Caliber options

[Allen Lone wolf]

Good morning everyone. I've been thinking about doing another Tikka custom build. I am stuck on the caliber of choice to build. It will be a dedicated hunting rifle from elk all the way down to Whitetail deer. It will probably go in to a XLR chassis. The current bolt face is a 6.5 Creedmoor. I have someone who can open the bold face to a magnum if I wanted. I have spoken to a few gunsmiths and one recommended a 7 mm Remington magnum and the other a 7–08. Wanted to get your guys consensus and thoughts on these calibers or possibly doing something different. Also barrel length is going to be between 20 to 22 incches and suppressed.

I would stay with the 6.5 Creedmoor will save you some money. I would suggest reading an old magazine article in outdoor life I think it was titled 6.5 on safari. In short several Afican plains game animals were taken with one shot kills using the 6.5creedmoor. Just saying....

 

[.280AI Freak-Nasty]

280 ackley. If you open the bolt face 7mm REM Mag. Long or short action?

I also like the 7mm rem mag. Mine shoots tiny groups with factory 168 grn LR Nosler AccuBond's running 2940 and it does a fine job on elk. I have a Kimber in 280 AI that shoots great with factory Fed. 155grn terminal ascent ammo, chrono at 3040 ftps. I seem take the 280 AI out more during hunting season. But yes I haven't seen a bad recommendation here yet. The good ole 30-06 does a pretty good job too. I mentioned the 6.5 PRC over the creed, simply because I feel it might be a better choice out to 500yds, and it has pretty mild recoil.

 

[Ninering62]

Good morning everyone. I've been thinking about doing another Tikka custom build. I am stuck on the caliber of choice to build. It will be a dedicated hunting rifle from elk all the way down to Whitetail deer. It will probably go in to a XLR chassis. The current bolt face is a 6.5 Creedmoor. I have someone who can open the bold face to a magnum if I wanted. I have spoken to a few gunsmiths and one recommended a 7 mm Remington magnum and the other a 7–08. Wanted to get your guys consensus and thoughts on these calibers or possibly doing something different. Also barrel length is going to be between 20 to 22 incches and suppressed.

I've shot many calibers at the range & on the farm, but for " hunting purposes " I've always been a .30 cal fan -.30-30, .35. 30-06 or .308 or 8mm until I got my first 7mm Rem mag with a BOSS brake. It did not take very long before that gun became the first thing I grabbed no matter where or what I was hunting. Plenty of diff bullet weights/high BC, lots of velocity, super flat shooting, devastating on whatever it hits, recoil very manageable, very capable of long-range precision shooting. For comp shooting or varmint shooting, not a dang thing wrong with the 6.5 CM as everybody knows. I've never shot the 7-08. I got a .300WM thinking thats what I really needed to do real long-range target & hunting, I was just WRONG. The 7mm Mag did everything the .300wm could do with less recoil & less expensive to do a bunch of shooting. I sold the .300wm in less than a yr. Best wishes with the build. Post pics when you're done. The super-short barrel, suppresses is a nice touch too. Perhaps take a look at the 7mm SAUM too.

 

[ofl0926]

I've shot many calibers at the range & on the farm, but for " hunting purposes " I've always been a .30 cal fan -.30-30, .35. 30-06 or .308 or 8mm until I got my first 7mm Rem mag with a BOSS brake. It did not take very long before that gun became the first thing I grabbed no matter where or what I was hunting. Plenty of diff bullet weights/high BC, lots of velocity, super flat shooting, devastating on whatever it hits, recoil very manageable, very capable of long-range precision shooting. For comp shooting or varmint shooting, not a dang thing wrong with the 6.5 CM as everybody knows. I've never shot the 7-08. I got a .300WM thinking thats what I really needed to do real long-range target & hunting, I was just WRONG. The 7mm Mag did everything the .300wm could do with less recoil & less expensive to do a bunch of shooting. I sold the .300wm in less than a yr. Best wishes with the build. Post pics when you're done. The super-short barrel, suppresses is a nice touch too. Perhaps take a look at the 7mm SAUM too.

I've thought about the 7mm saum but ammo selection is scarce. I'm setup for reloading but took a step back right now. I've also thought about a 7wsm as I have ammo for it and I own one as well.

 

[Elkmann]

Good morning everyone. I've been thinking about doing another Tikka custom build. I am stuck on the caliber of choice to build. It will be a dedicated hunting rifle from elk all the way down to Whitetail deer. It will probably go in to a XLR chassis. The current bolt face is a 6.5 Creedmoor. I have someone who can open the bold face to a magnum if I wanted. I have spoken to a few gunsmiths and one recommended a 7 mm Remington magnum and the other a 7–08. Wanted to get your guys consensus and thoughts on these calibers or possibly doing something different. Also barrel length is going to be between 20 to 22 incches and suppressed.

7mm-08 is a great cartridge and would cover your game animals nicely. That said I would go with either a 280AI or a 6.5-280AI if you want to stay out of the magnum world. However if you went magnum I would suggest the 7mmRemMag.

 

[chav0_12]

I like the 280 AI idea too. There is factory ammo available for you. No need to open the bolt face. Realistically there's nothing wrong with your 6.5 Creedmoor based on the sub-500 yards and up to elk conditions though.

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

Picking a caliber , that's the easy part ! Shooting it is another and doing the one shot one kill is another thing. Take your time and decide ???? You will be the one paying for it & shooting it . It's always easy to spend another guys money !

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

Got two 280's one a straight 280 the other is an 280 AI and love them both. The only difference is a few feet faster- still the same bullet . The 280 is a low recoil rifle , both have 26in tubes . Have taken Elk with no problem- it's bullet placement !

 

[ofl0926]

Picking a caliber , that's the easy part ! Shooting it is another and doing the one shot one kill is another thing. Take your time and decide ???? You will be the one paying for it & shooting it . It's always easy to spend another guys money !

Oh I get it.
Caliber is where I am stuck at. All my other components have been picked already.

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

A 7 mm is one heck of a round. I have a few 7mm's 280 x 2 , 7x57 , 7mm Rem Mag a few- have taken them all over the US. Canada & Alaska. Components picked or paid for $$$$$$ ALREADY ? Picking is easy , it's the other part that's tougher, $$$$$$$ .

 

[hmbleservant]

I agree with many on here that 7mm is the sweetspot for the spectrum of species you describe. The 7 PRC will be out in a few months. I would wait for that. That's what I'm doing before making any more moves. Has many advantages over the 7 RM. That's saying a lot.

 

[ofl0926]

A 7 mm is one heck of a round. I have a few 7mm's 280 x 2 , 7x57 , 7mm Rem Mag a few- have taken them all over the US. Canada & Alaska. Components picked or paid for $$$$$$ ALREADY ? Picking is easy , it's the other part that's tougher, $$$$$$$ .

The xlr chassis is the only thing left to buy.

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

Best of luck , making a decision is not easy when picking between a lot of cartridges. Are you handloading or going off the shelf ????

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

Another point: can you get what you want-when you want ?? Ammo-brass-primers-powder-bullets just something to think about !!!