Caliber of choice?
- Thread starter bme27
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MudRunner2005
Well-Known Member
You should try the 210 VLD or 215 Hybrid in the .308 Win... I've been shooting them for years. It makes for bad medicine. It's not the fastest load, but it hits like you're slinging a mini sledgehammer... Despite the drop in velocity from the 168-175 weight-class bullets, the ballistics of it downrange are actually better. Bryan Litz (Berger Bullets) won a 1K competition several months back using the .308 with a 215 Hybrid.
just country
Well-Known Member
morning, I like my custom 340wbee. nothing stands, bang flop.gun)
engineer40
Well-Known Member
If I understood you correctly, you want it to be a hunting rifle at medium distances but also target shoot it out to 1000 yards? (I think you said you wouldn't be hunting with it at longer ranges).
What does your scope situation look like? Do you own any scopes that have matching reticle and turrets? Picking a scope with the correct features will be more important than picking the correct cartridge.
If you're not planning on hunting at longer ranges, you would be best served by sticking with a cartridge in either the 6.5mm (.264) or 7mm (.284) calibers. Almost any of them will do. The 6.5 Creedmoor and the 7mm-08 are quite popular right now. There is no sense taking the recoil of the larger 30 and 338 magnums unless you also intend on hunting at long ranges.
Although enough matches have been won with a 243 Win also.
Hope this helps.
What does your scope situation look like? Do you own any scopes that have matching reticle and turrets? Picking a scope with the correct features will be more important than picking the correct cartridge.
If you're not planning on hunting at longer ranges, you would be best served by sticking with a cartridge in either the 6.5mm (.264) or 7mm (.284) calibers. Almost any of them will do. The 6.5 Creedmoor and the 7mm-08 are quite popular right now. There is no sense taking the recoil of the larger 30 and 338 magnums unless you also intend on hunting at long ranges.
Although enough matches have been won with a 243 Win also.
Hope this helps.
So I probably shouldn't have brought up hunting as I have other guns that I will be using for that, This gun would just be a backup hunting gun if something were to happen to my other rifles, or if i just fall in love it 
. Im looking for cartridges and I am down to these, Top Tier: 243, 6.5 creedmoor, 260, 280, and 308. Next level: 7mm-08, 300 wm, and the new nosler cartridges. Any other cartridges you guys know of that I am not considering please keep mentioning them. I like the idea of a 280 AI but I want to hone my skills on the 280 and burn that barrel out first before spending the money to go to the AI version.
243, 6.5 creedmoor, 308, and 300 wm are all nice for the fact that factory ammo and components are usually really easy to find, at least in my area they are. The 260 you can never find brass for, but it seems like there's always some online. As for factory ammo you might as well forget it. 7mm-08 is a hit or miss, more of a miss.
. Im looking for cartridges and I am down to these, Top Tier: 243, 6.5 creedmoor, 260, 280, and 308. Next level: 7mm-08, 300 wm, and the new nosler cartridges. Any other cartridges you guys know of that I am not considering please keep mentioning them. I like the idea of a 280 AI but I want to hone my skills on the 280 and burn that barrel out first before spending the money to go to the AI version. 243, 6.5 creedmoor, 308, and 300 wm are all nice for the fact that factory ammo and components are usually really easy to find, at least in my area they are. The 260 you can never find brass for, but it seems like there's always some online. As for factory ammo you might as well forget it. 7mm-08 is a hit or miss, more of a miss.
Creedmoor shooter
Well-Known Member
So I probably shouldn't have brought up hunting as I have other guns that I will be using for that, This gun would just be a backup hunting gun if something were to happen to my other rifles, or if i just fall in love it
243, 6.5 creedmoor, 308, and 300 wm are all nice for the fact that factory ammo and components are usually really easy to find, at least in my area they are. The 260 you can never find brass for, but it seems like there's always some online. As for factory ammo you might as well forget it. 7mm-08 is a hit or miss, more of a miss.
Just like what engineer said.... no need to take the thump of a 300 wm or any of the other big guns for just target shooting. Any of those medium bore cartridges you listed will get you out to 1000. If your looking for something that has readily available match ammo or components your best options are the 6.5 Creed and the 308. Out of those 2, the 6.5 creed definitely has the best ballistics at long range.
MudRunner2005
Well-Known Member
So I probably shouldn't have brought up hunting as I have other guns that I will be using for that, This gun would just be a backup hunting gun if something were to happen to my other rifles, or if i just fall in love it
243, 6.5 creedmoor, 308, and 300 wm are all nice for the fact that factory ammo and components are usually really easy to find, at least in my area they are. The 260 you can never find brass for, but it seems like there's always some online. As for factory ammo you might as well forget it. 7mm-08 is a hit or miss, more of a miss.
I wouldn't put the 7mm-08 in the 2nd tier...I'd put it in the Top 4...Right next to .280 AI, .308 Win, and .260 AI. I hunted with a 7mm-08 for many years, it is an exceptional and often underrated cartridge. And one day I will build another one. I've also had .308's for half my life, and they are also often underrated these days. It's no longer an old school cartridge thanks to modern reloading components. The .280 AI is the best all-around mid-range (0-750 yards) hunting cartridge I can think of. For hunting 0-1000 yards, the 7mm RemMag is hard to beat.
Creedmoor shooter
Well-Known Member
The 7mm-08 is a great round. Its got better ballistics than the 308. The 162 ELD-M with a BC of .653 would be a better choice than the 168 vld if your looking for high BC
MudRunner2005
Well-Known Member
Those are excellent bullets and have proven themselves to me on deer out of my 7mm RemMags. They would work very well in the 7mm-08. I have some loaded up, but have not shot them to test.
That's a tough call, I've hunted with a .308 Win and I've hunted with a 7mm-08...Shot deer and targets with both of them. I would say they are pretty equal. If you want .30 cal, go with the .308 Win, if you want 7mm, go with the 7mm-08. Either one will be a great option.
Frank in the Laurels
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The problem is everyone's trying to keep recoil out of the equation..your not only taking big jump upward from smaller cartridgesbut also recoil...6.5 to 300 mag is more than most can handle and learn to do all the other little things needed to help your long range skills, I've been shooting LR for more than 45 years and I'm no fan of 300 mag recoil off the bench for more than 7 shots, so thinking anyone can sit and shoot 20-30-40 while learning to watcfor brush moving, mirage waves, trigger pull and all the rest and then dealing 300 mag recoil is more than most can handle and enjoy it,.stick with the .308--7/08 and you'll far better off.
I am kind of confused on your question, first you wanted the ultimate cartridge out to 1000yds, now it's just going to be a backup to your current rifles? Anyway, If you just want a round in the .308 class, I would skip the 7mm-08 and the .308 and get you a .260 Remington or 6.5 Creedmoor. These rounds can push the high BC 140 class bullets between 2800-2900fps. This equals less drop, wind drift, and similar performance to the other big bore rounds pushing heavier bullets slower. If you want to eventually take game ,like elk, beyond 500-600yds I would settle for one of the popular magnums. These will give a much larger punch and transfer much more energy than the smaller cartridges at any given range. To me, there's no point being on the edge hunting elk with a .308 or .260 beyond 600yds when you can be packing a 7mmRM or .300WM, both are the top two magnums out their in my opinion.
MudRunner once you test those rounds you could let me know how they do please? I agree with the larger cartridges being too much for learning purposes as I do not want a heavy rifle and I would like to sit and shoot as much as my little heart desires. So I think I am down to the .243 (I have always liked the idea of it and its versatility) the 6.5 creedmoor (It wins over the 260 for factory availability and I don't think I will notice the 50 fps difference) the 7mm-08 (I have never shot this round, but i have never heard anything bad about it and it just seems like an awesome all around round) and the 308 (this is what I grew up hunting with and every time I buy a new gun I start out thinking just get a 308 and then talk myself into something different and end up still wanting the 308 for one reason or another). You guys have been very helpful! I haven't missed anything have I?
I know the 280 doesn't have bad recoil at all, I just think I want to stick with a SA with this build. But Don't worry 280 lovers, I will be getting a 280 and I want it to be my primary hunting rifle.
Jud96, Sorry for the confusion I never intended this to be my main hunting rifle. I want a great round and rifle for long range shooting, I mentioned the potential as a backup hunting rifle to keep the smaller more "varmint" type calibers away as I don't want those for this, and to keep away from ideas of heavy bench rest only rifles as I don't want a heavy rifle and cant take and walk out through the hills with. I live in a small town in Colorado and my buddies and I like to play "shooting golf" we call it where we hike around and see how many shots it takes us to hit rocks and other things at different ranges.
I know the 280 doesn't have bad recoil at all, I just think I want to stick with a SA with this build. But Don't worry 280 lovers, I will be getting a 280 and I want it to be my primary hunting rifle.
Jud96, Sorry for the confusion I never intended this to be my main hunting rifle. I want a great round and rifle for long range shooting, I mentioned the potential as a backup hunting rifle to keep the smaller more "varmint" type calibers away as I don't want those for this, and to keep away from ideas of heavy bench rest only rifles as I don't want a heavy rifle and cant take and walk out through the hills with. I live in a small town in Colorado and my buddies and I like to play "shooting golf" we call it where we hike around and see how many shots it takes us to hit rocks and other things at different ranges.
