Which Cartridge - For My Needs?

[Phil3]

While I am looking for a job, I am also motivated by figuring out what to spend new-found pay on. That is, a second bolt action rifle. There are a variety of cartridges but don't have all info on them, and hope I can get some info from the collective wisdom here.

All my local ranges are 100 yards, a couple to 200, but anything further is a 4 hour roundtrip (not happening much). And of course I am looking for best accuracy. But also, have some other criteria. The gun won't be used in competition. Is there a best cartridge?

1) Very good accuracy. With right gun, capable of shooting into the twos.
2) Barrel life of 3500+ rounds).
3) Recoil less than a 308 preferred.
4) Modest brass preparation. The 6PPC from Russian brass is more than I want to do.
5) Tolerant and not fickle on loads, shooting well with a wide variety of combinations.
6) Decent brass life.
7) I prefer shooting for score, not so much group. I have mixed feelings on this, but it is score for now.

I was looking at 22BR, 30BR, 6PPC, and 6mmBR. I currently shoot 223 Remington. Any others and what might be best?

Phil

 

[Erik Cortina]

30 BR

 

[sdean]

6.5 x 47L Really handy cartridge

 

[potatoe]

30BR sounds like the right one for you. PPC would be second, both of them have almost the same amount of brass prep steps. Either one would be great

 

[Tim Singleton]

Another vote for 30 BR

 

[ShootDots]

Since you are already considering a 6mmBr, you would be hard pressed to find an easier cartridge to load for. It is accurate, almost no recoil, fairly flat shooting, IF you ever wanted to get into competition, be it F-Class OR Benchrest shooting, you would be in great company. Barrel life is at least 2500, some go well over 3000 rounds.. There is no brass forming, no necking up or down, shoots with almost ANY powder in the H4895 / RL-15 / Varget burn rate range. There is really no better cartridge for simplicity and ease of load development>> There is little doubt of that!

 

[flatlander]

Your barrel life expectation is pretty high, but I'd bet that the 30BR would come closer to reaching that goal than any of the other cartridges you listed. But if you're willing to trade off some barrel life for super easy brass prep, low recoil, and a truly excellent choice of very accurate bullets, then go with the 6BR. If you're shooting 100yds, loading 65-68gr bullets would be one way to extend bbl life.

 

[firearmdoc1]

I would also recommend the 6br. Readily available brass with little to no prep required, lots of data available and little recoil. You can always use it for longer range in the future if you so desire, but it will do just fine at 100-200yds. Just make sure you choose a twist rate that will stabilize the heaviest bullet you may use.
Lighter bullets will probably do just fine for you at the shorter ranges, so you may want to have your throat made to suit, than you can always have it cut longer if you went with heavier bullets later.
Just my thoughts.

 

[snakepit]

Your 7 item criteria is just about the same I used last year when I was looking into a new rifle and I ended up getting the 6mm BR and I am happy with my selection. I use it mainly at 600 yds and a lot of my friends have great luck with it at 100 & 200 yds. Firearmdoc and ShootDots just gave you some good points to consider so I will not repeat them.

 

[johnmyers]

Lot of guys saying 30br and I agree. Will do everything you are looking for other than you have to do some brass prep or there are guys on this forum you can buy them from ready to shoot. 100 cases will last you a long time.

 

[stinnett1981]

Wow. I didnt know the 30br was that popular. Maybe I will start looking at it. Seen a guy at the range the other day with a 30 blackout in a AR platform. A .223 case with a 30 cal bullet. See something new everyday ???

 

[JThorsby]

308 Win. has all you mentioned and a tremendous volume of reloading information available, if you decide to add reloading to your repertoire too.
It's also very good for longer shooting on those rare longer trips to the longer range facilities.

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

Are you planning to build from scratch, or buy used? What sort of front rest do you have, or plan to get, or prefer?

If you're buying used (which I have recommend to you before, for value reasons), and if you plan to shoot off a pedestal rest, then by far the most commonly available rigs will be 6PPC short-range benchrest rifles with -- unfortunately for you -- tight neck chambers. Same with used 30BR score rifles.

That still leaves you with the option of buying prepped 6PPC brass if you don't want to do the brass prep work yourself. Down the road you could always rebarrel a used 6PPC to a no-turn 6PPC or no-turn 22PPC, or even a 6 or 22 Beggs, if you are willing to pay for a new barrel and fitting/chambering.

The huge advantage of the PPC and BR families is that you can get great brass, dies that work with your chamber (that don't cost an arm and a leg), and there is a vast amount of information on how to make them shoot well. If you buy a used benchrest rifle it's pretty common to get some brass and dies in the bargain. Another advantage of buying a "standard" used benchrest rifle is that resale value (especially with a custom action) is reasonably high, if you change your mind later.

Unless you are shooting for score COMPETITIVELY, I would go with a 6PPC LV and either learn to turn necks (no big deal) or buy prepped brass. Compared to the 30BR, the lower bullet cost, less recoil, and widespread availability of great used 6PPC rifles is impossible to beat. You will be shooting in the 2s even during fireforming with a 6PPC.

The 30BR will probably have a longer barrel life and definitely makes a bigger hole in the target, but a typical 6PPC can stay in the 2s for a long, long, time.

If you're building from scratch, a no-turn .222, .223, 22 Beggs, or 22PPC (all have Lapua brass available) will do everything you want out to 100-200 yards except punch a big hole to catch the X-dot. For "fun" shooting a low-recoil accurate rifle is hard to top. But a scratch-built rifle like this won't have the resale value of a LV 6PPC.

 

[people]

I would just keep shooting the 223. There really is no reason to step up to a bigger bullet unless you are going to shoot game or longer ranges.

Granted verity is the spice of life.

Here is what I would look at in this order.

.222
6mmBR
6.5X47
308

 

[K22]

The 223 is my favorite cartridge (bolt rifles) and it will do all you want but if you want another caliber / rifle I'd consider the Savage Predator with accu- stock and trigger, in 260 Remington. I don't have one but my friend recently bought one and out of the box with tailored reloads it was shooting well under 1/2 moa.

I was really impressed with the trigger pull also. With 223 components in short support this my be an good alternative cartridge.

 

[GSPV]

222 would be very, very accurate, have an incredible barrel life, incredibly low recoil, and be inexpensive to shoot. They are also a hoot to play with.

 

[Phil]

Phil,

I`m having a 30BR built.

You might want to read up on one of these...

Heck,you can even buy prepped brass for it...


Phil.

 

[chuckw2]

.223
.222
.30 or 6 BR

There is something very cool about shooting the .222, CDI factor 9.6323!!!!!!

 

[lpreddick]

i have or had all of the above and enjoyed them all except maybe the .308...recoil. i am an accuracy addict on a budget and find the 22 BR to be my medicine. no turn reamers and blue box lapua means only neck down and shoot. a pound of powder last a LONG time and the cartridge likes several. my 14 twist pushes 52 fowlers at 3700+ fps with 6-7 gr LESS powder than my 22-250. currently it is showing favor with 60 bergers at 3600 fps. barrel life is fantastic, unless you visit pdog towns...it might just be worth it, anyway. my 12 twist amazes me with 64 bergers and n540...ghog at 372 yds, many at 250-300 yds. an 8 twist prefers 77 smks but velocity is only 3100. for short range a slow twist(14 tw) 6 BR is my second choice. 68 cheeks of bergers are awesome using n133 or IMR 8208 XBR. no turn neck and a pound of powder last a long time. 70 bergers and 70 noslers are close, trying some 65 bergers now, but the 68s shoot in the ones, even by a novice shooter.

 

[GSRswapandslow]

i'm in the EXACT same situation as yourself.....I was going for a 6br...then i found the 6beggs....then, an epiphany, 223AI.

Shoots 50gr vmax's at 3400 with 26.5gr of RL10x into a small little, ragged edge, hole at 100yds. I haven't even done any real load development for it...or changed seating depth.