Which caliber would you choose?

[Skinny Shooter]

I currently have a Remmy VLS in 308. Just bought a new VSF in same.
Have been getting the itch for a wildcat or something similiar and figured I'd rebarrel the VLS. This gun will be used primarily for groundhogs.
I want to stay with the SA, be able to load from the magazine (no single loading), no mag-well lengthening and have a cartridge that will allow me to seat the bullet just off the lands. Minimal case prep is also desired. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
The 6mm or 6.5 calibers are interesting and was looking at a 6mm Norma BR, 243, 243AI, 6mmRem or a 260Rem.
The barrel would be 28" and I want to shoot a high BC bullet that will carry out past 500 yards.
What are your thoughts?
Hornady has a .243 87gr Vmax that seems like a good bullet for this use with Varget.
Hate to take the barrel off of the VLS cause it shoots fairly well for a factory tube.
Thanks for your help.

243AI shooting the 107 sierra's or 105 Bergers....

I second Ric's choice , my 243Ai will shoot the 105gr A-max bullets well past 500yds , haven't had the chance yet but I'm sure it'll do well at 1k and the A-max is a very fragile bullet , kinda like a heavy for caliber V-max
And just get some Lapua brass and fire form with a light load and your done and their is not enough bore wear to be concerned with. The Lapua brass is so consistant that you don't have to do any other preping to it and it last forever . The recoil is nill and the muzzel blast doesen't scare the critters in the next county

[goodgrouper]

Check into the 6 BR fast twist. It has got to be the most efficient 1000 yard gun going right now, so you can imagine how well it does at half that distance! Also, there is no fireforming, and the brass is almost good enough to just pull out of the box and load if you're not too anal like me!
Check out the ballistics on it, you will see that it gets about 80% of the velocity of the .243 fast twist with almost half the powder.
Look at www.6mmbr.com under competitions, varmint hunting, and load data.
Shoot the fly off your target!

[Skinny Shooter]

Thanks guys. My first thought was the 243AI but then discovered 6mmBR.com and that started me down that road. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
Am considering a Rock or Lilja barrel.

[Varmint Hunter]

My vote goes to the 6mmBR. However, if you can live with a cartridge that isn't sexy, then I'd give the .260 with an 8" twist some consideration.

[BountyHunter]

another for the 6br or brx with 26-28" 8 twist Broughton 5C rifling barrel.

8 twist will shoot the 100 gr and all the way down to the 68s and 80 gr bullets very well.

couple guys on that site do the box conversions for the br magazine and gun will last at least 2000-3000 rounds and keep on going.

BH