264 Win Mag or ????

[halpin40]

I have been researching some rifles calibers for a variety of shooting: coyotes, squirls, deer, crows, etc....

Also in this consideration is a gun i can play with shooting the above but need something for the misses to shoot for deer & maybe elk. ( She is a beginning shooter)

Looking for something with some mild kick for the misses but a fast flat shooter for me. (Good exuse to buy me a gun )

I have been reaserching the following

• 264 Winchester Magnum:
  • Remington CDL Fluted Barrel = $935 Brand new @ Cabelas
  • Fast, flat, only good if reloading, 500 yrd gun with 140 grn bullet
• 6.5 Creedmore
  • Ruger M77 Hawkeye
  • Hard to find, need to order

I have also looked a little at the following

6.5 Remington,
6.5 x .284 Norma by Savage
7mm-08
270
270wsm
25-06


Does any one have good bad experiences with the calibers above or have a strong recommendation for one or the other? Any help or opionions are appreciated.

Thanks

 

[elkaholic]

I have been researching some rifles calibers for a variety of shooting: coyotes, squirls, deer, crows, etc....

Also in this consideration is a gun i can play with shooting the above but need something for the misses to shoot for deer & maybe elk. ( She is a beginning shooter)

Looking for something with some mild kick for the misses but a fast flat shooter for me. (Good exuse to buy me a gun )

I have been reaserching the following

• 264 Winchester Magnum:
  • Remington CDL Fluted Barrel = $935 Brand new @ Cabelas
  • Fast, flat, only good if reloading, 500 yrd gun with 140 grn bullet
• 6.5 Creedmore
  • Ruger M77 Hawkeye
  • Hard to find, need to order

I have also looked a little at the following

6.5 Remington,
6.5 x .284 Norma by Savage
7mm-08
270
270wsm
25-06


Does any one have good bad experiences with the calibers above or have a strong recommendation for one or the other? Any help or opionions are appreciated.

Thanks

You have listed a lot of good possibilities that are flat shooting and relatively low recoil. I think a lot depends on how much do you plan to shoot it and how often are you willing to change barrels. Some you listed will burn the throat out much earlier than others. The .264WM is a good example. The trade off is 300-400' ft. of MV from one end of the scale to the other. The creedmore would be one of the easiest on barrels and lowest recoil. The .270 is good but has a limit of good bullets. The 7mm-08 would allow you to shoot heavier bullets if you wanted to eventually and would be very easy on barrels. Maybe my personal favorite all around would be the 6.5- 284. Kind of in between on barrel burning while not sacrificing a lot of velocity. Also, the Savage is a great off the shelf package with very good accuracy. I had a 25-06 that I really liked but you are limited in bullet weight especially for elk. I don't know if this helps but will give you something to ponder.......Rich

 

[264junkie]

Only experience with the 7mm-08 and the 264WM and would lean toward the 264 for it's potential from the smaller game you mentioned up to elk. But, you are right...you have to reload.

 

[trueblue]

Might want to also look at the 6.5-06 and 6.5-06AI