Wildcat for 200 yd Benchrest or Varmint matches...

[the long shot]

Background.

I have been shooting the local club 200 yd varmint matches and have been shooting stock and recently added factory. I have done reasonably well with .223 Rem and don't laugh 30-06 out of a LRPV and a 110FP+Brake. I only neck size and sort brass and reload as close to tolerances including Ogive measurements to keep me consistent.

I have never had a gun built for me, no gun smith experience, and I have never reloaded a wildcat cartridge.

My next goal is to have a custom gun built or bought for me in a wildcat that would be effective for 200 and maybe 600 yd matches. I am looking for long barrel life and have no problem with recoil. My question is... how do I go about this? What, in your opinion is the best wildcat I should look at?

What about the 6.5x47 Lapua or the 6mm Super LR? Both look promising.

 

[Hammerhead]

For 200 yd, I would like to put in my two cents for the 30br. Has a very long barrel life and at the 200 yard range is very accurate.
Go to the home page and read over the 30br info. There is lots there to look at.

Tim

 

[tiny68]

6BR..... That will give you the best of short and longer ranges. You are really asking too much for a 200 yd - 600 yd rifle with a single barrel. Short range BR (100-200 yd) group is dominated by the 6PPC. In short range score matches the 30BR rules. In the 300-600 yr for group the 6BR and improved versions rule. A 6BR will group good at 100-200 yds with a 1:14 twist and some 65-70 gr bullets. If you want to do it with one gun/barrel, I would suggest a 1:10 6BR that could shoot the smaller bullets for 100/200 yd stuff and also 95BIBs for up to 600 yds. If you want to shoot registared matches weight and stock design are issues. Step one is to go to matches and watch and ask lots of questions. What kind of gun is that? What caliber? What bullet? What kinds of issues? What barrel? Were you you get brass/dies/bullets? Who do you use for a gunsmith? There are always used rifles at matches for sale. If you choose to build start by talking with the gunsmith. Listen to their advance. Chances are they have been there and done that.

Luck, Tim

 

[357Mag]

Long Shot -

Howdy !

Please read your PM's, as I'll be sending you one !

Regards,
357Mag

 

[fullersson]

For 200 yds. and 600 yds. I would recommend the 6br if you just want to shoot 200 yds. then I would recommend the 6ppc. Good shooting, Brian.

 

[MarkS]

long shot,

Tim covered very well. I like a 12tw 6BR, it will shoot up to 80 gr. and does very well to 600 yds. It is hard to everything good with one twist. I have them all, 14 12, 10 and 8 in 6BR. All will do you, out to 600yds. You could go with a 6BR IMP's like 6BRX or 6 Dasher, in 8 tw they will work great at 1000 yds.

When you build our gun make it a switch barrel gun, most are, when you can have 2 or 3 barrels.

Mark Schronce

 

[skeetlee]

there is absolutely nothing else like a 6ppc for 100 200 yard benchrest............. It is truly an awesome chambering. I like the 6br as well, but there is a reason why everyone and i do mean everyone shoots the ppc in short range benchrest. Give it a try. If you want to keep it simple do a no turn chamber. Lapua brass is tops and i would bet a buck, it will shoot dots!!! Good luck friend, and most importantly, enjoy yourself!! Lee

 

[GermanS1]

Long barrel life, great accuracy and no problem with recoil... I can't see any reason for a wildcat and all the problems that can come with them. A 6BR or the .30-06, depending on how much fun you want to have will do the job. Make sure the rifle is suitable for F-Class too and you can double your fun.

Here's a good .30-06 article for you: http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2009/11/cartridges-logical-30-06.html

And another: http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2010/02/equipment-40xl.html

And one more: http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2010/05/equipment-follow-up-40xl.html

You might notice by the time you finish them that I kind of like the .30-06. Above all, remember to have fun and enjoy the day at the range - if nothing else, at least by confounding people by beating them with an "antique" cartridge! ;D

 

[Hammerhead]

German,
You are a die hard, I knew as soon as I saw your name you would be on the 30-06.

Cheers,

Tim

 

[GermanS1]

Thanks, Tim - that made me chuckle! Someone has to be a caveman...

 

[skeetlee]

nothing much more american than a good old 30/06!!!

 

[LHSmith]

nothing much more american than a good old 30/06!!!

Well.......there was that Hunter Class "30 American" cartridge of Federals ;D

 

[Rustystud]

30-06

I bought a Stock Remington 700 BDL 30-06 in 1975. I opened up the barrel channel, glassed in the lug and action as we did in those days. I had many hours at both the shooting bench and reloading bench. That rifle has never had a factory round down the tube. I shot it at 300 yards many times, shooting many 1 inch or less groups. In those days I hunted groundhogs at least weekly. I am sure it harvested several thousand over the years. I shot over 400 whitetail deer, a number of mule deer, and several bears, elk, and moose. I retired that rifle in 1981 when I bought a Model 700 Remington in 300 Win Mag. I brought the 30-06 out of retirement for my 14 year old son to bear hunt with. He shot several deer before the bear season started to get use to the rifle. He harvested a 615 lb black bear with it.

There is nothing wrong with a 30-06. If I had not fallen in love with the 308, I would still be shooting the 30-06.

Nat Lambeth