Best 1400m short action round

[Greatgrandad]

Having used a 260 and 260AI for some time, I am a little biased, but my 260AI in a 28" tube was built with 1 mile in mind for targets and hunting to whatever ranges my bullets still worked. It has performed as expected.
Several people use a 7mm-08 and 260Rem in various PRS and other rifle competitions, and of course the 6CM and 6.5CM are in there as well.

Personally for this type of match shooting, I would go with a standard case until the throat is worn and then set back and bore out to an AI or similar. I would avoid the standard 243 case, as it is a bit of a throat burner, but in the AI config, it does better.

 

[joelpend]

The 284 is a rebated rim case. Just guessing that it would not be allowed since it is closer to a 30-06 case capacity than 308. I would consider a 25 cal. Some really good 25 cal bullets now with excellent bc. 25 Creedmoor with the right bullet is good to that distance.

 

[Alibiiv]

That could be a good Idea, I Do love the 243win.

I would seriously take a hard look at the.243 AI with a heavy, 24-26 inch barrel. The cartridge is easy on the shoulder, fits into the parameters of the .308 rule, components are readily available and affordable. Good luck with your build.

 

[284wins]

another vote for the 284win

I have a similar match near me that has shots from 300-1,000yd and Ive decided with those parameters, the 284win with a high BC heavy 7mm would give the best advantage at long range.

The 180eldM or similar weight Berger would trump any other bullet in a smaller caliber for bucking wind out at 1400m

Peterson is making brass or you can buy Norma 6.5x284 and neck it up. Thinking hard about this myself
James

Would take lapua brass from the start for 284!

 

[jedimonkey]

6XC and a good smith to put it together---------

 

[overinfinite]

another vote for the 284win

I have a similar match near me that has shots from 300-1,000yd and Ive decided with those parameters, the 284win with a high BC heavy 7mm would give the best advantage at long range.

The 180eldM or similar weight Berger would trump any other bullet in a smaller caliber for bucking wind out at 1400m

Peterson is making brass or you can buy Norma 6.5x284 and neck it up. Thinking hard about this myself
James

How are you managing a 180 in a 284Win and staying in the short action? I have not had any experience with the 284W but every time I look at the chamber, it just looks like the that bullet is stuffed in the case?
I've also always been told a 6.5x284 is useless in a SA if a 140gr+ bullet is the goal. once again, no experience with either of them, but I do have a Weatherby in 30-06 and a savage in 308 that are calling for barrels.. and I really wanted to use my savage for a 284W case.

 

[unclecroc]

6mm creed or 6xc would be my choice with the given parameters

 

[HandgunHTR]

I have a 20" barrelled 7-08AI and it has no problem out to 1200 yards with a 162 grain ELDM other than the nut behind the trigger. The only reason I haven't gone up to 180s is that I still have over 600 ELDMs on the shelf, and my barrel is throated a bit short, so I lose too much case capacity with the 180s.

The 7SAW has equal performance.

 

[Presis Skyter]

Does it have to be a "short action" cartridge or built on a short action? Big difference between a 308 to Saami specs vs a 308 with a long throat built on a long action.

If it has to be built on a short action then I'm going 6cm. But if I can take a short action cartridge and customize the throat then I'd need to re-think that.

 

[lancetkenyon]

25MBK (25-260AI)
260AI

 

[Ed Loccisano]

Go with a 25x47!! When you look at the ballistics for the 135 bullets nothing compares unless you go to magnums to push heavier bullets. You the the accuracy of the 6.5x47 in a faster more ballistically efficient bullet

Or even the 25 Creed (now SAMMI approved) which is faster with the same bullets but I like 25x47 for accuracy

 

[BEEMAN]

Just curious, how many rounds do you get from a barrel, before accuracy is questionable?

I really don't shoot enough to know yet. Only have about 800 rounds on my one barrel that I use to practice with. I'd think if you don't shoot long strings and get the barrel to hot, 2500-3000 rounds should be doable.

 

[SSG Graybush]

Hi Everyone,

In my area we have a compétition call elr junior that is up to 1400m. Trick is you got to shoot a small action caliber with 308 Bolt face maximum.. So no magnum or short mag...

Have done it with my 308 last years, first try at IT, whent fine, 615m-800m-900m,with me missing at 1075m, mistake in scope d'ajustement.

Would think about 7mm-08 fast twist or 260 rem but I Do know that im on the oldie whent IT come to rifle cal

If you where bulding a rifle for that kind off competition what would if be?

The fastest 6mm case is a 243 win, next the 6cm, I went 6xc which is slightly smaller for a prs rifle, then a 6x47 is slightly smaller again. The 6xc is a super ez round. 39.5 grs of H4350 with a 115 gr will get ~2925 fps with a 26" barrel. play with jump, then adj tuner and done. I got .25 moa accuracy with this round easily. For mostly shooting past 1200 yards, I'd do a 6cm. But for 300 to 1200 yards the 6xc is about perfect for prs imo. And Mr. Tubbs and his wife are on here if you run into a snag. I bought a Criterion remage prefit 7T 26" barrel and put it on a Bergara branded Stiller tac 30 action. I got it for $500 on clearance. That modestly priced barreled action is in a MPA comp chassis. I also put a ATS tuner on it, worked awesome with a Precision Armament Hypertap break on it, with ~ 80% recoil reduction. I went with a 112 gr MB(match burner) because at the time there were no 115 gr Bergers or dtac's available. Great bullet but you must seat the 112 gr MB long, measure cbto, sort by length into lots and then seat to desired cbto. By getting the jump variance to 2-4 thou, within the node that was 6 thou across made it super consistent. Sounds like a lot of work but pretty easy.
A lot of guys are going smaller for prs, with the 6 gt or 6 dasher. Imo the 6xc is just right, with a ~15# rifle, the 6xc recoil is very manageable.
Only thing is, you have to use a AI brand magazine. The AI magazine rib location allows cartridges with longer shoulder datum to meplate length to feed and not nose drive. Accumags and Magpul will NOT work.
Peterson makes srp 6xc brass and has it in stock most of the time.
I did a bunch of load development and ended up back almost exactly where Mr. Tubbs recommended. 39.6 grs with the 112 gr mb is my load, I would bet a 115 gr would be exactly 39.5, his load.

 

[dfitz7604]

With short action and standard bolt face listed. I'd go with the highest capacity 6.5 or 7mm. Of those that I can think of it would be 260ai and the 7saw. Both will do what you are asking of them. If dedicated to only this I'd do some research on barrel length that will maximize your velocity. Good luck with it.