other calibers for long range target

[DarryH]

Is there much feedback on the following cartridges for long rang shooting.
Mostly for targets, but possibly for some hunting of whitetail or mule deer.
Maybe black bear.

.240 Weatherby Magnum

.257 Weatherby Magnum

300 H&H

6.5/284

You can see I like different calibers, but not wildcats or so odd that
there is zero re-sale value.

Thanks
Good Shootin!!
DarryH

 

[cblackwell]

lots of great info here. 6.5-284 will certainly be a good one for you to look into.

 

[roninflag]

i have two 6.5-284s , it is an excellent round . Lapua brass available. mine are remington 700's. shot targets out to 1000 , two deer. no bears . couple coyotes , one at 496 yards.

 

[MudRunner2005]

If you are wanting something in that magnum caliber size range, why not go with a regular old 7mm Rem Mag? It will suit all your needs.

I love the .257 Wby, but it is not what I'd consider an efficient LR hunting caliber. It will reach out there, but because of the lightweight bullets for it, it will lose alot of steam too quickly for hunting @ long ranges. Targets will be fine, but hunting, I wouldn't shoot anything deer-sized or bigger beyond 500 yards.

The 7mm RemMag uses essentially the same case as the .257 Wby, but will be able to reach out alot further thanks to much heavier high BC bullets. You can hunt efficiently @ 1000 yards with it. Personally, I woulnd't try it with off-the-shelf ammo, unless you find one a factory ammo that it loves, in which case, you'll be fine. But handloading for 1 caliber is fairly inexpensive. And you can find brass and factory ammo everywhere for it, if you choose to handload (which I recommend for accuracy and consistancy).

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

6.5x284 is going to be hard to beat. Im a big 6.5mm caliber fan anyways. Its really hard to beat the 6.5's long range performance.

 

[benchracer]

The only cartridge that you mention that I have any experience with is the 6.5-284. IMO, that cartridge does not offer enough of a performance gain over a properly loaded 6.5x55 to justify itself.

Though the 6.5-284 may be in fashion, I consider it to be overrated. I much prefer my 6.5x55 and my .264 WinMag to my 6.5-284. Had the .264 WM Model 70 been in production when I had my 6.5-284 built, that build would have never happened. As it stands, I intend to have my 6.5-284 re-chambered to .264 WM.

If you intend to do more target shooting than hunting, go with the 6.5x55 (or .260/6.5 Creedmoor). If you intend to do more hunting than target shooting, go with the .264 WM.

As an aside, you really should consider separate rifles for target shooting and hunting, IMO. Trying to combine the two will leave you with a rifle that is well suited to neither pursuit and will likely leave you dissatisfied. That is not a good place to be after having gone to the expense to buy, outfit, and load for your rifle.

 

[DarryH]

Thanks Benchracer.

I know the 6.5x55 Swede pretty well. You are right it is a wonderful cartridge.
I own 2 Model 1896 Swedes, a Model 94 Swede, a Model 38 Swede, and the
semi-auto Swedish Jungman.

The 7mm Mauser has a lot going for it too. If you like the 6.5.55, you will like the 7mm too.

Both of these can be pushed a bit harder, but their sloping case design and limited powder capacity are jut not beneficial to the longer range and flat shooting accuracy of some other calibers. If we are talking 300 yards, I'd never need to go beyond these two.

I am looking at 600 and 1000 yards. While I can lob many calibers that far, I need to shoot a bit flatter.

The .264and .284 are attractive. The 6.5 Grendel interest me. The old 300 H&H interest me. I know the 300 H&H is an old sloped case that is not as efficient as other modern .30 calibers. I have shot it, and the recoil impulse does not hit me on the shoulder as hard as say the 300 Win Mag or 300 Weatherby Mag.

I have not owned a 7mm Magnum like someone suggested. I suppose it does have merits. There are so many choices. 99% of my shooting will be at the range, mostly just having fun. I doubt I will do much competitive shooting.
I might take it hunting, but in reality, where I hunt ranges are short, and have LOTS of calibers to suffice. I would take a long range gun along as a back-up or maybe a primary weapon, only if I knew I might need to pull the trigger past 400 yards. I have 6-24 and 8-32 powered scopes to mount on my choice of guns.

Thanks
Good Shootin!!
DarryH

 

[benchracer]

The 6.5x55 loaded to modern pressures in a modern action takes on a completely different character from the emasculated loads shown in the manuals. I have shot my 6.5x55 (built on a Mark X mauser action) side by side with my 6.5-284 out to 600 yards. There wasn't a measurable difference in performance between the two.

Incidentally, I was also shooting alongside a friend of mine with his .308 F-T/R rifle in a fairly stiff crosswind. My Swede easily outshot his .308 in terms of accuracy. He outscored me because he is better at doping the wind than I am, though.

The Swede will run step for step with, or flat outperform, many supposedly more modern cartridges as far out as you care to shoot. Thinking of it as a 300 yard cartridge just is not an accurate perception.

Where the 7x57 is concerned, you are right. I have two. Neither is set up for long range. Both are sweet little rifles, though.

A 6.5 Grendel is best done in an AR. It is a waste of potential in a bolt action, IMO, unless you are building an ultralight rifle of some kind. I have seen some folks who did Grendel builds on CZ 527's. I wouldn't consider it a waste of potential on that platform.

If you mostly intend to plink, and want to go with a 6.5, the smaller cased rounds would be a better choice for barrel life reasons. You get a lot of ballistic performance from the 6.5's, but you will sacrifice barrel life relative to the 7mm's and .30's. I would stay with Swede capacity or less for your application in a 6.5.

 

[MudRunner2005]

If you want a flat shooter, the .264 WinMag is almost a laser beam. I am fixing to rebarrel my Browning A-Bolt II 7mm RemMag to a .264 WinMag, just because I already have a ton of 7mm calibers. The .264 WM would be an interested caliber in that gun, and should prove to be a real shooter.

Because it is so flat and fast, the barrel life kind of sucks. But it'll be fun while it lasts.

I plan on developing a load, then using it for deer hunting, so mine should last a long time.

 

[Jcub]

If you're interested in the 6.5 grendel, how are you not interested in the 6.5x55? The ballistics are incomparable.

The Grendel is great, but it only shines in an AR. I saw that you already have 2 swedes so I understand the want for something different. But don't discount the swede, shoots faster than the 260 and the 6.5 creedmore. Lapua brass is extremely inexpensive for the swede, relatively speaking. For your applications, it would be tough to beat.