rifle calibers

For really long range work, the 14.5mm Russian works pretty well. Of course, the rifle is kinda heavy but you did not state a purpose or whether carrying the rifle any great distances would be a factor.

The 14.5mm Russian round has a high velocity and carries enough bullet mass to get though rough air very well, even better than the .50 BMG. However, I do not know of any "sporting", hollow-point or soft-point bullets available at this moment.

Best wishes on your selection.

Karl in Phoenix
 
I created a 6.5 Creedmoor topic a week or two ago here and didn't get a whole lot of feed back. It's new and not many have tried it. I'M GOING TO THOUGH ! Actually I had my mind made up on a .260AI until I studied the Creed. It might be a flop and it might be a caliber that you can run a ton of rounds through punching idy bidy groups way out there without replacing the barrel every 1000 rounds. In a Bolt gun. It will be a 6 month project due to the total cost. I'm looking at approx $26 to $2800 complete with a LR scope.
 
Madison-Cub

For long range varminting I like a .243 AI or 6mm-284 with a 1-8 twist,both stoked with 107 grn Match Kings.Both rifles have 30" tubes and are designed for playing waaaaay out there.
Use your head and you will get just over 1000 rnds out of both of them,heat the barrel up and you will burn it out in a afternoon shooting PD's. Both are custom rifles.
In a factory rifle,have a good look at a 25-06.A 1-10 factory twist will handle 130 grn bullets of the vld type,propellant of choice is reloader 25 with federal 210 primers.
have fun in your quest
R
 
My son got 1500 rounds out of his .243 AI and had it borescoped; the gunsmith said with a recrown job he might get another 1000 rounds out of it.
 
Wolfhunter! that critter is as big as a pony! good job.

Sir if you plan to use this as your varmint rig and consiedering we don't know what LR means to you- I would stay in the 22-250 or 220 swift lines. But if LR to you is 1K or so- then I concur with the hardguns above. You can zero a 223 for 1000 yards with good results on paper- but energy downrange needs to be considered when hunting. I would think that the 22 calibers mentioned above will perform very well on critters with enough stomp out to 600 yards. But unless you enter the food chain and chase those big dogs like wolf hunter I think the proven performers at the high end of the 22 cailbers will work. I have a couple varmint rigs in 6mm AI and 25-06- just too big on yotes and cats. Good luck.
 
+1, all of the above. Some great recommendations, and I could live with any one of them, or all of them..
grin.gif

Me, I have a custom bolt action 284 Winchester shooting 100 grain Sierra HP bullets as my "Beanfield" rifle. Plus, a 25-06 will do the long ringe job.
 
6mm/.243's with a high twist barrels are doing very well in 1000 yard competitions right now. You have to use the 105 to 115 grain bullets at
those ranges. And I do love the 6.5's but that is a lot of bullet for a predator
gun.
 

I have always believed that once the game stretches past about 600 yds,bigger is better and there is no replacement for displacment,both in motors and bullets.Big,heavy,high Bc bullets come into play.Anybody can get the right elavation hold, heck even a blind sow can find a acorn once in a while,but it takes experiance to judge the wind,thats were the big high Bc bullets come into play,the wind does not bother them nearly as much.Optics also play a huge factor when the targets get waaaaay out there,think about buying the the best scope you can afford and then spend a little more,a varible of about 5-22 is about right,depending on conditions,even a 22 power can have some terrible mirage issue's on certain days,terribly distorting your target.On other cooler clear days,a 12-42 power scope is not to much magnification.
And last but not least,practise ,practise practise,get good,really good, before you ever try making a shot on live game,as usual just my .02 worth
R
 
Madison,
on our northern coyotes,a 25-06 shooting 75 grn vmaxes at 3600+ will usually stay inside and not exit.Hit a shoulder and it will make a mess.A 130 grn vld moving at 2960 fps will exit with about a inch to inch and a half size hole,depending on how far there are out there when you hit them.This is with a lung shot.Remember this is on big heavy furred coyotes,southern coyotes I have no idea
R
 
I like my 8" twist 22-250 with Sierra 69 gr Matchkings, but this is NOT a fur friendly load at normal ranges.
I don't save hides, just my baby calves !!!!
Mark
 

Madison

I hunt in several counties in S.E. Indiana; my longest shot to date on a yote has been 289 yards with a 22-250. My average is ~77 yards. Around here all that has been mentioned will serve you well however, I doubt you will need anything for extreme range based upon the terrain.
I use a 257AI running 75 gr Vmax at 3650fs. I’ve taken 3 yotes one at 62 yards center chest shot .257 entrance zero exit. One at 168 yards broadside in ribs .257-entrance small fragment exit at the base of neck. One at 25 yards broadside 5-inch splash entry no exit. All were bang flop.

B…
 


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