light recoiling cartige for the old man!

[del2les]

ok here is why i like the 6.5's for this build: bullet selection. I dont want to shoot any heavier than 140gr and not much lighter than 100gr. so lets say for light practice/ varmints 95gr vmax, medium game 120gr amax or nos bt, even elk or black bear under 300yds you can use 130gr berger or nosler accubond and even the 140gr berber hunting vld. 6mm highest normal bullet is 105 and in a 7mm lowest normal is 120 so thats why im kinda settled on the 6.5. .........

That changes the equation, and it was not part of your original question. "Muleys and smaller". As for the 6mm's, the bullet selection goes up to 115gr, but the 105 Amax has made some great kills on deer out to 600 yards. I haven't pushed these on deer size game much further, but large coyotes have tasted them @ 800.

If I had a chance at 300 yard elk while hunting deer with the 6mm, I would carry the Nosler partitions in my loops and stay away from the shoulders.

6.5mm is a great caliber though, and if elk are in the realm of possibility, then by all means.

 

[travelr47]

6,5x55 Swede: Build on a Savage L/H (M110 or 111 w/accu-trigger).
Out to 200 yds, the 120-gr works very well, often producing 3/8" group,
or smaller. The 130 Berger is an excellent choice for the L/R work.
Get a 1:8 barrel to stabilize bullets with a secant ogive weighing 130+.
Lapua brass is still reasonably priced. I'd caution about purchasing WW
or RP 6,5x55 brass as the case head is SMALLER than the CIP spec
calls for. Better to spend a few more dollars and purchase Lapua or
Norma brass. Plus it seems to last almost forever. BTW, IMR 4831 works
very well producing high velocities, low pressures, and very accurate in
my rifle.

If you elect to go with a Rem M700 L/H long action, you probably should
go ahead and have the extractor replaced with a Sako type extractor.
Otherwise the empty case will tend to hang up on extraction.

The benefits are the 6,5mm bullet tends to buck the wind better than many
other L/R bullets, even at the modest velocities that the 6,5x55 produces;
can literally shoot it all day without needing any pain killers; ACCURATE;
and, can all be wrapped up in a lightweight package between 7 & 8 lbs.

And, the 6,5x55 produces higher velocities than some of the "specialty"
6,5s and only 200 fps slower than the 6,5x284 which produces higher
recoil and typically found in heavier guns than you've allowed for.

 

[4given]

I would go .243, skip the muzzle break and save your old mans ears. Being over 50 myself I do all I can to protect what hearing I have left. The .234 will do everything you are after. That is what I use for deer and it has always worked ver well.

 

[paxman]

I sugest either a 6.5x284 or for a little heavier recoil (less tha 30-06) 7mmstw. Good luck.

 

[midnightmalloy]

6,5x55 Swede: Build on a Savage L/H (M110 or 111 w/accu-trigger).
Out to 200 yds, the 120-gr works very well, often producing 3/8" group,
or smaller. The 130 Berger is an excellent choice for the L/R work.
Get a 1:8 barrel to stabilize bullets with a secant ogive weighing 130+.
Lapua brass is still reasonably priced. I'd caution about purchasing WW
or RP 6,5x55 brass as the case head is SMALLER than the CIP spec
calls for. Better to spend a few more dollars and purchase Lapua or
Norma brass. Plus it seems to last almost forever. BTW, IMR 4831 works
very well producing high velocities, low pressures, and very accurate in
my rifle.

If you elect to go with a Rem M700 L/H long action, you probably should
go ahead and have the extractor replaced with a Sako type extractor.
Otherwise the empty case will tend to hang up on extraction.

The benefits are the 6,5mm bullet tends to buck the wind better than many
other L/R bullets, even at the modest velocities that the 6,5x55 produces;
can literally shoot it all day without needing any pain killers; ACCURATE;
and, can all be wrapped up in a lightweight package between 7 & 8 lbs.

And, the 6,5x55 produces higher velocities than some of the "specialty"
6,5s and only 200 fps slower than the 6,5x284 which produces higher
recoil and typically found in heavier guns than you've allowed for.

well lets clarify. 6.5x55 is a good round. i would perfer a round that has good luck recently and has the availability to get good brass and components in the future. the 6.5x47 lapua and creedmoor have recently been proving themselves in cometition and tactical venues. Im not a sceptic but if he 6.5x55 were to be as good some top shooter would be using it and i havent seen any. thats all.

 

[liltank]

well lets clarify. 6.5x55 is a good round. i would perfer a round that has good luck recently and has the availability to get good brass and components in the future. the 6.5x47 lapua and creedmoor have recently been proving themselves in cometition and tactical venues. Im not a sceptic but if he 6.5x55 were to be as good some top shooter would be using it and i havent seen any. thats all.

The 6.5x55 Swede has been used by hunters for decades in Europe. It takes everything down from muskrats to moose and with good success. The 6.5x55 has gotten a bad wrap due to poor ballistics because of factory loadings. They load them very light because of the many actions still in existence can't handle the high pressures the round is capable of. Lapua makes 6.5x55 brass and with modern actions can be loaded quite hot matching the ballistics of some 30 cal rifle for a period of flight. This caliber is viable for anything in North America from the smallest critter to the largest deadliest thing on four legs within reason. Howa makes a barreled action that can be fit into after market stocks or buy one of there already complete rifles. This round should not be overlooked by any means. I know from a ton of research that is was used in war applications before hunting, its a close cousin (6.5 Carcano, the Swede is more powerful) to the round that killed JFK, and it is used in Europe for competition shooting. The Japanese also used a variant of this round in WWII. So there is a little history for ya.

Tank

 

[J E Custom]

Lots of good advice !!!

But I think you need to remember who you want to build the rifle for.

I would think you should keep it simple. Go with a short action, a caliber no
bigger than a 7/08, keep the rifle under 8 pounds, get something that ammo
is no problem anywhere(Walmart, hardware store, gas station) and use light
bullets that require no Muzzle break and keep the barrel under 24" for handling.

Forget all of the foreign cartriges (They are good but not allways available and
can be expensive).

It sounds like he will probably not be going up into the mountains for Elk so
forget that and If he ever does then you can loan him one of yours.

Also talk to him (On the sly) and try to find out what HE would like if he were
going to buy a new rifle.

Also place a realy nice scope with lots of eye relief and enough power to see bullet
holes at 100 yard targets.

In other words make a rifle that he would like and be proud of but have fun at the
same time.

I build quite a few rifles for peoples fathers and I have them engraved with a sentiment
of there choosing and it makes them very personal.

Just something to help with a very good Idea.

J E CUSTOM

 

[4given]

Lots of good advice !!!

But I think you need to remember who you want to build the rifle for.

I would think you should keep it simple. Go with a short action, a caliber no
bigger than a 7/08, keep the rifle under 8 pounds, get something that ammo
is no problem anywhere(Walmart, hardware store, gas station) and use light
bullets that require no Muzzle break and keep the barrel under 24" for handling.

Forget all of the foreign cartriges (They are good but not allways available and
can be expensive).

It sounds like he will probably not be going up into the mountains for Elk so
forget that and If he ever does then you can loan him one of yours.

Also talk to him (On the sly) and try to find out what HE would like if he were
going to buy a new rifle.

Also place a realy nice scope with lots of eye relief and enough power to see bullet
holes at 100 yard targets.

In other words make a rifle that he would like and be proud of but have fun at the
same time.

I build quite a few rifles for peoples fathers and I have them engraved with a sentiment
of there choosing and it makes them very personal.

Just something to help with a very good Idea.

J E CUSTOM

Sounds like a .243 to me! You could buy one stock, off the shelf that would meet your criteria if you wanted. Mine is a stock Savage/Stevens that shoots sub MOA groups with factory ammo.

I killed my buck with it this year! 1 shot right in the lungs DRT.gun)

Should be easy to build a real nice custom rig for Dad that would do the same thing.

 

[cj06]

well lets clarify. 6.5x55 is a good round. i would perfer a round that has good luck recently and has the availability to get good brass and components in the future. the 6.5x47 lapua and creedmoor have recently been proving themselves in cometition and tactical venues. Im not a sceptic but if he 6.5x55 were to be as good some top shooter would be using it and i havent seen any. thats all.

as with time all things will always change ! the 6.5x55 was used in competition and set some records as it was used in other parts of the world ! the cartridge is a 100 year old one +- . people are always trying to make something better and a lot of cartridges were developed and turned out to be excellent rounds ! there is always going to be a certain round that will do one particular job better than some thing else !! remember that there is a difference in punching paper and tactical use
and real world hunting !! gun)

 

[Old Coach]

I am 62 and got tried of heavy recoil so I have 2 rifles that are light recoiling and fun to shoot.

#1- Rem Mdl 7 in 6.5x47 Lapua 22" bbl with a 6X Swaro scope. Built by Jon Beanland
#2- Rem 700 in 243AI 25" bbl with a Leup 2.5x 10 MK4 scope. Kampfeld Custom.

The Mdl 7 is 8# and easy to carry. Using 123grn A-Max it is an easy 400yds rifle for deer.
The 700 is heavier, 9# with scope but shoots the Berger 95 VLD 1/2 MOA.

 

[budlight]

I'm very partial to .243 and 6mm The .243 WSM is without a doubt a fine weapon 10 twist and 24 - 26 inches long 105 spbt with reloader 19 or 4831 Even with reduced loads it no problem to exceed 3000 fps

I also shoot .243 rem 700 105 is a good small deer and antelope round

 

[bigngreen]

I'm looking at the 6.5 stuff and I keep coming around to the 260 Rem. The 6.5 Creedmore seems to only have Hornady brass available for it and I couldn't find any available, I do like the capacity though. The 6.5x47 has outstanding brass and is just a shooter but you can push the 6.5's a little harder with others in a hunting situation. The 6.5x55 seems really interesting, excellent brass and availability, case capacity to get it done for hunting, looks good to me but the 260 is a little shorter case wise which seems to concern some. I've never really compared the lighter 6.5 stuff but I can see why the 260 is so popular, I bet it is a sweet shooting rifle, I'm thinking my wife might like one lightbulb

 

[BountyHunter]

I have given my thoughts on the caliber, but seeing you are active military, here is one more bit of information.

You can do direct to Leupold for a huge discount on Leupold optics being active military. Go to their website and contact them for detailed info on how to do it.

For what it is worth, IMO the savage is the best out of the box guns going and the LH 7-08 is still my top choice with 120 Btips. Killed many a deer with the 120 Btip in the 7-08 and light recoil. 6.5 lbs and in all probability sub 1", what more could you ask for.

forget the muzzle brake, too **** much noise and in the 6.5 and 7-08 absolutely not needed.

My guess is he would appreciate really good optics the rifle also.

BH

 

[wm5l]

7mm-08 hands down