Suggestions, thoughts on rifle build

[WildRose]

I have a sendero sfII in 25-06 and love it for deer and have even taken elk with it. The 26" barrel really lets that cartridge shine! I reload for it with 115 bergers, but have been wanting to try the new hornady precision hunters in it.

I shot the 25-06 for a long time. It's a whole lot of fun. A little much for prairie dogs but a great all around varmint/predator/deer round loaded with the right bullets.

 

[WildRose]

Hate making discussions! Was narrowed down to 6.5-284. Then started reading 264wm, then some good comparisons to the 7mm cart. Seems like I'm gonna need a LA...

You'd pretty well be better off going with a long action for any round capable of doing what you want to do.

No need to limit your options or end up with a less capable rifle than you wanted after putting that much money into a custom or semi custom.

Find a beat up Newhaven built Model 70 with a claw extractor in a long action in a pawn shop or at a gunshow and build off of that and you'll have the best of all worlds. Just have it trued when you install the barrel, put a decent stock on it and you'll be set for life.

 

[L.Sherm]

If you're going to quote someone quote the whole sentence. To do less, especially when doing so to cut off the point he was making is rather dishonest.

No his opinion that 6mm and 6.5 VLDs are not great game performers differ from mine and that's being dishonest.

 

[WildRose]

No his opinion that 6mm and 6.5 VLDs are not great game performers differ from mine and that's being dishonest.

You're making it worse, not better. Lead/Jacket separation at high velocity is a real thing which is measurable and provable.

 

[L.Sherm]

Your funny I'm done.

 

[WildRose]

Your funny I'm done.

If you can't handle facts don't engage me.

 

[bigngreen]

You're making it worse, not better. Lead/Jacket separation at high velocity is a real thing which is measurable and provable.

So, I've dug some that separated out of very dead game, as far as I'm concerned if it poops it's core it's just more projectile in the vital messing things up, I'd rather have that than the issues I've seen with bonded bullets!!

 

[WildRose]

So, I've dug some that separated out of very dead game, as far as I'm concerned if it poops it's core it's just more projectile in the vital messing things up, I'd rather have that than the issues I've seen with bonded bullets!!

What we prefer is a matter of opinion, whether or not they separate isn't. Non bonded bullets break up frequently with high velocity impacts, that's simply a fact.

 

[bigngreen]

What we prefer is a matter of opinion, whether or not they separate isn't. Non bonded bullets break up frequently with high velocity impacts, that's simply a fact.

But I've seen far more of them not make it into the chest of an elk than a VLD, I've also seen more 1/2 inch wound channels from them as well. I got tired of shooting elk repeatedly so I switched, only seen one elk shot twice since and recovered every elk easily shot at as well. Last elk I killed shot with an accubonds took me three days to kill her, 180 in the shoulder didn't get into the vitals, my 140 Berger did!

 

[lancetkenyon]

Lead core/jacket separation does happen at higher velocities. But it still kills quickly when the bullet is put where it needs to go.

Even bonded bullets can separate.

Solid copper bullets can not expand
Jacketed bullets can not expand
Copper bullets can deform and change course
Jacketed bullets can deform and change course
Every bullet type can and has failed

I have used high velocity jacketed lead bullets from 3650 to 2800ish fps MV with great results on deer and elk, and one antelope. From 18 to 1000+ on big game. And from 6 to 1365 on coyotes. My PERSONAL experience is good enough that I keep using them in all of my rifles except when hunting a particular area that requests the use of non-lead ammo.

Do you hear about VLDs and other jacketed lead bullets not performing? Yes. Because probably 80% of hunters USE jacketed lead bullets. The ones I usually discount are the guys that claim it was a good hit but the bullet never expanded or blew up, but the game was never recovered. Easy to say you made a great shot but the bullet failed when you have no evidence with a dead animal to prove your case. Strange things can happen to an animal when hit, and some of them are tougher than a $2 steak. Even a 100% fatal perfect double lung & heart shot can end with an unrecovered animal. So can a brisket shot or the unheard of "miss".

 

[WildRose]

Lead core/jacket separation does happen at higher velocities. But it still kills quickly when the bullet is put where it needs to go.

Even bonded bullets can separate.

Solid copper bullets can not expand
Jacketed bullets can not expand
Copper bullets can deform and change course
Jacketed bullets can deform and change course
Every bullet type can and has failed

I have used high velocity jacketed lead bullets from 3650 to 2800ish fps MV with great results on deer and elk, and one antelope. From 18 to 1000+ on big game. And from 6 to 1365 on coyotes. My PERSONAL experience is good enough that I keep using them in all of my rifles except when hunting a particular area that requests the use of non-lead ammo.

Do you hear about VLDs and other jacketed lead bullets not performing? Yes. Because probably 80% of hunters USE jacketed lead bullets. The ones I usually discount are the guys that claim it was a good hit but the bullet never expanded or blew up, but the game was never recovered. Easy to say you made a great shot but the bullet failed when you have no evidence with a dead animal to prove your case. Strange things can happen to an animal when hit, and some of them are tougher than a $2 steak. Even a 100% fatal perfect double lung & heart shot can end with an unrecovered animal. So can a brisket shot or the unheard of "miss".

Bonded bullets are far less likely to separate.

Solid copper bullets can and do expand, I've proven that with every Peregrine VLR that I've recovered.

 

[bigngreen]

Again who cares about a separation, it does nothing but kill stuff, I'd rather it separate than stop cold on a shoulder hit like an over expanded mono or bonded bullet.

 

[WildRose]

Again who cares about a separation, it does nothing but kill stuff, I'd rather it separate than stop cold on a shoulder hit like an over expanded mono or bonded bullet.

Look, you're entitled to your own personal choices like anyone else but what you are claiming here simply isn't supported by the basic fundamentals of ballistics.

The smaller the projectile the less capable it is of penetrating due to the reduced momentum, mass and rate at which it will lose velocity.

I'd much prefer to have consistent expansion and a guarantee of two holes, one in, and one out every time I pull the trigger.

Shoot what you want but you can't rewrite the laws of physics.

A properly constructed bonded or monolithic bullet fired within the range/energy limits provided by the mfg isn't going to stop in the shoulder barring a manufacturing defect or striking something between you and the intended target.

The only time I've ever seen that kind of "performance" from a bonded bullet was with the Swift Sirocco II which seem to be way too soft for any large or dangerous game which is why I can't recommend them to anyone anymore for any sort of game.

 

[WildRose]

Again who cares about a separation, it does nothing but kill stuff, I'd rather it separate than stop cold on a shoulder hit like an over expanded mono or bonded bullet.

A whole lot of us care which is why we won't shoot frangible bullets at game and certainly won't shoot them at large or dangerous game.