Varmints/small to medium game

[ajvigs]

I am going to begin collecting the parts to build my hunting rifle. I am looking to build a rifle I can use to hunt varmints and small to medium game.

What caliber do you all think would be ideal to build the rifle around that would suit my purpose? I want it to be at the minimum a 6mm, but smaller than a 30 cal. Short or long action, with a preference for the short.

Idea would be to use Accubonds or PT's for the tougher game, and BT's for varmints and such.

Thanks all.

 

[Vince]

.243 is where I'd start.
6.5 Creedmoor would be another potion or the 6.5 Grendel.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[HTDUCK]

243/243 AI for availability of brass.
55 grain bullets for varmints. 95 - 100 gr for deer size critters
250 Savage for cool factor.

 

[6mm Remington]

6mm Remington or 25-06

 

[ajvigs]

Will definitely look at the 243.

Any thoughts on the 260? I saw you can get bullets as light as 100 grains and all the way up to 160, but the 130s and 140s sure look like a good balance of power and speed?

 

[FOTIS]

243 AI! Fast twist.

 

[Anonymous]

I think the .243 set the standard for the combo varmint/deer rifle....and today's good bullets just make it better.

For something unusual...the .257 Roberts is much the same...a nice light rifle chambered in the Bob would be pretty cool.

 

[Guy Miner]

6mm Remington, a .243 done right... and classy too. :grin:

Or a .243 is okay too, if you want to join the unwashed masses... :mrgreen:

They're both short action cartridges. The .243 is more practical. A .257 Roberts is an even classier version of the 6mm Remington. Despite what some say, you do NOT need a long action to make the .257 Roberts perform. If you "AI" it, you're real close to my .25-06 in performance...

Any of those will deal just fine with 'chucks, coyotes, and deer sized game. Out to 400+ yards.

Regards, Guy

 

[wildgene]

Will definitely look at the 243.

Any thoughts on the 260? I saw you can get bullets as light as 100 grains and all the way up to 160, but the 130s and 140s sure look like a good balance of power and speed?

...I like the 6.5 Creedmoor over the .260 meself, personal preference. I'd start w/ the rifle first, worry about the chambering second. Things that make a good varmint rifle don't really make a good hunting rifle & vis-versa. You are going to have to compromise on a few things like weight, stock design, barrel contour, trigger. I'd want something w/ a wide enough fore end & heavy enough to stabilize on the bench for shooting critters, while keeping it light enough & balanced so you could pack it in the field. My Browning Long Range Hunter is a pretty good set up. Any of the medium to fast 6mm/ .25's/ 6.5's should work fine, I'd steer away from the super fast overbore cartridges & wildcats/ exotics that require a lot of case prep or are hard to find. I'd lean towards the .25/ 6.5's for hunting, again, personal preference...

 

[ajvigs]

Thanks gents. Gonna look real hard at the 243. Thinking a Remington Varmint taper barrel. What twist and barrel length should I use? Would like it to be not to long to keep it nice and handy.

 

[Polaris]

I'd go with either the 260 rem or the 6.5X55 Swedish. The 260 will fit better into your short action envelope. Ballistics for the 2 are very similar. I've never loaded the 260 but have a lot of experience with the Swede. It's a medium length action. It will build very well on a mauser K98, M48 "yugo" or Rem 722 action. It is an extremely accurate and versatile cartridge, easily handling 100-140 grain bullets. You can even sling the old round nose 160 grainers for tough game. Mine have been very eager to please, requiring very little experimentation to find accurate loads across the bullet weight spectrum. Just feed it 4064 (lighter range) or 4350 (140 grains) and it will print nice groups. In a modern action, 6.5 Swede can be up-loaded a bit from standard data. See Lapua 6,5 Skan or Nosler data for comparison of full potential loads in this round. A nice vintage cool factor too and quality reloading components available (Lapua and Norma brass).

 

[Guy Miner]

Thanks gents. Gonna look real hard at the 243. Thinking a Remington Varmint taper barrel. What twist and barrel length should I use? Would like it to be not to long to keep it nice and handy.

If you're going with the .243 Win or the .243 AI, this is a "must read" article:

http://www.6mmbr.com/243Win.html

My .308 "Green Machine" has a Krieger in the Remington Varmint contour, 24" long. It results in a rifle that's on the heavy side for general purpose hunting, but wonderful from a stand, or for varmint hunting, and good in a match. I have used it for all those things, big game, varmints and match shooting. Only when I'm hiking a lot do I wish it was fluted or a lighter contour.

Regards, Guy

 

[HTDUCK]

Thanks gents. Gonna look real hard at the 243. Thinking a Remington Varmint taper barrel. What twist and barrel length should I use? Would like it to be not to long to keep it nice and handy.

A Remington varmint taper barrel measures .890 at the muzzle.
It's pretty heavy. Mine ( 308 VSSF ) is 26 inches, fluted and with glass the rifle tips the scales at over 11 Lbs.
Not light nor handy. A 243 barrel in a varmint contour will be even heavier.

As for length and twist, I'd go 22 inches and a 1/10 or possibly 1/9.
The heavy for caliber match bullets 105-115 require a 1/8 to stabilize them.

 

[Dwh7271]

243, AI, 6MM Rem are both good. I have a 6 MM and until a recent build was my favorite. A lot of deer fell to that 6MM.
I'm currently fooling around with a 250 AI and it may be one of the coolest little rifles I have.
Others mentioned the 25-06 which IMO is never a bad choice. Puts you in a long action though.
A varmint taper barrel as another mentioned is going to be heavy if you need to tote it at all.
If you're building it one of the heavier sporter contours will give you more portability and unless you're going after prarie dogs where a lot of shooting is involved, will still give accuracy without too much heat.
If you're going to handload it then any of the AIs, a 6MM BR is cool as is a 6 X 47.
I'm still hung on the 250 AI though. Plenty of bullet choices, easy to load for, virtually no recoil and you can really make it move if you want.

 

[ajvigs]

Thanks once again guys. I am now looking at a #5 bull sporter profile barrel from Brux with interrupted fluting. Smaller in diameter than the Rem. Varmint I mentioned earlier, and finished at 22". Thinking 8 twist will work so I can run the heavies if I so choose.

But, school me on the 25-06. I am very intrigued. I know Guy uses the heck out of one for mulies. What say you?

 

[6mm Remington]

Thanks once again guys. I am now looking at a #5 bull sporter profile barrel from Brux with interrupted fluting. Smaller in diameter than the Rem. Varmint I mentioned earlier, and finished at 22". Thinking 8 twist will work so I can run the heavies if I so choose.

But, school me on the 25-06. I am very intrigued. I know Guy uses the heck out of one for mulies. What say you?

I really like the 25-06 too! I have taken deer, antelope, coyotes, and a couple elk with the 25-06 shooting 120 gr. Partitions. It's a great cartridge and does deserve a 24" barrel. That is the length I would go with. You could get by with a 22" in the 250 Savage or 257 Roberts but with the 25-06 the 24" is the one I would go with personally.

 

[Dwh7271]

I agree with the above 100%
My 25-06 is a 26" and really wouldn't want under a 24. JMO, but if you are going to load some heavier bullets in it with slower powder then you want at least 24".
If a 45-70 is the hammer of Thor that one of the members has as a signature then a 25-06 is the lightning of Zeus. :grin:
It is a really cool cartridge.

 

[ColColt]

If medium game is not larger than a coyote I'd opt for the 22-250. If deer size, 6mm/243.

 

[muleman]

6mmx284 or 257RAI - short action rounds with awesome performance. 24" barrel Rem mag contour will keep you under 9lbs. 70 & 87 grain pills for varmints and 90 to 120 grain bullets for larger game. These are the two I have in the safe and are used most often.
Scott

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

6mm Remington or 25-06

These two get my votes as well. The 6mm if more for varmints, the .25-06 if more for medium game hunting.