calibre choice

[Swarovski1]

Hi all

My current rifle is a 6.5 06, tikka t3 action with a 26 inch deep fluted 1 in 200 twist barrel bedded into a manners T4A stock, I use it for long range shooting out to 1000yds, I stalk/hunt with it, its a long range varminter too, is there a better calibre option for my needs, atb swaro

[gbal]

Quite a few that are in the same ball park, not many that would have substantial potential to be better in your mix-it might be a discussion of detail- how big are the deer,how small the varmints,how competitive at 1000y;do you need to carry the rifle. All that sort of detail-but it pretty well has to be something of a compromise,though no reason it can't be a very acceptable one.(7rem mag is a great big deer cartridge,with 1000 potential,bit heavy for varmints-any 6.5 won't improve meaningfully cf 264 win mag/Phantom;25-06 is barely equal,and the best 6mms are shootably good but less convincing size/distance/conditions performers...)

 

"Custom/cost/availability etc are details-given the question.

 

Perhaps the focus could be-in what way(s) is your 6.5-06 cartridge unsatisfactory?

 

gbal

[Finman]

1 in 200 twist? surely this is not right...!

[jcampbellsmith]

1 in 200 twist? surely this is not right...!

millimetres.....Regards JCS

[Finman]

millimetres.....Regards JCS

Ok!! never seen it like this before

[Swarovski1]

Oh sorry yes its a 1 in 200mm or 1 in 7,89 twist, am not unhappy in any way with the 6.5 06, I shoot roe deer, varmints, accuracy at 1000yds is good, I dont want barrel any longer than 26 inch, dont want it any heavier, it has a newly bedded manners t4a on it,I was thinking swap barrel to different cal and off I go, I was hoping for a good discussion on possible calibres and open up my options, after reading about all the 6mm cartridges am keen to change my 308 to one when my barrel is tired, my tikka is long action so am not intending on making it into a short action calibre, before I went 6.5 06 I was near to going with the 6.5x284, ballisticly about the same on a 26 inch barrel and I had a good stash of brass which is a lot cheaper than 284 stuff and 284 die is silly money com9ared to what I got 6.5 06 die set for.

[gbal]

OK,not red deer,so :

 

6BR comes close (or Dasher,6XC if you have a taste for manageable semi-wildcats.) All been said before-see 'Best 1000y cartridge recently- esp in benign wind,it will beat the 308 to 1000y,ballistically-though less clout)-extremely accurate for varminting-not much behind PPC,but with double the range (500+).

Available.Shootable.Well sorted.Not many factory sporters/light varminters around-pity (same with PPCs).

Decent barrel life,and it don't get 'improved'.Holds lots of records-what's not to want?

gbal

[Swarovski1]

What the barrel life on a 6xc with 26 inch barrel.what twist for the looongrange bullets

[gbal]

Accurate Shooter-6XC has most of the information you want.

It has about 7 g less powder than the standard 243 (and maybe an improved case?) so should have a somewhat better barrel life-depends on how hot it's loaded etc-and how fussy you are about precision after say 2000+ rounds- top competitors will change a barrel long before a casual club user ever would.

Remember it was designed for 'across the course' 3 position shooting,out to 600y where fast loading has a place (AR platform or Tubb 2K-which isn't the price!) and energy is not a concern. Can't see it as offering any advantage over the 243 (esp as a wildcat) to the hunter,but just about right for (sub) moa gongs etc in varied range/shooting position/time pressure type competitions.

 

g