Which caliber to choose?

[Northman]

I am in a kind of predicament. I'm going to build a rifle, specially for varmints,80% varmint, 20%practice/comp??).,crows,seagulls,fox) It's based on a single shot mod 12. savage action. But I don't know what caliber to choose. I have never done any loading myself before, but for this, I'm going to start. It should be easy? And not use alot of equpment..?

Distanse is max 5-600yards

From what I have read on this forum I have the
6br 1:12 twist?,I don't know if the 1:8 twist has good varmint bullets?)
22br
Tactical 20?
22-250
243
223

The varmints are small, so I dont know if its any point of using heavy bullets? Maybe 40-70 grain?

What I'm looking for is accuracy! speed, low recoil, not a barrel burner. For me this sounds like a 22br, or tac-20.
But maybe I can get something more from another caliber, only with a muzzle brake?

Some suggestions?

 

[AckleyImproved]

Hi

Have a look at "Week 36" in Gun of the Weekrifle....

THE END!!!!!

AI

 

[Forum Boss]

If you're prey are mostly close and small, a 17HMR or 22mag will do the job. Once you move much past 300 yards, you want all the accuracy you can get, and that's where a 6BR makes sense. A 10-twist throated for the 90 Boattails and 80gr Flatbase should do the job well. If you'll be doing a lot of shooting at 500-600, go all the way to a 1:8" twist so you can shoot the higher BC bullets. They perform much better in the wind. PacNor, Krieger, Broughton, Hart, etc. all make good barrels, but PacNor offers the pre-fit chamber option for the Savage--a very elegant solution. You need to choose you primary bullet to have the throat optimized. .060 Freebore for the short bullets, .090-.100 for the 105+ grain pills.

 

[Northman]

I know, I know. But this rifle is sett up to shot fast vld bullets. Not varmint bullets.

Something flat, and consistent at 500yards is what I want/need. I have seen a 22br pop a praire dog at 480yards. But is the 6br better suited, and if so, in what twist?

 

[jb1000br]

87-vmax, 10 twist

JB

 

[NeilNE]

IMHO, the farther you what to shoot the heavier & larger the bullet should be. For 500-600 yard, there are many cartridges. If you want to shoot flatter, you need to go to larger case.
My recommendation for 5-600 yards:
Caliber: 6MM, 6.5, or 7,not a fan of 30 cal.)
Bullet & Twist: Heavy bullets and slow twist
Case: 6br minimum, again the faster you want to shoot the
larger the case.
If you are starting out reloading, pick a factory chamber. 6BR, 243, 6mm Rem, 260, 6.5x55, 284, 280 and the list goes on.

 

[Northman]

I've read about pepole using the heavy 105grain A-max on varmints and really making a mess out of them.

Also a 75gran V-max is supposed to work fine out of a 8 twist barrel.

 

[KLENCHBLAIZE]

The answer, surely, is to be found in the name of this Forum!:thumb:

Keep those "seagulls" coming!!

Klenchblaize

 

[bpost1958]

Have you considered a TC Encore?

You could have a 22 Hornet for short range fast shooting, a 22-250 to reach out there on calm days and a custom 6MM,pick your flavor) for L-O-N-G shots or on days when the wind is causing problems. ,Look at the 6MM dasher)

What ever you choose it is a compromise, no one caliber does it all; except 16" shells from the Missouri.

 

[Wild_Bill]

I would definately go with the 6mm BR with a 8 twist the plastic tip on the 105gr A Max makes them as explosive as any varmint bullet and they are better in the wind i would also look at the Pac-Nor pre fit option you can also use the 55gr Blitz Kings out of a 1 in 8 twist and they still shoot well under 1/2moa and they hold togethor at 6mmbr velocities. i would have a 26" barrel as you wish to use it for target shooting aswell. this way you can use it for all the shooting you like up to 1000 yards.
Cheers Bill
Australia

 

[Northman]

Allright, I did kind of abandond this project due to very high export fees to get the Savage action. Now it might change again.

I have seen some guys stating that they are shooting 55 grain and upwards in an 1:8 twist barrel. Was wondering what kind of velocities do you shoot them in to avoid blowing up mid air? Would it be possible getting 3300 ++ ?

 

[Wild_Bill]

you can push them in a 9 twist 243 at 4000 fps so you will never blow one up in an 8 twist 6mmm BR you just cant spin them as hard as the factory 6mms
And 3400 is a great speed but depending on your barrel and powder selection 3500 might be max in your rifle.


Cheers Bill
Australia

 

[Caduceus]

Northman,

From my personal loading notes:

6BR standard case, 1:8 26" Lilja barrel,

58 V-max - 35.5grn Varget - 3550 fps*
65 V-max - 34.0grn Varget - 3430 fps
75 V-max - 32.5grn Varget - 3200 fps
87 V-max - 31.0grn Varget - 2890 fps**

*Would have gone higher but couldn't fit any more powder into the case

**This is probably well short of max load since plenty of guys are using that much powder behind a 107grn bullet. I went to the range pre-loaded so couldn't go any higher on the day I tested.

I'm in the process of writing up a more detailed article on my testing of light bullets in fast twist barrels. However, as a general point, the accuracy improved as the bullets got heavier. Mind you, even the "worst" 5-shot groups with the lightest projectiles were still under .5" at 100yds. I'd be quite happy to shoot varmints under 300yds with that type of load. If I need to go beyond 300yds, I'll step up to the 75 or 87grn pills.

Hope this helps

 

[Northman]

Yes it sure does! Now a 1:8 twist looks like it can do it all for me.


No I just have to get the rifle!