guys i was hoping from a little input on selecting a new varmint caliber. i have had many varmint rifles over the years and am looking to rebarrel a heavy barrel 22-250 soon. i have had a .220 swift 2,22-250s a .204 243 a 6br and 25-06 and a .280. the best being the swift. the 22-250 is only so-so accurate for me. the 25-06 and .280 have more recoil than i like for shooting. my main concerns are ease of loading, inherent accuracy, flat shooting and minimal wind drift at longer ranges. i was leaning to a 6-284 or a 6.5. a close second would be a 22-243 or cheetah variant with a fast twist barrel. firstand experience would be helpful.my intensions are one hole groups at the bench and long range performace that shoots flat.
long range varmint caliber advice?
- Thread starter fordwrench
- Start date
just my opinion but if you liked the swift i would do a 22 250 AI with a fast twist 8 or 9. 6-284 and a cheetah are both a lot of fun but real barrel burners. looking to the future when my 22-250AI needs a new barrel i am considering a 6XC. also since it looks like you all ready have a 6BR how about a dasher?
Brian
Brian
I have used the following cartridges and calibers for long range varminting, long range being 400 to 1000 yards. I have used .223, 22-250, 220Swift, 243AI, 6MMAI and 6x284. All of the cartridges and calibers I mentioned were all used with fast twist barrels for long bullets. If you noticed, I did not include the 6BR in the cartridge list. The reason, my dumb butt never owned one. All it took was one day of shooting varmints with a friends custom 6BR, and I was hooked. For small varmints like Pdogs and Squirrels, the 6BR is a perfect long range varmint cartridge out to 1000 yards. With the right bullet, 105grn A-Max, 105grn Berger VLD, Lapua 105grn Scenar or Sierra 107grn MK it is super accurate and has plenty of energy to kill a Pdog or squirrel at a 1000. If your going to shoot bigger varmints, like Groundhogs or Coyotes out to 1000 yards, than I would look at the 6x47 Lapua. However, for small varmints from 0 to 1000 yards, the 6BR is king in my book and that's why I am finally having one built. So my vote would be for a 6BR with a 1-8 twist barrel with a 236 bore. The 1-8 twist will allow you to shoot anything from 55 to 107grn bullets. If you go with a slower twist, like 12 or 14, you will only be able to shoot the lighter bullets and those bullets will not help in the long range department. Another excellent attribute about the 6BR is the Lapua 6BR Brass. It is as close to perfect as you can get. The 6BR Lapua brass allows you to have a Match Chamber and no-turn .272 neck that requires no turning at all. A loaded 6BR round, with Lapua 6BR Brass, measures .270, that allows for .002 clearance. That's basically a tight neck chamber without the turning. I have had my share of turning necks, and I most say I am sick of it. The 6x47 Lapua would be a good cartridge, but I am going to stick with the 6BR this time around. I am building a full custom this time, so I am looking forward to taking this one on the hunts next year. Once again, my vote is for the 6BR. Good luck and have fun.
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
You have to remember that "terminal" results should never be forgotten to kill animals humanely. Many, many target shooters use a 6 BR to shoot 600 and 1000 yard matches but at bullets rarely if ever expand at those distances.
Terminal performance is important and the 6BR has plenty of energy to kill small varmints like Pdogs and Squirrels out to 1000 yards. For 1000 yard shots, I would not use a 6BR to kill groundhogs or coyotes. But for pdogs and squirrels, the 6BR works very well. The 105grn A-Max is a good bullet for long range varminting and it expands much better than the Berger VLD's or MatchKings.
I plan on using the 87grn V-Max for shots from 0 to 400 yards and the 105grn A-Max from 400 to 1000 yards. My buddy has a custom 6BR he uses for his long range varminting. It is deadly accurate out to 1000 yards, and he uses the 105grn Lapua Scenar. The 105grn Scenar doesn't expand as well as the 105grn A-Max, but it kills them dead at that range.
I use to use a 6x284 for my 1000 yard shots, but I kept burning barrels out on it. I love the 6x284, it's just has a short barrel life and when shooting Pdogs and squirrels you need a rifle that's going to have long barrel life. My two main Pdog and Squirrel rigs used to be a 22-250 and A 6x284 for the longer shots. After years of changing barrels and talking to other varmint hunters, I decided it was time to make a change.
I decided to make my two main varmint rifles a .223 and a 6BR. They don't have the hyper velocity of the 22-250 and 6x284, but they are more accurate cartridges and their barrel life is much longer. Two of my varmint hunting buddies went to the same type of set ups for their varmint hunting combos. One of them used a use a 220 Swift and 6-06 and the other a 22-250AI and a 6MMAI. They too switched, one switched to a 22BR and 6BR and the other went with a .223 and 6BR too.
I am not saying my way is the best, I just shoot over 3000 rounds a year at varmints. I have learned over the years changing barrels is very expensive habit. A high quality barrel will run around $300 and to re-chamber and fit to action that will run around $200 to $250. That's $500 to $550 a year and don't forget the wait. Anyhow, I went a little off topic sorry about that. IMO, the .223 and 6BR are the perfect combo in a target rich environment and the 6BR, with the right bullet, will kill small varmints at 1000 yards.
I plan on using the 87grn V-Max for shots from 0 to 400 yards and the 105grn A-Max from 400 to 1000 yards. My buddy has a custom 6BR he uses for his long range varminting. It is deadly accurate out to 1000 yards, and he uses the 105grn Lapua Scenar. The 105grn Scenar doesn't expand as well as the 105grn A-Max, but it kills them dead at that range.
I use to use a 6x284 for my 1000 yard shots, but I kept burning barrels out on it. I love the 6x284, it's just has a short barrel life and when shooting Pdogs and squirrels you need a rifle that's going to have long barrel life. My two main Pdog and Squirrel rigs used to be a 22-250 and A 6x284 for the longer shots. After years of changing barrels and talking to other varmint hunters, I decided it was time to make a change.
I decided to make my two main varmint rifles a .223 and a 6BR. They don't have the hyper velocity of the 22-250 and 6x284, but they are more accurate cartridges and their barrel life is much longer. Two of my varmint hunting buddies went to the same type of set ups for their varmint hunting combos. One of them used a use a 220 Swift and 6-06 and the other a 22-250AI and a 6MMAI. They too switched, one switched to a 22BR and 6BR and the other went with a .223 and 6BR too.
I am not saying my way is the best, I just shoot over 3000 rounds a year at varmints. I have learned over the years changing barrels is very expensive habit. A high quality barrel will run around $300 and to re-chamber and fit to action that will run around $200 to $250. That's $500 to $550 a year and don't forget the wait. Anyhow, I went a little off topic sorry about that. IMO, the .223 and 6BR are the perfect combo in a target rich environment and the 6BR, with the right bullet, will kill small varmints at 1000 yards.
At 1000+ yards a 6x47 Lapua simply outruns the 6BR shooting the same 105 A-max. It also has good barrel life. In my opinion, it seems to be the optimum caliber for long range varminting.
I've never shot a PD at 1000+ with my 6BR but even the 6x47 going a couple hundred FPS faster seems to be running out of steam at that range as far as instant killing power is concerned.
I agree that smaller calibers should be used for closer in shots so as to put less rounds through the long range guns.
-John
I've never shot a PD at 1000+ with my 6BR but even the 6x47 going a couple hundred FPS faster seems to be running out of steam at that range as far as instant killing power is concerned.
I agree that smaller calibers should be used for closer in shots so as to put less rounds through the long range guns.
-John
acloco,
22-6MMAI sounds awesome, but how fast can the 75grn A-Max be pushed. I know the 105's A-Max's, out of my old 6x284, would tear apart once pushed over 3200fps. The 22-6MMAI should be able to push them to over 3500fps, but can they handle that speed? I know the 80grn MK's can, I was just wondering about the 75grn A-Max.
22-6MMAI sounds awesome, but how fast can the 75grn A-Max be pushed. I know the 105's A-Max's, out of my old 6x284, would tear apart once pushed over 3200fps. The 22-6MMAI should be able to push them to over 3500fps, but can they handle that speed? I know the 80grn MK's can, I was just wondering about the 75grn A-Max.
i see alot of you guys backed the 6br. the one i had was a nice gun but lacked the horsepower to be flat shooter. i really believe that an accurate fast twist .223 is just as good. i like the idea of a 22-243 or 6mm or a 6 or 6.5 284. or that 6-47.. not real up on that one yet. i have to have flat shooter with enoough bullet to get it there and kill. 0-400 yds a 22-250 is hard to beat but that 500 to 750 area is another ball game.. you guys with them hot rods speak up i want to know more?? btw, i need enough beans to kill a coyote at that distance.
TheBlueEyedBear
'The Nut Behind The Trigger'
I am getting ready to try some 87gr V-Max loads in my DASHER. Probably won't see 3700 but it may come close.
Inside of 300yds and with less then a 10mph x-wind anything pretty much gets the job done in the dog towns. That's time to pull out a 17 Mach IV or 20VT and make frizby's out of em and you get to watch it happen with absolutely no recoil. Out to 500 it 6mmBR 75 Vmax time, make it a 28"-8tw and it's will be good for an additional 100/150 yds. But if the wind is a blowing hard and I'm going to be shooting out past 500yds much I get out the 6mmAI loaded with 87gr Vmax. For some reason this calibers just don't over heat as fast as 243/243AI's. All the 22-250's I've been around are cooking after 10 shots "If I could only have one gun make mine a 6mmBR".
RJ
RJ
6BR said:
My barrel is a 1:9 twist. To date, without showing any signs of pressure, using RL19, the 75 gr AMax's topped a 3824 fps.
I am probably going to back the load off to 3750 and use this load. Accuracy was very good as well.
Info on 69 Nos HPBT and 75 gr AMax over RL19. THIS DATA FROM A 22/6mm AI - PLEASE....work up your own.
STRING 02
SHOT VELOCITY RL 19
1 3745 75 Amax 49.5
2 3751.4 50
3 3812.1 50.5
4 3824 51
STRING 03
SHOT VELOCITY RL 19
1 3698.7 69 HPBT 49.5
2 3769.3 50
3 3774.4 50.5
4 3814.8 51
5 3852 51.5
i also am looking for something for long range for coyote. i have a 6mm rem. and have bought a 6mm ai remer for when barrel dies out. unless someone can convince me otherwise . need somethin that will shoot out to 1000 if needed in 6mm line. really like the ai will already have brass . to use. what is your opions. also does anyone use the leupold tmr for distance .
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