Best cartridge for a short barrel bolt action?

[NC/Br Shooter]

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

Another vote for that one.. I got one. Or say I had one. Wife wanted to shoot in a match she ended up beating me

 

[LVLAaron]

Will the 22bra mag feed?

 

[NorCalMikie]

XP 100, 10 1/2 " barrel in .221 Fireball, 3000+ FPS, faster than a speeding bullet!!

Longer barrel still gets the job done, enough to put a little shame on the long gunners.

Roll your own and "I think", factory loaded may STILL BE available?
Best 5 shot group @ 100 yards was .110 and still hitting steel out to and past 400 yards. Never cared how fast. Didn't see anything out run it.

 

[ebb]

Ive been thinking of a 45 acp, in one of my old beat up Spanish Mausers that is good for nothing else, I may have to cut apart the Mauser mag well to get a Glock magazine in but what ever it takes.

 

[Frankm]

221 FB with a 9-10 twist barrel and longer throat so you could shoot up to 69-70 gr bullets would be fun AND cool.

If you re ambitious form your own brass out of 223 and should be able to shoot in expensively.

Should you want to hunt antelope or deer then I d say a 6mm cartridge of some sort would be more appropriate. 6 ARC, 6 BR, etc. Just a little more case capacity to drive 80-90 gr bullets. I d still twist it with a 8-9 if it was me.

Let us know what you do

 

[Ranger188]

Will the 22bra mag feed?

Buy one of these. Tried one, works great for my 6bra.

Shop 6BR magazines - Fits 6BRX, 6BRA, 6 Dasher and 22BR

Our MDT 6BR magazines are available for AICS pattern stocks and chassisl. They will fit multiple 6mm calibers and feed reliably for competition and hunting.

mdttac.com

 

[RegionRat]

Will the 22bra mag feed?

Yes, so will a 22 Dasher, but without a doubt the 22 GT will be an easy button for feeding a repeater.

If you can get enough 22 GT brass to cover the dry spells, it fits the bill for what you described.

 

[ridgeway]

Plain old 22BR. Neck down and shoot. Easy on brass, easy to tune and its got speed...

 

[Ledd Slinger]

338-08

 

[Alex Wheeler]

The .308 would be my choice.

 

[nakneker]

Fun! My first custom was a no taper 22-250 which I still have. Old Remington 700 - Douglas barrel. It’s been one of my favorite rifles over the years. It was 36 years ago, a couple years before I reloaded. My Dad wanted to chrono it and remember being very disappointed when the Remington factory ammo was being clocked at 223 velocities. If you shoot it in low light it produces a serious fireball. It didn’t make sense to a lot of people but I loved it and it accounted for a lot of varmints.

I’d pick out what makes the most sense bullet and brass wise. Any of the 6BR variants would probably be my personal choice, you may other cravings though. I built a 21 inch 22 GT last year and love it, had to switch out the BDL bottom metal to get it to feed reliably though.

Good luck, sounds like a neat project you have brewing in your head.

 

[LVLAaron]

The .308 would be my choice.

As I collect my thoughts... that's where I'm leaning. I've got all the best equipment and reamers for it. There's nothing you can't make a .308 do.

I really wish there was a reliable way to get subsonic loads now that trail boss is vaporware.

 

[ebb]

There was a bunch of talk about building the cheapest cartridge ever and It was decided at the time, the cheapest bullet was 50 or 52 grain 22 caliber bullets, and the cheapest cases were 38 special. so get a sizing die made to neck down a 38 to 22 caliber. I don't know if any of those discussing this ever fallowed up on it.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

As I collect my thoughts... that's where I'm leaning. I've got all the best equipment and reamers for it. There's nothing you can't make a .308 do.

I really wish there was a reliable way to get subsonic loads now that trail boss is vaporware.

For a 500 yard plinker its hard to beat a 308. Its very easy to deal with. Varget and 185s and you hardly need to tune it an it will stay in tune well. You may look into H4895 for sub sonic. I think its one of the powders you can load light but I have never tried it.

 

[LVLAaron]

I'm going with the lords Cartridge, 308. I've got a barrel I can shorten from both ends and have what I need, and all the components. I just want a gun I can go shoot, or have someone else shoot for fun. Load up some Gold Medal Match 175 clones and shoot steel. Or let a friend buy factory ammo and go at it.

It'll be in a manners chassis stock, ARC Mausingfield, Bix Tac Pro Sport X, scope TBD. Might do something cool like a 10x with an offset red dot... or... I've always wanted an acog...

 

[Wildcats]

30x47 less recoil and good ballistics with the lighter pills

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I'm going with the lords Cartridge, 308. I've got a barrel I can shorten from both ends and have what I need, and all the components. I just want a gun I can go shoot, or have someone else shoot for fun. Load up some Gold Medal Match 175 clones and shoot steel. Or let a friend buy factory ammo and go at it.

It'll be in a manners chassis stock, ARC Mausingfield, Bix Tac Pro Sport X, scope TBD. Might do something cool like a 10x with an offset red dot... or... I've always wanted an acog...

I think this photo says it for all of us after hearing your decision to go with .308 win. BORING! LOL

 

[Zero333]

If you want something really cool and different, check out the 300 Falcon...
Only hurtles would be finding 7.5x55 Swiss brass and a bold face that will accept 0.498" rim.
It looks like a very efficient and accurate cartridge. You shorten 7.5x55 Swiss down to 1.630".
And would have to get custom reamer and dies. Holds about 50 gr of H20 in a case that's 1.630" long.

If I had the will for all that work and the extra cash I would give it a try myself...


I personally would go with the 300 Savage... 52.5 gr H20 in a case that's 1.870" long with a 308win bolt faces.

Next up are Lezzeronni's short action Cartridges...

6.17 mm Spitfire, 6mm/.243" (Lazzeroni). Brass length is 2.050" and holds 74 gr of H20. 0.532" bolt face I think.

6.71 mm Phantom, 6.5mm/.264" (Lazzeroni). Same 2.050" brass length, 75 gr H20 capacity and 0.532" bolt face I think.

7.21 mm Tomahawk, 7mm/.284" (Lazzeroni). 2.050" brass length 81 gr H20 capacity, 0.581" BF.

7.82 mm Patriot, 7.62mm / .308" (Lazzeroni). 2.050" brass length 81.5 gr H20 capacity, 0.581" BF.

8.59 mm Galaxy, .338" (Lazzeroni). 2.050" brass length 86 gr H20 capacity, 0.581" BF.

8.53 mm Hellcat .375" (Lazzeroni). 2.050" brass length 84 gr H20 capacity, 0.581" BF.

10.57 mm Maverick .416" (Lazzeroni). 2.050" brass length 88 gr H20 capacity, 0.578" BF.

12.04 mm Lilmufu .475" (Lazzeroni). 2.040" brass length 95 gr H20 capacity, 0.578" BF.

Not many short action cartridges that can generate 5,500+ ft-lbs of muzzle energy !
I can just imagine the STUPENDOUS fireball from a 16.5" barrel !!!!!!!!

 

[Konocti's Wigwam]

I really wish there was a reliable way to get subsonic loads now that trail boss is vaporware.

This guy is using Trailboss...but what about the Beck Ammunition? I thought I saw subsonic 308 on either the Maker site or Gorilla.

300 blackout with 1:5 twist looks fun, I just put one together but haven't shot anything yet. Plan to load it with CFEBLK. On the other side of the spectrum, 110 gr CX and Barnes has 110 gr TSX and TTSX that would work. Leaves either subsonic or supersonic on the table.

 

[7887mm08]

6 x 45