Reality check, please..

[Jake in NC]

.. If around 800 yards was about all ya had to worry over and whitetails were probably the biggest live target to consider.. With groundhoggin' being the primary target species..
.. What cartridge and configuration and why.? No wildcats.. Something with commonly available components and dies.. Just fishin'.. d:^) JiNC

 

[Charles A]

243Win Imp. 28in barrel.

 

[Guest]

AMEN Charles!

 

[Jake in NC]

..OK.. Just for argument's sake.. Why.?? My personal experience with 6mm's and deer was not very positive.. Shots were boiler room but I still ended up tracking deer farther than I care for.. This particular case was with 95gr Nosler BT's if I recall correctly.. Thanks for your input... d:^) JiNC

 

[RiverRat]

If I was building a long range hunting rifle for nothing larger than Whitetail. It would a 300 WSM or similar 30 mag. Still hitting plenty hard at 800 yards with any of the MatchKing's of 175 on up. If it were grounghog only it would be one of the many 6.5's.

 

[Brent]

Jake,

I'd say one reason is the cost of reloading it would be cheap, does the job well... some maybe better but, still well, it's the perfect in between caliber for dual purpose. I got my daughter the 243 win for moose... go figure.

She won't be taking one at 800 yards though, more like 100-200 yds is all. Works perfect for everything else smaller that doesn't hibernate all winter either... and that's arguable too.

I'd take a 6.5 WSM too, either one... It'sa wildcat but, Redding has dies and reamers are available for rent too, although ammo isn't on the shelf for it... yet.

The 243 will be cheaper to load for though.

If I *needed* a rifle to do both, I'd get the one that fit the primary purpose best, the secondary, next best... FWIW

 

[BountyHunter]

Jake

I will be different and stay in the parameters of a "factory" cartridge per your guidance. I would look at 270 WSM or the 25-06 in custom 28" barrels. Could also make an arguement for the 7 WSM also.

Dan Lilja has used a 270 Wthby out past 1100 on deer and he has written that it was his favorite rifle for "dynamite" shoots with 130 BTips. The 270 WSM would only be a little behind the weatherby. The 110s would smoke ground hogs into a vapor. There is no doubt what a 130, 140 or 150 would do to deer either. Tend to agree, the 6mm is marginal except for perfect shots. Good shot, no problem at all, he moves 6 inches your into the tracking situation. I hunt big whitetails and they will soak up less than perfect 6mm and keep on going.

You have JLK that has a great 108 25cal with a BC of .500 and shoots in 10 twist. Either for deer or hogs.

BH

 

[sniper2]

I have a 6mm/06 Ack. Imp. and have killed three or four dozen deer with it( witnesses and papers on this)using a 55gr nosler going 4195 fps, it will make them do circus tricks.
The 243.Ack. will do about the same with less powder, real nice little cartridge.

 

[Darryl Cassel]

Jake

For the range mentioned for both deer and woodchucks, I think I would go with a 6.5/284 with the 142 MK or the straight 284 using the 168 gr MK with a BC of .636 or the 162gr Amax.

I would also go with a 28" to 30" barrel for either.

I have a 243 and a 6/284 with 8 twists and 30" barrels and would prefer a bit more horsepower that the 6.5 and 7mm bullets will afford.

Later
DC

 

[Mysticplayer]

Just got the reamer for a 6.5-08AI. Closest commerical cartridge would be a 260Rem AI. Should be fine for 800yd deer with 140gr class bullets out of a 26" pipe. Lighter bullets would work great for varmints.

You would be able to fireform commercial brass to form cases. Of course, the 6.5X284 Win would also work fine.

In the 7mm class, I would look at the 280 Rem. Friend is having great success with the 168gr MK out at 1km. They way it hits the plates, I would not hesitate to take a whitetail at 800yds.

For a 30cal, I would lean towards the 300WSM. Just gotta love these cases. You can always open the bolt face. I shoot a 30Gibbs which has very similar performance. Because this is a wildcat, no go for you. The 165gr SST or BT would be my first choice.

Jerry

 

[Charles A]

Jake, because you said G-dogs were the primary target with Whitetails secondary. Also you stated 800yds as max range. Last year I requested some information on a system for my girlfriend, S1 is a fan of the 243imp and it rubed off. Well after a couple months and a few hundred rounds I really like this chambering for shooting under 1000m. Its relatively cheap to shoot, VERY accurate, hardly recoils, and you can use regular 243 Winchester ammo if you need to. I say go with 1 in 8 inch twist medium weight barrel fineshed at 28 inches. Put a good scope on it and shoot 105gr A-MAX's, you'll be set. YMMV.

 

[Guest]

Charles has done his home work, he is right on. I have seen several antelope and many whitetails flatened by a .243 and a 105 A-max. The wind deflection is great, and P-dogs past 1100 yards. More fun than a man deserves!

 

[H-BAR]

I think that the you should use whatever would inspire your confidence in a good hit. I have a hard time believing that a deer hit in the boiler room with a 243 will run off unless he was already full of adrenaline from being spooked before hand or a poor choice of bullets that don't expand properly.
I have used a 223 for most of the deer that I have shot and have yet to have one get away from this gun. I have had one get away from a bigger gun due to poor bullet choice where after someone else shot it on the run with a shotgun-His deer I guess-Oh well. I believe this though about small calibers that you have to be more proficient at shot placement and be more selective about the shots you take. I also believe that small caliber weapons with the lesser recoil inspire better proficiency in more shooters. Keep in mind a deers head isn't much smaller than a gopher heck with a 243 you might be head shootin' them out to 800yds.