What Caliber for 600yd Whitetail? (New rifle Build)

VinceMule said:
Being practical-minded, choose a cartridge with readily available Brass, dies, and reamers.

No downside to a std 280 with 160s at 2930 with IMR 7828 and Fed 210s.

280 AI is the easy button, formed brass can be hard to find, try forming your own out of Lapua 30/06 brass where you do not lose primer pockets at top-end accuracy nodes.

Another easy button is the std 6.5/06, and I am shooting the 129's at 3150 with R#26 into very, very tiny groups, CCI 250s. 127g Barnes long range was very easy to tune, .050 off the lands, 129g Nosler long range accubond, and 129g Hornady SP(a bullet that never lets you down). All the bullets in this weight shot so well with R#22, I never worked up a load with the 140-ish bullets.

The 6.5/06 seems to be an idiot-proof case to work with when tuning a load. I am running Win and PMC '06 formed cases in the 6.5/06.

270 Win brass would be a better choice to form brass with in regards to the 280AI and 6.5/06 AI, but you use what you have on hand. The formed neck is a tad shorter than the chamber, and the use of the Teslong bore scope allows you to see the carbon build up in the neck and easily remove it with a few twists of a bronze bristle brush of the appropriate size.

6/284 Lapua brass is a thing of the past, as of right now...Europe is preparing for war with Russia.

Russia is about to kick the war into another gear, more of our own reloading supplies will disappear, aka PRC brass....maybe.

Concerning Match kings, I lost a really good buck a few years ago during the rut. He stuck his head out on a power line, the range was 320 yards, chip shot for my 7 Mag's MV of 3150, 150g MK. Buck was knocked down, I saw the blood on his shoulder blade through the 6-24 scope. He got on his feet, and was never to be found after two days of looking.
Click to expand...
That's how I learned
 
For 600 to 700 yards with well over 2000 ft/lb kill power at that range I'd go with my custom Bergarra Wilderness 300PRC. SS Ceracoted 26", timney 2 stage, 8 or 9 twist, using 225ELD, 230 ATIPS or 245 Elite, Hornady Brass (neck turned), BR or Fed match primers, 3000fps with H1000 or N570 or N568, NightForce glass sighted in at 200 yds. Rifle very accurate, luvs 1800 yds 12" gong but for 5" kill zone keep it under 700. I expect 1500 to 2000 rounds life.
 
You have rifles that will do the job presently. I think you want to built a different rifle to use. Can't blame you on that. If you are wanting to get factory ammo at the same time, that limits on what you can do. Reloading the sky is wide open. L Action for sure. You might look at a 270AI set up. That should add enough additional velocity for fpe at that range. I am a believer in velocity so my thinking on that line and it kicks up the fpe at the same time. 260rem is a slow boat to China to me. Never like the cartridge. I have used 25/06's for years. Ranges out to 500yds. Effective too. Barrel life, I don't think many people are thinking about that much more. you can get a little longer barrel and have it cut back at both ends. The lands can go a lot more than at the chamber and muzzle ends do. The only part is that a longer barrel create additional weigth. The other is you are not going the matches to shoot. So you don't have to be on top of burning out your lands at either end so much.
No matter what I, would step the twist rate up in the barrel. The old twist rates for todays bullet are changing things. Using a Rem action leave the sky wide open on Triggers to use. I would look at triggertec, for the easy of adjustment, and smoothness of the pull. All my rifles have after market trigger in them. I now have a triggertec in my last rifle and having one put in the rifle I am having built.
The only problem with triggertec is they don't cover many different actions presently, and I have been watching for over a year now. I do love there triggers.
The only thing is I don't carry a round in the chamber in a Rem action, because where the safety is at, and how I carry my rifle.
 
hankle said:
I'm looking to build a 600yd hunting rifle. I'll be starting with at Rem 700 LA left hand, trued. I'm planning on a 24" bartlein barrel. I'm not scared of wildcats or Ackley Improved either. I reload so, I'll be developing the loads. The current rifle is a 270win, but I'm thinking there is more bang for the buck in LR performance and aftermarket support. Most of my hunting is within 350yds or so, but I'm wanting a reliable option out to 600yds. This will double as range gun for some fun and probably run 2-300rds per year on the high side.

I'm leaning towards a 260rem or 7mm 08 in the LA. These guys not restricted to mag length can be pretty impressive.

I currently load for:
308, 7mm Rem mag, 7mm 08, 270 win, 223
And I have a 6.5 Creedmore on order for my son. We'll be loading for it as well.

Must haves:
-Long Range Support in brass and projectiles, at least in the manufacturing side. I'm not expecting everything to be in stock. (I'm not against fire forming good brass)
-Decent barrel life ~1800-2000rnd minimum
-Enough kinetic energy for deer at 600yds

Would like to haves:
-cross over powders or projectiles to current reloading stock
-Factory ammo options are nice, but not required.
-Something that is powder efficient
-No one ever complains about low recoil...

Feel free to add details of barrel length, twist, reamers, and load data.

Thanks very much for the info!
Click to expand...
I've been Lovin' the 7-08 for a number of years but lately got ahold of a 6.5 PRC that shoots lights out and kind of cool. I am having Fierce Firearms build me a 6.8 Western, which you might think about, especially if you throw the occasional Elk in the hunting mix. Like a 270 WSM but you can shoot up to 175 gr bullets--low recoil and muzzle blast, you can build it light, and it hits with the same energy at 500 yds as a .300 Win Mag.
 
Flyingdaddy said:
IMO, anyone shooting deer at 600+ is simply demonstrating that he doesn't know how to hunt.
Click to expand...

Perhaps in Wisconsin or many places with lots of brush/timber offering limited visibility. In some places, visibility is only limited by the "earth's curvature"!! Sometimes, 600 yards may be considered getting close!
That said, 600 yards is my personal limit even with near perfect shooting conditions. I've passed on several elk under 600 yards in near perfect conditions…..passing because in was very near dark in a timbered/brushy area with a fairly dense grizzly population. While I felt good about the potential shot…..things can happen! I didn't want to be tracking a wounded elk in timber after dark. Or, finding only remanents of my elk after the bears or wolves had an "all night buffet"!

I areas of a dense hog population, a wounded deer can easily be consumed by hogs overnight. While a 600 yard shot may be the only option…..having a rifle/cartridge capable of a sure kill should be considered mandatory, as well as the shooter's skill set! IMO memtb
 
Last edited:
preventec47 said:
You said you already loaded for a 7mm Rem Mag. Why are you out scrounging around for hamburger when you have prime steak in the freezer ? ? ? Or is your post just a sick joke on the rest of us ? I have had a 7 rem mag for 20 years and have not been tempted by anything that has come on the market in that time.
Click to expand...
My 7mm Mag is the bergara approach and it shoots lights out. I shoot the 168 bergers out to 1kyds. I took it on a Montana hunt this year and it did great. Reloading wise I don't want such a powder hog. I also know that I'll shoot a lighter cartridge more and practice is never a bad thing...
 
BigNate said:
You didn't say exactly if you are using the 270 as the donor for the project, or if you just have an action available in your opening post.(didn't read the pages of opinions yet)

If you want a caliber that crosses a couple rifles 6.5 or 7mm would make sense. Of those the choice is obviously the 6.5-06 AI. Twist rate needs to be based on the bullets you want to use obviously, and I'd go to a 26" barrel to squeeze a bit more velocity out.

If you are willing to try a new caliber, an AI .25-06 with about a 1:8.5 twist would be my choice if it's a standard bolt. If magnum face I'd probably do a .25 PRC or 257 Weatherby also twisted for 130-135gr.
Click to expand...
Yes, the 270 win will be the donor action
 

Similar threads

R
New Build-What Caliber
Replies
5
Views
1K
backwoods83
backwoods83
M
What caliber upper? For new build?
2
Replies
17
Views
4K
Jon A
J
matt_3479
New caliber for first build?
Replies
2
Views
2K
WildRose
WildRose
2
What Caliber for a 10lb rifle
Replies
10
Views
5K
Troutslayer
T
S
What caliber for a sheep rifle?
2 3 4
Replies
52
Views
23K
Rogue
Rogue

Recent Posts

Top