Varmint caliber ideas?

[Sonic Crack]

I just chambered a 22/243 Middlestead for 55’s. Ill have those going 4100fps. Also what I call 257 WDC, a 257 Weatherby mag with the shoulder blown forward slightly and changed to 35 degrees. Ill be shooting 90 grain Blitzkings at 3900+ with 76 grains of H4831SC

 

[rwk]

I'll stay with 22-250.

 

[kountryboy2]

So i have a 204 220swift 223 22250 243 basic calibers for varmint hunting. Im looking for something different to do. Any ideas?
Im throwing a couple ideas
Another 220 swift
20vt
30br
Looking for something different

Add a 25/06.

 

[JeffG818]

This thread makes me want to build a new rifle!!

 

[JORTZ]

Add a 25/06.

Since i started this thread back in october i have started buying parts to build an 2506 for groundhog hunting! Figured it could reach out there and touch stuff. Planing on using 75gr vmax or 87gr speer tnt around 3500 to 3700 fps should do the trick

 

[JORTZ]

This thread makes me want to build a new rifle!!

Makes me want to build a couple rifles lol

 

[timeout]

Since i started this thread back in october i have started buying parts to build an 2506 for groundhog hunting! Figured it could reach out there and touch stuff. Planing on using 75gr vmax or 87gr speer tnt around 3500 to 3700 fps should do the trick

Had a g hog in my soybeans last spring. One shot from the 25-06 with 75 grain Vmax fueled by 4064 did a terrific job!

 

[GSPV]

I too have been thinking of the 30br for coyote gun or a groundhog carry gun. A 110 vmax might good.

Try the Speer 125 grain TNT. It is quite violent.

 

[GSPV]

I was thinking 22 BR or one of the Improveds necked down to 22. But that 6.5x47 necked down would be wicked.

 

[searcher]

I also think you might like the 6BR. I'd NOT go with the 30BR unless a heavy gun with a muzzle brake, as you won't see your hits otherwise. Hey - if I can't see what happens on the other end, I won't use it for varmints. i love the 30Br at 100 on target for score.

 

[joed49]

I like your idea of a .25-06. Thirty nine years ago I purchased a Remington 700 VS in .25-06 for hunting groundhogs in Ohio. I still have the rifle but it has a new barrel on it now. It was one heck of a long range varmint cartridge making hits out to 600 yards. It was the hardest hitting cartridge I'd ever used at the time.

It had a little bit of a kick and you could never see your hits, but you could hear them. It sounded like someone slapping a board on water, I could tell every hit without failure.

I tried different weights of bullets but found 85 gr to 90 gr the best for this type shooting. I tried 75 gr bullets, they were very accurate but ran out of steam at about 250 yds and couldn't be relied on for 1 shot kills. The 75 gr bullet was capable of 3700 fps using IMR 4064 or Win 760.

My favorites were 85 to 90 gr. With a good dose of RL19 they could do 3625 fps. Very deadly, always 1 shot kills. I used Sierra and Nosler bullets. My favorite was the 85 gr Nosler till Sierra came out with the 90 gr Blitz.

 

[scope eye]

They AI version of the 25-06 is also a force to recon with, just shy of 257 WBY in performance.
I like the 70gr Blitz kings topped off with 66gr of RL17 for that application, good for well into the 4000 fps range.

Dean

 

[GSPV]

The main advantage of the 6BRX over the Dasher is no case prep. Just load them and shoot to fire form. Same ballistics.

Norma 6 Dasher brass is available.

 

[CT10ring]

hey try a 22-243. 75g amaxes. great for PD's in the wind.
8 twist or 7.7...

 

[EXTREME]

That pretty much looks like the perfect .20 cal!!

It does look like it is properly throated for the 39 BK but I suspect pressures are running pretty high with the 20.5 AA 2200 load getting 3672 in the cold. Could be problems in the gopher patch when the weather warms up but it is excellent if that is not the case. I get similar velocities with a full case of 8298 at 22.4 grains and about the same velocity and pressure with 20.5 grains of RL 10 X.

I believe my 20 EXTREME is as close to the perfect .20 caliber as one can get. No fire-forming required, just trim a 222 Rem case to 1.575" and run through the dies for all cases except Lapua Match which require neck turning like the original 20 VT and likely the 20 SCC. All bullets seat ahead of the neck/shoulder Junction , including the 55 Berger, and most will seat to the lands. A bonus is that they all fit in the Sammi 223 magazine at 2.226"or an AR 15 Mag as well. Dies form the brass to just over new dimensions at the shoulder and base datum and are matched perfectly to the Chamber with 0.003" clearance at the neck, 0.015" at the shoulder and about 0.001" at the Base Datum depending on brass which vary from 0.3715" to 0.375"(Lapua) at the base.

Brass life is very good, especially when the 32 grain bullets are run at around 3900 fps and 39/40 grainers are run at about 3500 fps where accuracy is excellent. Of course they can be run over 4000 fps and 3650 fps but brass will have to be trimmed after about 5 or 6 firings. Here is a 39 grain Bk loaded in Winchester brass that has been shot 9 times at about 3500 fps with 21.4 grains of 8208 XBR. I trimmed it after 8 firings only to even them up when I got a new barrel installed.

Base of Case as New:


Base datum when Case sized ( 0.002" under chamber):

In CZ .223 clip compared to 20 VT:

Shoots excellent in new Benchmark barrel like it did in the original Pac Nor and all other barrels:

 

[1lessdog]

If I'm going to shoot a 20 cal its going to be a 20 Practical. Just run it thru a redding bushing die and you have them formed and no trimming. For Coyotes its a 6MM Ackley improved 1 - 14 with 65gr Vmax at over 4100 fps. for 0 to 450 yds no hold over required. Shoot right at them.

It is not fur friendly

 

[1lessdog]

I just chambered a 22/243 Middlestead for 55’s. Ill have those going 4100fps. Also what I call 257 WDC, a 257 Weatherby mag with the shoulder blown forward slightly and changed to 35 degrees. Ill be shooting 90 grain Blitzkings at 3900+ with 76 grains of H4831SC

For a 25 Caliber I had 25-300 Weatherby built. I shoot 100gr right at 4000 fps and is tough on Deer and Antelope and Coyote but tough on the shoulder.

 

[scope eye]

For a 25 Caliber I had 25-300 Weatherby built. I shoot 100gr right at 4000 fps and is tough on Deer and Antelope and Coyote but tough on the shoulder.

NICE

 

[MLC]

For something completely different, a 1/10 6.5 Saum using the 95vmax or 107TMK.
With a long tube and double base powder hits would be pretty impressive.

 

[CT10ring]

Why don't you try a 6mmBR?
Good out to 400-500 yds, my .02.
Mine is a 14 twist single shot & will spin 75g Vmaxes no problem. I also use 58, 65g all shoot well.
No recoil, very accurate, easy to load for, cases last.
12 twist prob more versatile.
lots of good info in this thread. you may have to build a .20 .22, 6mm now.
post a pic of your new rifle!