What Caliber for 600yd Whitetail? (New rifle Build)

[Sirrated]

I'm looking to build a 600yd hunting rifle. I'll be starting with at Rem 700 LA left hand, trued. I'm planning on a 24" bartlein barrel. I'm not scared of wildcats or Ackley Improved either. I reload so, I'll be developing the loads. The current rifle is a 270win, but I'm thinking there is more bang for the buck in LR performance and aftermarket support. Most of my hunting is within 350yds or so, but I'm wanting a reliable option out to 600yds. This will double as range gun for some fun and probably run 2-300rds per year on the high side.

I'm leaning towards a 260rem or 7mm 08 in the LA. These guys not restricted to mag length can be pretty impressive.

I currently load for:
308, 7mm Rem mag, 7mm 08, 270 win, 223
And I have a 6.5 Creedmore on order for my son. We'll be loading for it as well.

Must haves:
-Long Range Support in brass and projectiles, at least in the manufacturing side. I'm not expecting everything to be in stock. (I'm not against fire forming good brass)
-Decent barrel life ~1800-2000rnd minimum
-Enough kinetic energy for deer at 600yds

Would like to haves:
-cross over powders or projectiles to current reloading stock
-Factory ammo options are nice, but not required.
-Something that is powder efficient
-No one ever complains about low recoil...

Feel free to add details of barrel length, twist, reamers, and load data.

Thanks very much for the info!

Ahhh, 7mm Mag, all day and every day,,, Plus you already have components if you're reloading.

 

[AZ Patriot 17]

Tell me you're no fun without telling me you're no fun. There are plenty of GOOD reasons to hunt long range: geography, disability, personal preference. If a guy can go kill his food, he knows how to hunt, that ain't up to you to judge. You don't have to be able to spit on them to ethically kill them. If anything, I think people largely underestimate their rifles' abilities. But hey, it takes all kinds and there's an *** for every seat.

To add on…isn't this site called "LONG RANGE HUNTING"? I love getting close with a bow, too. But that's not why I'm here right now

 

[Rum Man]

I love it. But that'll kill way past his 600 yard limit. So let's say that same rifle loaded with 175 grain ish projos at 36-3700 fps. Requires no thought inside of 400 yards, and hits like thors hammer

Yes I agree about killing a long ways out there !!

My Buddy is pushing a 166gr Hammer in his 300 Rum @ a touch under 3500 ft.per.sec ! I'm stuck on heavy for caliber bullets but those 166 gr hammers must be devastating on game !
I will try to get a report on them .

Rum Man

 

[memtb]

These long range shows don't show you the gut shot animals they've shot before the one animal they've taken cleanly – or the one that had its leg blown off with the first shot!
I don't know your level of training of competence – so -- if you are capable through training or ability -- please forgive me!
However -- I've shot normally accurate rifles at longer ranges and been surprised at their lack of accuracy at those extended ranges! Unless you extensively target shoot in the same conditions as you'll find while hunting you're bound to wound more than you'll take quickly and cleanly! Just because a certain bullet/load combination is accurate at 100 yards, doesn't mean it'll be correspondingly accurate at 400 or 600 yards!

Therefore 350 yards gets my vote – 400 at the outside!

Amen! Though, 600 yards with a quality rifle/cartridge/shooter is "not" long range! Otherwise I fully agree with the edited film footage….and question some of the claims by the "keyboard kowboys"! memtb

 

[Derfman]

I agree with everything said thus far. I'll add some additional advice in the form of questions :How far do you hunt from your vehicle, or camp? Are you a good shot, or do you miss a lot.? Do you hunt with a spotter? Will you be shooting at registered targets, …will you know the exact range of your potential shots, or will you have to range each shot? Will you be shooting from a solid rest, the crotch of a tree…or offhand? Are you certain that the bullet you select will expand at the range of velocities that you expect to shoot…i.e. Do you know the terminal ballistics characteristics of the bullet? Are you going to shoot off the crosshairs, or turn the knob? How good is the turret repeatability of your scope…do you have a first focal plane scope?

I would build the heaviest gun I can carry, and the flattest shooting largest caliber I could get into that bolt face, with the most reliable bullet for 300- 600yd expansion. I would choose a different bullet for 0-300yds, and carry both. Close range Barnes TTSX are a good choice

My favorite is a model 721 Remington .300 RUM with a 30" Hart 1:10 tapered to .875"at the muzzle barrel. I use Berger elite hunter 210 grain powered by 91 grains of Retumbo with a V o of 3150 +/- depending on temp. I only load 1 cartridge in my rifle unless it's below 15 F. …in which case I keep the cartridge in an inside shirt pocket. I will not hunt beyond 500yds without a spotter or a steady, solid rest with a bipod. 600 yds. Begins the tricky spot where my bullets start to fall more quickly, so continuous ranging is mandatory as the deer move around, thus I need a spotter. Beyond 700 yds., I recommend a .33 XC, which is my next build…maybe. We now have a .338 Lapua, but the .33XC is much flatter. I want them to fall over in their tracks.

Two other calibers I recommend are .300 Weatherby, or the .300 Hart. The Weatherby barrel will last longer than most other magnums because of the double radius on the neck, or so they say. I know 2 people who had .30 Hart's, and they were tack drivers. They were built by Bobby Hart in Nescopeck, PA. I just don't like wildcats. Remember a good muzzle brake for the larger calibers.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment, and good luck on your build. This is actually the most fun part. I'll be back if I think of anything else.

 

[hankle]

Amen! Though, 600 yards with a quality rifle/cartridge/shooter is "not" long range! Otherwise I fully agree with the edited film footage….and question some of the claims by the "keyboard kowboys"! memtb

Very true statement! My personal best is 428yds with the 270 that I'm getting rid of. The risk and reward at long distances is definitely worthy of pause. Training is paramount. The animals should be respected, even culls and does deserve a clean kill. How else do you affirm your skill though? I would wager that it comes with a real world test.

 

[73driver]

These long range shows don't show you the gut shot animals they've shot before the one animal they've taken cleanly – or the one that had its leg blown off with the first shot!
I don't know your level of training of competence – so -- if you are capable through training or ability -- please forgive me!
However -- I've shot normally accurate rifles at longer ranges and been surprised at their lack of accuracy at those extended ranges! Unless you extensively target shoot in the same conditions as you'll find while hunting you're bound to wound more than you'll take quickly and cleanly! Just because a certain bullet/load combination is accurate at 100 yards, doesn't mean it'll be correspondingly accurate at 400 or 600 yards!

Therefore 350 yards gets my vote – 400 at the outside!

I have 1 custom 270 and 1 custom 6.5C both sporting #4 Brux contours that are very accurate. Between load development and shooting out to 600 with the 6.5C its a 1/2 MOA rifle with my current match load. Our range has a silhouette setup with steel plates on the 4 different target lines out to 500 meters that we can practice on during the week and non match weekends. I did not get to develop a hunting load so went with factory 143ELDX. With a solid bench rest at 420 yards I could easily hit a 6" plate nearer the middle than the edge. At 540 yards I was more likely to hit near the edge than the center. I also tried this with one cold bore shot per target and decided that cold bore first shot hits were not likely to place inside of 4 inches at over 450 yards, hence with that rifle and load I had a limit that shooting beyond would be very iffy. Between load development, practice and verifying your hold overs and accuracy at distance I would think a cartridge that is fun to shoot and won't eat out barrels would be a plus.

 

[littlebighorn]

Little big horn, just where is a guy going to beg, borrow, or steal the new 6.5/284 brass?

I haven't looked recently but I was able to pick up a box of Lapua last summer from Midway or Brownells? Online somewhere. If you watch it occasionally pops up. No doubt most popular cartridges are in short supply these days but if you get on several notify lists, I think you might find what you are looking for.
A friend just got me some Peterson 28 Nosler brass through that process, but I think that was pure dumb luck.

 

[del2les]

IMO, anyone shooting deer at 600+ is simply demonstrating that he doesn't know how to hunt.

Well OK then. And to think all these decades of hunting, and we never knew how.

Maybe some people are just better shots than others?

 

[Alibiiv]

I'm looking to build a 600yd hunting rifle. I'll be starting with at Rem 700 LA left hand, trued. I'm planning on a 24" bartlein barrel. I'm not scared of wildcats or Ackley Improved either. I reload so, I'll be developing the loads. The current rifle is a 270win, but I'm thinking there is more bang for the buck in LR performance and aftermarket support. Most of my hunting is within 350yds or so, but I'm wanting a reliable option out to 600yds. This will double as range gun for some fun and probably run 2-300rds per year on the high side.

I'm leaning towards a 260rem or 7mm 08 in the LA. These guys not restricted to mag length can be pretty impressive.

I currently load for:
308, 7mm Rem mag, 7mm 08, 270 win, 223
And I have a 6.5 Creedmore on order for my son. We'll be loading for it as well.

Must haves:
-Long Range Support in brass and projectiles, at least in the manufacturing side. I'm not expecting everything to be in stock. (I'm not against fire forming good brass)
-Decent barrel life ~1800-2000rnd minimum
-Enough kinetic energy for deer at 600yds

Would like to haves:
-cross over powders or projectiles to current reloading stock
-Factory ammo options are nice, but not required.
-Something that is powder efficient
-No one ever complains about low recoil...

Feel free to add details of barrel length, twist, reamers, and load data.

Thanks very much for the info!

I have a Ruger 77 in .270 Ackley Improved, 26 inch Lilja 1:10 twist barrel. I'm getting 3100fps with 150 gr ABLRs. I can get more (3300fps) but the rifle likes 3100fps. We shoot 300 yards easily and would not hesitate to take a 600 yard shot on a deer. As for the .270 AI, I read in Ackley's book hat he does not recommend the .270 Improved because his thoughts were that the cartridge was already overbore. With the latest of powders, I find his opinion to be obsolete. If you want to shoot a bit further, build the .270 AI with a 1:8 twist barrel and then you can shoot the heavier/high BC bullets. You did post that you wanted a 24 inch barrel, I believe that to get the most horsepower out of the .270 a 26 inch barrel is the way to go. I have hunted with this rifle, the 26 inch barrel never was an issue. The cartridge is easy to fireform, brass is always available, and developing loads is quite easy. If you are interested in this cartridge you might try PMing "FEENIX" on this forum. He is the one who got me interested in it and he has helped me along when I did the build. This rifle was built specifically to hunt whitetail deer, I am happy with the 1:10 twist barrel and the 150gr ABLRs. The attachment is a photo of an old target that was shot at 300 yards, the other two photos are comparing the .270 Winchester to the .270AI. The barrel on the rifle has been contoured to the same dimensions as the factory specs, so two shots seems to be the answer. With more than two shots the group opens up a bit due to the thin barrel.

Also I notice in you OP that you are shooting a Remington 700 "LA", is that a long action you are writing about?? The mm-08 I believe is a short action cartridge, is there a reason for doing a build on a long action? No matter what you decide, good luck with your build.

 

[Son of a Gun!]

My next rifle build will be a Rem 700 LA with a quality 26" 1in 8 twist 25-06 Rem barrel to utilize the Berger 133gr. VLD Hunter bullets!

 

[Grizzman47]

I support the recommendations for a 280 AI, since you already load for a 7mm. I've thought about putting together a 6.5x284 numerous times, and it will certainly work...but a 280 AI's increased performance could be quite useful.

 

[VinceMule]

I haven't looked recently but I was able to pick up a box of Lapua last summer from Midway or Brownells? Online somewhere. If you watch it occasionally pops up. No doubt most popular cartridges are in short supply these days but if you get on several notify lists, I think you might find what you are looking for.
A friend just got me some Peterson 28 Nosler brass through that process, but I think that was pure dumb luck.

Littlebighorn, you may not be aware that Lapua has put a freeze on shipping many of the cases it used to make, 6.5/284 is one of the items put on hold till the Russia issue is over.

 

[jessej]

Littlebighorn, you may not be aware that Lapua has put a freeze on shipping many of the cases it used to make, 6.5/284 is one of the items put on hold till the Russia issue is over.

Yup