Target rifle caliber?

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wiscoaster said:
As a FIY for those that participated in this thread and gave advice, I thought I'd let you know how it turned out. In the end I decided to assemble a "starter" system because: 1) getting the "best" barreled action would be a $1000 purchase; 2) I'm not entirely sure I'm going to find this to my liking so reluctant to spend that much; 3) there are no ranges locally more distant than 600 yards anyway. So ... I picked up an inexpensive Howa 1500 .223 Rem rifle w/ heavy barrel, a brake, an Oryx mini-action chassis, a Vortex Viper scope, and other miscellaneous bits and bobs for a total well under $2000. Here's a pic of the setup to date (sans scope and oversized bolt knob):
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Interesting you went with 223. I’m sure it will be fun to shoot.

20 days out of 100, you will be tough to beat.

The other 80? I’d place a bet. I’ve had windy gusty days where I was ringing 12” diameter steel easily at 600y with my 7mm 175gr @ 3000 fps while occasionally hitting steel beyond 300y with my 223 Rem 65gr @ 3000 fps.
 
dh1633pm said:
Worm can opened. ....
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Sorry 'bout that. Not the intent. Decision was already made.
Ru4real said:
Interesting you went with 223. ....
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Maybe I should have mentioned what my first choices were: Tikka rifle with heavy profile barrel chambered in 6.5 Swede. Putting such a system together would have cost in excess of a $1000 more, not to mention really sketchy availability. So instead I explained why I went with my #3 choices. At least for now. ;)

Thanks to all for their inputs.
 
wiscoaster said:
So ... I picked up an inexpensive Howa 1500 .223 Rem rifle w/ heavy barrel, a brake, an Oryx mini-action chassis, a Vortex Viper scope, and other miscellaneous bits and bobs for a total well under $2000.
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Excellent choice. No problem opening the can of worms. It makes for excellent reading and learning. I had my response spooled up before I saw your final pick. Not a bad choice at all. I hope you like it.
 
Good choice I hope you are happy with it. Let us know. Some old guys, I'm 73, at our club buy Remington 700's and rebarrel in .223 and shoot at playing cards.
 
wiscoaster said:
But ... now winter's here.
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I still shoot in the winter- put on the insulated coveralls and go shoot at my local club- no one ever there in the winter. I never have to wait for anyone to finish their string before I can walk down range to change something. I'm across the Lake though from you, over in Michigan.
but also at Young's down in Indiana...they have a heated barn to shoot out of...1000 yards on steel with heat lol.
 
I've been able to shoot through the winter, too, but it's pretty chancy and dependent on weather and how much snow is on the ground. If I can get out twice in January and twice in February it's about all I can expect. One of the ranges that hangs steel at 200 yds and 300 yds pulls them into storage during the winter months, and worse yet, is only open Saturday and Sunday. So ... we'll see.
 
Excellent choice.
Had a Howa in 243 eons ago. A little heavy but a Excellent rifle.

The 5.56/.223 will do the job if you do out to 600m/yds.
My Ruger American is a 1:8 and is good in my hands out to 600.
The Remington pss is 1:9? and friends have put hits on steel out to 900m (I've only taken it to 500yds)
 
@wiscoaster - curious: why did you use that AR type unimount for this build, and why backwards? I assume it must be a flat mount (0 MOA), but it’s leaving your scope quite high, and it looks like you have the optic REALLY far back. I have a really short neck, and even my scopes aren’t that far to the rear. Is that an accommodating position for you?
 
Varminterror said:
@wiscoaster - curious: why did you use that AR type unimount for this build, and why backwards? I assume it must be a flat mount (0 MOA), but it’s leaving your scope quite high, and it looks like you have the optic REALLY far back. I have a really short neck, and even my scopes aren’t that far to the rear. Is that an accommodating position for you?
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Yes, it's a 0 MOA rail, and I was advised it would be adequate out to about 500 yds. The scope is far to the rear because I like a long LOP and I need it that far back for my eye relief, and that also dictated the cantilever mount to position the scope for eye relief and also leave room on the tube for a bubble level forward of the turrets. The mount is one I already had on hand, anyway, though ya, I'd have preferred a medium height. So, yes, that's all to accomodate me, and is a problem I have for any scope on any rifle. All of that introduces a new problem in that the cheek riser now doesn't extend quite far enough to the rear, so that's my next project to resolve on this setup. All part of the fun, no? ;)
 
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wiscoaster said:
My current rifles are milsurps in various calibers, AR-15's in 5.56 and 300 AAC, AK-47 and SKS, and various rimfires, all of which are used only on the range for target shooting. I'd be shooting maybe a max of 300 yds. So that's where I'd be coming from.
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I know your decision was already made, but I was curious if any of your milsurp guns were 6.5x55 Swedes? If so, that would have been a fine choice too. As many people here have mentioned, almost any round near the 6.5mm mark is highly accurate with a good BC.
 
valnar said:
I know your decision was already made, but I was curious if any of your milsurp guns were 6.5x55 Swedes? If so, that would have been a fine choice too. As many people here have mentioned, almost any round near the 6.5mm mark is highly accurate with a good BC.
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Yes, absolutely (M96 and M38 Swedes), and that was actually my number one caliber choice, though finding a barrelled action in that caliber within my budget was either not possible or not available. So the end product rifle was a combination of multiple compromises, and actually turned out to perform fairly well, at least for a "starter". If in the future I want to blow a wad on this activity, I'll be looking for a 6.5x55 Swede Tikka with a heavy varmint-profile barrel.
 
Are you looking to get into target competitions? If so, attend a match or two to examine the rifles and equipment being used and talk with competitors between targets. You can find out what equipment is allowed and competitive without experimenting.

Even if you don't intend to shoot competitively, seeing what shoots well can provide excellent to guide your purchase of rifles and other equipment.
 
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