trying to get a build underway

[matt_3479]

I just finished my first precision sniper course and brought along my 300 win mag and it preformed fantastically but I'm looking for something much cheaper to shoot, little lighter on the shoulder to shoot all day and little better on barrels. I' have narrowed it down too a 6.5 cal, not positive on which one but pretty sure it's going be 260 and second runner up is looking like a 6.5x47 lapua. I am speaking to my gunsmith now but just have to decide weather to go with a blueprinted 700 or go with a bat or defiance? I already have a Remington action but have always wanted a custom action. Once I decide on action it will be a 26-28" Bartlein barrel, jewel trigger, mcmillan a5 or manners T4A or T5A.

Purpose of this rifle is to use mainly as a target rifle. Im hoping to try my luck in the Precision sniper Matches in my area and that will be the main purpose. Secondary use will be long range coyote and crow hunting with the odd Whitetail. I do a lot of target practice in the fields close by and crows make a great target. Problem is in my local area without travelling 2 hours i am caliber restricted to 277. cal and smaller and this is the reason the 6.5 comes to mind.

So would you go with a Bat/Defiance or just run a Remington? and 26 or 28" barrel (cannot use suppresssor so wont be an effect on length later on)

 

[matt_3479]

bump

 

[MudRunner2005]

A small 6.5 will be about the same on barrels as your .300 WM....

If you want all day performance, cheap to shoot, and incredible barrel life, it really doesn't get any better than a 24-26" heavy barreled .308 Win.

Look into the Remington 700 5R MilSpec .308's with the 24" barrel. I have one that will shoot 1-hole groups with my handloads, if I do my part. And the only thing I've done to it was swap the trigger and put a scope on it. I've never even bedded it.

Here's the measurement before subtracting for the bullet diameter... These are the 6" targets, not the larger ones.

The horrible glare at the end of the day out there...

And here it is before measuring it... The 1 flier at the top of the group was thanks to the glare from the sun. Other than that, it has potential to be a 1-holer.

 

[shortgrass]

You need to Zero that caliper in your second pic. That's alot more than 5 thousands!

 

[MudRunner2005]

You need to Zero that caliper in your second pic. That's alot more than 5 thousands!

If you read, that was after I subracted .308 from it.... But on that note, I always zero my caliper every time I use it.

Also, that's more than 2 shots... I can't remember, but it was either 3 or 4.

 

[barnesuser28]

Deleted

 

[shortgrass]

If you read, that was after I subracted .308 from it.... But on that note, I always zero my caliper every time I use it.

Also, that's more than 2 shots... I can't remember, but it was either 3 or 4.

Bullet holes that are .005" apart are unmeasurable! Lets get real here, please!

 

[bigngreen]

Mud, your measuring center to center so you DO NOT subtract .308. You subtract the 308 if you measure from outside to outside!

 

[MudRunner2005]

Bullet holes that are .005" apart are unmeasurable! Lets get real here, please!

If you take .313 and subtract .308 it becomes .005..... I'm not saying I shot a .005" group, I was just showing how close together they were. I have nothing to gain by loading my caliper. I can assure you.

Everyone's allowed a mistake... I've never once said I was a professional that this crap.

If it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, I'll delete it...

Deleted....A mistake was made on my part not understanding you don't subract when measuring C-to-C, so now it's fixed.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Mud, your measuring center to center so you DO NOT subtract .308. You subtract the 308 if you measure from outside to outside!

Ah! Good to know. Thanks for the info. That explains the massive difference. Thanks Rhian.

 

[benchracer]

Given that the OP stated he is limited to .277 and smaller, it would seem that .308 would be disqualified.

As already stated, the 6.5's aren't likely to give you much better barrel life than your .300WM, but they will burn less powder, recoil less, and be cheaper to shoot.

I don't know anything about the custom actions under consideration, so I can't help there. However, I would advise that you set your rifle up with the longest magazine possible (I am assuming you are planning a short action build), to allow room to seat the long 6.5 bullets out as far as possible.

Though the 6.5x47 Lapua has a reputation for being more inherently accurate, I would recommend that you go with a case no smaller in capacity than the .260 Remington. It will perform better with 140 class bullets than the 6.5x47.

Personally, I would recommend that you go with a long action and build a 6.5x55 or 6.5x55 AI. Lapua brass for the 6.5x55 is less expensive than either the .260 or the 6.5x47, with a bit more case capacity, which will increase performance a bit over the .260, if loaded to modern pressures, without giving up accuracy. The AI version will increase the margin over the .260, without a meaningful impact on barrel life.