Best all around precision rifle...... for me?

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micus

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im looking at buying a small-er centerfire but want something that can be quite accurate to very good distances. biggest animal id consider hunting with the gun would be mulies, BUT i wouldnt mind being able to use the same rifle i hunt with to do some long range target shooting. does such a rifle exist?

calibers i was considering : .22-250 , .223 , .243 ,.222 , .25-06

will any of the above do what i want or do i still need more homework.also, when i say long range, im thinking more than 500yds but less than 1000
 
243 for sure.

Great round for hunting deer sized game and accurate too. Feeds well out of a mag and is cheap to shoot and has little recoil. What rifles are you looking at or what options do you want.

If you are building a rig I would not limit myself to those calibers. The 6mmbr would be great for what you are looking for.
 
Your only stated choice for caliber that has enough energy to do the job humanely would be the 243. Hunting rifles are not designed for target shooting and vice versa.
 
It still is fun to take the target rifle out and kill things. But they usually are not great too because of weight and length issues.

The 22 cals will work with good bullets and even better shot placement, but the 243, like Outbounded said, is the only choice really. 25-06 is a good deer gun, but NOT a target cal. Nothing wrong with it for hunting.

Do some more reading. There are better choices for target guns that would make good Deer guns too.
6mmBr, 260 Rem, 6.5x 47, 280, 7mm-08 Blablabla.

More important than the cal is the rifle. the best calibers will not help if your gun is a POS.
 
There are several 6.5mm cartridges (6.5x55, .260, 6.5-284) that are very well respected as both hunting cartridges and target cartridges. The velocity (thus trajectory) and energy retention of 140 gr pointed boat tail bullets is , very, very good, and they're still light enough that it doesn't take great amounts of powder and recoil to get them up to useful velocities.

RG

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I would go with a 260 myself good bullets to pick from and easy to load for I have a 2506 shoots good but burns more powder and limited lead to pick from. just my two cents!
 
why not 308? has been used for ever as a long range gun and tons of factory loaded match ammo available at decent prices if you don't reload.
 
Generally speaking the smaller the funner.

In my opinion hunting bumps you up to the 260, 6.5/284, or even 308.

If you are after deer go with one of the 6.5's, If you want to shoot moose I would have a hard look at the 308 or even something like a 7-08.

Or, like the rest of us you can buy a big nasty hunting rifle to go along with your target rifle. :D
 
wowww, thanks for the ideas boys, yeah i hadnt even thought of anything like a 6.5 or 308, i figured i would haveto stick to one of the mega velocity 22cals, although i am a MEGA newb to everything so i guess i have more reading to do to plan my gun... and planning/researching stuff im finding to be more and more fun. not sure if thats good or bad yet haha. anyways thanks for the input.
 
.330Dakota said:
6.5's will out perform the 308 on targets and on game, including moose.
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Errrr.....No!

The 6.5's will not out perform the 308 on game....Especially moose.

I think the 6.5's are a better target round...Though some shoots do not allow them.
 
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.308 would be the best choice for what you have described. However, if you want something smaller, then go with the .243.

The bullet selection for the 6mm projectile is mind boggling and transfers very well from the field to the bench if you do your research before purchasing the platform.
 
I disagree with the use of a .243 on big game, particularly at long range; although I concede I am in the minority in this respect. Your problem will be the rifle not the cartridge though. Due to their size and weight, target rifles are a pain to use as hunting rifles and hunting rifles are not inclined to shoot multi round sub MOA groups. The scope will also be a problem as the aiming point in a target scope will be difficult to see in a low light hunting situation, but a hunting reticle might cover too much of the target for precise work on the range.

While I prefer my rifles to be as versatile as possible, I draw a line between a rifle I would use in the field and one I use on the range. My suggestion would be to abandon the concept of the "do it all" rifle and buy the rifle you will use the most first. If it turns out to be a target rifle, get a .223 as they are stupid accurate, cheap to shoot, and down range power is unimportant. If the hunting rifle is your choice, I would consider the .25/06 at the lower end of the spectrum and the .30/06 at the upper. This gives you a myriad of cartridges to choose from, and does not necessarily limit your hunting rifle to a bolt gun if you have other preferences.
 
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You guys want to explain to me how a bullet with a lower SD and BC 308 out performs a bullet with higher SD/BC 6.5 on target or on game when they are both send down range at the same velocity.
 
+ 1 for the .308.
I personally like the 6.5's better, for everything. But it sounds like a bigginer gun/setup so it makes more sense to get something that is easier to feed, and there are more really nice affordable factory rifles out there in .308. good deer caliber too. i think both cartriges are a little lean for moose... but most say I'm overkill with my .338RUM
 
The 257 Roberts and use +P for larger game! No shoulder pounding, good accuracy and allows bigger bullets then the 6mm or the 243.
 
.330Dakota said:
6.5's will out perform the 308 on targets and on game, including moose.
Click to expand...

.330Dakota said:
You guys want to explain to me how a bullet with a lower SD and BC 308 out performs a bullet with higher SD/BC 6.5 on target or on game when they are both send down range at the same velocity.
Click to expand...

You specifically referred to moose. Obviously have not shot many moose.

Ted
 
Why not? said:
You specifically referred to moose. Obviously have not shot many moose.

Ted
Click to expand...

These arguments always make me laugh both calibers will make quick work of a moose when the bullet flies through the lung or heart.

Comes down to personal preference really. Grab a .308 or a 6.5x55 and go hunting I bet the moose won't know the difference.

and to not derail this thread

A good heavy barrel .308 in a hunting style stock would be close to what you wan't. I would buy a Remington 700P / VLS depending if you want laminate or synthetic. Cut the barrel to 22-24" with a new crown so it makes handling a little easier in the bush but still good for targets way out there. do the trigger and bedding ect as you have the money. You will be shooting that .308 barrel long after you need to replace that .243 one

could go with a savage too Iam just a remington guy.
 
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