If you could have Just one caliber...

[mao0720]

What would it be? Something that would do well on steel target to 1000m + and something that would take up to deer sized game. Something with a good barrel life (3000+). Something light enough to carry on a hunting trip yet stable/ heavy enough for target shooting.
My thought is a 6.5x47 Lapua with a 26-28" fluted varmint profile barrel. Savage action make rebarrels a breeze, mcmillan A5 stock does all roles well. Initial thoughts for a scope would be a Sightron sIII 8-32x. Please share your thoughts as I am looking to start a new build for a practical match rifle that will double as a hunting rifle.

 

[navyrad8r]

mao,
I don't think you will like the answer but, the good old .308 win. IMHO the close second would be .30-06, .284, and my favorite the .260 rem. I use my elesio RTS in .260 rem for hunting out of necessity because I don't have a hunting rifle...yet. I hope this helps. I know the .308 win is not the sexiest or "coolest" round but it does meet your requirements AND you can get the components to handload more.
cheers,
doc

 

[DCRYDER]

Everything sounds good but I would prefer a Remington 700.

 

[salitydog]

what doc. said love my 308 but if only had one it would be 22 mag or a 6brx

 

[ShootDots]

If you are looking at a Savage get 2 barrels... However, if not, get either a 7mm-08 OR a .260..... They will fill the bill>>>BUT you WILL get 3000+ rounds with the 7mm-08 and you might BUT you might not with the .260..

 

[navyrad8r]

I would suggest a long action savage for the action. they are just too darn versatile!! and as mentioned you can bbl change easily! When I finally get to that hunting rifle, that is the road I am going! get an extra bolt from PT&G.
cheers,
doc

 

[stacy]

WELL 243WIN FOR ME AND MY GANG 700 ACTION SHILEN BARREL SEIRRA 85GR BTHP/87GR BERGER THIN SKIN ANIMALS 105VLD'S FOR THE BIG STUFF!!!!!

 

[mao0720]

Navyrad8r- I love the 308 win. The only reason I dont want to chamber this rifle in 308 win is because I already have 2! My FT/R rifle and my current practical/ tactical 308. Looking for something a little more slippery in the wind.
Shoots dots- I like your suggestions! Will a 7-08 be able to push decent match bullets like the 162 Amax fast enough to give me an advantage at 1000yds? I like the 260 but I think the 6.5x47 will do what it does but with less powder.

Thanks for the replies, keep em coming!

 

[Rtheurer]

Remington 700 you can change the barrel faster than on a savage. I can swap a barrel out in less than 10 min at the shop. Better trigger too. Lots of Stock options... everyone has stocks for a Sort action Rem.
6.5X47Lapua. or a 260Rem seems to be pretty forgiving for everything you describe in post number one.

RT

 

[navyrad8r]

roger that,
I did not know that you had .308's. straight .284? or 7-08 then. you already have .308 brass so the jump to the 7mm or 6.5 family will be easy!! Since you are looking to fight the wind, its hard to beat those .284 bullets though! I went .260 because I wanted to drive 6.5 projo (less recoil) and had lots of .308 from service rifle. The 6.5x47L makes brass a little challenging. Interesting thread though keep it coming.
doc

 

[Cort]

I built mine with a Remington 700 long action and a Criterion pre-fit barrel from Jim Briggs at Northland Shooters Supply. The barrel uses a nut like a Savage. I finished it with an HS Precision stock, a Jewell trigger and a Sightron 6-24 scope. For your requirement, I would probably go with a 7-08 but the long action gives you lots of choices. Your barrel life desire limits your choices somewhat though.

Cort

 

[Shynloco]

My trusty .308 M77V that has been with me since I bought her new back in 1983 and which was built for the purpose of being a Sniper Rifle. She's now a Benchrest Rifle with a few other modifications that shoots incredible groups as she was intended to do.

 

[mao0720]

What kind of velocity is achievable from a 7-08 with the 162-168gr bullets from a 28" barrel?

 

[Outrider27]

I would build just about what was described in the first post (I already have the 8x32 SIII; that's a start ;D ), but I would go the opposite way from everyone else so far on caliber. I would look at the non-belted .338 bore cartridges, including wildcats. Reason: in 1957, at age 13, I took my first, and only, mountain lion due to the kindness of the ranch foreman at a family friend's ranch where I was staying. When asked why he loved his Model 70 in .375 H&H so much, his answer made great sense: "Because I can handload ammo for anything from gray squirrel to rhinocerus with that cartridge." After he took the first cat at 450 yards the second afternoon of our hunt (with what he referred to as his mule deer load) and the next morning I took the second at a whole 125 yards with the same load, I understood what he was up to - especially after we got back and I took one shot at a tomato juice can with his rhinocerus load; that baby got your attention. I'm comfortable with the bullet weight range commonly available in the .338 bore, I prefer to avoid belted cartridges, but I do think basing the rifle on the .338 Lapua Mag would be a bit more than necessary (for the record, I have and shoot both the .338 Win Mag and .338 Lapua Mag). I might even go for a .338-06, but I would probably look for something that could top out closer to or at .338 Win mag performance, even if, in the end, I never had a reason to load to that performance level. Just some random thoughts from someone that would prefer to punch big holes if he only could have one rifle.

And if I could have two, the 2nd would be a .22RF.....

 

[BigDMT]

Nothing wrong with the 6.5x47L for 1K shooting and hunting deer sized game.

The only thing I would change in your plan is the magnification range of the scope. 8-32X can be really hard to hunt with if having to take a closer range shot. Especially hard if the animal is running at close range. I wouldn't go any higher than a 6-24X range. The 5.5-22 NF NSX or perhaps a 5-25X Zeiss HD5 would be more than enough for 1K target shooting, yet low enough power for closer shots on deer.

 

[gaboon]

Can't go wrong with the 30-06.

 

[broncman]

There ia only ONE obvious choice! A 308!.......

You could shoot FTR, take it to the bean field and hunt deer, load some 110 vmax or 125's and shoot varmints, and pick up ammo anywhere. Nothing else comes close to the versatility of the 308. You could even thread the barrel for a tuner for your FTR match, go home, screw on your can and shoot subsonics on those unexpecting piggies that are wreaking havoc on your ranch/deer camp.....

Match that with a round you can compete with, hunt with, and buy ammo anywhere....

 

[ShootDots]

MAO, I have a friend who shot a 7-08 at 1000 for about a year! He did pretty well.. He wanted to "step up" to a "1000 yard specific" rifle (one JUST for 1000) so he went with a 6.5 x 284. BUT his 7-08 did pretty dang good! I also know that with the 168's he was getting GREAT accuracy and excellent velocity from IMR 4007. I had (3) 7-08's >> 2 for hunting and 1 for "shooting / trigger time" >>> It will do everything you asked for in your opening post. It will handily beat a 308 from 600 yards on out, if you are inclined for competition. With proper hunting bullets, Elk are within your grasp.. AND deer? Well as far as you can hit'em!

 

[L.Sherm]

+1 for the 7mm-08 and rem. 700, alot more options for stocks triggers and other aftermarket parts. You could probably get around 2800fps with the 162 and 28" barrel, I can get almost 3,000fps with 24" barrel and 140 gr. nosler part. You also have 308 brass and all you would have to do is neck down.

 

[Barlow]

The 6.5x55 Swede. Barlow