Custom Rifle caliber delimma

[hickbob]

I am fixin' to have a custom rifle built off of a mauser 98 action. My problem is that I can't decide what cartridge I want. I am lookin for a whitetail rifle first and a solid benchrest rifle second. I was thinkin about 257 Roberts or 25-06 (but am not FIRM on these). Any suggestions from you guys would be appreciated.

 

[Terrierman]

I don't think those two are all that compatible of wants. Any real benchrest rifle will be pretty darned heavy and probably single shot. And a hunting rifle probably won't be a competitive rifle in any BR competition. 6mm PPC comes to mind as a potential chambering though if you really want to go that route.

 

[hickbob]

Well...maybe I was unclear(sorry if I was). I never plan on any kind of comp shooting. I just like sittin in the back forty and shooting off a bench. However, I am a hunter first and foremost. I understand what you are saying though. As far as the weight goes, I hunt from a box stand where the weight will not be a factor to ME. It will definately be a change from my Rem model 7 though,lol.

 

[BsChoy]

If I was building a custom gun I really want to build a 6.5-06...great ballistics with those 6.5 bullets....other than that a 250 Ackley Improved would be great too.

 

[Skofnung]

One of the best Marksmen I know swears by the .25-06. His rifle has taken many a Florida whitetail.

 

[Jackal]

Whats wrong with the old .243 ?

 

[Skofnung]

There's nothing wrong with the .243, but if he is using an unmodified Mauser action (read:standard length) then he might as well use a full size cartridge.

 

[rangerruck]

6.5 swede, best of all worlds. go here and find out about the world of 6.5's. All the long distance winners shoot some type of variant of the 6.5
http://www.6mmbr.com/index.html

 

[rangerruck]

243 is fine, but it is overbore, with highly unpredictable pressure spikes, and too much propellant plug burns up in the throat/chamber. Other than that , the 243 does exactly what it says it is capable of doing.

 

[db_tanker]

Go with a 308. You have plenty of magazine area so that you can seat bullets out to where you want them, no worrys about bolt face...


Second choice would be perhaps a 6.5-284...excellent wildcat and again minimal to no mods to the action. also dies are easy to find for it.


Might I suggest a Hart barrel? I am a proud owner of one for my Brno and it has been a sheer pleasure to shoot that sweetie...makes me look alot better at the bench, too.

MTCW
D

 

[USSR]

6.5x55, without a doubt. Has a great reputation on game, and I am presently using one in 1,000 yard F Class competition.

Don

 

[JShirley]

If you roll your own, it'd be hard to go wrong with the .257 Roberts, and since you're mod'ing a Mauser, it'll make the work a bit easier, since the .257 is based on the 7mm.

J

 

[Terrierman]

With a good barrel and a good build along with the need to kill deer and have fun in the back forty, it will be hard to screw this one up when picking a chambering. Now the choices start coming down to how far you want to hit something and how hard. I would probably be looking at something in either 6.5MM or 7MM, largely due to the excellent B.C. of the bullets available and appropriate to the tasks you mention. .260 Remington or 6.5 Swede would be sweet and mild.... 7MM-08 is difficult to fault too. It goes on up from there. Good luck with your project rifle, doo keep us informed of progress please and thank you.

 

[hickbob]

Thanx for all the good replies...I will try to keep ya'll informed on the rifle's progress.

 

[dakotasin]

last custom i had built was done up w/ ".323 mauser" engraved on the shilen barrel.

my next, and last, custom 98 will be a 7mm aar.

for a first custom 98 for your purposes, best bet is a 257 roberts ackley.

 

[MachIVshooter]

.25-06 or the Wildcat 6.5-06 are probably the top shoices for a long-range deer and antelope rifle. The 6.5-06 has a slight advantage bullet-wise, but the .25-06 is readily available in factory loads and really has zero shortcomings as a deer-getter.

 

[dakotasin]

ahh... mach... your user name reminds me of a sako vixen in 17 mach4 that i happen to enjoy immensely.

 

[ACP230]

If you are looking at .25 caliber cartridges check out the .250 Savage.
I have a Ruger 77RL (lightweight) in .250 and it is extremely accurate, until the light barrel heats up.

I would like to see what it would do in a rifle with a heavier barrel but haven't come up with the funds yet.

 

[hickbob]

Normally, I wouldn't have the money either, but a very good friend of mine owns his own gunsmithing shop(so I can pay as I go). I am selling a 44 mag paper weight(Desert Eagle) to get the funds that will get him started on it. I am thinkin about a Kreiger barrel, anyone here have any experience with them?
And yes, I have been seriosly thinking about the 257 Roberts Ackley.

 

[boneboy96]

Remington '03 action...barreled by Shilen and necked down to 25-06...stock double cut by Fagen in an international style w/ thumbhole...rail under stock for adjustable palm rest...or bi-pod...or sling attachment point...as well as arm cuff...adjustable stock w/ comb and cant adjustments...including hook for securing under armpit...basically a BENCHREST shooter equiped for reaching out and getting personal...very flat shooting ... sorry to get off track...this is my custom rifle for large bore rifle shooting 20 years ago...

WOW just had a flashback!

 

[michael_aos]

The 6.5-284 is a really great round...

Mike

 

[ArmedBear]

Decisions, decisions.

On the one hand, it seems silly to pay for a custom rifle in a caliber you can buy off-the-shelf, now that many guns shoot quite well out of the box, and with a few tweaks from a gunsmith can be truly excellent.

On the other hand, there are so many standard calibers available from the major manufacturers, it's hard to justify using a rare or wildcat round based on performance alone.

I wish I had your problems.

 

[redneck2]

FWIW..just remember that a custom rifle is worth about 25-40% of what you have in it if you ever need to part company

I have a custom 25-06 built on a Mod 70 action, Douglas barrel, Timney trigger, Fajen stock, Burris Black Diamond Scope. Bought the whole thing for $375.

The local gun shop has a custom .308, Hart barrel, beautiful wood stock that they're asking $550. Shoots considerably under an inch. Guy that works in the shop built it and wants to move it. If I had any use for a .308, I'd be all over it.

If you're set on a custom, have at it. I'd make it something different enough to make it worthwhile. Probably a 6.5x284, Kreiger barrel, and a REAL nice scope. Have fun.

 

[R.W.Dale]

I plan on taking my LONG action savage 110 and have a 22-250 barrel fitted for it that features a 1 in 9 twist rate and a nice long throat so I can take advantage of the longer magazine with long heavy bullets

 

[CB900F]

Hickbob;

Put me in the 6.5mm camp. With the Swede in first place & the 6.5 X 06 nipping on it's heels.

The Swede has won Palma matches, it's reputation for accuracy is well-earned & absolutely verifiable. I bought my son a 6.5 Swede for his first centerfire rifle & I've watched that cartridge do very well indeed at bringing home game from the fields. The sectional density & B/C of the 140's make them perform way beyond what you'd expect if you're not familiar with the breed.

900F