr Hornady A-Max makes the 7mm-08 another candidate. Since you're building a dedicated rifle, don't care if it's a wildcat, and like being a little different, maybe consider the 7mm-08AI - it'd give you even more capacity and velocity from a true short action rifle.
 
I was browsing some different gun/sporting goods stores the last couple days and was surprised of the amount of 6.5 Creedmoor factory ammo.

That would be an excellent choice.

I like the 260 and it will be my next build when I can find a donor Mode 70 action.

You also find factory loads for them as well as components.

If you decide to go the 260 route, don't let anyone talk you into a short action, to get best effect you'll need long bullets and will run into problems with the throat and getting them into the mag.
 
If 800rd barrel life is acceptable, seems the best choice is the 6.5/284

The .595 Ballistic Coefficient of the 142gr matchking or bit higher 139 Lapua scenar, and maybe higher still #s for Berger bullets are gonna give you best trajectory potentials. Got that Lapua brass already formed, probably even get a Savage already configured and ready to go.

The remington 7mm SAUM is a similar option but offers a higher barrel life threshold from what I've read over on accurateshooter. Great article library over there for ctg discussion. Very good article by tactical gunsmith Terry Cross on his 6.5-08 Ackley rifle and its close coat-tailing to the performance of the 6.5/284. Cross uses R-P brass! Heresy and Sacrilege...

Then there is the 6mmCM the GA Precision pioneered ctg, the 6mmXC, which offer 1000yd performance with 107gr match bullets, but lower recoil and good barrel life. Unless you really want that 1mi potential; not so many reasons to choose the 6.5/284.

With a smaller bodied ctg like .22-250 or PPC/Grendel you have the better bullet-seating range plus short-action receiver potentials enabled. Possibly the best option for .478" boltface could be the 6mm or 6.5 Dasher, an Ackley-ized and extended case body variant of the 6mm BR.

Just for fun, here is a synopsis of the 2013 results of James O'Hara's 1000yd Dasher performance from accurateshooter:
"On 1000-yard benchrest targets, the 10-ring is just seven inches in diameter, while the X-Ring is a mere 3 inches in diameter. At the Virginia 1K Championships, James managed to keep all his shots within the seven-inch 10 Ring with eight of the shots inside the 3 inch X-Ring. That is amazing accuracy and consistency. David Goodridge says: “This is truly a remarkable example of superb marksmanship, rifle design, assembly, load development and equipment maintenance.” (O’Hara had previously set a 10-match Aggregate Light Gun World record of 4.5389″ in 2012). "
(http://www.accurateshooter.com/competition/ohara-sets-1000-yard-ibs-agg-records/)

With the Dasher, you're looking at overall case length of about 1.6" leaving tons of room for bullet seating. In a repeater rifle, probably want a single stack magazine for most reliable feeding. The 107/115gr 6mm match bullets are very long...

8 shots out of 10 at 1000yds inside the 3" X-ring.... Pretty amazing performance! Why not build the rifle to suit the cartridge?
 
In about 2 weeks, I'm already going to AI the 7mm-08 Stevens that I have. Was just waiting for hunting season to end. Then I can start load development.

If I buy the Savage F Class, then where is the fun of building one???

And yes, 800 rounds is a short barrel life to me..

I'm thinking I've narrowed it down to the 280AI. Good bullet choices in the 7mm class, slightly lower velocity than the Rem Mag, but with less recoil also.
And I can shoot factory 280 cartridges if needed.
Readily available casings, 25-06, 280, 30-06.

Yeah, I thing I"m going with the 280AI.

Thanks all for the responses!!!

If anyone is shooting 280AI at matches, would like to hear about it.

Std7mag
 
I had a 280 AI, although it was a hunting rifle. That sucker kicked. Hard too. It was an ultra light weight mountain rifle and I ended up having to put a brake on it. Between that and super expensive brass I just lost interest.

It's a great caliber with wonderful ballistics, just wasn't for me.
 
I started out using a 6BR and ended up going to a 7mm for more forgiveness in the wind. The 6BR is an awesome cartridge and I think everyone should own one for a mulitude of reasons all of which can be seen on 6br.com. Wanting a little more LR "umph" I shoot my LR steel matches with a .284 win throated for the 180 berger hybrids. Stiller short action, bartlein 30" 9tw barrel and 52 gns of RL17 give me 2950fps and great barrel life, great ballistics .647 BC, great brass (lapua 6.5x284). The muscle brake turns this rig into a real creampuff off the bench too.
 
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And yes, 800 rounds is a short barrel life to me..
Click to expand...


Then don't load them "HOT". My 243 is a Savage with a 1:9.25 twist and it works great for the longer 243's, I use the Hornady 105 grain A-Max's and keep the speed at 2,900 fps.

Just a suggestion, or stay away from the 6 mm's for longer barrel life.

Jim
 
I chose the 260 Remington. I think its the best combination of external ballistics, light recoil and commercial availability. 6.5 Creedmore is a very close 2nd to consider. I have a 26" Shilen with a 1-8 twist and shoot 140 or 142 grain bullets.

243 is also a very capable cartridge. It's got less recoil than the 260 Rem, but the BC isn't quite as high on those bullets.
 
I haven't had the opportunity to shoot long range with the rifle Taylorce1 built, its a .243 built on a Stevens 200 action, with the 1-7" twist it puts 115 grain Bergers and 115 grain DTAC bullets into a nice small group at 100 yds...
The rifle weighs at least 10 lbs, therefore zero recoil...
 
First question should be...what do you consider long range?

Fact is, for most of the chamberings that you mentioned in your OP, that others have and will mention, are all capable- and it gets into splitting hairs...

The differences- minor as many are- don't even begin to be of significance until you get beyond 600 yards.

I shoot a custom Savage 7mm-08 with the 162 grain Amax. One of my sons shoots (also, a custom Savage) a .260 with the 140 Amax, the other an AR-10 in .308 with the 175 SMK.

I'm getting ready to build another Savage in either 6XC, or 6mm Dasher but haven't decided yet. The 6XC has brass available through Tubbs, as well as affordable bullets in the 115 DTAC.

You should add the 6mm to your considerations...
 
Long Range Paper Punching

Want long barrel life and lower recoil, then stay away from the 6.5x284, though it is a great 1,000 yard cartridge. .243 has the same barrel life issues when you are talking about maximum velocity with the case to bore size.

For 100, 200 and 300 yards and maybe out to 600 on not so windy days, the 6mmBR Norma will serve you well and there is primed brass available from Lapua as well as loaded rounds, but it shines with handloads.

1:8 Twist with 105 Berger VLD Projectiles will get you out to 600 - 1,000 yards.
1:10 is a compromise for 75-90 grainers (no VLDs) and for the short game (out to 300 yards) and 1:14 for the lower weight match bullets again out to 300.

Great 1,000 yard performance with good barrel life and moderate recoil. 6.5x47 Lapua. Again brass and loaded match rounds are available.

The Savage model 12 Target rifles (Bench Rest or F Class) are a good starting point for the price, but don't put a lot of Build Money into them as the serious bench rest shooters don't want them.

There are plenty of used long range rifles for sale on BenchRest.com and AccurateShooter. com.

For the 100-300 yard serious shooters it is 6PPC, but then you need to do a lot of things different. Different bolt face, case forming etc.

Bob
 
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The Savage model 12 Target rifles (Bench Rest or F Class) are a good starting point for the price, but don't put a lot of Build Money into them as the serious long range and bench rest shooters don't want them.

Not sure about this one here. Savage F Class rifles place first more than any other comp rifles made and that includes custom built rifles. Savage wins more comps every year than any other rifle.

I also have the Savage Model 12 F Class in a 6MMBR. For a rookie shooter I took 3rd place out of 77 people last year,was invited to the Grand masters in Montana. Shot against the best in MN,ND, MT,Wis,Canada.
Also pulled a .1454 - 5 shot group at 100 yards with it. Shot it at 1400 yards this summer with very good accuracy. 1000 yards is a cake walk with it. Got 3000 plus rounds of very good accuracy before I replaced the barrel last summer.
 
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