What rifle would you build?

[haisardao]

Interested in getting ideas from the crowd for a rifle build for the 2025 hunting season.
Intended use is mostly Whitetails in TX and pronghorn if the gods of the draw allow it.
Distance: 600 and in.
Desired Barrel length: 18 inches to shoot suppressed
Desired muzzle velocity: 2800-2900 or faster.
Desired bullets: any heavy x caliber cup&core bullet, Berger, ELDs and the like. I’d leave monometal bullets out of the equation here.
Thanks

 

[Quintus]

270 x 7mmPRC

 

[Aoudad shooter1975]

22 creed 1-7.5 twist 88 grain VLD

You won't hate it...

 

[haisardao]

22 creed 1-7.5 twist 88 grain VLD

Would you take it to 600 yards on game?

 

[Aoudad shooter1975]

Would you take it to 600 yards on game?

Yes --for pronghorn and whitetail--most definitely I've shot axis and Aoudad ewes at 350-500 without issues with 88s and Berger 80.5s

 

[stazmania]

25x47 the latest greatest with factory brass and dies. The bare minimum power factor, low recoil. What’s not to love

 

[tim_w]

6.5 sherman short. Will run the 156 @ those vel in a SA 18" I am planning similar but in a 22" with 3k max. Thats more than enough for those mid size thin skinned game even at range.

 

[JuddL]

I love my 20” 22 Creedmoor but I don’t think I’d shoot it much past 400y at critters.

I’d go 6.5 saum or prc and I’d drop to the 123/130 grain bullets or jump up to the 7’s in the same 2 options. My favorite blind gun is a 16” saum w/ 123 scenar going just over 3k. Hammers them…I’m on 2.0 because a buddy talked me out of my first one

 

[Hydra6]

6.5 PRC

 

[Josh06]

Interested in hearing what folks say. I also hunt in Texas and ordered a 18" 308 barrel to use this upcoming season. I plan to shoot the 168 accubond long range out of it because I have a large supply. I'm hoping to get at least 2650 and if I do that will still be going 1775 at 600 yards where I hunt. I was able to hit 2615 with that bullet in my 16" 308 so think it's doable.

 

[lancetkenyon]

This is from a 22", so expect about 100fps less with an 18". 133 Elite Hunter. This was max with no pressure. 3275 has a hint of bolt lift and a slight ejector shine. I hit 3300 with sticky bolt and stopped there.

 

[bsnyder]

This is from a 22", so expect about 100fps less with an 18". 133 Elite Hunter. This was max with no pressure. 3265 has a hint of bolt lift and a slight ejector shine. I hit 3300 with sticky bolt and stopped there.
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Well that definitely does not suck. New Mexico antelope with that this year?

 

[Hydra6]

The new heavy 25 projectiles are very interesting - just built 25x47 for PRS and keeping it slow for less recoil. 25 Creedmoor or 25PRC or 25WSM would be very interesting for hunting!

 

[haisardao]

This is from a 22", so expect about 100fps less with an 18". 133 Elite Hunter. This was max with no pressure. 3275 has a hint of bolt lift and a slight ejector shine. I hit 3300 with sticky bolt and stopped there.
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Looks amazing, I shoot a 25 SST but get nowhere near that speed from a 26 inch barrel. Are you using 6.5 PRC/SI dies? Thanks