New varmint rig, now to pick a chambering

[wvuredneck09]

Bumping this one back up as I now have the action on its way, ended up going with a 700 clone, barrel is in 6mm 1-8 twist. And I have a stock with AI mag system. Still haven't decided on the caliber for certain. One day I'm 6x47 lapua, the next day 6slr, then i go back to KISS and think why not a plain 243. I have some once fired 243 brass from a friend but I also can get 6.5x47 lapua brass in my hands in a few minutes .

 

[Big Mc]

I have decided to build a a dedicated varmint/target gun. I currently have mostly larger hunting guns for whitetails and on up and want to dust off a savage action that has been laying around and get something thrown together that i can punch paper and coyotes with. Keep in mind that the coyotes out my way are quite large, not that a well placed round out of my 22-250 wont do the job i just want something more accurate with somewhere in the 75-125 grain bullets. I think I'd like to go 6mm as I currently have a 223,22-250,270,7mm-08,7mm WSM, 308, 300 WM. I'm leaning towards a 6mm BR or one of its improved versions, or a 6-6.5x47. I want to use lapua brass and plan to shoot it a good bit so barrel life is somewhat important. Rifle will have a box mag so seating length is limited but wouldn't be an issue with either of those calibers. Other than mag length and 308 bolt face though I am open to other options if someone has a better idea. Rifle will likely get a 22-24" barrel to keep it compact for varmint hunting.

My vote 6.5x47 Lapua.. 123gr,SMK. Will do what you want.. Tommy Mc..

 

[Barlow]

I bought a Marlin X7 308 three years ago. Had a Rock Creek 5R barrel 26" long installed and chambered in 6 Dasher. It feeds fine, as in no problems. I know it's a cheap rifle, but it's an accurate rifle. I use 87 gr vmax's at 3240 mv. It has a Redfield Revolution 4x12 with their range finding reticle, which I love. The farthest I have shot it is 300 yards, it was 1 inch low at that range. Longest kill so far 217 yards drt. In my area here in northern Wis. it has worked very well. Barlow

 

[2dogs]

I went with 6BR set up to run 55 grain NBTs @3920 from a 26" Hart 1:14" twist barrel by Dan Dowling. I did set it up as a repeater. I use a modified AI 223 mag and a Tubb muzzle brake. Accuracy is incredible.

 

[timeout]

I bought a Marlin X7 308 three years ago. Had a Rock Creek 5R barrel 26" long installed and chambered in 6 Dasher. It feeds fine, as in no problems. I know it's a cheap rifle, but it's an accurate rifle. I use 87 gr vmax's at 3240 mv. It has a Redfield Revolution 4x12 with their range finding reticle, which I love. The farthest I have shot it is 300 yards, it was 1 inch low at that range. Longest kill so far 217 yards drt. In my area here in northern Wis. it has worked very well. Barlow

∆∆∆∆
Using a Rem. 700 in a Dasher with modified Kwik Klip detachable mags. Feeds great, accurate with 105 Berger HVLD'S. Friend is shooting the same with 95 grain Berger HVLD'S. Have a younger guy going to be using a .243 and 87 Berger HVLD'S this season. Very quick and humane kills. Farthest so far 276 yards. This in Southern WI. Berger HVLD'S Rock in Cheese Country!!

 

[rifleman700]

6X47L or 6BR. You will be happy with either one. Lots of great bullets with 6mm's.

 

[tydaws]

My personal custom coyote killer is a 243 AI. I couldn't be more pleased with it. It has a 12 twist barrel for shooting the lighter 6mm bullets. However, your wanting to punch paper also & probably need more barrel life than one can expect out of a 243 AI. In which case, I'd have to narrow it down to the 6mm BR or the 6XC. If your willing to spend the doe to go with the AICS style detachable mag setup, I'd opt for the 6mm BR with the Primal Rights magazine conversion kit. http://www.primalrights.com/equipment/6br-aics-conversion If you want to run a factory style mag, I'd go with the 6XC for feeding reliability.

 

[Wingnut00]

Like a couple other folks said look into the 6mm competition match. 105 bullet at really easy 3200fps and around 4000 rounds of barrel life using h-1000. How can you go wrong.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

6mm dasher, zero freebore, 55 nosler bt at 4000 fps. Explodes chucks and gophers. No problem getting the br case to feed.

 

[GrocMax]

If you insist on throwing heavy 6mm bullets at smaller varmints, get the 105 amax to shoot, the rest are just hole-pokers and crawloffers waiting to happen.

 

[wvuredneck09]

Dont really desire to shoot the heavies planning on 70-90 range. My concern with the 6mm CM is the H1000 burn rate with a short barrel. I dont want to go over 24" and dont need/want a big fireball every time I pull the trigger. Are there many shooters shooting it with 24" or under barrels out there? Also what does a set of dies cost?

 

[Wingnut00]

Dont really desire to shoot the heavies planning on 70-90 range. My concern with the 6mm CM is the H1000 burn rate with a short barrel. I dont want to go over 24" and dont need/want a big fireball every time I pull the trigger. Are there many shooters shooting it with 24" or under barrels out there? Also what does a set of dies cost?

I understand what you are sayin and when I built mine my gunsmith told me there was absolutely no need for longer than a 24" but I wanted 26"-27" and that's what I got. He claimed he has gotten velocity up to bout 3400 with 105's with rl-26 although I don't know for sure but I believe him. He ain't done me wrong so have no reason not to believe him. You ain't gonna get 4000 rds from your stick with that kind of velocity of coarse so you know what I'm sayin.
And for dies, what I do per instructions from my smith is take virgin 243 brass, expand neck to 6.5 resize leaving a slight false shoulder with 6 comp die which my smith makes. He makes a full length neck bushing die that work fricken awesome. Seating a bullet is simple. 243 seating die of your choice. And you r done. Don't quote the price of my smiths die but I believe it's $180. Worth the money to. By the way my gunsmith is chad Dixon of long rifles Inc. Awesome SOB. Very good to talk to and incredible turn around time.

 

[jakelly]

Couple things to add here:
-Patriot Valley Arms makes an AICS dasher magazine conversion that works 100% and installs in seconds.
-If you go with a 6x47, make sure to get a .274" neck. My loaded ammo measures nearly .271" and my no turn neck measures .272", I don't know why so many no turn reamers have such small necks.
-3150 fps with a 105 gr is easily done in a 6x47. I would think an 80 gr flat base should be easily pushed to 3300 fps.
-Your firing pin is bushed? If not, it will need to be, to go BR, Dasher, or 6x47.
-Lapua will be making 6.5 Creedmoor brass, yet with a small primer pocket. Another option, but bushing your bolt will be necessary.
-If I wanted to avoid bushing my bolt, I'd go 6XC.
-If I wanted the best possible accuracy, I'd go Dasher.
-If I wanted a laser, I'd go with the comp match.

I would lean towards a 6x47 and just make sure my gunsmith used a .274" neck. Yes, the bolt will need bushed, but after that it is truly load and go. I have grown to truly dislike fireforming. I don't really want to buy kits for my mags. I don't want to worry about donuts. I really like Lapua brass. But that's just me, YMMV.

 

[wvuredneck09]

Thanks for the great info jakelly I will be using a custom action so I doubt the firing pin will be an issue. I'm going to contact a smith or three about the 6CM. BTW is there anything official about the lapua 6.5 creedmore brass? That could change everything in the creedmore community.

 

[jakelly]

I believe Kevin Thomas has stated for a fact Lapua will make the brass (Facebook), timeline hasn't been discussed as of yet. If you want 6 Creedmoor info I would call GA Precision.
I know that many of my Montana hunting buddies have reported hang fires and misfires when using small rifle primers in very cold weather (subzero). Another benefit to this case would be Hornady large rifle primer cases for use in very cold weather or any shooting where brass loss is a given (PRS). I think the option for large or small primer brass in a single press stroke is a big upside. The down side is Lapua isn't here yet, and as mentioned by another poster in the Lapua brass thread, if the timeline follows other industry tracks, it might not even be here in 2017. Although methinks it will.
Personally, I will probably switch to the 6 Creedmoor once Lapua brass hits the market, maybe before that.

 

[muleystalker]

The action is a short action for sure. I'm thinking more and more after reading through all of the comments that a 6br, or one of its spawn is out. Based on the comments and feedback I've had so far I'm leaning towards the following calibers now (but still open to hear ideas):
22-250AI
6-6.5x47
7mm-08
One thing i do have going for me is i don't have to battle wind like those of you in the west/mid-west. I hardly ever see more than 10MPH and most days its closer to 2-3MPH.

If your dead set on a Br or BRX or dasher, someone just came out with a kit to upgrade AI mags so they feed flawlessly, I think it is about 40.00, its a spacer and follower kit. A lot of PRS guys are using them, just read about them last week, I think on here.On that savage action and you wanting barrel life, I would go the 6mm Competition Match.

 

[muleystalker]

I did some ballistic comparison last night, These numbers may not be correct but heres what I got (keep in mind 24" barrel):
22-250AI w/75gr. bullet at 3250 gives me 39.5" of drop at 500 and 18.3" of wind @10mph
the 6x47 w/75gr. bullet at 3400 gives me 39.9" and 23.6" respectively
the 6x47 w/87gr. bullet at 3200 gives me 42.5" and 20.7"

With such similar ballistics I think barrel life might be the tie breaker. That is if these velocities are accurate. Ballistics have rulled out the 7-08 for this project. If anything the only change in my mind is after discussing the project with a few people today it seems that the 6brx feeds well and may be back into worth looking at. What kind of velocities should I expect with the 6brx with a 75gr bullet and 24" tube.

You need to run the 6x47 with the heavier bullets to start to get to its ballistic efficiency, then it will blow the 22-250ai away and be usable out to 1000', say 115's, 108's, 107's,105's. great for deer and antelope too.

 

[Webster]

.22-243AI with a 75gr. Amax!

No barrel life.

 

[Webster]

I did some ballistic comparison last night, These numbers may not be correct but heres what I got (keep in mind 24" barrel):
22-250AI w/75gr. bullet at 3250 gives me 39.5" of drop at 500 and 18.3" of wind @10mph
the 6x47 w/75gr. bullet at 3400 gives me 39.9" and 23.6" respectively
the 6x47 w/87gr. bullet at 3200 gives me 42.5" and 20.7"

With such similar ballistics I think barrel life might be the tie breaker. That is if these velocities are accurate. Ballistics have rulled out the 7-08 for this project. If anything the only change in my mind is after discussing the project with a few people today it seems that the 6brx feeds well and may be back into worth looking at. What kind of velocities should I expect with the 6brx with a 75gr bullet and 24" tube.

Do you hunt at night, dawn or dusk for coyotes? If so long distance may not matter unless you have a night vision scope. It's hard to find coyotes during the day. Can you use a call to get them out in the open in the daytime? I have a 6BR for GH. If I hunted longer distance I would get a 6BRX barrel for 80-90 gr bullets. I would look up if any of the 105 gr bullets expand quickly enough for coyote sized animals. I have 3500 rounds in my 6BR Kreiger barrel. It still shoots groups as good as when it was new.

 

[JarheadAZ]

New to this fray, I have been conjuring up a new project based on the Savage Predator Hunter Max, the .260 Rem chambering, and the HDY 6.5/95gr V-Max. The rifle handles nicely, does very nicely with 140 Gr Noslers on deer, and may just be the Varminter you seek with the 95gr V-Max.

Some internet poking around suggests a 260/95gr V-Max Varget load in the 42-43gr range generating 3100's with little pressure indication in a 24" barrel. Please note this is all second hand.

Using the 95 with the 260 finally gives a Varget load that comes a lot closer to a decent load density.

Greg