Newbie help please

[floyd]

Am in the middle of selecting a caibre for my new rifle.

need it to shoot casual targets too 1000 yards, and also be my stalking back, up so cant be too heavy.

Thinking of : 6.5x55 Ackley Imp, 6.5/308, 6.5/284 or even 300 wsm. Worried the 300wsm will kick like a mule, and have heard the 6.5/284 eats barrels in about 1200 rounds.

Any advice/experience or other suggestions gratefully accepted

 

[Fiftydriver]

Floyd,

Welcome to LRH!!

Sounds like your trying to have your cake and eat it to /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif!

Building a rifle to perform at 1000 yards is certainly not a problem but building it light enough to be a stalking rifle adds some difficulty to the equation. These are two rifles styles you generally do not mix.

That said, my Extreme Sporter rifles chambered for my Allen Mags are 8.5 to 11 lb rifles that are totally capable of 1000 yard shooting and even game taking.

These though would be far to large for your desires and have to short of a barrel life as they are designed toward big game hunting where shooting is limited.

Of the cartirdges you list, the 260 Rem(6.5-308) may be the best choice. Can be built into a relatively light rifle and still be comfortable to shoot. With the VLD and ULD bullets you can easily get out to 1000 yards in good shooting conditions.

For deer there is no better bullet then the 120 gr Ballistic Tip when used at ranges under 400 yards.

From the things you list I would take a hard look at this little round, it will perform far better then its size leads on that it will.

Good Shooting!!

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[Buffalobob]

What are you stalking? What distances are your hunting shots taken at? What terrain?

Want a brake? Don't want a brake?

 

[Centre Punch]

Welcome Floyd,
The 6.5x55 Ackley, a vastly underated cartridge.
Held the UK 1000yrd Benchrest record for some time a few years ago.
Quality brass and a good compromise between the 260 and the 6.5-284.

Ian.

"I mean't to shoot the pike but the duck got in the way"