Long range hunting build

[huntfish365]

Looking to discuss which cartridge would you guys pick for a long range deer rifle. It’ll most likely be built of a rem 700 30-06 with a 26” proof carbon barrel with a brake. I’ve always been intrigued by speed so 6.5-300wby and 26 nosler have spiked my interest. If I have to use a different action then so be it. I just happen to have it laying around and wanna do something with it. I’ve got a 270wsm, 270 win, 7 mag, 300 win mag, and a 25-06 so a 6.5 would be filling the missing link. Let me know what you guys think! I reload and brass cost doesn’t really effect me as long as its decently available. I also don’t mind spending $60-70 for a box of ammo. Also looking for stock suggestions and glass suggestions. Trying to keep it on the lighter side of things! Thanks!

[Jolten]

I'm really interested in the 26 nosler myself. But I shoot savages so I've been attempting to convince Yorkentransport to help me figure out how to build one.

[Caseyd]

My  would be go bigger.

[huntfish365]

My  would be go bigger.

I’d like to hear your thoughts!

[Crunchy]

I finished a semi custom earlier this year.  I am not into the carbon fiber thing.  I sent my action to benchmark barrels and they trued it, and installed a new barrel with brake and cerakote.  I went with an AG composite stock which was about a 3 or 4 week turnaround.  Mine is a 7mm Rem mag.  The 6.5/300 would be a good option on caliber.

[huntfish365]

I finished a semi custom earlier this year.  I am not into the carbon fiber thing.  I sent my action to benchmark barrels and they trued it, and installed a new barrel with brake and cerakote.  I went with an AG composite stock which was about a 3 or 4 week turnaround.  Mine is a 7mm Rem mag.  The 6.5/300 would be a good option on caliber.

If I may ask what was your bill from benchmark? That sounds like an option for me

[jjhunter]

I’d neck down 280ai brass to 6.5.  I have a donor 25-06  and that’s my plan one day.  Be a heck of a round and no fire forming.  Should leave plenty of room for long   bullets and feed well in a standard ‘06 family action.

[Magnum_Willys]

I finished a semi custom earlier this year.  I am not into the carbon fiber thing.  I sent my action to benchmark barrels and they trued it, and installed a new barrel with brake and cerakote.  I went with an AG composite stock which was about a 3 or 4 week turnaround.  Mine is a 7mm Rem mag.  The 6.5/300 would be a good option on caliber.

For deer     Tho if ever thinking elk I would lean towards a 300 WSM which is good for deer or elk to 700. 

Optics:  Anything quality with turrets, moa or custom dial turrets ( yards) .  I like the Leupold CDS but glass is much better with swarovski. 

[Jason]

If you like speed then maybe the 7 RBH might intrigue you?

[jrebel]

My next will be the .28 nosler.  Given your void a 6.5 would work fine for deer and even elk at reasonable ranges.  The 6.5-300wthby is a barrel burner.....or so I have been told.  I have looked at purchasing one but just can't justify it because I already own a creedmoor. 

As for optics....I love my nightforce scopes.  The only down side I can find is they are heavy.  I have always been a leupold fan too and know they produce quality glass. 

[Crunchy]

I finished a semi custom earlier this year.  I am not into the carbon fiber thing.  I sent my action to benchmark barrels and they trued it, and installed a new barrel with brake and cerakote.  I went with an AG composite stock which was about a 3 or 4 week turnaround.  Mine is a 7mm Rem mag.  The 6.5/300 would be a good option on caliber.

If I may ask what was your bill from benchmark? That sounds like an option for me

I think 1100ish for trueing the action, new barrel, brake, and cerakote.  About a three month turnaround for mine.

[huntfish365]

If you like speed then maybe the 7 RBH might intrigue you?

I have not even heard about that. But I did look it up and I am intrigued but what’s up with brass? Do they sell it or does it all need fireformed?

[huntfish365]

My next will be the .28 nosler.  Given your void a 6.5 would work fine for deer and even elk at reasonable ranges.  The 6.5-300wthby is a barrel burner.....or so I have been told.  I have looked at purchasing one but just can't justify it because I already own a creedmoor. 

As for optics....I love my nightforce scopes.  The only down side I can find is they are heavy.  I have always been a leupold fan too and know they produce quality glass.

I’m leaning towards nightforce. I know the 6.5-300 is a barrel burner but I’ll be using it for hunting and don’t shoot all that much. So even at 150rds a year it’ll last me awhile. I’m not worried about it

[Jason]

If you like speed then maybe the 7 RBH might intrigue you?

I have not even heard about that. But I did look it up and I am intrigued but what’s up with brass? Do they sell it or does it all need fireformed?

My buddy just had one built by RBros. If I remember correctly it uses 300 Norma brass, necked down to 7mm, fire formed with an Ackley improved shoulder. (I could be wrong on the fire formed part) he's shooting 180's at 3350-3400fps with Retumbo.

[jackelope]

Something happened in this thread and someone posted something that screwed up the thread. Some posts were lost in order to save the whole thing. Apologies but it was the best we can do. Usually it’s an attachment of some kind I think. Anyway... as you were.

[b23]

Something happened in this thread and someone posted something that screwed up the thread. Some posts were lost in order to save the whole thing. Apologies but it was the best we can do. Usually it’s an attachment of some kind I think. Anyway... as you were.

I wondered what happened.  It wouldn't let me open page 2, I would always get a blank screen when I clicked on "all" or page 2.

[jackelope]

I’ve seen it happen maybe 5 times here in history. We’ve never been able to figure out exactly what causes it but my guess is a link or an attachment that has some sort of bug or something. You can’t open the page that that post is on to see and remove it, so the only option is to remove the whole page. Sorry.

[ghosthunter]

Well since my reply was lost. I will repost.

I have been thinking about a longer range gun. So my next one will be 7 mm 08.

[buckfvr]

Since you said 6.5, Id suggest the 6.5 PRC with the Berger 156 vld which would be coal of over 3.0", so long action and 7 twist barrel for best performance.

Otherwise, 7wsm with 168 vld, again long action and fast twist.

[jmscon]

Don’t mean to thread jack but what are people’s feelings on .264 win?
I’ve been playing with the idea, maybe 26” shilen on a savage action.

[KFhunter]

Since you said 6.5, Id suggest the 6.5 PRC with the Berger 156 vld which would be coal of over 3.0", so long action and 7 twist barrel for best performance.

Otherwise, 7wsm with 168 vld, again long action and fast twist.

 


I been drooling on that Christensen Arms 6.5 PRC RIDGELINE carbon barreled mountain gun for roughly $2k

It's an 1:8 twist barrel though

[buckfvr]

With Bergers relatively new 156 vld, Im sure you could get the 7 twist from Christensens......

.264 win mag, same case as 7mm rem mag, Id not do another belted mag by choice, short case life fore sure.  I am thinking of possibly rebarreling my 7rm to 7wsm, heavy on the possibly since I have everything 7mm rem mag already.

[Threethirtyeight]

156 Berger's stabilized fine with a 8 twist in my 6.5 wsm out to 1200 yards. Just got mine done this year and already has already accounted for two 1 shot deer. Absolutely great round faster than a prc and cheaper and easier to find brass for. You would be able to load them out nice and long on a 700 la. I put a  vx5 on it and am really happy with it leupold really stepped up their game with the vx5 and 6's.

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[buckfvr]

If you use Bergers twist rate and stability calculator, you can see they say that bullet is marginally stabil and 7.75 twist is what they recommend for their sea level, 59 degree base.  Even though I know its better higher and cooler, its still not as good as it could be with a faster twist which Im sure will become the norm as these longer and heavier yet 6.5 bullets appear.

If its not optimized its compromised.   

[Threethirtyeight]

If you use Bergers twist rate and stability calculator, you can see they say that bullet is marginally stabil and 7.75 twist is what they recommend for their sea level, 59 degree base.  Even though I know its better higher and cooler, its still not as good as it could be with a faster twist which Im sure will become the norm as these longer and heavier yet 6.5 bullets appear.

If its not optimized its compromised.   

Actually if you use the Berger twist rate calculator you will find that anything over 500 foot elevation is stable with a 1.51 sg at 59 degrees and at sea level it's still 1.48 sg which is probably  why Berger puts the minimum twist rate on the box's they come in as 1 in 8 .

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[b23]

Keep in mind, you can be below the text book SG of 1.5 and they will likely still shoot well, even very well.  There are lots of guns out there that shoot very well in that "marginal stability" range, they may not be getting the max BC of the bullet, but, depending on how far below 1.5 they are, they can still shoot well.

[buckfvr]

When ever possible, I will avoid the minimum.......if I was going to do a 6.5 intending to shoot the 156, for sure it would be a 7.5 or even 7 twist......

[Mulie87]

Am i correct that a 6.5prc uses a .308SA receiver? I’m confused with the long action recommendation. I’m looking at building a 6.5PRC for a deer rifle.

[buckfvr]

Another point of controversy based on opinion.  To me(opinion), if you want the most out of your PRC with longer heavier bullets to include the new 156 eol by Berger, then in order to seat the bullet to the optimal position in the case, the over all length exceeds capabilities of short action magazines.

Now if you only want to shoot factory ammo, then short action is fine, but reloading and loading long to get more velocity, will require, MAY require a long action/magazine to accomodate those longer coal rounds.  Id think 147 and heavier bullets, especially the 156 vld.

And yes, they are factory short action.

[jjhunter]

Plenty of room in a short action. These are factory 147’s seated waaayyyy out.   


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[Mulie87]

Wow, those are a mile out😳

[b23]

Am i correct that a 6.5prc uses a .308SA receiver? I’m confused with the long action recommendation. I’m looking at building a 6.5PRC for a deer rifle.

The 6.5 PRC is designed to run in a SA but, unlike the 308, it uses the larger .535 mag bolt face.

If you were trying to squeeze every last tiny bit of velocity out of a 6.5 PRC I suppose you'd run it in a LA or single feed it in a SA, but I bet there wouldn't be but 50fps difference between the two.

[yorketransport]

I'm really interested in the 26 nosler myself. But I shoot savages so I've been attempting to convince Yorkentransport to help me figure out how to build one.

Just give me a pile cash and I'll throw something together out of the pieces sitting around in my garage. Maybe what you really need is my 6.5 Badger barrel. It should be good for at least another 50 shots.

If going with a big 6.5mm, stick with the 1-8" twist; a 26 Nosler or 6.5x300 WBY can be very hard on heavy bullets in a 7" twist. I've had excellent luck with the 160gr Matrix 6.5mm bullet beyond 1 mile out of an 8" twist barrel down as low as 400' elevation so I just don't think a 1-7" twist is really necessary.

I say just go for the 6.5x300 Weatherby. It's a great chambering with all the performance you'll need or want. Chamber up an 8" twist barrel from the maker of your choice and throw it in a McMillan Game Warden stock with a VX-5hd scope and you're good to go. Budget about $3000 for the whole project including the scope and you'll be ready to go by bear season next year.

[Jolten]

I'm really interested in the 26 nosler myself. But I shoot savages so I've been attempting to convince Yorkentransport to help me figure out how to build one.

Just give me a pile cash and I'll throw something together out of the pieces sitting around in my garage. Maybe what you really need is my 6.5 Badger barrel. It should be good for at least another 50 shots.

If going with a big 6.5mm, stick with the 1-8" twist; a 26 Nosler or 6.5x300 WBY can be very hard on heavy bullets in a 7" twist. I've had excellent luck with the 160gr Matrix 6.5mm bullet beyond 1 mile out of an 8" twist barrel down as low as 400' elevation so I just don't think a 1-7" twist is really necessary.

I say just go for the 6.5x300 Weatherby. It's a great chambering with all the performance you'll need or want. Chamber up an 8" twist barrel from the maker of your choice and throw it in a McMillan Game Warden stock with a VX-5hd scope and you're good to go. Budget about $3000 for the whole project including the scope and you'll be ready to go by bear season next year.

Oh sure wait until you shoot it up before you say I can buy it. Just my luck lol