I am new to LRH and looking to get set up with a rifle that I can both hunt with and also target shoot. I already have a a- bolt 300 win mag and I am not recoil sensitive as my mass is greater than 1/8th of a Ton.............. I will primarily target shoot and want to be able to advance to the 1000 yard range and shoot .5 MOA or better at 100 yards Currently I am a shotgun/trap guy and reload- also am getting going with handguns for target shooting and starting to reload brass My current intention is to hunt elk and mulie's in the NW with the 300WM but I am interested in practicing with a smaller caliber and honing my skills at the range I have read for hours here- thoughts are between a .243 or 6.5 or even 7mm. I will reload and tune the ammo for both rifles (300Wm) and what ever else I come up with- also - I shoot lefty Budget is in the 2K range and I will ad a scope (also a photographer that appreciates good quality glass) Recommendations/opinions/suggestions welcome Thanks Steve
Cant really go wrong ith any of the 6.5s or the 7mm. both have awsome Ballistic Coeficients. .260 rem seems to be a great round can push 140gr bullets around 2700 with very moderate recoil and good barrel life. I just had a 6.5-06 built this will be my primary long range weapon for a while. A friend of mine also shoots a 6.5-284 able to shoot 1000yrds all dayand not beak a sweat or tear your shoulder up.... 280 rem which is on my wish list seems to be a very capable caliber with quality hand loads
I use my 6.5-06 AI as my primary hunting and practice rifle. Shoots 130 gr. bullets over 3,100+ fps. Weighs about 10 lbs. Good all-around rig. Deathwobble has it pegged: 6.5 or 7's - hard to go wrong.
All the 6mm / 243 cartridges are a joy to shoot. A 6.5 would get you a little better barrel life, and a more versatile cartridge. I'm currently working on a more affordable line of custom rifles. My goal is "no frills, just pure performance" guaranteed .5 or better accuracy... I'm figuring on a $2500 price tag. Call me, if you like, I'll be happy to discuss your goals and share my expertise. If we can put together a rifle for you, that's icing on the cake.
Thanks for the reply....was looking hard at the .243's and now, as I read I am leaning to the 6.5mm I may look at the custom deals with no frills. as I am just getting started I need to shoot more with my 300WM and get a better feel.........but still looking for opinions Thanks again Steve
Hey, Have you considered .25-06? It may be worth looking into. Remington has a model 700 BDL chambered for that. Their MSRP price is $985.
You may also want to check out the Savage 111 LRH. They run $750 to $850 and come in calibers like the 7mm Mag, 6.5x284 Norma, both excellent calibers. 25-06 is also available. These rifles will shoot sub MOA out of the box, some coming in at .5 MOA. They have the accu-stock, accu-trigger and Karsten cheekpiece. Just add a $1,100 to $1,200 scope to stay within budget and shoot.