Best target caliber

[Trickymissfit]

Just another opinion, but something in 6mm/243.

Anything between the 6BR and 6mm Rem.........if properly built, will shoot excellent and give similar velocities with similar BC bullets, so your drifts and drops will also be similar to the 300 magnums........and, you can shoot one for alot less money and alot less recoil.

A 105/115 grn. 6mm is really close BC to the 175/180 grn. 30 calibers, and the cartridges between 6 BR and 6mm Rem will push them at the same speeds we're getting with the 300 WSM and we're burning alot less powder to get there.

a 6PPC would be a start. My 6/250AI will push a 105 grain Amax at about 3100fps, and that's good enough for 1000 yard shooting. Accuracey loads run about 2950 to 3000fps. A 6BG will push the same bullet at about 2975fps with less powder and a much better neck design.
gary

 

[Trickymissfit]

So I think I've narrowed it down to either a 243 or 6.5x284. Between the two which one would be best for me you guys think. The 243 is alot less $ to shot that is what has got me looking at that and when I was 12 I shot one and dropped a mule deer and cow elk no problem.

if you gotta do a .243, then think about a 6mm remington. It does everything the .243 does better.
gary

 

[craigf]

For what my two cents is worth, 6.5x284. I actually bought mine for a hunting round and found that it's a blast to target shoot as well. It's has a reputation as a bit of a barrel burner. I am not a bench rest shooter, so for shooting steel and deer at 500 to 1,000yds it's the caliber for me.

 

[sp6x6]

Up in my neck of the woods are some bench shooters 1000 yrd. They shoot 6mm dasher @ 3000 ' bergers nd custom bullets, one guy has about 7-8 world records. Seen him shoot 5 shots under 3'' @ 1000 several times, his buddy broke some of his records this year

 

[dragman]

In the last 6 months I have had 4 different "1000 yard" guns
1. F-class 6.5X284 - custom class 2950fps 140 berger VLD
2. LRPV savage in 243AI 3200fps 105 berger VLD
3. LRPR savage in 260 2930fps 123 Amax / or 2600 with 140 berger VLD
4. F-class .284 - custom class 2955fps 175 XLD berger

All the guns respectively shot close to a perfect hole @ 1000 yards. the 260 just didn't have the energy to fight the wind good enough for my skill level (maybe someone better could have done better with it) The 6.5X284 was very nice no real complaints about it at all. The 243AI is a really nice gun to shoot and is definately a keeper. My 284 is the greatest gun I have ever owned!!!! it is stupid accurate and when your shooting sub .5" groups past 500 yards how can you ever complain.

 

[CRNA]

In the last 6 months I have had 4 different "1000 yard" guns
1. F-class 6.5X284 - custom class 2950fps 140 berger VLD
2. LRPV savage in 243AI 3200fps 105 berger VLD
3. LRPR savage in 260 2930fps 123 Amax / or 2600 with 140 berger VLD
4. F-class .284 - custom class 2955fps 175 XLD berger

All the guns respectively shot close to a perfect hole @ 1000 yards. the 260 just didn't have the energy to fight the wind good enough for my skill level (maybe someone better could have done better with it) The 6.5X284 was very nice no real complaints about it at all. The 243AI is a really nice gun to shoot and is definately a keeper. My 284 is the greatest gun I have ever owned!!!! it is stupid accurate and when your shooting sub .5" groups past 500 yards how can you ever complain.

I would need to see some videos of that. Half of one inch at 500 yds? Consistently? Not a fluke? Four guns "a perfect hole at 1000 yds"? Come on now.

Could you have meant half a minute accuracy at 500yds?

 

[sp6x6]

O f course they dont shoot a perfect hole @ 1000. I have 2friends that have multiple world records, and the one guy just broke his buddies records this yr. in light gun, and they shoot in the 2's in practice, meaning 2'' plus @ 1000. 16 1/2 lb. gun. And practice versus wind at a matchl. they shoot 6mm dasher and wind is a killer. Our range that we had @ whitefish was ideal for range because it was bordered by timber and we are not known for having wind, nothing like over the hump,east side, many records were shot at our range

 

[CRNA]

O f course they dont shoot a perfect hole @ 1000. I have 2friends that have multiple world records, and the one guy just broke his buddies records this yr. in light gun, and they shoot in the 2's in practice, meaning 2'' plus @ 1000. 16 1/2 lb. gun. And practice versus wind at a matchl. they shoot 6mm dasher and wind is a killer. Our range that we had @ whitefish was ideal for range because it was bordered by timber and we are not known for having wind, nothing like over the hump,east side, many records were shot at our range

Whitefish? I spent a few days of vacation there this year. I absolutely loved Montana. Beautiful place. I wish I were there now. I have to say I am jealous.

 

[sp6x6]

Yes , It was ideal until they reintroduced the wolf, still a great place, grew up here

 

[CRNA]

Yes , It was ideal until they reintroduced the wolf, still a great place, grew up here

Do you see many wolves there? I didn't see any in my short visit there. We spent most of the time in Glacier. That was a really amazing place. You guys have any snow out there yet?

 

[Trickymissfit]

O f course they dont shoot a perfect hole @ 1000. I have 2friends that have multiple world records, and the one guy just broke his buddies records this yr. in light gun, and they shoot in the 2's in practice, meaning 2'' plus @ 1000. 16 1/2 lb. gun. And practice versus wind at a matchl. they shoot 6mm dasher and wind is a killer. Our range that we had @ whitefish was ideal for range because it was bordered by timber and we are not known for having wind, nothing like over the hump,east side, many records were shot at our range

well last time I heard the record for 1000 yards is 2.81" from a .300 mag (either a .300 WSM or a .300 Ackley). 6mm anything rarely shows up in the final relay with these guys, but they do shoot a few 6.5-06's and 6.5-.284's.
gary

 

[sp6x6]

Gary, A friend of mine just broke some records this year in 1000 Penn. light gun, with his 6mm dasher. The guy he taught held the records w/ same cartridge.And they have records for season agg. and different stuff. I just hear bits of it over a cold beer.

 

[sp6x6]

Woops, Yes he shot 17# class, 1000 aff. Willamsport. PA. 6 AGG SCORE 99.5, and revised a record he held once 10 agg 96.8. At one shoot this year 3 guys had 100 targets, the 2 shot 6mm dasher, not sure on other

 

[craigf]

In 1000-yard benchrest, the 30-calibers are still used by more shooters, but the little 6.5 is becoming more prevalent every season, and taking home more than its share of fake wood trophies. Rich DeSimone set a tough record to beat in the IBS Light Gun category with 1.564" 5-shot group at 1000 yards with his Ackleyized 6.5-284 Super and Clinch River 147s. Last year alone, John Hoover and his daughter Marissa each nailed perfect 100 scores at Williamsport with their 6.5-284s. In 1998, John shot Williamsport's first-ever perfect Light Gun 100 score, with 5X and a 5.585" group for TEN shots.


Williamsport is only about 20 min down the road from me. Anyway you look at it this is some **** good shooting.