Custom Rifle - 500 yards max - what cartridge

[straightshooter]

I'll throw my hat in with the 308 winchester crowd. For a 500 yard limit you don't need the ultra high BC bullets you would for longer range. There are so many great 30 cal bullets to choose from, there is no doubt the 308 win would get it done on deer size game (even larger in the right situation) at that range. So now you are down to cost of shooting, amount of recoil, choice of rifles, bullet availability, ballistic information,etc.

If you notice some guys focus on one aspect of a caliber like recoil, or bullet availability, bullet bc and so on. What you want to do is have a shooter,rifle, bullet combo that leaves no doubt that you will get the job done. The most limiting factor is the shooter. Get the rifle that fits you the best, in a caliber that you can shoot the most period.

For example, right now I have a 7mm wsm I've owned for a year, and only has 20 rounds through it. Why? This is a new caliber for me, so I need new dies, bullets, powder etc. Everytime I collect a little money for shooting, I have to decide if I am willing to wait to shoot and collect the supplies for the 7mm, or just buy one thing like powder, or bullets and go shoot my 308. A year later and guess what the answer has been. Remember what happened to the availability of reloading supplies when Obama was voted in. All I was able to shoot for a year was my 308 with surplus ammo and my 22lr.

 

[savatage]

Good thread, 500 yard gun? At present i`m the proud owner of a Remington 700 BDL in .260...It shoots amazing and if I started hand-loading,i`m sure my results would improve.Distance, accuracy, and cost...I`m new here,but not to shooting so much.Will seriously look into accurizing my .260.Like most here,i`ve had or have 270,30-06,308 ect.All great cal`s for sure.But Love the .260 and will be dedicating it for longrange. 500 is a very good distance for me to get serious,for starters.

 

[Sami]

Short action or long action - it doesn't matter to me - what would you choose and why?

First I am thinking why change what works and that is 6.5x55. Then I'm thinking why not try something that has proven to be extremely accurate cartridge, 6.5x47L.

 

[etisll40]

6,5x55, no real difference worth going any further in the 6.5 class. Move up to 7mm, wsm or stw. heavier bullet higher bc's. You go from 500-1000. Then right to 338 class.

My opinion.

 

[jtkratzer]

If you reload, options are endless. If not, you have to start asking about ammunition availability and how much you're willing to pay for that quality ammunition.

.243, 6.5x55, .260, .270, .280, .308, etc are all going to be at the gun shops. Not as many options for the Swede, .260, and .280 at stores around here, and you can get the others at Walmart.

I just bought a .260 because I wanted a flat shooting cartridge good for deer and didn't feel like I needed to shoot something in the .30 caliber range to kill deer. I wanted a bit more than a .243, which is what a lot of the guys I hunt with use.

I've hunted most of my life with a .30-30, but it's not a 500 yard gun.

Downside to the 6.5 Creedmoor is Hornady is is the only one making it, loaded and brass. If they drop the caliber, you're SOL for reloading components as the case can't be formed like all the cartridges with a .308 parent case.

Everything I've read about the .260 seems to be that it's easy on barrels. Not 8,000 rounds like a .308, but I'd be willing to bet that the vast majority of hunters shooting within 500 yards won't fire 8,000 rounds in their lifetime through one gun. Rebarreling a rifle is chump change compared to the cost of 4,000 rounds of ammo. Even at $0.50/round for reloads of basic calibers, you won't be spending $2,000-$4,000 to get a new barrel spun on your action.

 

[north of 53]

Just something to think about if you g0 with a 6.5. Most 6.5 bullets tend to run very well at around 2600-2750 and then again from 2900 - 3000 fps. If you want to run faster you have to get up close to 3400 fps and that is not easy nor economical. This is not a hard and fast rule but if you talk to the f class people shooting 6.5s.
6.5-284, 260 rem, 6.5 x 47 ,6.5 x55 or 6.5 x 55 improved you find most of them shoot 140 gr bullets in those ranges. I even found that if I go to a lighter 120 gr bullet in my 6.5x55 improved that when the speed went much above 3000 fps the groups went all to hell.
That 8000 round shot count from a 260 rem well probably be in the lower velocity range but even at that it is more than enough to take deer out to 600 yards.
I have a couple of 6.5x55 improved so I tend to be a little bias but I do find 6.5x55 ammunition getting much easier to find and more selection. Having said that I have to admit you would not go far wrong with a 260 Rem.

 

[Scot E]

Just something to think about if you g0 with a 6.5. Most 6.5 bullets tend to run very well at around 2600-2750 and then again from 2900 - 3000 fps. If you want to run faster you have to get up close to 3400 fps and that is not easy nor economical. This is not a hard and fast rule but if you talk to the f class people shooting 6.5s.
6.5-284, 260 rem, 6.5 x 47 ,6.5 x55 or 6.5 x 55 improved you find most of them shoot 140 gr bullets in those ranges. I even found that if I go to a lighter 120 gr bullet in my 6.5x55 improved that when the speed went much above 3000 fps the groups went all to hell.
That 8000 round shot count from a 260 rem well probably be in the lower velocity range but even at that it is more than enough to take deer out to 600 yards.
I have a couple of 6.5x55 improved so I tend to be a little bias but I do find 6.5x55 ammunition getting much easier to find and more selection. Having said that I have to admit you would not go far wrong with a 260 Rem.

So what is the proposed theory on why this is the case? I haven't noticed or heard of this in any caliber unless you bring in twist rates and other factors that affect bullet performance.

Scot E.

 

[north of 53]

"So what is the proposed theory on why this is the case? I haven't noticed or heard of this in any caliber unless you bring in twist rates and other factors that affect bullet performance.

Scot E. "

Excellent question and as I said it is not a hard and fast rule, but there a strong tenancy to favoring velocities in those ranges. I have noticed as I am sure many have ,that most guns have accuracy nodes at different velocities. This tends to be more rifle specific than caliber specific. 6.5s for what ever reason tend to have accuracy node clustered around certain velocities more so than most other calibers, or at least that is what I have found. It also may be that other calibers have certain velocities they favor but are not shot in competition where things like this are noticed as much. Now that the 7mm are being used more in F-class shooting a similar tendency is starting to emerge. Shooters are finding the 284 shehane is capable of higher velocities than it shoots well at and end up shooting at the same velocities as the standard 284. Again this is not carved in stone but a tendency is starting to emerge, only time will tell just how pronounced this is.

 

[liltank]

I'll telll you what, the comment you said about the .308 seems to fit the bill is a good option. If you check out my post about the 168 Hybrid Berger, you will understand why. I have been playing with the .308 for some time now. This bullet is going to work well at the velocities you can push it out to 500yds for anything deer size. I highly suggest you take a look at it if you are reloading or considering to reload your own ammo.

 

[bdyal1972]

Custom rifle 500 yards max...

30-06. Ammo everywhere. Long barrel life regardless of 150grn or 220 grain bullets It is not hard to have a loaded rifle with a loaded weight of 8.5 pounds ready to hunt.

308 second choice

260 third choice

6.5-06 ackley, 280 ackley and 6.5x55 honarble mention

 

[smithcha]

My favorite is .270 WSM. At 500 yards you want to think about the bullet energy.

 

[Truc]

my vote is the the old tried and true 270 Win. Maybe not known for accuracy but I traded for a factory SS 700 not long ago here and put a McMillan stock on it and it shoots under 1/2" at 100 yds w/ 140 Hornady BTSP and 59 gr H4831. The other thing is ammo is everywhere if you aren't a reloader. With a Leupold VX 4.5x14AO it weighs 8.2 lbs

 

[smithcha]

The .27 caliber is hard to beat.

 

[ukdeadcentre]

To Jerry D. What was your decision after all the discussion? I completed the build of a custom 308, with 1 in 10 twist rate, last year and after running in the barrel got a chance to use it at 500 yards on a target range. Using Lapua brass, Varget and Sierra 175 grain match bullets I managed 10 out of 10 bulls with 5 being inners. I'm looking forward to using it this year, both for target and hunting. I'm also building a 6.5 x 284 for longer ranges.