Dual purpose rifle for shooting and hunting.

[Paul_T]

The 6.5s are popular in the gun press now, but inevitably will be replaced by something newer and swankier.

6.5x55 Swede has been around for 130 years. Not flavor of the year like 6.5 creed and 6.5 PRC

I would not say the Swede will do what OP wants to 500 yards, but certainly 300 all day. 140 grain spitzer for deer and bear. 160 grain RN for moose.
Recoil is light even when I load mine hot.

If I were to go for a 'modern' 6.5 it would be Creedmor over PRC but then I would still limit myself to 300 yards for hunting

To 500 yards the .308 would be 'adequate' for hunting IMHO

[TungstenJohn]

If you don’t hand load, it would be 308 followed by 308 and by 308 - it is by far the cheapest and most readily available ammo out there - if you want to target shoot/practice there is a pile of milsurp out there - maybe not the most accurate ammo but it’s cheap - next to the 303 British , the 308 has probably killed more moose in canada than any other calibre- spend your savings on a good recoil pad

[maple_leaf_eh]

Is a new stock on the 30-06 an option? A poorly fitted or lightweight rifle in most of those calibers can still make for an unpleasant day at the range. The worst felt recoil of any rifle I’ve ever owned was a tang safety ruger m77, just didn’t fit. For comparison an unbraked, bench rested 300 weatherly felt nicer on my shoulder.

I concur! One of my hunting partners had a Ruger .338 Win Mag in their two-tone canoe paddle stock. It beat him up terribly. On the other hand my rebuilt Century Arms .300 Win Mag P'14 in a plastic Ramline stock soaked up recoil like a .22. He and I are built alike too. Gun buyers should not be swayed by the look of a synthetic stock versus walnut. They both have their place - wood and blued steel on the gun rack, synthetic and stainless in the deepest bush.

[JDKJamie]

Lot's of great information here, thank you. I was leaning towards the .308 based on everyone's feedback, but the point was made that I already have 3 hunting rifles. Ugh, so many options to choose from. After some thought, I guess it makes sense to pull "Deer Hunting" off the priorities. So if I focused more just on my shooting what would be a good recommendation? What's a good "centre fire" cartridge that is fun to shoot but will transition to making me a better shot for hunting?

My "Updated" Objectives:
1) Good to shoot volume (reasonably tight groups)
2) Ammo readily available and not terribly expensive (I do not hand load)
3) Will transition to being a better shot hunting

Thanks again in advance

[maple_leaf_eh]

L..... So if I focused more just on my shooting what would be a good recommendation? What's a good "centre fire" cartridge that is fun to shoot but will transition to making me a better shot for hunting?

My "Updated" Objectives:
1) Good to shoot volume (reasonably tight groups)
2) Ammo readily available and not terribly expensive (I do not hand load)
3) Will transition to being a better shot hunting

Thanks again in advance

If you are not relying on The One The Rifle to hunt and have changed your objectives, then I would take .308 off the list and start another list. For your #1 and #2 questions are just about the same, #3 is confirmation of your skills. I would take advantage of the large volumes of .223 / 5.56 ammo in this country and go with a single shot centrefire scoped rifle. The Ruger American which uses AR15 magazines will be under $1000 after taxes with a simple scope. The recoil is light so you will be able to tune up your bad habits.

Something not mentioned here is how to practise. I've never encountered a heavy wood or concrete shooting bench in the woods, when a deer was patiently waiting in a clear shooting lane. Therefore, as a shooting coach might say, practise your bench skills at the range, but also practise hunting position shooting at the same time. So, do standing and kneeling snaps. Get comfortable doing your Breathe Relax Aim Sights Squeeze drills from the firing line.

[Biologist]

Since you want to shoot alot (volume) of target shooting with the rifle, you will be VERY disappointed in any caliber and cartridge if you buy a thin light hunting/sporter barrel. Hunting/sporter barrels heat up too fast and then start to string shots wildly out of the group. In warm weather it seems to take forever for a sporter barrel to cool, and then 3 to 5 shots later its so hot again you can't keep your hand on it (egg frying hot). Bring a book to the range because you will need it to pass the time for barrel cooling time between 5 shot groups. 95% of your time will be just sitting there waiting for barrel cooling. If there are shooters waiting for a bench, you won't look good occupying a bench and reading a book!

For target shooting I recommend a heavy varmint type barrel, or straight 1.25" barrel. These absorb heat very well and extend the number of rounds you can shoot before time for cooling. In cold weather you can shoot indefinitely if you slow the pace down enough for the air to cool it. Placing a battery powered fan on the bench beside it, or using the internal barrel cooler fans, will help alot. I use both.

Heavy varmint and straight barrels are very heavy and you will not want to carry them for hunting, unless you can set up in one place with some sort of front rest. For target shooting, these heavy rifles need front support, they are not for off-hand shooting disciplines.

I still enjoy target shooting with my sporters in several calibers, but they max out at 5 shots before a long wait for cooling, and its not a "volume" day unless the air temperature is quite cold. At my local range we have sporter class target competition's of two 5-shot groups (plus foulers/sighters) and 10 shots for score on mini bulls. With my sporter 30-06 and .270, they needs to cool down after the first 5 shots, or they will string the rounds badly. That's alot of powder burning in the thin barrels.

For the combo purpose of use for both target shooting and hunting deer, the 6.5 CM as already mentioned is a good choice, in as heavy a barrel as you can find that you might still carry for a short distance while hunting. The identical ballistic equivalent is .260 Rem (uses same 6.5mm bullets, and a tad more powder capacity). I bought a .260 Rem in the Tikka Stainless Varmint, and have used that for target shooting for several years, and been vary happy with it. Recoil on the bench and with bipod prone is not a problem. I have never used it for hunting, but its do-able. The Tikka Varmint is not the heaviest varmint barrel out there, but its way more enjoyable to target shoot with and can take the heat.

Another good deer hunting option for target shooting is .243 Win with a heavy varmint barrel. But for long range I would choose the 6.5 (.264) calibers for the heavier bullet options for wind performance and energy.

EDIT: I see you do not hand load (yet). That means with factory ammo costs, you likely won't shoot hand loading volume per session (e.g. I shoot 30 to 50 hand loads per range session with my target rifles, which I could not afford with factory ammo). A good way to facilitate barrel cooling with the sporters is to bring more than one rifle. Rotate them in your shooting session to allow each one to cool for a spell. If the Range has a rifle stand for 3 or so rifles beside each bench, this system can work well (use your chamber flags and Range safety protocols). If there is no rifle stand by the bench, it can get awkward if you have to get up and walk to and from the rifle stand area swapping rifles several times per session.

[FLHTCUI]

Of all the calibers you listed they are All going to cost you money.
Buy a .22 and have fun and learn shooting skills that can follow over to the Center Fire you own.
Just my .05 worth of free advice.

[jparent]

Lot's of great information here, thank you. I was leaning towards the .308 based on everyone's feedback, but the point was made that I already have 3 hunting rifles. Ugh, so many options to choose from. After some thought, I guess it makes sense to pull "Deer Hunting" off the priorities. So if I focused more just on my shooting what would be a good recommendation? What's a good "centre fire" cartridge that is fun to shoot but will transition to making me a better shot for hunting?

My "Updated" Objectives:
1) Good to shoot volume (reasonably tight groups)
2) Ammo readily available and not terribly expensive (I do not hand load)
3) Will transition to being a better shot hunting

Thanks again in advance

With hunting off the table, I would wholeheartedly recommend something in 223/556, 7.63x39 or 22lr. Preferably something that mimics the controls, ergos and trigger on your primary hunting rifle. If you want to practice inside 100, then the 22 gets the nod. Out to 500, then the 223/556. That said, 223 match ammo that will reach that far will cost almost as much as any centerfire, if you don't reload.

That said, the 22lr at 100, presents an enormous challenge if you are trying to shoot PRS targets with a stock rifle, even with good match ammo. Every mistake and bit of wind will affect your shot and you will quickly see that downrange. Add some practice in with a 223 for some recoil management and you should see yourself greatly improve.

The Ruger American Rimfire on the left mimics the other rifles and allows for cheap practice.

[TitanPython]

How is the SKS?

[Big bore dinosaur]

Do any of your other rifles have a break?
Might be cheap , to try a screw on break.
If it's a new hunting rig your cookin 4 .
6.5 bullets penetrate well. The 6.5.prc gets my vote