Belt or No belt

[338 dude]

What is the twist rate of your barrel? I don't think that has been mentioned unless I missed it.

 

[nksmfamjp]

To me, I take kind of an engineers approach…

I like:
> 0.264" caliber because of the marginal performance of some 6.5's by some hunters on the biggest elk. It is still usable, but not preferred.

max distance = max current range + 25% so, 500 yards…..yards because no American thinks in meters, right??

>2000 fps at max range or 500 yards. This is for good bullet performance, even with monos.

head height - If possible, I'd choose a newer design as head height is much better in those. On customs, most fix this by lengthening throats, but factory rounds need a high head height design.

Last, I like Lapua, Peterson, or ADG brass availability

So,
6.8 western, 7 PRC, 300 PRC

maybe give up some head height and look at 7mm-08, 270 Win, 280ai, 7 SAUM

 

[victor3ranger]

We tend to think of things from a reloaders perspective. Hornady is going after the factory rifle factory ammo crowd. The 7prc has an 8 twist versus 9 9.5 for 7 mag. In 300 prc its 8.5. versus 10. They are made to shoot heavy high bc bullets. Of course you can build whatever you want but if you buy a factory rifle it will have the saami twist rate. Plus the rounds have shorter body longer necks. Look at sectioned cases and some of the long bullets are into the powder space pretty good. The newer case designs eliminate this.

That's true. I have a tendency to look at everything from the eyes of a reloader

 

[Small Lady]

My choice would be a 7mm or larger caliber rifle with a 1800 fps impact velocity at my max intended range. Shooting a 165 grain bullet or larger. But the most important thing is the gun is fun to shoot and easy to load for. Nothing replaces shooting the rifle a lot.

Yet when I read some threads on here, some people don't take their guns out for months at a time, and shoot hardly any rounds per year. From my reading, I've shot five times as much in the past year alone, as some have over decades.