Caliber suggestion

[gotboostvr]

Here's the skinny, I'm looking to pick up a new rifle. I'm looking for a bolt action primarily for target shooting to mostly 500 yards (there is a 1k range that I'd like to try once in a while). I also might use it on some varmint hunts as well.

I would like to keep recoil, and rifle weight to a minimum while maximizing accuracy and economy.

I was kinda leaning towards a 6.5x55 as I've heard good things, but was looking for other options. I do reload, and kinda wanted just for the sake of it, a oddball not-your-everyday-caliber.

I'm kinda leaning towards a Savage rifle with Vortex glass, but I'm also not sold on it completely.

 

[Beak50]

If it's just targets and varmints .I would give the .17 Remington out to 500 yards.But my next cal is gonna be 6.5x55,It has a magnetic pull on my mind somehow, it will be a small ring Swede 96.

 

[gotboostvr]

Thank you but the .17 Rem seems to be a bit too small and light for what I want.

Looking at the limited availability of 6.5x55 rifles, I'm thinking maybe a .257 Roberts, or a .243 Winchester might do the job.

 

[Skyshot]

6.5 is a sweet catridge. but the .243 stuff is easier to get and will make you a better target/varmit combo IMO.

 

[35 Whelen]

At 500 yds. good aerodynamic target bullets are going to be important. .243 would be OK as would a 6.5x55 or possibly even better a 260 Remington.

35W

 

[Finprof]

500 yards

The ram is at 500 yards in high power silhouette.
Most popular calibers are .260, 6.5x55, and 7-08.
Not a lot of recoil and good ballistic coefficient.
If you stretch to 1000 yards 6.5x284 or .300 mag.

The 6.5x55 is good if you reload because Lapua brass is very high quality and is not expensive in that caliber.

 

[Offfhand]

.260 Remington

 

[Redlg155]

I know this sounds really generic, but the. 223 remington may fit your bill. Reloading will defintely decrease the cost of the heavier weight bullets.

 

[303tom]

Thirty Caliber.....................

 

[PapaG]

308 Win. Nuff said.

 

[mdauben]

Looking at the limited availability of 6.5x55 rifles, I'm thinking maybe a .257 Roberts, or a .243 Winchester might do the job.

You might want to consider the .22-250 or .220 Swift, too. While not as common as the .243WIN, they are still fairly common long range varmint rounds and its not too hard to find either guns or ammo in a well stocked shop.

 

[Bubba613]

7x57 Mauser. Just because you're looking for an odd ball.
Otherwise I'd say 30-06 will do everything anyone could pretty much want.

 

[Kachok]

Heck no, avoid the 22 cals if you are shooting long range, how many 22-250s do you see at 1,000yd events? I have yet to see one, the only reason that is the case is the very poor BC of 22 cals give them stupid high wind drift. 6.5s are the smallest caliber capable of ultra high BC with factory twist rates. Hence the lightest kicking long range rifle. I LOVE my T3 Stainless 6.5x55, very very nice rifle and everyone who has shot it agrees. The 6.5x55s are a touch hard to find though, you would have to order one for sure unless you have some rifle mega store nearby. The 260Rem, 6.5 Creedmore, and 6.5x47 are all capable of similar performance and are more trendy at the moment, thus easier to find, but I am not sure they have the staying power of the 121 year old 6.5x55. You can bet that brass and ammo will be available for the Sweed as long as we use powder to push bullets, not sure the same can be said for the others. One more note about the 6.5mm calibers, while nearly all 6.5x55s are super tight twist that will stabilize the LONG 140 VLDs and 160gr hunting bullets, the others have different twist rates so research your rifle before you buy. Myself and many of the hardcore 6.5 cult prefer the 1:8s while others can come with twist rates as low as 1:10 which are only suitable with 120gr class bullets. CZ, Howa, Tikka, and Sako all chamber the 6.5x55 and I have seen a couple recent Savages and Winchesters though they do not list them. Probably a limited run kind of thing.
Of all the calibers I have owned the 6.5x55 hold a special place in my heart, it can effectively be used for anything and everything you would ever want to hunt and it's high level of inherent accuracy makes it a dream at the range.
BTW 243 and 257 cal projectiles lack the remarkable BC/SD of the 6.5s, they are perfectly adequate for hunting within realistic ranges, but not something that I would want at 1,000yds. There are relatively high BC bullets available for the 243 cal, but they will not stabilize in factory barrels. The only calibers that rival the 6.5 in BC are the 7mm, .30, 338, 408, and 50 cals. The 6.5 is easily the lightest kicking of the bunch.

 

[Captains1911]

Why would you want an "oddball" caliber over a proven, easier to find common caliber?

My choice for your needs would be either .223 or .243 in a quality bolt gun. A Savage should fit the bill.

 

[JimStC]

.204 Ruger with a 26" barrel. I have one and it is fun to shoot and deadly accurate. Obviously intended for small varmints although with good shot placement I'd take a yote.
Hornady makes 35gr, 40gr and 45gr bullets.
Not a 1,000 yard caliber though, but definitely 500+ yards

 

[BoilerUP]

Why would you want an "oddball" caliber over a proven, easier to find common caliber?

Why not? Not everybody wants or needs every.single.weapon they own to be something Wal-Mart stocks ammo for.

I'm a 260 Rem guy but the Swede is a great choice for the OP's purposes, having been around for over a century and responsible for millions of European game animals up to and including moose.

Get a quality Savage prefit barrel, buy Lapua brass (some if not the cheapest Lapua makes), Forster BR dies, and shoot 130gr Norma Golden Targets in the 3000fps ballpark all day long, spanking the "gold standard" <puke> 308 Winchester in every way but close-range energy and bullet diameter.

You might also consider the 284 Winchester, or if you're so inclined, the 7mm Creedmoor.

 

[Kachok]

Out to about 400 yards it is all about speed, past that it is all about very good ballistics. 204s and 22-250s will shoot as flat as a guitar string on medium range because of their crazy high speeds, but at 1,000 even a slight wind will throw them every which away. A heavy high BC bullet will drop a lot more at 400, but drop is a known variable, much easier to predict then drift, and out to 1,000 it is still very easy to keep on the paper in all but the strongest of crosswinds.

 

[killzone]

260 remmy will make you very happy out to 600-750 yards. I have never had any problem finding good ammo for my 700.

PS dont run out of ammo at the range beacuse it sucks when you try the 260. So much fun to shoot.

 

[Captains1911]

Why not? Not everybody wants or needs every.single.weapon they own to be something Wal-Mart stocks ammo for.

I thought I already explained it. But to reiterate, common calibers are common for a reason, they work well. Also, because they are common, ammo and reloading components will be easier and cheaper to find.

If a certain "oddball" caliber fit a specific need or niche, then I could understand, but there are many common calibers that will do what he describes very well. In this case it makes no sense to me to have an "oddball" caliber just for the sake of having it.

 

[35 Whelen]

I'd avoid .20 and .22 calibers. My buddies shoot .223's at 600 yds. in competition, but the bullets that do well at that range are heavy and must be loaded over magazine length. I mentioned the 243 because Hornady makes a very aerodynamic A-Max bullet. The 6.5's have available LOTS of good long range bullets.

35W

 

[gotboostvr]

Thanks for all the suggestions!

I really like the look of a Howa rifle in 6.5x55 or maybe a Savage in .260 Rem. The 7mm-08 sounds pretty tempting as well though.

To anyone wondering why an oddball caliber, why not? Variety is the spice of life.

 

[EchoM70]

The 7mm-08 sounds pretty tempting as well though.

I would definitely check into the 7mm-08, pretty accurate little round I'm sure it would get you out to 1k no problem.

The 7mm-08 really starts to shine when you reload, more so than most rounds IMO

As far as a rifle have you considered a Weatherby Vanguard S2? Built of a Howa action and guaranteed MOA accuracy and still under 500 And for the money Vortex glass is hard to beat.

 

[gotboostvr]

Man, those Weatherby's look like some nice rifles!

 

[bracer]

Hornadys 6.5 Creedmore round was developed for longer range target shooting. The .264 diameter bullets for target shooting has a high B.C. so the 260 Rem and 6.5 Sweed could also do ok. The recoil from shooting a 264 dia bullet would be a bit to much for shooting prairie dogs but could be used for coyotes and woodchucks where the number of shoots are limited. The .264 Win Mag is a fine pronghorn and mule deer hunting round but my be a bit much for target shooting.

 

[gotboostvr]

I live in Ohio where using rifles on deer is a no-no. Shotguns/pistols/muzzleloaders only during gun season, but for coyotes they're fine. Weidner's seems to have better selection in 7mm bullets which is handy in saving a bit of money and .308 brass I can get for free from some shooting buddies.

The 7mm-08 seems to be the economical choice and is plenty flat shooting for 500 yard ranges and should provide enough "oomph" for that once in awhile chance I have at 1k yards and will obviously provide more than enough punch for 'yote bustin'

Thanks for all your suggestions and feel free to keep offering more as this rifle purchase is still in it's planning stage.