Lightweight Long Range Rifle
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ramrod79
Well-Known Member
I hear you having shot two of each goats at over 600 yards with a 6.5 Sherman and a 140 Berger never left their tracks. BUT maybe I'm way under gunned time for a 50 cal!!!
lancetkenyon
Well-Known Member
I have found the opposite is true. "Goats" (pronghorn) are very fine boned and the 3 we have shot in the last 2 years have been super easy to kill with small bore stuff. 6.5mm 150 SMK, 6.5mm 130 OTM, 6mm 105 Hyb. Not a single one even moved after the shot. Sheep are not tough either.
Carbon barrels? Love them. Super accurate. But, first shots count. Never had to worry about one "heating up". Although hunting in 105°+ temps were the conditions thos year. And I also live in AZ, and shoot year round, up to 110° all summer long.
Now I would not use the 6mm on an elk, but out to 600, the 6.5mm 150 SMK should work just fine @ 3113fps MV. But elk are where I personally think 7mm is minimum for my practices.
palerider3
Well-Known Member
Forget that 30 caliber minimum that people through around. Goats aren't that tough. I built a simple rifle last year. Mine was a 6.5 Creed but if you wanted a little more for elk at 600 you could go to a 7mmSAUM or WSM and the weight would be pretty similar. 6.5 kills elk at 600 just fine though. Listening to people on here you'd think they wear class IIIA body armor.
Kelblys Atlas Tactical
20" proof carbon
Hawkins bottom metal
Manners carbon fiber stock
Whole thing is just over 10 lbs with scope and suppressor. If he wants to go to a Winmag that will do what he wants too, it's just a little more than he really needs and will make it tougher to spot impacts. Personally, spotting impacts yourself from a field position is something that is essential anytime you're taking shots past 4-500 or so yards.
Kelblys Atlas Tactical
20" proof carbon
Hawkins bottom metal
Manners carbon fiber stock
Whole thing is just over 10 lbs with scope and suppressor. If he wants to go to a Winmag that will do what he wants too, it's just a little more than he really needs and will make it tougher to spot impacts. Personally, spotting impacts yourself from a field position is something that is essential anytime you're taking shots past 4-500 or so yards.
palerider3
Well-Known Member
I've had 10 round strings without seeing any adverse accuracy issues with Proof carbon barrels. Never had one that didn't shoot well, and I've had several. I have a lightweight clone of my PRS rifle with a proof carbon that I use for field matches and it had no issues making hits a 1300 yards last may after a 10 round string in 90 or so seconds. That said, I've never had a carbon barrel on big overbore magnum, but I'd bet it would do just as well hot as any lightweight steel barrel. Just my experience.
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Jeffrey Van Zandt
Well-Known Member
well this Co puts out some outstanding hunting rifles light and with the acuracy you are looking for and in many cals. https://proofresearch.com/rifles/
Jeffrey Van Zandt
Well-Known Member
and this co can do you one up also 6 1/2 lbs with out scope or just get a bighorn action and a barrel from them and then find a good smith along with a AG stock and have it built to your specs. https://www.evolvedballistics.com/why-proof/proof-rifles-by-eb.html
BrentM
Well-Known Member
Seems to be a lot of different components to this post.
Lightweight is not that hard to build or even buy. Savage light weight storm is 5 lbs 6 ounces without scope and runs 600.00
I have a SA savage, in a savage blind mag bedded stock, proof carbon, and vx6 scope that is 8 lbs 2 ounces. It's really not that hard building a 8 lb rifle that can hunt and also train. For example this rifle is a 6.5 creed, 20" barrel, and runs a 140 ELD at 2800. I have shot it to 1000 multiple times. It's a nice shooting rifle.
As far as caliber and cartridge, although I like the long action rounds like the 280,6.5-284, 30-06, 270 for what you describe, I'd be targeting a short action such as the Sherman, 6.5 prc, WSM, or Saum. For these critters I'd be good with the 6.5 caliber and look at the 156 EOL. I am currently working a 22" proof 6.5 PRC running 156's. So far they show a lot of promise 2850-2900. That's a pretty hard hitting set up inside 600.
Lightweight is not that hard to build or even buy. Savage light weight storm is 5 lbs 6 ounces without scope and runs 600.00
I have a SA savage, in a savage blind mag bedded stock, proof carbon, and vx6 scope that is 8 lbs 2 ounces. It's really not that hard building a 8 lb rifle that can hunt and also train. For example this rifle is a 6.5 creed, 20" barrel, and runs a 140 ELD at 2800. I have shot it to 1000 multiple times. It's a nice shooting rifle.
As far as caliber and cartridge, although I like the long action rounds like the 280,6.5-284, 30-06, 270 for what you describe, I'd be targeting a short action such as the Sherman, 6.5 prc, WSM, or Saum. For these critters I'd be good with the 6.5 caliber and look at the 156 EOL. I am currently working a 22" proof 6.5 PRC running 156's. So far they show a lot of promise 2850-2900. That's a pretty hard hitting set up inside 600.
memtb
Well-Known Member
If Mountain Goats were on the menu, I'd certainly go with a fairly large caliber, flat shooting cartridge. Mountain Goats have a reputation for being pretty tough, and also have a reputation for jumping off of "very" steep cliffs if not "anchored" quickly. If it's my goat hunt, as I don't have unlimited funding, I don't want my "once in a lifetime" trophy getting "busted up", while going "exit - stage right"!
While this may not happen often....I'm certain I would be in the "one of" crowd! memtb
While this may not happen often....I'm certain I would be in the "one of" crowd! memtb
Jeffrey Van Zandt
Well-Known Member
yes down in its tracks or you may need climbing gear just to get to it had a sheep jump fall off of a 800 feet drop hamber and horns broken with one gone
Ronald W Schaefer
Well-Known Member
Fierce Firearms CT Carbon Edge; 7mm-08; 6.5 Lbs with scope, way above cartridge class; deadly with Barnes 145 gr LRX and rings the gong pretty reliably at 1000 yds with Vortex Viper 4-16X44 HST w Kenton turrets. Down side--complete package is about $4K. I get 2844 fps with that Barnes from a 22" bbl. Very handy...
Let me tell you something. Disregard all the idiots, who tells you need big bores. Who would you rather listen, science or these smuchks? Colorado parks and wildlife requires minimum of 243 caliber and 1000lbs enery on impact on lung shot on elk. Recommends 1200+. 7mm08 shooting 162 eldm at 2740 muzzle fps, at high elevation, at 600 yards still carry ~1650 energy. It even meets old myth number of 1500 to kill.
New atips already proving to be a good hunting bullet. So something like 6.5 153gr atip going same 2740 at muzzle, still carry ~1600 energy at 600yards at high elevation (~8000ft). Mild recoil, better accuracy, better shot placement. Really depends on where you hunt, as higher elevation gives energy bonus. Mentioned specs of 6.5, at sea level at 600 yards still carry ~1350 energy, which is more than minimum, and requirement of colorado parks and wildlife, which is a state with most elk, so they know what they talking about, and based on science, and not some bragging old scholers pretending to know it all.
If you not trusting atips, eldms, berger vlds (they are proven especially last two)... go with eldx, or those old time proven pills such as partitions, accubonds. Biggest cartridge at the most- 280ai, which is excellent cartridge. Im a fan of one gun, one bullet only. So thats what i would get, pretty much any 6.5, up to low/mid 7mms. 7mms are so nice as bullet grain goes from ~100 all the way to 195.
That sweet middle of 1 bullet for elk/goat/deer, is somewhere in 150-168 grain. Put it in kill zone, and you have food, and still have fun shooting steel at 1000 yards.... thats why i rather suggest vlds, or eldms because of their bc, good for steel and hunting.
Man, 280 ai and something like 162 eldm, eldx, 168Burger vld, 175 eldx... can hunt a godzilla
And there is a king of all bullets... 180eldm, but i think its overkill for deer and stuff, so my ideal is 162s eldm/x. Can't wait for 7mms a-tips.
New atips already proving to be a good hunting bullet. So something like 6.5 153gr atip going same 2740 at muzzle, still carry ~1600 energy at 600yards at high elevation (~8000ft). Mild recoil, better accuracy, better shot placement. Really depends on where you hunt, as higher elevation gives energy bonus. Mentioned specs of 6.5, at sea level at 600 yards still carry ~1350 energy, which is more than minimum, and requirement of colorado parks and wildlife, which is a state with most elk, so they know what they talking about, and based on science, and not some bragging old scholers pretending to know it all.
If you not trusting atips, eldms, berger vlds (they are proven especially last two)... go with eldx, or those old time proven pills such as partitions, accubonds. Biggest cartridge at the most- 280ai, which is excellent cartridge. Im a fan of one gun, one bullet only. So thats what i would get, pretty much any 6.5, up to low/mid 7mms. 7mms are so nice as bullet grain goes from ~100 all the way to 195.
That sweet middle of 1 bullet for elk/goat/deer, is somewhere in 150-168 grain. Put it in kill zone, and you have food, and still have fun shooting steel at 1000 yards.... thats why i rather suggest vlds, or eldms because of their bc, good for steel and hunting.
Man, 280 ai and something like 162 eldm, eldx, 168Burger vld, 175 eldx... can hunt a godzilla
And there is a king of all bullets... 180eldm, but i think its overkill for deer and stuff, so my ideal is 162s eldm/x. Can't wait for 7mms a-tips.
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Danehunter
Well-Known Member
Thinair, Excellent comment based on science, not internet BS. THANK YOU
For the money (IF you can overlook not having a locking bolt when on safe) I'd recommend the Ruger American or American Predator in 6.5 PRC. I had a 6.5 CM RAP and it was very accurate.
But now I have a Browning X-Bolt Pro in 6.5 PRC and it is worth every penny, especially when compared side-by-side with a SAKO Carbonlite. Yeah, the X-Bolt Pro is a lot more money (about 4X as much) as the Ruger American but with all its features it is still a bargain.
Eric B.
For the money (IF you can overlook not having a locking bolt when on safe) I'd recommend the Ruger American or American Predator in 6.5 PRC. I had a 6.5 CM RAP and it was very accurate.
But now I have a Browning X-Bolt Pro in 6.5 PRC and it is worth every penny, especially when compared side-by-side with a SAKO Carbonlite. Yeah, the X-Bolt Pro is a lot more money (about 4X as much) as the Ruger American but with all its features it is still a bargain.
Eric B.
