Advice wanted on rifle calibers

[Tris]

Hi everyone,

I am looking at buying another rifle and I am not sure what to get. I currently have a 6.5x284 and a 7mm rem mag and am looking for something slightly smaller. I really want to be shooting around a 70 gr bullet and would like it to be as flat as possible. I want to shoot coyotes and small deer with it. I have currently been looking at 243 ackley, 6-284, 6x47 and 257 weatherby and would like peoples opinions on which one is better as well as any other suggestions.

Many thanks

Tris

 

[stanley52]

For that, look into a "6XC" developed by David Tubbs, and he sells brass for it on his website. Basically an improved 22-250 necked up to 6mm. It wins a lot of matches.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Look into the .22-250 Ackley Improved, and shoot the Berger 70gr VLD's. Should be a shooter.

I'm working on building a .22 caliber wildcat just to shoot the Berger 90 VLD's out of. It should be nasty, but barrel life will probably suffer.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

A 6-284 can easily push a 105 gr bullet to 3400 fps and well over 3500 fps with RL33. That is plenty flat shooting. With lighter bullets you will loose some efficiency and need faster powders velocity gains would be minimal compared to loss of BC.

I just built a 6-284 and it will be my dog rifle with RL33 and 105 hybrids. Also looking at 100 gr CEB's which I will probably get over 3600 fps in a 26" tube.

A 7 twist is required for the CEB's.

 

[Trickymissfit]

this one is easy! Build a 250AI, and be able to shoot everything from 75 grains to 120 grains. Fire form cases by simply shooting factory loads thru it. There is a lot of load data out there, and this round will do an honest 3200fps with a 100 grain bullet. In a modern bolt gun the SAMMI spec for pressure is almost comical. A 45K psi spec is simply stupid when the 22-250 is spec'd at 65K psi. With modern powders like H1000, Retumbo, and 4831SC, you have a new world opening up. In the 6/250AI, I've found that these three really shoot well with 100 grain bullets at 3000fps (not maxed out)

The 250AI is often regarded as Ackley's best round, even though he often said the 7x57AI was his favorite. Another nice thing about the 250AI is that you can easily get by with a 24" barrel, and probably a 22" barrel will get you by.
gary

 

[MudRunner2005]

this one is easy! Build a 250AI, and be able to shoot everything from 75 grains to 120 grains. Fire form cases by simply shooting factory loads thru it. There is a lot of load data out there, and this round will do an honest 3200fps with a 100 grain bullet. In a modern bolt gun the SAMMI spec for pressure is almost comical. A 45K psi spec is simply stupid when the 22-250 is spec'd at 65K psi. With modern powders like H1000, Retumbo, and 4831SC, you have a new world opening up. In the 6/250AI, I've found that these three really shoot well with 100 grain bullets at 3000fps (not maxed out)

The 250AI is often regarded as Ackley's best round, even though he often said the 7x57AI was his favorite. Another nice thing about the 250AI is that you can easily get by with a 24" barrel, and probably a 22" barrel will get you by.
gary

I gotta agree, the .250 AI is a nasty little round with some 110 NAB or 115 Bergers in it. I can imagine how nasty it would be with the lighter weight bullets.

And, if you can't find brass for it....You can always neck-up .22-250 brass with your sizing die, and then fire-form them.

Here's a picture of a .250 AI that I found on Google.

 

[J E Custom]

You might also look at the Texas Trophy Hunter (A 6mm rem necked down to 22 cal.)
or the 223 WSSM.

J E CUSTOM

 

[midwesthunter]

How about a 257 STW?

 

[HighCountryMulies]

My vote would be for the 6 x 284 with 105 vlds

 

[MontanaRifleman]

How about a 257 STW?

Buy 2 barrels

 

[Outlaw6.0]

I have to add a 3rd vote for the 6-284. Probably still my favorite cartridge High BC pills at a flat trajectory with minimal recoil.... oh, & did I mention Lapua brass?


t

 

[MudRunner2005]

How about a 257 STW?

Great caliber....I am a HUGE STW fan.

Buy 2 barrels

But like Mark said...Better buy 2-3 barrels, cause that thing is known for killing burning them out QUICK!

 

[Tris]

Well thank you so much for your advice. Definitely plenty to think about, would anyone be able to tell me which of these calibers is likely to be the flattest? I really am looking for a flat trajectory. The other question I would ask is what is the shortest barrel length that I could get away with without sacrificing too much in terms of velocity and accuracy?

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Flat to what range? Once you get above 3400 fps, point blank range trajectory changes very little.

The shorter your barrel, the less it is subject to barrel harmonics (whip) meaning the easier it will be to develop consistent accurate loads. The longer your barrel is, the faster your bullet will fly. Always a give and take. Difference in velocity will run about 25-50 fps per inch depending on load. If you want to maximize accuracy and velocity potential, get a long heavy barrel.

I.e, I had the choice to finish my Light Varmint S porter contour 6-284 to 27". I opted for 26" for accuracy sake and gave up probably 35 fps.