20 replies to this topic

[PigHostile1]

I just received my new swarovski scope z6i 5x30-50mm. I need you guys help on deciding the perfect caliber or rifle for this scope. This gun will be use for hunting and target practice range from 100-800yards.

I have a weatherby vanguard 270wsm equipped with a bushnell elite 6500 scope.

All suggestion will be considerate.

Thanks?

[DirtyDave]

What do you want? Based on your 270wsm, what would you like your new caliber to do differently? Longer range? Better ballistics? More or Less recoil? Do you load your own ammo? Magnum or not? Long or Short action?
There is a bazillion options. What piques your interest? There is a few really good options in 6.5mm with some great bullets available.

My next Long Action rifle will be a 6.5-06. Personally I have no use for a magnum of any kind. (except maybe a 22mag). For what I do, I dont need anything bigger than my 30-06.

[PigHostile1]

Dave, Good questions I'd perfer a bolt action that weight under 7lbs and less recoil with high ballistic. It came to mind that a .308 win, but I don't like the caliber do to common's and action. I have bad experience with 30-06 during my first year with pigs.

I have this caliber in mind 243wssm, 257mag, 338 lapua, 338 ultra mag, and 7mm ultra mag any other caliber you think will be good?

[DirtyDave]

What kind of critters will you be shooting at 800yds? That is a pretty broad range of calibers there. You say you want less recoil, but a sub 7lb rifle in 338Lapua, 338UM, or 7mmUM will have some Donkey Kick.

Since you mentioned the 257 Weatherby Mag, I would also suggest the 264 Win Mag. 257's are great for hunting (257Roberts, 25-06, 257wby), but if you reload there are not as many bullet options as the 6.5mm/.264 bullets. 6.5mm's tend to have very high BC's for their weight, and these "lighter" bullets (compared to .30 cal) will have less kick even in a Magnum.

[milkman]

I personally have your problem solved gentlemen..What you need is a 6.5 creedmore..It even has its own website... The members of the 6.5 creedmore website are not as colorful as the ones here,but they are just as knowledgable and willing to share as the crew on this website..Look it up..The 6.5 is a sweet round with quite the following...Have fun Glenn

[donkey12]

6.5x284

[clampdaddy]

Bingo!

[docskinner]

Dave, Good questions I'd perfer a bolt action that weight under 7lbs and less recoil with high ballistic. It came to mind that a .308 win, but I don't like the caliber do to common's and action. I have bad experience with 30-06 during my first year with pigs.

I have this caliber in mind 243wssm, 257mag, 338 lapua, 338 ultra mag, and 7mm ultra mag any other caliber you think will be good?

Straight up old 7mm Rem Mag. Plenty good out to 800Yds for targets and ammo is cheap and plentiful. Or the old standard - .270WIN. No need for exotic other that to say you have exotic, and love paying premium for ammo, and dealing with not being able to find ammo. And neither will kick the crap out of you, even in the weight range you are talking. Nothing worng witha .308 WIN, but that is getting out there, and yeah - why shoot a caliber with more variety available than any other?

[clampdaddy]

I don't think that anyone planning on doing 800 yard target shooting would be doing it with factory ammo, but yeah the ol' 7 mag would be a good one.

[tawnoper]

A 2500.00 scope and no rifle (that deserves it) to put it on...interested in ranges from 100 - 800.

Okay.... I hope you de-barb your hooks, some of these guys may have tender mouths.

[Thumper Dunker]

Sell the scope. You know how many arrows you could get.

[Braz]

Yea, I never figured a guy that buys the scope first. WTF

[modoc squeek shooter]

Although good glass is very important, I have never bought a scope with out having a rifle for it, I have bought scopes to replace a scope on a rifle, but never bought one without a home for it. Heck I killed probably 10 deer before I ever got a scope. think I was 18 when I bought a rifle off my uncle (springfield 03, remington, 30 06), it had a Weaver 4 power on it. From then on everything I shot, except my grandfathers Win 94, had a scope on it. Anyway good glass is very important, but without a rifle that expensive scope won't fill the freezer. Ed

[Bennie]

Nothing wrong with the old 308. Cheeper to shoot than a lot of calibers. Plenty of info out there on it. Will do the distance you are talking about. Recoil is not bad. Plenty of good factory ammo if you do not reload. Can get ammo any where. Proven to be accurate and a good hunting round.

[Fjold]

Dave, Good questions I'd perfer a bolt action that weight under 7lbs and less recoil with high ballistic. It came to mind that a .308 win, but I don't like the caliber do to common's and action. I have bad experience with 30-06 during my first year with pigs.

I have this caliber in mind 243wssm, 257mag, 338 lapua, 338 ultra mag, and 7mm ultra mag any other caliber you think will be good?

The two bolded terms are mutually exclusive.

[dangerranger]

Just saying 338 Ultra Mag, and 7MM Ultra Mag Makes my fillings hurt! DR

[lif2fsh]

Okay.... I hope you de-barb your hooks, some of these guys may have tender mouths.

That was funny!

STW..

[Divernhunter]

Hey do not knock buying a scope before a rifle! I have done that many times. As of now I have 3+ scopes in the safe without rifles/pistols. I will find firearms for them in time. Looking for a light weight 338federal that will not break the bank.

6.5X284, 260Rem, 7mm-08 or 308 will work fine for target/hunting and the 257Weatherby is a good one but more for hunting.

[sxshooter]

That range of calibers in a sub 7lb gun would give me pause. I would not care to shoot a 338 ultra or even the 7mm ultra in a sub 7lb gun.

In a gun like this if you are of the composite persuasion, a carbon wrapped barrel and carbon stock might be on my list.

For a caliber, I have a particular soft spot for the .264 Win Mag. I've had a number of them over the years and always was pleased with the accuracy I was able to tune in my rifles and ammo. Recoil is similar to 30-06/308. I'm gonna work on Dave about his aversion to Mags, especially the .264, since he's leaning toward a 6.5mm.

I also built a .284 win on a Rem 600 action about 20 yrs ago now. It was the first rebarrel job I did myself. I chambered, crowned and threaded the barrel, made a steel triggerguard/floorplate (factory is plastic), and made a stock, rust blued the whole thing learned to checker with it. Nice light rifle, but not the tack driver I'd have hoped for, since the barrel is a straw (#1 taper Shilen). Still, kinda proud of it nonetheless.

[stephen722]

man that is some nice wood for an experament! nice work sxs

[sxshooter]

<sup>Thanks Stephen. If you're gonna put a lot of work into a gun, you may as well go with something that really can't be bought. This gun is light, short and pretty. It's a nice mid range gun. Only thing I ever shot with it was an antelope in NM. Still it's nice to have the prettiest gun in camp sometimes. That was one of the goals.




Chuck.</sup>