Help me choose a cartridge.....

[Dan B]

Just nabbed my sixth bolt action handgun. This now brings me up to three XP's and three Striker's. The current inventory is.......

.222 Remmy (14" Hart tube, XP),
.222 Rem Mag Imp (16" tube, XP),
22-250 (26" factory varmint weight tube cut to 16",Striker),
7mm-08 (16" Shilen tube, Striker),
7mm-270WSM (17" Lilja tube, XP)

The latest toy is a Striker with a factory skinny 7-08 barrel. Honestly I'm not really sure what I want to do with this gun. Definately a LR rig (I use T/C's for sub-200yd hunting) so weight is not an issue. But for my style of hunting and limited number of deer tags that I have each year, all the bases are pretty much covered for big game. What the 7-08 can not do, the big WSM XP can.

I don't do much varmint hunting, but I have all the bases covered there as well...the .222 Remmy is my go to accuracy gun (shoots in the .1's and .2's), then the .222 RMI and 22-250 are good to 400-500yds on a calm day.

There is a lot of room from .22 cal to 7mm but I'm not sure what there would be in that hole (6mm, .257, 6,5mm) that I would really like. Don't really want another WSM. I like the thoughts of a .260 Rem but the 7-08 will do about all that the .260 can.

I have entertained the idea of a 6mm-250 or 250-3000 (possibly the Improved version) for a deer/varmint combo gun. But I can not see this having a very long effective range in a handgun.

Your thoughts??

 

[BLASERMAN]

I like Xp 100 but they are so much money, Lets say that everytime I see one advertized they think they have Gold.
I also like a Striker , I want one in 300 wsm.
I know that you answered my post on XP 100 Calibers to Build. I think I am Leaning to What Ernie Calls Puff ,
a clone if you will. What wrong with a 6.5 -284 . I have always been a large caliber person.Thats why I was leaning for the 7 mm Dakota.

 

[StevenD]

Mr. B.

Have you considered going heavy?

I have a Contender that is customized in a slightly modified 358 Winchester Cartridge. It was mainly designed for 600 yd silhouettes. I mainly use it for a backup when hunting elk with others. I've only had to use it once, but it did the trick. It has some recoil that took some getting used to, but it is fun to shoot at long range or short.

Probably just adds to your confusion.

 

[screech]

Have you thought of a 338wsm?

 

[Ernie]

A 6mm, .257, 6.5mm, based of the 284 Win would fill a niche, but since you really don't know what you will use this for I don't even know if it is a good suggestion.

 

[Dan B]

Ern...that's about right. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif I'm not into feeding big bore thumpers in a bolt action handgun. I'll leave those to the T/C's. I only bought this gun since the price was right and really have no set agenda or goal to reach other than it is boring in the factory configuration! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The .284 as a parent case will likely happen. And I like the idea of the 105gr A-Max. Anyone know how this does on deer?

 

[Ernie]

It should work fine with the 6-284.
Probably better than the berger at those MV's.

So far I have had good luck with the 115 DTAC (made by Sierra) in my 6-284

 

[Fiftydriver]

Dan B,

Just something different to throw into the mix, I have been thinking about ordering in a new reamer in 6.5mm WSSM. Would basically get you into the 6.5-284 performance range easily but still something on the different side.

If you want easier, a 25 WSSM would also be great with a faster twist barrel so you could use bullets in the 142 gr class and still have factory cases, no fireforming and easily attainable loading dies.

The WSSM is a perfect fit into the XPs and Strikers if you want something a smaller then the WSM but more then the 308 based rounds.

Just another idea to clear the murky waters!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[Ernie]

With posts like that, Dan won't get any sleep /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Fiftydriver]

XP,

With the little one, I am pulling night shifts, at least the first half of the night from around 9:00 pm until 2:00 in the morning. I need to keep guys awake so I have someone to talk to on here!!

If you notice my post time, its really late, or is it really early, either way, I should be in bed but a little cutie is staring at me right now so its time for another bottle!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[Dan B]

[ QUOTE ]
XP,

With the little one, I am pulling night shifts, at least the first half of the night from around 9:00 pm until 2:00 in the morning. I need to keep guys awake so I have someone to talk to on here!!

If you notice my post time, its really late, or is it really early, either way, I should be in bed but a little cutie is staring at me right now so its time for another bottle!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Kirby Allen(50)

[/ QUOTE ]

Kirby...I know the gig. My kids are three (Sara) and 14 months (Colt...wife piked the name! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif).

I think I actually have the "problem" solved. But I need to get a set of dies made. Several years ago, a developing barrel maker made me up a .270x243WSSM kinda round for the Striker. I did some initial load development and it did ok. The problem (and my semi-non-interest) was that he never made me the right set of dies...only a sizer. So I was trying to seat bullets in odd waysand never could reach the full potential of the round.

So where can I get a set of dies made? I'm going to ask in the handloading section.

 

[winmagman]

Dan B
What did you ever wind up doing with this? I just ordered a barrel for a Striker in 6.5wssm and was curious if you went with the .270-243wssm and if so how its performing?

Chris

 

[Dan B]

I worked with this round seveal years ago but was never fully happy with the loads results I had gotten. On Jan 1 I went and tested a batch of new loads w/ H414 and 140gr Hornady BTSP. I got had excellent load density and good velocity along with 1/2MOA accuracy. The fps at top end was 2605 from a 14" barrel...sure wish it were 16" or 17"!! But the guy made me the barrel for free...so no complaints.

Next I want to test the 135gr SMK. It has a BC better than the 140gr HBTSP and may get a little more velocity.

The performance is at the same level as my 7mm-08 Striker but the bullets have a little better BC. I may jump down to a 130 grain bullet to run the fps up a little more and stick to a sub-350-ish yard gun on deer...since I have the 7mm-270WSM for longer ranges.

 

[winmagman]

Thanks Dan

I ordered my barrel at 17", if I can get 2600 or a little better with a 130 Accubond I'll be darn happy.

Chris