Best cartridge for a short barrel bolt action?

[LVLAaron]

Wanting to build a "fun gun". - I have a nice stock, action, and scope sitting here bugging me.

Assume a 16 inch barrel.

I can do, 308, 6GT, 6 Dasher, or... something in 22... I dont have a reamer for anything in 22... Maybe a 22GT? 22 Creed? (Something I can get a reamer for, quickly)

What can make the best use of a short barrel? Just wanting a fun gun to shoot on nice days at 2-500 yards... and easy to tune.

 

[Doug Beach]

7mm BR. High BC bullets, moderate velocities, long barrel life, low recoil. Wouldn’t be a bad deer/pig rifle, either.

 

[LVLAaron]

7mm BR. High BC bullets, moderate velocities, long barrel life, low recoil. Wouldn’t be a bad deer/pig rifle, either.

Don't have any 7mm bullets or barrels...

 

[Rob01]

6mm ARC would work. Just built an ARC bolt gun and it’s fun.

 

[Drop Port]

223 with 77 smks in a 16.5" was one that i should never have sold. It's now a 223AI and hangs out daily on a southern Colorado ranch.

 

[30378]

6mm Dasher. Easy to load, little recoil, super accurate, and fairly cheep to shoot.

 

[TylerFromMS]

I think a 22 bra would be hilariously fun to shoot.

 

[sdean]

Wanting to build a "fun gun". - I have a nice stock, action, and scope sitting here bugging me.

Assume a 16 inch barrel.

I can do, 308, 6GT, 6 Dasher, or... something in 22... I dont have a reamer for anything in 22... Maybe a 22GT? 22 Creed? (Something I can get a reamer for, quickly)

What can make the best use of a short barrel? Just wanting a fun gun to shoot on nice days at 2-500 yards... and easy to tune.

22-204. I'll loan you my reamer.

 

[LVLAaron]

I think a 22 bra would be hilariously fun to shoot.

I'm leaning 22GT.. I have barrels.. dies... enough bullets to win a war...

 

[Homerange]

I'm leaning 22GT.. I have barrels.. dies... enough bullets to win a war...

Not knowing the 22GT I looked it up:

22GT Ultra-Light Weight Build (Start to Finish) – Ultimate Reloader

ultimatereloader.com

Should be a fun build.

 

[jackieschmidt]

30BR.

I have a 19 inch barrel for my 30BR, and it still gets 3000+ fps with my 112’s.

 

[TylerFromMS]

I'm leaning 22GT.. I have barrels.. dies... enough bullets to win a war...

If I had the dies I’d go for it. Jackie makes a good suggestion, too. I’ve been playing with the idea of a 30BR because I also think it would be a hoot.

 

[Ranger188]

I'm leaning 22GT.. I have barrels.. dies... enough bullets to win a war...

Sounds like you answered your own question.
"a fun gun" would be something that you wouldn't have to put a lot of
time, money and thought into.
22GT would cover all the bases and not everyone has one.
A little more powder than the 22bra and a little less than the 22 creed.

 

[Bamban]

I have two 16.5 308s, a stick shift and the other a gasser. Both run the M118 LRs with 175 SMKs close to 2500 suppressed with Surefire FA762SS. They are my hog guns. Longest shot on hog was 300 with the meplatted 175s. The larger hole meplat destroys hogs.

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

If I had to start looking for components id do a 30BR in a hart beat but If you already have everything the 22GT should be allot of fun.

 

[R.Morehouse]

6 Grendel.....There are a whole lot of great BT or FB ( 62 to 68g ) bullets out there from competitors cooking them up at home so you would never run short. Super easy to load for and the brass is a simple neck down............But if you already have the reamer and with the now available high-quality brass, the Dasher would fit the bill nicely.

Regards
Rick

 

[ebb]

22 Waldog

 

[Fuj]

220 Russian. Just saying ?? I know you mentioned 500 yards
but one of the most fun plinkers around I played with was just
a short 16" barreled 7.62x39.

 

[Mulligan]

22 Waldog

I've never shot my Waldog beyond 200 yards, but it is crazy accurate and a hoot to shoot.
CW

 

[ebb]

I have not either but a fast twist waldog has to be good doesn't it?