.338 or 6.5 (.264 win mag )

[Ben Hall]

Hey looking into a ultra long range flat shooter for target and vermin and .338 seems to be mentioned a whole lot when your talking 1500 metres plus , also wondering if a 6.5 in the order of .264 win mag would do most of this for half the cost although sounds like i would need to get the .264 spec built or second hand and prehaps another 6.5 chamber can be altered easy to take the .264 , is there an easier way to set this up for instance get action and barrel sourced from the states from what ive read parts for .264 win mag would cost from 800 to 1000 im guessing double that here in oz , The .338s here start at about 1200$ and about 3.5 k by the time you hit basic tac spec lap bare rifle only , sounds like the .338/375 in weatherby with 26 inch barrel holds it accuracy out beyond 1000 metres , does anyone know if theres a non magnum that can provide these levels of performances , i know .303 british was used around here on mile range shooting apparantly they could hit 36 inch target quite well although the point of aim would be above the top of treeline

 

[MMERSS]

Hey looking into a ultra long range flat shooter for target and vermin and .338 seems to be mentioned a whole lot when your talking 1500 metres plus , also wondering if a 6.5 in the order of .264 win mag would do most of this for half the cost although sounds like i would need to get the .264 spec built or second hand and prehaps another 6.5 chamber can be altered easy to take the .264 , is there an easier way to set this up for instance get action and barrel sourced from the states from what ive read parts for .264 win mag would cost from 800 to 1000 im guessing double that here in oz , The .338s here start at about 1200$ and about 3.5 k by the time you hit basic tac spec lap bare rifle only , sounds like the .338/375 in weatherby with 26 inch barrel holds it accuracy out beyond 1000 metres , does anyone know if theres a non magnum that can provide these levels of performances , i know .303 british was used around here on mile range shooting apparantly they could hit 36 inch target quite well although the point of aim would be above the top of treeline

Non-magnum "name", 1500 yards (meters), 280 AI with 30" bbl comes to mind. There are others. BC and velocity are your friend especially for those long shots. That's where "magnums" come to play. That being a case capacity large enough to drive those heavy BC bullets at significantly higher velocities than standard based cartridges. With performance there usually comes other costs as you mentioned.

For target and varmint I would believe a person has more flexibility with build to including a longer stiffer barrel. Personally for 1500+ I'd lean toward a magnum.

 

[Ben Hall]

Cheers on that info it really gets interesting once you start delving into velocities barrel lengths twist rates , from looking through some older posts the .338 edge sounds interesting and also .300 rum and 30/378 weatherby mag ill hopefully be talking to some gunsmiths soon and get there opinions on the calibres ive mentioned , thinking to get one of these beasts and swap my 25/06 for .223 cheaper ammo and common round and some type of .22 to pop rabbits with sub sonics , ive always just used other peoples .22s the ruger 10/22 was the best with the banana magazines an absolutely amazing rabbit smasher , i can still get one of them but last i heard you needed some dopey extra licence for a semi auto not sure i can be bothered at this stage just be happy with a bolt cz or similar .

 

[machiavelli]

I run a 6.5x284 for long range varmint shooting,manage to take Magpies out to 650mts, just a thought?

 

[436]

Hey looking into a ultra long range flat shooter for target and vermin and .338 seems to be mentioned a whole lot when your talking 1500 metres plus , also wondering if a 6.5 in the order of .264 win mag would do most of this for half the cost although sounds like i would need to get the .264 spec built or second hand and prehaps another 6.5 chamber can be altered easy to take the .264 , is there an easier way to set this up for instance get action and barrel sourced from the states from what ive read parts for .264 win mag would cost from 800 to 1000 im guessing double that here in oz , The .338s here start at about 1200$ and about 3.5 k by the time you hit basic tac spec lap bare rifle only , sounds like the .338/375 in weatherby with 26 inch barrel holds it accuracy out beyond 1000 metres , does anyone know if theres a non magnum that can provide these levels of performances , i know .303 british was used around here on mile range shooting apparantly they could hit 36 inch target quite well although the point of aim would be above the top of treeline

I think I'd build a 6.5 Rem Mag on a long action with a 26" inch plus barrel, I like 28's. med heavy. With a Mc Millan M40A-1 HTG (GENERAL PURPOSE HUNTING) shooting Berger's 140 gr Match Grade VLD Hunting or the 140 gr Match Hybrid Target. for LR work.
Then there's Barnes 127gr Long-Range X Bullet.. very good game bullet.

Good luck
Cheer's
436