Not another "what caliber" thread

flandersander

flandersander

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I've recently acquired a rem 700 sps varmint in 22-250. I want to rebarrel it with a good match barrel, and I'm having trouble deciding on caliber.

I had my heart set on 260 rem because of the high bc/sd 6.5 mm bullets. But now I'm reconsidering 243 win and here's why.

My goals for this rifle are to ride around in my truck and shoot coyotes in the winter time. Come summer I plan on shooting steel and rocks and paper etc. up to 1000. Haven't done a whole lot of shooting at that range, but like I said, goal. Then come hunting season it will revert to a deer rifle where I would like to (again with the goals) smack a deer at half a mile. That's what I have planned for this rifle.

I was thinking 6.5mm because of the deer at 880. But now I have myself reconsidering because of the number of coyotes I shoot. Not hords or anything but being in saskatchewan our coyotes fetch a fair price (near $100). So I don't want to be tearing up fur too badly. That's what has me thinking 243.

Now something I didn't consider until just now was keeping the 22-250 barrel and making it a switch barrel gun. Have both barrels headspaced appropriately and switch on the fly.

So what do you think? Given that a 6.5mm 140 amax doesn't blow a 6mm 105 amax out of the water tossed at a good pace, there wouldn't be much difference for me adjusting at around 1000 correct? More adjustment from the 243 but not way more.

So what's your opinion? Should I get the 260 and load up some light fragmenting rounds for winter time and have my heavy high bc bullets for shooting rocks/steel/deer?

Should I get a 243 and load it up with light vmax or varmint grenades for winter then come summer load up a heavy high bc bullet for rocks/steel/deer?

Or should I go with the 260, have a good long range load with amaxes or vlds for long range rocks/steel/deer and simply switch back to the factory 22-250 barrel after hunting season?

My worries going with the 243 is the lethality on deer at that range. I'm under the impression that even the 260 is a bit out of gas once it gets there, so I think the 243 is a bit of a stretch for half mile deer killing. Problem is, the 260 will blow the crap out of a coyote at any moderate range. I shoot coyotes generally within 200 yards. Hence my dilemma.

That got a little long winded, but what would you do?
 
flandersander said:
I've recently acquired a rem 700 sps varmint in 22-250. I want to rebarrel it with a good match barrel, and I'm having trouble deciding on caliber.

I had my heart set on 260 rem because of the high bc/sd 6.5 mm bullets. But now I'm reconsidering 243 win and here's why.

My goals for this rifle are to ride around in my truck and shoot coyotes in the winter time. Come summer I plan on shooting steel and rocks and paper etc. up to 1000. Haven't done a whole lot of shooting at that range, but like I said, goal. Then come hunting season it will revert to a deer rifle where I would like to (again with the goals) smack a deer at half a mile. That's what I have planned for this rifle.

I was thinking 6.5mm because of the deer at 880. But now I have myself reconsidering because of the number of coyotes I shoot. Not hords or anything but being in saskatchewan our coyotes fetch a fair price (near $100). So I don't want to be tearing up fur too badly. That's what has me thinking 243.

Now something I didn't consider until just now was keeping the 22-250 barrel and making it a switch barrel gun. Have both barrels headspaced appropriately and switch on the fly.

So what do you think? Given that a 6.5mm 140 amax doesn't blow a 6mm 105 amax out of the water tossed at a good pace, there wouldn't be much difference for me adjusting at around 1000 correct? More adjustment from the 243 but not way more.

So what's your opinion? Should I get the 260 and load up some light fragmenting rounds for winter time and have my heavy high bc bullets for shooting rocks/steel/deer?

Should I get a 243 and load it up with light vmax or varmint grenades for winter then come summer load up a heavy high bc bullet for rocks/steel/deer?

Or should I go with the 260, have a good long range load with amaxes or vlds for long range rocks/steel/deer and simply switch back to the factory 22-250 barrel after hunting season?

My worries going with the 243 is the lethality on deer at that range. I'm under the impression that even the 260 is a bit out of gas once it gets there, so I think the 243 is a bit of a stretch for half mile deer killing. Problem is, the 260 will blow the crap out of a coyote at any moderate range. I shoot coyotes generally within 200 yards. Hence my dilemma.

That got a little long winded, but what would you do?
Click to expand...

id start with not shooting animals at a range that i dont have much practice at.....

But onto the topic.. youe wanting to do 2 very different things... well 3, 1000yard target, deer and yotes... building 1 rifle do do all 3, will do all 3 ok but not great.. a good target gun will be to heavy to pack, a good deer gun will "probably" be over kill for yotes and a good yote gun wont do to much for deer... if i were in your shoes, id honestly be tempted to go with 260 for the deer and range work, then creep the EE here for a stevens 200 or the likes in 223 for the yotes, lots of guys seem to be getting great accuracy out of them for the price point, and your probably be happier for a rifle thats great at 1 thing, then ok at 3..
 
I'd buy a second rifle. I hate bending my guns into awkward roles. That's a hell of a shot on a deer, something that will take a hell of a lot of practice and knowledge. Keep the .22-250 for yotes as its one of the best cal's for it and invest in a good LR rifle in something that brings the bacon to 800+ m. A .300 wm would be a good option among many others. Its all moot if you can't put your first round within 8" or so of POA with consistency at whatever range you'd like to hunt. So assuming you're going to practice your butt off and become proficient at those ranges with your cold bore shots I would look into a bigger rifle for the big game hunts and keep your .22-250 for yotes. The price difference between the new barrels/gunsmithing and a decent factory rifle are pretty slim. A used Savage or Rem could be had for cheap if you're patient. Plus new gun day is like extra Christmas. That's my take.
 
I did exactly the same thing. I went with the 6.5x47 Lapua. Im just waiting for my barrel to arrive. Im using the same rifle as the base for my build. If i were You, I would go with the 260. The 6.5 are really sweet. The 243 is also a nice little round, but in My opinion, The 260 will do more for You than the 243.
 
I should have mentioned, Hunting deer at half a mile is a goal I've set for myself. Not something I'm going to do next year for sure, but something I want to work towards. Being Moa or better at 800 yards.

You don't seem to support the idea of a switch barrel gun. Why is that?

Okay, let me prioritize this a little bit. Hunting season is 4 weeks a year. I get 1 tag, maybe 2. So hunting is actually a small portion of the shooting I want to do.

I'm thinking at this point I'm leaning more towards a switch barrel gun. I like the idea of having the versatility of 1 gun but multiple cals.
 
Switch barrel guns are great , if you plan to say use 2 cal for hunting , or 2 for targets etc . A target scope doesn't make a good hunting scope (big and heavy) a hunting stock doesn't make a good target stock . If you get where we are going .. A good target rifle is a poor (in most cases) hunting rifle and vice versa. A rifle can do both but it won't be great for either . If your willing to make that compromise that's somthing only you can decide ..

My "duel" purpose gun weights 15.xx lbs , I need to use a biathlon style sling to pack it which even then while the weight isn't and issue to carry the straps do start to rub on my shoulders / neck . It's the compromise I made to be 110% confident I can take a shot on game out to 5-600 yards and KNOW I won't just wound the animal .
 
Okay, i see where you're coming from.

I have a savage 99 in 243, but it's semi retired.

It sounds like it's more compromise than I was hoping.

I think I know where I'll go with this now. I'm thinking I'll make it a target gun, and take my deer with it at whatever range, and varmint hunt with another rifle.

Works for me. Thanks guys!
 
For your ultimate uses, I'd go with a 6.5 of some configuration....not sure why you think it would tear coyotes up more than a 243?
 
Well, from experience I disagree with bullet choice - I would use a heavier TTSX, TSX, GMX, or e-tip… any of those in 6.5mm or 6mm and punch a small hole in and out - those bullets won't expand enough to rip them apart. Shoot a coyote with a 6mm vmax under 200yds and watch it go poof! Thats ok if you don't want the hide - but if you do, you want a small hole.
 
flandersander said:
I should have mentioned, Hunting deer at half a mile is a goal I've set for myself. Not something I'm going to do next year for sure, but something I want to work towards.
Click to expand...

I guess out in the Sask fields, you can see deer at a half mile. HeII, you can watch your dog run away from home for 3 days. Around here, hunting deer is best done with a 4X scope. You can't see deer past 150yrds. Too many hills & trees.
 
By the time you get a match barrel $400 get it chambered and crowned $200 and another $250 to have your action squared plus glass bed $150 and upgrade to a decent stock $200+. Next thing you know your out over $1000+ and the time waiting on the gunsmith.IMO I would watch for someones used custom on here and save yourself some time and money and get a nice rifle. I think I remember seeing a nice custom rem 700 6.5x55 with spiral fluted barrel just up on the EE.
 
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