Yet another "What cartridge?" thread

hwy1strat said:
I know these threads are posted all the time. I am just looking for opinions and mostly for someone to sell me on what cartridge to go with.

Anyway, I just picked up a Tikka action(standard bolt face) to use for a build. I know exactly how I want to set it up, but I am not sure what caliber I should go with. I already have a 6.5 creedmoor, 30-06, and 300winmag hunting rifles. I plan on building this to be a shorter barrel (22"), medium sized game (mule deer and antelope), and I'd like it to be a nice blend between light weight but still comfortable to be shot out far (goal is to be effective on game out to 800yards). I have always wanted a 6.5x284, but now that I have my 6.5 creedmoor, I was thinking along the lines of a 270win or a 280AI.

I plan on doing a Manners MCS-T stock, a 22" carbon barrel, and a swarovski x5 scope. I plan on suppressing it too, which is why I want a shorter barrel.

What cartridge am I searching for??
Click to expand...

You will get as many opinions as there are posters on this one....but I'm sure you already knew that. IMHO: I am a fanatical fan of the the 300 WSM. One of the most versatile rounds there is. For larger critters (elk, moose, etc.) I use 180 gr. AB, and for smaller game (deer, antelope, etc.) I use 165 gr. AB. I reload, so fine tuning accuracy is a given, but the 300 WSM is accurate and versatile....only downside to me is the recoil, but I'm willing to accept that. Just got a really nice antelope buck and a MONSTER muley buck, both around 200 yd. shots, using 165 AB over 67.6 gr. of Hunter. Neither one took a single step...DRT. Basically, I like having one rifle and one caliber for ALL my hunting...all I have to do is reload different loads for different beasties.
 
Short or long action? Sorry if this was determined already...
If you're sticking with the standard bolt face and its a short-mid length action, based on your criteria, I'd build a 7 SAW:
-162 to 168gr bullets from a 22" suppressed tube can expect speeds over 2800 fps with RE-16 or H4350. That'll carry 1775 fps @ 1175 lb/ft to 800 yards with recoil a touch over your 6.5 CM. That's plenty to kill any of the animals you mentioned and bigger with a marginal shot.
- The use of Lapua 308 Palma SRP (stronger case head) in one pass and no neck turning; or you can buy factory 7 SAW SRP brass (Alpha) from the guys at West Texas Ordnance that's ready to shoot.
- Shooting a 6.5 CM you already source and stock small rifle primers and the appropriate powders for the 7 SAW.
- Desirable bullet seating at or above the neck-shoulder junction and still fit and feed from a magazine.
 
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You need 1800fps at 800yds for optimal bullet performance. You can research that. If I were you I'd ditch the 22" limitation and go 24" or even 26". Everybody and their dog has a 6.5 Creed and they work well for tagets to 800 and if you place the shot correctly it will kill for sure. My 2 cents: use something in 7mm that has enough velocity and weight to be effective at 800 at center mass. I shoot a custom 308 win at 1000 and at shorter range matches and I guarantee you I've shamed many of the 6.5 Creeds. However, I wouldn't recommend 308 for any hunting under 700. Don't get me wrong, the 6.5 Creed is an excellent cartridge and they have their place.
 
Fishnut said:
just go with a .280 rem. The AI in a 22" barrel doesn't give you a good powder burn. It does, however, let you call it an AI and burn more powder without any real world advantage. I've shot a standard .280 rem for 30 years and have loved it. I am about ready to rebarrel it and when I do I will go AI but on a 24" barrel.
Click to expand...

I like this idea! The real difference between the 280 and the 280 AI for a short barrel gun is really the max SAAMI pressure not the case capacity. Run in QL the 280 only gives up 30 fps at the muzzle IF YOU RUN IT AT AI PRESSURES of 65,000 psi. If you are a loader that stays by the books then you loose about 120 fps to the AI down to ~2780 fps at the muzzle - its not "nothing" but not the end of the world...

Before I get a slew of "its the same action, the same barrel, the same case...etc, why not run the 280 at AI pressures?" Well, I have never gotten comfortable with that - I don't run my .30-06 at 65,000 psi - even though I could (in theory).
 
Leave it long action & build a .284 Winchester as long as it will feed from the magazine - which I assume it should with inline magazine. You can seat bullets out far enough to get maximum case capacity for powder. .284 has a steeper shoulder angle than a standard 7mm-08 or .280 similar to an Ackley which helps reduce case stretch. Also a very accurate round & pretty easy to load for. 22" barrel should burn all the H4350 or whatever powder you chose to load with.
 
I'm currently in your shoes. I've been kicking around what caliber in a lightweight rifle that I want. I also want it to be something my 17 year old daughter could shoot without the snot being beat out of her (it will have a muzzle brake). I handload, so factory ammo isn't a concern. I ended up choosing the 280 AI. It's almost 7 Rem Mag performance in a standard case and bolt face, with very manageable recoil.
 
I have both a 6.5x284 and 2 280AI's. I love them dearly. Both benefit a lot with 24" or 26" barrels. My 6.5x284 shoots a 147 eldm at 2995fps with a 26" barrel. My 24" 280 ai barrels push a 180 hybrid to 2900fps. The 280's have better energy for elk. The recoil of a 6.5x284 is so mild my 9 year old daughter shoots it. Lapua brass is a huge plus. The nosler 280ai brass is good too. RL26 is made for both those calibers. My advice, don't choose just one. Make one of each.
 
hwy1strat said:
I know these threads are posted all the time. I am just looking for opinions and mostly for someone to sell me on what cartridge to go with.

Anyway, I just picked up a Tikka action(standard bolt face) to use for a build. I know exactly how I want to set it up, but I am not sure what caliber I should go with. I already have a 6.5 creedmoor, 30-06, and 300winmag hunting rifles. I plan on building this to be a shorter barrel (22"), medium sized game (mule deer and antelope), and I'd like it to be a nice blend between light weight but still comfortable to be shot out far (goal is to be effective on game out to 800yards). I have always wanted a 6.5x284, but now that I have my 6.5 creedmoor, I was thinking along the lines of a 270win or a 280AI.

I plan on doing a Manners MCS-T stock, a 22" carbon barrel, and a swarovski x5 scope. I plan on suppressing it too, which is why I want a shorter barrel.

What cartridge am I searching for??
Click to expand...
280 Ackley for sure. Just make sure your gunsmith knows what he's doing.

I just finished building mine (should be posting the build here later this weekend) but it went back to the smith 3 times before he got it right. My smith only had Wildcat gauges and even after I specifically asked if he had the SAAMI spec (which he assured me he had) he still chambered it in the old wildcat spec stating that he just thought I didn't know what I was talking about.

I had to bring him in factory loaded ammo from Nosler (because my handloads were "incorrect") before he would agree to change the specs. He then proceeded to tell me how stupid the SAAMI spec 280A.I. is compared to the good old wildcat version and that I was stupid to build it this way. To answer your question, yes he was very much a Fudd.

So just make sure your gunsmith knows what's going on. Avoid the headache I went through.
 
You already have the 300WSM. A perfect compliment would be a 270WSM. Long range, manageable recoil, it fills the void perfectly.
 
Not sure the 280ai would be that great in that action. Bullets would be deep in the case. 7mm-08ai throated long would be a better choice for the action length and barrel length you want to use. I've chambered ackleys for over 30 years and I just use the go guage as a no go. I've done a dozen 280ai over the past couple years including one for my 1000 yd comp gun. They worked perfectly with the nosler brass and hornady brass. And the standard 280 closes with just a little crush fit like it's supposed too. This is how P.O. Ackley made them. Basically just make it .004 shorter than the parent case.
Shep
 
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