2 rifles...what to do?

[Norfresh]

I have 2 rifles that are up for a new barrel and a new calibre but I can't decide what I want so hopefully ye can help.

 

Rifle no.1 is going to be for long range varminting and plinking. It will be my "heavy" gun as its in a 3rd eye chassis system and I plan on a long barrel for maximum velocities and range. Only restriction I have is that it is a short action so no long action calibres. I was thinking along the lines of .260 or 6.5x47

 

Rifle no.2 is a lightweight stalker, currently a Tikka .25-06 in a pse composite hunter stock but being a short barrel I'm not getting the benefits of the cartridge. I want to keep the barrel at 18-20 inches in a medium sporter profile. I have been thinking about a 7mm-08 or a .308 as they should work well in the short barrel. would such a barrel have much of an effect on a .243? This rifle would be for shooting out to 5-600 yards.

 

So what would ye choose? I can't seem to decide on anything!

[baldie]

I,d go with either of the 6.5,s on the long gun, or even 7mm-08 which is a fantastic long range short action cartridge.

 

.308 on the stalker and have the ability to kill anything you point it at.

[Swamp Donkey]

I use a Sako M591 varmint in .243 with a 20" tube at 600, no worries there, have used at 900 before and not too shabby, this was with 87gr v-max over 37.2gr of N140.

 

The 'range' gun, I'd go for .260 tbh, seems to me that the 6.5x47 needs to be stoked to the higher end to get it to perform, and the .260 can get the same performance with less pressure/stress/wear.

 

I'm rebarrelling my .308 to .260, the 308 does ok, but the 260 has the edge on the longer shots, I'll be using it for silly ranges at the roundhouse, so up to/over 1200 yds but will need to compromise on length/weight as I'll be using it in the field too, so I think I'll settle on a 26" tube in a light varmint profile.

 

Just my 2p worth, no doubt others will give completely different opinions.

 

Pete

[Chris-NZ]

I'd run with a 47 in your number one gun just for its inherent accuracy.

 

As for No.2, I'd avoid .243 in such a short barrel. The smaller the bore, the lower the efficiency. I'd go 7-08 which is probably the best compromise. My 16.5" T3 drives a 120TTSX ( equiv to any 140 lead core) at 2950 and it's a serious killer. Gonna get some use this weekend actually. As for max range, 500 is a long way on deer. I haven't tried past 365yds but it's flattened them easily at that. On Edi's stock, you'd prob end up with an 18" barrel if it's trimmed to just miss the forend and you're using a reflex-type can. Here's my son's one on a PSE in .260

 

[Norfresh]

I'd run with a 47 in your number one gun just for its inherent accuracy.

 

As for No.2, I'd avoid .243 in such a short barrel. The smaller the bore, the lower the efficiency. I'd go 7-08 which is probably the best compromise. My 16.5" T3 drives a 120TTSX ( equiv to any 140 lead core) at 2950 and it's a serious killer. Gonna get some use this weekend actually. As for max range, 500 is a long way on deer. I haven't tried past 365yds but it's flattened them easily at that. On Edi's stock, you'd prob end up with an 18" barrel if it's trimmed to just miss the forend and you're using a reflex-type can. Here's my son's one on a PSE in .260

 

 

Thats exactly the kind of stalking set up I want, what barrel length and profile is that? I'm using an Atec Maxim which wont hinder barrel as only a small amount of the mod goes back over the barrel.

 

When I said I wanted the gun for 500 yards I didn't mean I want to shoot deer at that distance! Just thats the most it would be ever really used for before I switch to the heavy rifle.

 

 

I use a Sako M591 varmint in .243 with a 20" tube at 600, no worries there, have used at 900 before and not too shabby, this was with 87gr v-max over 37.2gr of N140.

 

 

What velocity does that give you? The .243 is appealling as I could use 58gr vmax for foxes also but a short barrel will be killing it!

[DaveT]

Dave / Baldie will have a wry smile at this but......... why not go 260 for both and save on dies?

 

There is not much that a 260 will not drop and its accuracy is brill for target as well.

[Norfresh]

Dave / Baldie will have a wry smile at this but......... why not go 260 for both and save on dies?

 

There is not much that a 260 will not drop and its accuracy is brill for target as well.

 

Thats something I was thinking about, but how would a .260 or 6.5x47 perform in an very short barrel? Hence my thinking of either a 7mm-08 or .308

 

I'm leaning towards a 6.5x47 over a .260. I have done alot of reading on both but always seem to think I'd prefer the x47

[Finman]

Why not put a 7x57 on the stalking rifle (good for anything within 300yds, good selection of bullets, excellent ballistics and no recoil to speak of) and a .308 for the range one? Cheep ammo, good to 1000yds, excellent possibilities if you reload and everyone has one?

 

If you are set on a short barrel for the stalking rifle, 7mm-08 or .308 are the only sensible solutions...

 

You know it makes sense

 

Best wishes

 

Finman

[Chris-NZ]

 

Thats exactly the kind of stalking set up I want, what barrel length and profile is that?..

 

 

It's just the std Tikka barrel pruned. Shoots well too.

My son uses 100gr TTSXs for deer and 95 V-Max for small stuff

[Offroad Gary]

I'd have 6.5x47 in both cut by same reamer/smith and headspaced the same, use same bullets/rounds in both. One box of ammo to suit both rifles and find a load that works in both. K.I.S.S.

 

My 6.5x47 sako 75 has a 20" barrel and shoots circa 2" at 500y

[jcampbellsmith]

I'd have 6.5x47 in both cut by same reamer/smith and headspaced the same, use same bullets/rounds in both. One box of ammo to suit both rifles and find a load that works in both. K.I.S.S.

 

My 6.5x47 sako 75 has a 20" barrel and shoots circa 2" at 500y

Very hard to argue with this recommendation. Regards JCS

[ejg223]

Both in 308, for hunting it is way ahead of a 6.5 and on the range you can play with all the 308 Boys.

One will not winn the rat race of long range speciality calibers so might as well stick with a standard cal.

edi

[palo]

I would go for a 7mm08 for stalking and the 6.5x47 for varminting.

The 260 would also be good for varminting but I would be worried about getting the ammo mixed up with the 7mm08 as they are similar in appearance.

[Norfresh]

Thanks for all the advice, but anytime I think I'm set o a calibre for the light weight stalker I find I'm trying to limit it's range so it won't make the heavy gun redundant. For example if I choose a 7mm-08 22 inch barrel for the stalker, I think I'd find myself choosing that over the heavy gun the whole time as it would be just as capable and lighter. So I'm now thinking of just an all-rounder rifle that will be light enough to stalk with but still have long range capability.

 

I'm liking Edi's suggestion of the .308 so was thinking of maybe a 24" .308 that won't be too heavy. What do ye think?

[6.5shooter]

If going 308 for stalking go 18" or 20"

Would be mighty handy!

[tackb]

If going 308 for stalking go 18" or 20"

Would be mighty handy!

 

mines a 20" and it's a cracker , good to 900m on the range as well!

[Chris-NZ]

A little feedback on how the 7-08 went on the weekend- remember this is a 16.5" barrel but with carefully-designed loads to compensate.

 

On early dusk Sat night, a very large hind and its yearling wandered out of the thick bush onto a spur which borders farmland. They obviously hadn't been harassed much recently the speed they came out. They had no clue I was in a hide on the hill on the opposite side of the creek. I ranged the hind and she was 306yds away. Having a good rest, I waited til she first stopped and let her have one centre of the shoulder, allowing for the ~6.5" drop at that range. A loud whack came back as the TTSX hit and she tried to run but staggered and tipped over down the steep hill. Her yearling took off but made the mistake of stopping about 30yds further on - he copped one about 6 secs after his mother and got poleaxed.

 

The hind took a lot of finding as she'd rolled down the hill about 20 metres and ended up is a small gut, rolling under some fallen scrub which had been cleared off the face about a year ago. If it wasn't for the rump patch, there would have been basically nothing to see! Anyway, after we dragged her out (and that took some effort), I could see the bullet had hit her high in the centre of the leg and exited through the centre of the shoulder on the other side leaving about a 5/8" hole. Both legs were flopping, the far side one hinging higher up in the shoulder. No wonder she didn't get far. The yearling had a pass-through as well lower chest.

 

On skinning the hind, that bullet had made a helluva mess with bone fragments everywhere including a 3/4" one just under the skin on the far side. The game butcher said most of the front end was b*ggered immediately he saw it. Luckily I'd got the yearling as well and that was in mint condition other than the two holes.

 

To those to consider a 7-08 a marginal calibre for bigger deer, they needed to have seen these two go down.

[Jagged 77]

For rifle no.1 either 6.5's are a great choice - I have two .260's and they are great rifles. Its going to come down to personal preference.

 

For rifle no.2 you'd be hard pushed to beat a .308 in that barrel length and it would certainly deliver the knock down punch required. 20" .308's are more than capable all rounders and happily reach 1000 yards with the right loads if you should feel so inclined. However as an alternative what about a .270? I for one really miss mine (had it re barrelled to 6.5) - this round is not an all rounder by any means but its performance on deer is superb. A 20" .270 shooting the 130's / 150's (or even the 110's on Roe) would be a great tool.

[22/250 foxer]

Lad I know a lad over on sd that has a sako 75 chambered in 7mm/08 ai. Match barrel 20 inches. Optiloc rings

Ase mod. And redding comp dies. Very very accurate.

 

£1000 for the lot

[Norfresh]

Thanks for all the feedback lads, but I have since decided to follow the old saying "beware of the man with one gun, he probably knows how to use it" and build an all rounder.

 

I'm gonna build stick a 24" fluted barrel on my tikka in 6.5x47 and use it as both a stalker and long range rifle. It may be a bit heavy for stalking but I have stalked with heavy rifles before and managed! I choose the 6.5x47 as it seems t o have in long range shooting over the 7mm.

[Chris-NZ]

Funny thing, I was saying to a mate the other day that if I had to choose a single chambering to do everything, it'd be 6.5x47. Plenty accurate enough for anything and enough grunt to tip over deer.

 

In the UK if I wasn't shooting bigger deer, its brother the 6x47 would do