Best Standard long range cartridge

[86alaskan]

OK, I've acquired a nice savage 110 action and I'm ready to build. I originally wanted to build a 7mm Rem Mag, but after long fruitless searches it seems that a savage long action magnum bolt head is the holy grail. I really want to get this gun up and running and have a good 1000yd gun to shoot and learn on. I have a very accurate Tikka 25-06 but it just doesn't do the best when you really get out there. The savage is a 30-06 so it has a standard bolt head right now. What can I build that will be an effective 1000yd rifle with available components and kill a Midwest whitetail out to 1000???? I'm thinking 6.5 something or 280, but lets hear some opinions.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

The easiest would be a 280 Ackley...but for the full 1,000 yards, you'll need a 26" barrel...thats pretty much a standard 7mm Rem Mag...in an improved '06 case.

 

[BountyHunter]

Are you saying when you call Savage Customer service they are telling you that they do not have any magnum bolt heads?

 

[86alaskan]

Well, I have an old style large firing pin, which further complicates things. the consensus among the forums, online stores and even ptg is backordered through a year, past due out of stock or some other excuse. add to that the zero availability of the bolt head parts... ejector/extractor parts, and it leads me to want another caliber setup. Is the 280AI hard to supply? I was looking to shoot up to the berger 180's in the 7mm, can the 280 get those up to 2900ish? I'm not worried about barrel length, it's not going to be a carry rifle.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Cartridge          : .280 Ack Imp Nosler brass
Bullet             : .284, 180, Berger VLD G7 #28405
Useable Case Capaci: 63.464 grain H2O = 4.121 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.340 inch = 84.84 mm
Barrel Length      : 26.0 inch = 660.4 mm

Predicted Data for Indicated Charges of the Following Powders.
Matching Maximum Pressure: 61000 psi, or 420 MPa
or a maximum loading ratio or filling of 110 %
These calculations refer to your specified settings in QuickLOAD 'Cartridge Dimensions' window.
C A U T I O N : any load listed can result in a powder charge that falls below minimum suggested
loads or exceeds maximum suggested loads as presented in current handloading manuals. Understand
that all of the listed powders can be unsuitable for the given combination of cartridge, bullet
and gun. Actual load order can vary, depending upon lot-to-lot powder and component variations.
USE ONLY FOR COMPARISON !

69 loads produced a Loading Ratio below user-defined minimum of 80%. These powders have been skipped.
Powder type          Filling/Loading Ratio  Charge    Charge   Vel. Prop.Burnt P max  P muzz  B_Time
                                      %     Grains    Gramm   fps     %       psi     psi    ms
---------------------------------  -----------------------------------------------------------------
Vihtavuori N570                    109.7     67.7     4.38    2973    97.5    61000   12883   1.284  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-33                 110.0     70.7     4.58    2961    97.7    61000   12747   1.285  ! Near Maximum !
Norma MRP 2                        108.6     63.5     4.12    2909    99.9    61000   11538   1.303  ! Near Maximum !
Vihtavuori N560                    100.1     59.9     3.88    2899    99.4    61000   11534   1.297  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-25                 106.3     61.9     4.01    2897   100.0    61000   10671   1.292  ! Near Maximum !
Norma MRP                           98.4     60.1     3.89    2897   100.0    61000   11092   1.303  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate MAGPRO                    100.5     62.5     4.05    2894    98.7    61000   11678   1.303  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 7828                           104.6     59.5     3.86    2887    99.7    61000   11135   1.287  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 7828 SSC                        99.0     59.5     3.86    2887    99.7    61000   11135   1.287  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-22                 100.4     59.4     3.85    2872   100.0    61000   11005   1.304  ! Near Maximum !
Winchester WXR                     103.1     59.7     3.87    2871   100.0    61000   11029   1.304  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H1000                      109.3     63.3     4.10    2870    99.8    61000   10888   1.282  ! Near Maximum !
Ramshot Magnum                     100.5     64.0     4.15    2857   100.0    61000   10497   1.297  ! Near Maximum !

 

[Ridgerunner665]

You'll be just as well off with a good 168....not enough difference between them to notice at 1,000.

 

[86alaskan]

great info thanks, would another 1-2" make enough difference with the 280 or is 26 ideal? I guess it's also less powder than the 7mm mag so my barrel life should be better. But... from all you more experienced shooters, am I missing out jumping to the 7mm and passing on the 6.5's?

 

[Trever]

Ridgerunner what would a 28 inch tube get him?

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Ridgerunner what would a 28 inch tube get him?

Maybe another 50-60 fps

 

[Greyfox]

Another good 1000 yard standard cartridge is the 6.5-284. I have cleanly taken whitetails out to 1000 yards. It's exceptionally accurate, easy achieve an accurate load, and has low recoil. Loaded with140 VLD's you can get 3000FPS out of a 26" barrel.

 

[86alaskan]

thanks greyfox, that's on the short list as well. its really down to the 280AI or 6.5-284. anyone have experience running the 6.5-284 through a savage long action? I figure the body is essentially the same diameter as my base 30-06, so it should feed ok. But is the length too short? or will that allow me to really seat out those heavies?

 

[Greyfox]

thanks greyfox, that's on the short list as well. its really down to the 280AI or 6.5-284. anyone have experience running the 6.5-284 through a savage long action? I figure the body is essentially the same diameter as my base 30-06, so it should feed ok. But is the length too short? or will that allow me to really seat out those heavies?

One of my 6.5-284's is a Savage LRH. It is a long action, box magazine. It fits and feeds 140 VLDs seated to the lands nicely.

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

The best standard cartridge out to 1k would have to be....

.... Wait for it....


..... The one you afford to buy and can shoot well out to that distance reliably! Either of the choices you mentioned in your last post should serve you very well. Good luck on the new build and I hope it's a laser.gun)

I know.... that really wasn't worth waiting for

 

[Dgd6mm]

86alaskan, when It comes to bolt parts visit The Gunshack, they carry Savage parts if you went with a magnum. The 6.5x.284 would be an easy thing and would do the job. You could find a pre-fit barrel easy enough.