.223 rem vs 6.5 cr for first mid range rifle

[JFricke]

I have recently started shooting in the local 50-100 yd rimfire matches and they usually run a 300 yd center fire match at the same time. I would like to get into it and am considering caliber options. This will be used as pure target gun. The matches consist of a combo of steel and paper shot from a bench.

The local crew all shoot some flavor of 6mm or 6.5mm and hype them as being flat shooting etc. I hear what they are saying but I am wondering if at 300 yards there is any substantial benefit of the 6.5 CR (etc.) over a .223 Rem.

At this stage of my life with a new baby I do not have time to get into reloading and it seems that the cost of factory ammo for .223 is about 30%-50% less than the 6.5 Cr stuff.

I have also considered using an old 30-06 rem 721 that's hiding in the back of the safe but I don't think that is really worth playing around with both due to cost of ammo and recoil management over a 50 round course of fire. I would like to be able to spot my shots and have never been able to do that with the 721.

To sum this up, is there a substantial benefit of the flatter shooting 6.5mm cartridges at 300 yards for a new shooter over the .223 rem and if so is that benefit worth the extra cost of the ammo

 

[spife7980]

At 300 a 223 will do as well as any.

Well… maybe not any but it can shoot damn good. The BRs and PPCs will always reign supreme

If you really want to win you’ll likely need to hand load with either though if paper is involved.

 

[RUN8]

At 300 yards probably not.

Unless you’re shooting steel silhouettes that have to be knocked down.

I did notice that Hornady 6mm ARC ELD-Match ammo is about $1.50/round compared to .223 ELD-Match for about $1.45/round. I suspect the 6mm ARC will have more potential as a precision cartridge if you can find a suitable rifle.

 

[Supersubes]

You cant go wrong with a 223 for what youre doing. Most do one of the creeds first, and come around to a 223 because they're simple and fun.

A 6Br would kick ass too, and likely outperform the creeds in your match.

 

[308pirate]

I have recently started shooting in the local 50-100 yd rimfire matches and they usually run a 300 yd center fire match at the same time. I would like to get into it and am considering caliber options. This will be used as pure target gun. The matches consist of a combo of steel and paper shot from a bench.

The local crew all shoot some flavor of 6mm or 6.5mm and hype them as being flat shooting etc. I hear what they are saying but I am wondering if at 300 yards there is any substantial benefit of the 6.5 CR (etc.) over a .223 Rem.

At this stage of my life with a new baby I do not have time to get into reloading and it seems that the cost of factory ammo for .223 is about 30%-50% less than the 6.5 Cr stuff.

I have also considered using an old 30-06 rem 721 that's hiding in the back of the safe but I don't think that is really worth playing around with both due to cost of ammo and recoil management over a 50 round course of fire. I would like to be able to spot my shots and have never been able to do that with the 721.

To sum this up, is there a substantial benefit of the flatter shooting 6.5mm cartridges at 300 yards for a new shooter over the .223 rem and if so is that benefit worth the extra cost of the ammo

The 6.5's advantage is not that it's flatter. That's a non issue at 300 yards. Its advantage is that it is much less affected by the wind especially if you're shooting .224 bullets lighter than 68 grains.

 

[RUN8]

I agree with the sentiment to start with .223 though, ammo is everywhere for it and cheap practice ammo for position shooting is a big benefit.

 

[hafejd30]

Nothing wrong with 223 as a starter for 300 yards. You’ll shoot more for the same $. So if fun is the goal you’ll have it

It won’t hang with the 6 and 6.5 cartridges especially against hand loaders. Not saying you can’t beat them but odds are already starting off against you if any wind

 

[shadydiesel]

223 will serve you well. My 11 year old son was out last week hammering a 12” plate at 490 yards with his tikka 223 and handloads in 10-15mph wind. I have shot this rifle to 700 yards on targets and it’s wonderful for reading/learning how to judge wind. My kid has been equally as fortunate to practice a lot with said rifle.

 

[NewsShooter]

Get the .223 and shoot something like the 77 SMK. At 300 it will do well, wind will affect it more than the larger calibers but it should be fine. Mine is just as accurate at 300 as my 6.5.

 

[DJL2]

I mean... THE answer for winning shooting matches at 300 yds is 6mm PPC, no? The 6 ARC is more or less the same thing in different clothing. The .223 Rem, .223 AI, or the new 22 ARC will all work. The 6 GT or 6 CM are options for bigger cases and more velocity. The 6 BR and family are nice options and will keep you on trend. You could run a 25 GT, 25x47, or 25 CM to be a contrarian. You could do a 30 BR.

What do you WANT?

 

[Turkeytider]

With the current state of world affairs, I`d DEFINITELY take into consideration what caliber(s) give the best chance for both availability and a more reasonable ( don`t know if such will be obtainable ) price. My .223 LRPV does a good job all the way out to 500 yards in light-moderate breezes.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

223

 

[ARShooter91]

223 for sure. My Tikka varmint in 223 has done well out to 1k. I load an 80g ELD long and while I wouldn't call me or it a 1/3moa combo it has turned in many groups in the .3s at 100m and 1.15-1.5" at 300yds. It loves 77smk as well.

 

[ToKeepAndBear]

223 is very fun to shoot and perfect for 600 yards and under.

 

[JFricke]

OK, seems like the consensus is that .223 will work just fine, perhaps not the BEST option but very serviceable and will get me going without having immediately delve into reloading.

of course the second phase of this question is how to optimize money spent on the rifle. There is no doubt in my mind that there is a diminishing return on "investment" with precision rifles. I don't expect to be winning on the first outing but also don't want to get a cheap inaccurate rifle that will provide me with false input about my shooting. i.e. I want to know that I missed because I suck, not that I missed because the rifle cant hit the side of a barn at 300 yards.

Based on my limited experience with rim fire, its all about the barrel and the ammo. The rest is important but only provides small incremental gains. Better stocks smoother actions and crisper triggers are easier to shoot with but don't provide substantially better groups. Does that same line of logic hold true with center fire at longer ranges?

So for a rifle with a budget of ~$1000, not including scope, what's my best option?

With a budget of ~$1500, not including a scope, what's my best option and will it be WAY better than the cheaper rig

I'm expecting to spend ~$1000 on glass, I could spend more but again the diminishing rate of return comes into play and my hard earned money needs to be spent wisely

I'm sure a lot of this has been covered elsewhere on the forum but I really appreciate all of your input

 

[just browsing]

.223 is more than sufficient for your use.

Just keep in mind that a majority of factory ammo is geared towards ARs, and you’re essentially cutting the nuts off of it when you’re shooting anything below 75-77 grainers loaded to PMAG length. So my recommendation would be to stick to FGMM 77SMK or maybe the Hornady 75 BTHP at a minimum (which is unlikely to be as cheap as some of the other stuff you see on shelves).

As far as rifles go, I’d look for a Tikka 223 Varmint, Super Varmint, or CTR and call it good. Use the rest of your budget on glass.

 

[hafejd30]

Tikka T3 for the rifle

Watch the px for Athlon Cronus BTR or a Burris XTRIII for the glass

You could also watch px for custom parts and save money in the long run. But expect to spend at least your budget plus some. A barreled action in 223 and krg bravo would be a great starter

 

[D̷e̷v̷i̷l̷D̷o̷c̷A̷Z̷]

I have recently started shooting in the local 50-100 yd rimfire matches and they usually run a 300 yd center fire match at the same time. I would like to get into it and am considering caliber options. This will be used as pure target gun. The matches consist of a combo of steel and paper shot from a bench.

The local crew all shoot some flavor of 6mm or 6.5mm and hype them as being flat shooting etc. I hear what they are saying but I am wondering if at 300 yards there is any substantial benefit of the 6.5 CR (etc.) over a .223 Rem.

At this stage of my life with a new baby I do not have time to get into reloading and it seems that the cost of factory ammo for .223 is about 30%-50% less than the 6.5 Cr stuff.

I have also considered using an old 30-06 rem 721 that's hiding in the back of the safe but I don't think that is really worth playing around with both due to cost of ammo and recoil management over a 50 round course of fire. I would like to be able to spot my shots and have never been able to do that with the 721.

To sum this up, is there a substantial benefit of the flatter shooting 6.5mm cartridges at 300 yards for a new shooter over the .223 rem and if so is that benefit worth the extra cost of the ammo

Let’s start w a question….what’s your current 22lr and current glass?

This will tell me a lot about you and your standards.

If you have a vudoo my advice is going to a lot different than if you had a Savage mkii

I’m probably going to tell you to be a man and launch some 168’s….so what’s the 22lr setup?

 

[Stephen Bachiler]

I have the Savage Axis II Precision in .223

It shoots really well and is sub $1,000 bucks. Athlon Argos 6-24 x 50 scope (which I like).

77gr SMKs are wonderful in it.
It is definitely a sub MOA and in all honesty pulls 1/2 MOA quite regularly with FGMM AND my handloads.

I have been happy with it

 

[JFricke]

Let’s start w a question….what’s your current 22lr and current glass?

This will tell me a lot about you and your standards.

If you have a vudoo my advice is going to a lot different than if you had a Savage mkii

I’m probably going to tell you to be a man and launch some 168’s….so what’s the 22lr setup?

Current 22lr setup is ruger 10/22 with vortex diamondback scope that even at 100 yards isn't impressive in the clarity department. It gets the job done and got me back into shooting for short money but I'm definitely considering upgrades. The age old lesson I've learned is that if you go too cheap you immediately want to upgrade.

By asking the questions I'm hoping to be able to make a more well informed decisions which will keep me happy for at least a little while.

Ill mark you down as a vote for the 6.5's

 

[Turkeytider]

With a budget of around $1500, take a look at the Savage Model 12 LRPV ( Long Range Precision Varmint ), .223 with a 1:7 twist allowing heavier bullets. I have this gun, and while Savage markets it as a varmint rifle, it`s really a bench action in a hunting stock. It`s a heavy beast, mine is somewhere between 12 and 13 lbs all up. 26" SS truck axle for a barrel, HS Precision bedded stock and target Accutrigger. VERY accurate ( sub-MOA capable ) at 500 yards with factory loads. It is a single shot, which means there`s no cut out for a magazine which lends to the stability of the action. I couldn`t be more pleased with mine, no functional issues. The only problem with the gun is the nut behind the trigger! I don`t do the gun justice with my shooting. There are reviews on the internet.
Obviously, this is if you`re thinking of a factory gun. For between 1500 and 2K you can begin to get into some custom rigs I would imagine.

 

[ARShooter91]

300 is still short range. I feel like 6.5c is a waste at 300. You only drop 2in in drift with a 10mph crosswind from an 80g 224 to a 140g 264. That's 25% though if you want to look at it that way.

223 is fun and cheap.

 

[fordsoldier]

Anything under 600 6.5 creedmoor is a waste.

 

[Im2bent]

Eurooptic has the Tikka varmint 223 with 24 inch barrel 1:8T for 999.00

 

[D̷e̷v̷i̷l̷D̷o̷c̷A̷Z̷]

Current 22lr setup is ruger 10/22 with vortex diamondback scope that even at 100 yards isn't impressive in the clarity department. It gets the job done and got me back into shooting for short money but I'm definitely considering upgrades. The age old lesson I've learned is that if you go too cheap you immediately want to upgrade.

By asking the questions I'm hoping to be able to make a more well informed decisions which will keep me happy for at least a little while.

Ill mark you down as a vote for the 6.5's

Don’t count me in w those guys. I said “168’s” meaning I think you should consider the 308W I’m seeing stuff under $1. But that’s not what you asked.

So you shoot a budget setup right now. Nothing wrong with that. A 10/22 fills a lot of roles. I understand why you went this route to get your feet wet as well. It’s a great platform for upgrades. You will do well to remember this when you pick your 223. Buy something you can upgrade and has a lot of aftermarket support. A r700 footprint is my suggestion. You have a lot of choice even w that restriction. You will want for nothing in the aftermarket dept.

If I was restricted to 223 vs 6CM vs 6.5cm:
-300yd
-high precision
-low recoil
-budget friendly

I’d pick the 223 and zero in on 77GN ammo. I’d plan to spend $1min on the best of deals and $2 in reality.


Now, if I’m spending $2 per trigger pull I’m not sending that down range in a rifle that won’t do its part.

Put me down for 223

What’s your budget?

 

[Billl223]

Get the .223 and shoot something like the 77 SMK. At 300 it will do well, wind will affect it more than the larger calibers but it should be fine. Mine is just as accurate at 300 as my 6.5.

I've been shooting competitively for 25 years with a .223 and my best results are with the 77 SMK. I also shoot a 6.5 Creedmoor but it's my 700 yard gun.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

let me add this. Our son, put together a .223 in a mag chassis for Brenda. She shoots it great. However, recently we were shooting at Altus. Will and I had no issues out to 800 yards with our 6GT’s and both of us were connecting out to 1050 yards under really squirrelly winds. (It was windy with a strong right to left direct crosswind.) Neither of us could get the .223 on target at 400. Just wasn’t happening. I went to a range were there was a good backstop. It took practically a full mil to get it on target at 400/450. Shooting 77 MatchKings.

On our home, 300 yard range with either the 6’s or my former 6.5’s I rarely ever worry about holds for winds. (Especially the 6.5’s).

Just my 2 cents. 6.5’s are a given in winds compared to a .223 at mid ranges. So, why bother. Unless practicing wind holds against a good backstop is your goal.

 

[The D]

Unpopular opinion but .30-06 is always worth it

 

[FuhQ]

I have recently started shooting in the local 50-100 yd rimfire matches and they usually run a 300 yd center fire match at the same time. I would like to get into it and am considering caliber options. This will be used as pure target gun. The matches consist of a combo of steel and paper shot from a bench.

The local crew all shoot some flavor of 6mm or 6.5mm and hype them as being flat shooting etc. I hear what they are saying but I am wondering if at 300 yards there is any substantial benefit of the 6.5 CR (etc.) over a .223 Rem.

At this stage of my life with a new baby I do not have time to get into reloading and it seems that the cost of factory ammo for .223 is about 30%-50% less than the 6.5 Cr stuff.

I have also considered using an old 30-06 rem 721 that's hiding in the back of the safe but I don't think that is really worth playing around with both due to cost of ammo and recoil management over a 50 round course of fire. I would like to be able to spot my shots and have never been able to do that with the 721.

To sum this up, is there a substantial benefit of the flatter shooting 6.5mm cartridges at 300 yards for a new shooter over the .223 rem and if so is that benefit worth the extra cost of the ammo

0-300 yards? Simple… 6mm ARC. bolt-action. Zero recoil, good bullet selection, Hornady and Starline both make brass for it (I think Petersen in the future), works just fine in a 16” barrel, LeverEvolution is the go-to powder, uses SRP’s, small powder consumption, sounds and works great suppressed, etc…

 

[Harronek]

You can shoot a .223 for a lot less money than a 6.5
Not sure if your reloading or Factory ammo , but either way the .223 means more trigger time for the same ammunition budget .
Get a .223 and wear that barrel out , by the time you’ve done that you’ll be the one giving advice not asking for it .

 

[fdkay]

Personally, I would lean to a Howa Mini in either 6mm ARC or 6.5 grendel.
The grendel has low cost ammo available and beats the wind.
I got frustrated shooting the .223 where I live, granted, wind is a constant issue.
Both the 6.5 and 6mm are more versatile as well, in the event you want to do some hunting with them, or want to stretch it out past 700 yards.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/415003432/howa+mini+action+6.5gren+20+black

 

[Stephen Bachiler]

You can shoot a .223 for a lot less money than a 6.5
Not sure if your reloading or Factory ammo , but either way the .223 means more trigger time for the same ammunition budget .
Get a .223 and wear that barrel out , by the time you’ve done that you’ll be the one giving advice not asking for it .

This has been my approach and why I purchased the Savage Axis II Precision in .223

Being new to reloading and new to centerfire target shooting/load development I didn't want to drop BIG money knowing I would burn out the barrel while overdoing it with the testing....which I have been!!! Multiple powders...multiple bullets...neck size vs FL size...different primers...different seating depths...

I have probably put near 3k rounds through it just "learning"

Now when I get my SECOND rifle I will spend more and have the process down for load development and will be able to come to some conclusion in MUCH fewer shots/tests

 

[JFricke]

Don’t count me in w those guys. I said “168’s” meaning I think you should consider the 308W I’m seeing stuff under $1. But that’s not what you asked.

So you shoot a budget setup right now. Nothing wrong with that. A 10/22 fills a lot of roles. I understand why you went this route to get your feet wet as well. It’s a great platform for upgrades. You will do well to remember this when you pick your 223. Buy something you can upgrade and has a lot of aftermarket support. A r700 footprint is my suggestion. You have a lot of choice even w that restriction. You will want for nothing in the aftermarket dept.

If I was restricted to 223 vs 6CM vs 6.5cm:
-300yd
-high precision
-low recoil
-budget friendly

I’d pick the 223 and zero in on 77GN ammo. I’d plan to spend $1min on the best of deals and $2 in reality.


Now, if I’m spending $2 per trigger pull I’m not sending that down range in a rifle that won’t do its part.

Put me down for 223

What’s your budget?

Budget is $2000-$2500 including glass. Obviously, less would just free up more money for ammo to practice with

Eurooptic has the Tikka varmint 223 with 24 inch barrel 1:8T for 999.00

Those look nice, seems that tikkas are pretty well regarded when it comes to the factory options

Unpopular opinion but .30-06 is always worth it

I wondered if anyone would bite on this option. Ill have to mount up the new glass at some point and give it a run. I've only ever shot it at 100 and its been a LONG time

let me add this. Our son, put together a .223 in a mag chassis for Brenda. She shoots it great. However, recently we were shooting at Altus. Will and I had no issues out to 800 yards with our 6GT’s and both of us were connecting out to 1050 yards under really squirrelly winds. (It was windy with a strong right to left direct crosswind.) Neither of us could get the .223 on target at 400. Just wasn’t happening. I went to a range were there was a good backstop. It took practically a full mil to get it on target at 400/450. Shooting 77 MatchKings.

On our home, 300 yard range with either the 6’s or my former 6.5’s I rarely ever worry about holds for winds. (Especially the 6.5’s).

Just my 2 cents. 6.5’s are a given in winds compared to a .223 at mid ranges. So, why bother. Unless practicing wind holds against a good backstop is your goal.

Personally, I would lean to a Howa Mini in either 6mm ARC or 6.5 grendel.
The grendel has low cost ammo available and beats the wind.
I got frustrated shooting the .223 where I live, granted, wind is a constant issue.
Both the 6.5 and 6mm are more versatile as well, in the event you want to do some hunting with them, or want to stretch it out past 700 yards.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/415003432/howa+mini+action+6.5gren+20+black

This is an interesting point to consider. We have a fair amount of wind here. In the summertime it blows 18-20 most afternoons. Matches happen in the morning which helps alleviate the issue but local conditions may be part of the reason that the 6 and 6.5mm options are popular even with the limited range.

The price on the Howa is definitely attractive but will it Shoot?


All around good input, I really appreciate it

 

[The D]

I wondered if anyone would bite on this option. I’ll have to mount up the new glass at some point and give it a run. I've only ever shot it at 100 and its been a LONG time

I’m sure there are some really accurate .30-06 factory loads but if you can’t reload the other 2 options are better suited to your goal. Even though I love the ‘ol graybeard…

 

[NewsShooter]

6.5 will make things easier in the wind, if it's consistent you'll be able to figure it out. The distance part is easy, figuring the wind will take forever. I have one savage left, it's now a .223 and is really accurate, but the Tikka is a far better rifle. You can get prefits for it too.

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

Using anything that is going to serverley handicap you and expecting to win and not replace it is a waste of time and money. Factory ammo won't win. .223 won't win (unless it's 4 Chad's shooting pepaws rifle).

I'd you want to compete at that distance, on paper you need a suitable caliber and need to reload. Otherwise is just half assing it.

Find a different game or use equipment suited to the game. It's not complicated.

 

[Modoc]

I have 3 of the Howas. 2 Mini actions in 223 and 65 Grendel and a short action in 22-250.

The Grendel is awesome, I took it to 500 m in stock configuration with Hornady Black and the 4 shots landed in the heart lung area on an NRA Full-sized Ram Silhouette. After a new (stiffer) stock and Obendorff style bottom metal it is still printing ~3/8” at 100 m using custom hunting loads. Very good for a 6lb-3oz low recoil hunting rifle.

I need to zero and do load development on the other two though.

If I were doing it again, I’d get the barreled action from Brownells and stock of choice, YMMV.

 

[hafejd30]

The .223 will teach you a thing or two on wind. It will get your feet wet and will be cheapest by far to practice with. 6 or 6.5 is better suited for comp however

I personally wouldn’t opt for a 30-06. If you need a 30 cal a 308 would be the good standard with fgmm ammo.

Personally I’d suggest not starting with something that particularly is susceptible to heat or recoil. Like a 30 cal or super fast 6mm variant

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

You can shoot a .223 for a lot less money than a 6.5
Not sure if your reloading or Factory ammo , but either way the .223 means more trigger time for the same ammunition budget .
Get a .223 and wear that barrel out , by the time you’ve done that you’ll be the one giving advice not asking for it .

No you can't. Good factory match ammo is about the same price, with Many more options in creed to find a load it likes.

Most of the advise in this thread is dumb as dildos.

 

[JFricke]

No you can't. Good factory match ammo is about the same price, with Many more options in creed to find a load it likes.

Most of the advise in this thread is dumb as dildos.

So if its a 6.5 cr and my budget is $2500 including glass what's your recommendation for the rifle that will be as competitive as possible given the constraints

 

[acudaowner]

personally I like the 223 it's cheaper than the 6.5 for a first mid range rifle you will learn loads more about dealing with the wind and drop that being sad I love my 6.5 it will do everything I want it to a little past a mile for me meaning I can and could have bought one gun and started stocking up on the supplies for one round rather than 2 nothing wrong with having choices but one is hard enough to find enough supplies to keep me shooting a few times every week .my 2 cents best of luck with which ever you decide to do .

 

[The D]

@JFricke

Honestly, if you just want to try a comp or two to get your feet wet just shoot what you have and save some more $$ for something that will be more competitive.

And that rifle should be a pile of firearm Legos that you put together yourself

 

[anon]

A local range here has a 300 yard F-TR aggregate record of 600-55x, shot with a .223 Salvage. That's 55 shots into a 1/2 moa circle ...

The 300 yard F-Open aggregate round record is 600-58x, with a custom, 1/2 moa all day. Actually he only shot 600-58x, so he dropped 2.

The F-Open was only worth 3 more X's than the .223 Salvage budget gun at 300 yards.

 

[Cr1775]

Honestly, i have more fun shooting my 223 at 300 yards than any of my other rifles.

 

[JerkyFreak]

I took part in a .223 field target competition this past weekend in really horrible wind conditions. By far the majority used Tikka T3 Varmint or Supervarmint.

As a next rifle, I think a .223 will never be a loss. They are fun to shoot, the barrels last a long time and ammo is easy to find. Even Winchester white box ammo groups less than 1 MOA out of my Tikka.

 

[D̷e̷v̷i̷l̷D̷o̷c̷A̷Z̷]

Budget is $2000-$2500 including glass. Obviously, less would just free up more money for ammo to practice with


Those look nice, seems that tikkas are pretty well regarded when it comes to the factory options



I wondered if anyone would bite on this option. Ill have to mount up the new glass at some point and give it a run. I've only ever shot it at 100 and its been a LONG time





This is an interesting point to consider. We have a fair amount of wind here. In the summertime it blows 18-20 most afternoons. Matches happen in the morning which helps alleviate the issue but local conditions may be part of the reason that the 6 and 6.5mm options are popular even with the limited range.

The price on the Howa is definitely attractive but will it Shoot?


All around good input, I really appreciate it

Easy.

Ignore everyone and listen to me closely. Are you listening? Okay here’s what I’ve learned on the hide.

Buy a used rifle. Something from the PX. Do your research. Make sure it all sounds on the level. Many great deals to be had. You usually get darn close to what you wanted and some savings. Heck, some guys give you their fully developed load.


This guy has a nice setup for $1700. *I do NOT know seller this is an EXAMPLE*

SOLD - 3x Remington 700

From left to right: Rem action cerakoted black, has had badger bolt knob installed. CBI remage 26" 223 in MTU profile 1:7 T with 300 rounds on it. Night force 20moa base. Trigger tech special turned to around 2# Currently in Grayboe ridgeback in camo with grayboe M5 bottom metal. Currently has...

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Firearms - WTS: .223 Mammoth Sniper Challenge ready Tuebor/Proof/5X5 Precision barreled action

Tuebor Legion Action with .223 bolt face, Proof research stainless.224 1/7 twist 25.5” heavy palma barrel, chambered by 5X5 Precision. Barreled action only. Less than 100 rounds thru barrel. More pictures and exact round count upon request. Face to face in Michigan or FFL transfer required...

www.snipershide.com

 

[Harronek]

No you can't. Good factory match ammo is about the same price, with Many more options in creed to find a load it likes.

Most of the advise in this thread is dumb as dildos.

Well I stand corrected .
Please point me in the direction where I can find Match ammo in 6.5 for less than .223 .
I own both , so this is very relevant to my situation.
PS - I also load my own ammo , so a link to the relevant components would be appreciated.

Cheers

 

[D̷e̷v̷i̷l̷D̷o̷c̷A̷Z̷]

Most of the advice in this thread is dumb as dildos.

now we are getting somewhere.

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

So if its a 6.5 cr and my budget is $2500 including glass what's your recommendation for the rifle that will be as competitive as possible given the constraints

You need a new budget or pick a new game. The reason people are shooting ppc, br, dasher ect other than really good berger bullets in 6mm, is they are stupid easy to load for and are very forgiving of seating depth changes as the throat wears. With a great barrel you can shoot in the .0s and .1s with them after tuning.

Even our local Fudd matches here have guys showing up with vudoos and zco slinging center x and xact. If you want to be competitive, you need to spend the money to do so. Not saying you need the best glass but you are going to need a caliber that is forgiving ( .223 is not a 300 yard benchrest caliber no matter what anyone here says), and a really good barrel that you reload for and is tuned. You could probally buy cheaper glass as you won't be turning turrets a whole lot and resolution is less important.

If budget is a hard ceiling. I would look into buying a used BR rig. Something older but atleast setup to be competitive with what you will find out there. Buy as much used shit as possible. If you don't reload find someone who does and pay them to make ammo for you if you won't do it. Even the best factory ammo you can buy will not hold a candle to your average reload, especially when tailored to what the barrel likes.

Lots of guys want to race f1 but don't have 500m it takes to run a season. If you can't afford to play a game, find something else you can.

 

[NewsShooter]

I'll bet those Fudd matches with vudoos are getting beaten by guys with 10/22's too. No one said a .223 is a benchrest caliber, most of all have said it was cheaper, fun, and easy to shoot. Do you really expect a "beginner" to win anything? When I was roadracing motorcycles I seldom had the best machinery, but I was usually in the top three or close to it. It isn't just the equipment. But I guess you're the dildo expert and must know better.