Best target caliber

[Clndesl]

Ok so I am thinking about building or buying a gun to target shoot. I have 2 300WM's and a 300WSM and love shooting long range targets when I am not hunting. It gets pretty expensive shooting the magnums alot so I am thinking about getting another rifle for targets. What would be the best caliber I have had my eye on a 308 but was thinking smaller might be better. Also what rifle would be good out of the box. Thanks in advance. and as far as scope I might get a swfa scope. and I shoot 300-1000 yards mostly

[gcamp54]

If you are trying to save money, I see guys shooting 6mm on the 1k line of various case configuations.

Gordon

[Loner]

6BR or the Dasher (6BR improved) Go with a 1:8 or 1:7.5 twist and many of the 6's will do a 1000.

[winmag]

Well if your already stocked up on 30 cal bullets, the 308 would seem a logical choice, plus it can pull double duty if needed for a hunt.

I here great things about the 264 (aka 6.5, but I hate metric numbers) in a number of configurations from 260 Rem to 264 Winmag, & everything in between.

Id venture to guess bbl life would be better with the 30 cal, but launching higher b.c. higher s.d. bullets at decent velocity, would probably go to the 264's for LR paper/steel whackin.

The ultimate right now looks to be the 270wsm using a 165 Matrix with a b.c of aroung 65-66 or 175 Matrix with a b.c. of around 7. Talk about a double duty LR Target whacker!

I'm a huge 30 cal & 270 cal fan, & my guns all have to pull double duty. So my Opinion should be considered heavily bias & in favor of one of those two Sorry I know you said TARGET not double duty, I keep wandering off the subject. My apologys.

[Clndesl]

I appreciate all the good advice and I guess it would be nice to be able to use it as maybe a deer or antelope gun. But I don't know how much cheaper a 270 wsm would be to shoot. It would probally be cheaper just to shoot my 300 wm haha

[300WSMMAD]

The 284 WIN, not available in a factory rifle but man oh man you will never regret building it EVER!

I shoot 162 Amax from mine @ 2950 fps,cheap to run, ok barrel life 2000 rnd ish, super compeditive calibre.

300WSMMAD

[SBruce]

Just another opinion, but something in 6mm/243.

Anything between the 6BR and 6mm Rem.........if properly built, will shoot excellent and give similar velocities with similar BC bullets, so your drifts and drops will also be similar to the 300 magnums........and, you can shoot one for alot less money and alot less recoil.

A 105/115 grn. 6mm is really close BC to the 175/180 grn. 30 calibers, and the cartridges between 6 BR and 6mm Rem will push them at the same speeds we're getting with the 300 WSM and we're burning alot less powder to get there.