Easiest cartridges to load for

[Dildobaggins]

Going to be selling my unfired Tikka 300 wsm barreled action soon. I feel like it's too much gun for what I'm doing. Kind of an impulse build.

This would be for a bolt gun.

Wondering what cartridge one would choose to load for? Looking for easiest load development. Possible. Would use the cartridge to hunt whitetail, black bear and possibly bore. Also, just plinking and shooting for groups from the bench. Max shots would be 500 yards. Majority would be between 1-400 yards. I currently hunt with a 6.5 grendel. Shot a deer last year at 300 yards and killed it, but penetration was not good at all. Also, have a 6br, but it's heavy as hell.

Any recommendations?

 

[DIBBS]

308 Winchester

 

[TF160 Guy]

At the distances and profile you are talking about .223 can be fun, frustrating and will keep you occupied. Reloading supplies are available.

Good luck

 

[roostercogburn98]

7-08

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

Another vote for 308.

 

[Guns&WhiteWater]

Easiest cartridge that I reload for that would be suitable for your needs is a 6.5x47, followed by a couple of 308’s. Either would work well for hunting inside 500, but I’d hate to lose my x47 brass right now.

 

[mi223]

Don't get much easier to load for than 6br. Build another one lighter weight.

Or 6.5 creed. It is just like a 308 only better...

 

[Shoots 700's]

what bullet did you use in the 6.5 that didn't penetrate well?

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Hands down, .38 special.

Sirhr

 

[rumblesniper]

I think the .223 cal is best to reload.

 

[simonp]

Another vote for 308

 

[krw]

I aint got one, don’t hav ManBun, nor do I have a Rainbow sticker on my truck. But for what your describing a 6.5CM handsdown. Watch classifieds here and buy 3-400 rds brass and shoot. I’m older and I’m a 308 guy, but in current enviroment 6.5CM all way

 

[sirhrmechanic]

I aint got one, don’t hav ManBun, nor do I have a Rainbow sticker on my truck. But for what your describing a 6.5CM handsdown. Watch classifieds here and buy 3-400 rds brass and shoot. I’m older and I’m a 308 guy, but in current enviroment 6.5CM all way

I am curious about this part of your post. I make fun of 6.5 all the time... not because it's a bad cartridge, but because it has achieved almost cult-like status in a short time.

What about 'today's environment' is it that makes the 6.5 great to load for or better than venerable cartridges.

Not attacking your statement. I am interested in the thought process. Call it intellectual curiosity or 'what am I missing?'

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[mikeshaw2]

I think the .223 cal is best to reload.

Once you get the cases prepped, it isn't hard. That case prep is another story

M

I am curious about this part of your post. I make fun of 6.5 all the time... not because it's a bad cartridge, but because it has achieved almost cult-like status in a short time.

What about 'today's environment' is it that makes the 6.5 great to load for or better than venerable cartridges.

Not attacking your statement. I am interested in the thought process. Call it intellectual curiosity or 'what am I missing?'

Cheers,

Sirhr

Not having been reloading for long, it seems that there's lots of bullet weights and profiles that seem to shoot well out of any rifle.

So far anyway

M

 

[jakelly]

How do you know the WSM is too much gun, if you haven’t shot it?

That aside, this is definitely a case for the 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[Haney]

Another vote for .308 Winchester , .223 in second place only because it will be a hunting rig also . Bullet selection is huge for both which makes it that much easier to dial in good loads .

 

[Schütze]

…. the caliber that you can get all components for without selling a kidney for gun broker “markups”.

 

[brianf]

deleted..missed last sentence of op post

 

[spife7980]

Hunting with possibly black bear… keep the 300wsm.

 

[krw]

For what He’s wanting to do, the 6.5CM will chk all the bxs “better” than a 308 IMO. Higher BC bullets, less recoil, less powder. And for the game He is wanting to take at his specd ranges, the CM is spot on. And with the CM being everyones do all cartridge there is ammo and once fired brass everywhere
With all that being said, I will never run out of 308 and 260 components. I went 260 route ‘15’? Yrs ago

 

[Dildobaggins]

what bullet did you use in the 6.5 that didn't penetrate well?

120 eldm at 300 yards hit in the shoulder. No signs on the vitals that it was even hit.

How do you know the WSM is too much gun, if you haven’t shot it?

That aside, this is definitely a case for the 6.5 Creedmoor.

I've shot one a few times. And I've watched videos of guys hunting with them and it seems to be overkill to me. Also, I've had shoulder surgery 4 times. Lastly the amount of powder, cost of brass and LRP are turning me off of it.

 

[nn8734]

6.5 creed for sure; if you have an action that supports prefits that can be swapped fairly easily and your budget allows for it, i’d have one barrel for each bullet for each role/application, assuming this would be a multi-role system (unless you can get multiple different types of bullets to shoot really well in one barrel)

 

[Greg Langelius *]

7mm-08 (minimum) or .280 Rem (maximum).

...Or, my favorite, the .260 Rem.

Recoil is reasonable, accuracy is "minute of paper Plate at 1000 yards", and brass can be 260, 243, or 7-08. Just run the 243 or 7-08 through the F/L 260 die, and you have 260 brass. It likes H-4350 best, but H-4831 and H-4831SC are good powders (a tad slower velocities, but better, I think, accuracy wise), and I'm preparing to develop a load for 140gr and W748 or W760.

Barrel lengths for the .260, 24" up to 28".

If you want a "Thumper" consider .358 Win, also a .308 case derivative. Less recoil, the .338 Federal, also made on the 308 case.

Greg

 

[Dildobaggins]

6.5 creed for sure; if you have an action that supports prefits that can be swapped fairly easily and your budget allows for it, i’d have one barrel for each bullet for each role/application, assuming this would be a multi-role system (unless you can get multiple different types of bullets to shoot really well in one barrel)

I think I'm going to sell the Tikka barreled action, and get a kelblys. Urban rifleman I think does barrels for them pretty cheap

 

[W54/XM-388]

I'm going with get 2 guns
1 for your hunting - Probably 308 or 6.5 if that tickles you.
1 for your target shooting and lots of suggestions in the 6mm and .223 / .224 range

Build the hunting one as a light weight hunting rig
Build the target one as a heavier weight target rig.

 

[acudaowner]

any you have an interest in reloading is a good choice .

 

[sirhrmechanic]

For what He’s wanting to do, the 6.5CM will chk all the bxs “better” than a 308 IMO. Higher BC bullets, less recoil, less powder. And for the game He is wanting to take at his specd ranges, the CM is spot on. And with the CM being everyones do all cartridge there is ammo and once fired brass everywhere
With all that being said, I will never run out of 308 and 260 components. I went 260 route ‘15’? Yrs ago

Well that was one of my thoughts... In this environment the 6.5 is the Golden Child. All the hype and publicity, etc. But I remember 12 years ago when the .260 was the greatest thing ever. Nothing was ever going to replace it. Lots of loads and calibers and even the ultra-conservative Finnish Sako was chambering rifles in the "Cartridge of the moment." And then zap... it was gone. And the 6.5 was the Cartridge du Jour.

And before that it was something else... and I can't even remember what. Maybe was a 7mm 'something.' See how these popular cartridges last?

Anyway, if I were to look at a 'best or easiest cartridge to load, it would be the .308, the .30-06, the 5.56.... Not because they are best but because in 'changing' environments, there are more components available to assemble good rounds and will be for a long time to come.

Someone with some longer memory than I could probably go back to 1970 and list the "Hot Cartridge of the Day" for 50 years. Would be a fun exercise to see how many are still extant.


Cheers,


Sirhr

 

[morning would]

Going to be selling my unfired Tikka 300 wsm barreled action soon. I feel like it's too much gun for what I'm doing. Kind of an impulse build.

This would be for a bolt gun.

Wondering what cartridge one would choose to load for? Looking for easiest load development. Possible. Would use the cartridge to hunt whitetail, black bear and possibly bore. Also, just plinking and shooting for groups from the bench. Max shots would be 500 yards. Majority would be between 1-400 yards. I currently hunt with a 6.5 grendel. Shot a deer last year at 300 yards and killed it, but penetration was not good at all. Also, have a 6br, but it's heavy as hell.

Any recommendations?

Another vote for 6.5x47

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

6br, 6 dasher or 6gt. Black bear are small and deer you can kill with a .223. Those 3 cartridges are stupid easy to load for with hybrid bullets. Jump .030-.150, pick a velocity you want, shoot 3/8 groups.

 

[JM4590]

.308 or……are you ready for it? ………270 Win. Seemed to work miracles for Jack O’Connor

Jack O'Connor's Perfect Model 70

How Jack O'Connor's insight on the Winchester Model 70 helped shape the concept of the American classic rifle and continues to influence generations of big-game hunters.

www.outdoorlife.com

 

[Jigstick]

6.5x47 or 6.5CM are incredibly easy to tune and both very accurate. Efficient on powder. And lots of component options.

 

[supercorndogs]

Hunting with possibly black bear… keep the 300wsm.

Na man, shoot black bears at 500 yards with a 223.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

My favorite hunting cartridge is the .25-06. Depending on the bullet, you get an easy pass through or left just under the far skin with a really messed up boiler room. Recoil is easy, accuracy can be very good, and it does not suffer the hate that the 6.5 Creedmoor does. A neat rifle would have the fast twist barrels shooting the 133/135 Bergers. (Blackjacks too if available.).

But, that’s my favorite…your milage may (and very likely will) vary.

Own a couple Creedmoors. Both are easy shooting and very tolerant of different loads. However, I don’t hunt with them so all I can say is, in my RPR I get crazy good accuracy with the Hornady ELD-X. (My hunting rifle in CM was a real bust, but the issue was with the rifle., same thing with the one and only .308, rifle I owned, it was the least good rifle I ever owned.).

Brenda has had great luck hunting with her .243. We use Nosler Partition in it and get lots of penetration and lots of blood trail. A long throated .243 or 6mm Remington would be a great project. Just don’t let the .243 fool you, get a stock/chassis that you can live with. Even the .243 in an ill fitting stock is not that pleasant To shoot. So, that goes back to the 6mm Creedmoor. Keep loads a touch below max and barrel life should be acceptable.

Finally, for something truly fun and wonderful and really light shooting, try the .250-3000. Nice little round. Lots of good .257 bullets. Just be sure you get/build one with a 1-10 twist.

 

[spife7980]

Na man, shoot black bears at 500 yards with a 223.

“I’m gonna sell the perfectly adequate rifle I have now that already addresses every single complaint I had to post about in the first place and trade it for a smaller one that will do nothing for my legitimate complaints.”
“ps, that will most likely use the same powder and primers that would/could be used in all the creed recommendations”

 

[spife7980]

 

[Dildobaggins]

“I’m gonna sell the perfectly adequate rifle I have now that already addresses every single complaint I had to post about in the first place and trade it for a smaller one that will do nothing for my legitimate complaints.”
“ps, that will most likely use the same powder and primers that would/could be used in all the creed recommendations”

300 wsm is overkill for whitetail imo. Also, large rifle /magnum primers for 300 wsm, compared to SRP for 308, 6.5CM, and the like, which are available all the time...plus, close to 1/2 the powder per round, along with way cheaper brass, from more manufacturers, along with a substantially lower amount of recoil in a 6.5cm, 308win, 7-08 etc. I've also had 4 shoulder surgeries. Its not going to be pleasurable for me to shoot.

 

[supercorndogs]

300 wsm is overkill for whitetail imo. Also, large rifle /magnum primers for 300 wsm, compared to SRP for 308, 6.5CM, and the like, which are available all the time...plus, close to 1/2 the powder per round, along with way cheaper brass, from more manufacturers, along with a substantially lower amount of recoil in a 6.5cm, 308win, 7-08 etc. I've also had 4 shoulder surgeries. Its not going to be pleasurable for me to shoot.


View attachment 8076433

Tell me you have been shooting less than year, without saying you have been shooting less than a year.

Most 308 and 6.5 Creed brass use LRP. Also SRP were next to impossible to find a couple years ago. Also you are talking 40-45 grains vs 55-65 grains. More like 50% more powder.

"Overkill." Now its too dead, shit...

6.5 Creed is going to have substantially less recoil, than the 300WSM. If you are looking for something that shoots soft, the 6.5 Creed with 120 class bullets and a Varget burn rate powder is a great choice.

Or get a 223 for those 500y bears, common' man, they aren't that big. Plus you gots to protect them pic-a-nic baskets.

 

[Modoc]

When I first saw this thread, I was thinking about my 45-70 BPCR loads when I started. Fill that big case with fffg Black powder and seat a bullet. Too Easy.

@sirhrmechanic was right on with 38 special too.

I still roll back to 308 for a wide variety of suitable powders and bullets that will cover a variety of targets and ranges. Are there better cartridges for different applications? YES! But for component availability and the niche of JOATMON the 308 fills the check boxes.

 

[RTH1800]

.270 Winchester.

 

[Modoc]

I also think that the 308 is easier to load than 223 because of the standardized barrel twists. I’ve handled 223s in the same model of rifle that have twists from 1:7 to 1:14. Talk about messing with your mind.

 

[RTH1800]

When “easy” is your chief selection criteria excellence is not the most likely outcome.

 

[Dildobaggins]

When “easy” is your chief selection criteria excellence is not the most likely outcome.

Huh?

 

[supercorndogs]

When I first saw this thread, I was thinking about my 45-70 BPCR loads when I started. Fill that big case with fffg Black powder and seat a bullet. Too Easy.

@sirhrmechanic was right on with 38 special too.

I still roll back to 308 for a wide variety of suitable powders and bullets that will cover a variety of targets and ranges. Are there better cartridges for different applications? YES! But for component availability and the niche of JOATMON the 308 fills the check boxes.

The 6.5 Creed uses a wider range of powders than the 308. You can use anything from RL15, Varget or 4166 to h4350, 4831SC, or RL26. There are a wide range of projectiles available, as well as factory ammo. And its easier to shoot because it kicks it less, and drifts less in the wind.

I think its a more well rounded cartridge than the 308. I think the 308 and 6.5 are both a little better for hunting, than the fast 6mm stuff just because of impact velocity and meat damage.

I like my 280, 162g 2780 out of a 21" barrel.

 

[hafejd30]

308

You can run it on a shorter barrel and achieve excellent results on game inside 500 yards. 178 ELDX is what bullet I choose for long range hunting in the several I use

 

[Dildobaggins]

308

You can run it on a shorter barrel and achieve excellent results on game inside 500 yards. 178 ELDX is what bullet I choose for long range hunting in the several I use

Curious on velocities with 178. I was thinking a heavier contour with a 20in barrel in 308 or 6.5cm

 

[Modoc]

The 6.5 Creed uses a wider range of powders than the 308. You can use anything from RL15, Varget or 4166 to h4350, 4831SC, or RL26. There are a wide range of projectiles available, as well as factory ammo. And its easier to shoot because it kicks it less, and drifts less in the wind.

I think its a more well rounded cartridge than the 308. I think the 308 and 6.5 are both a little better for hunting, than the fast 6mm stuff just because of impact velocity and meat damage.

I like my 280, 162g 2780 out of a 21" barrel.

I will look into that. My experience with “new” cartridges has been the Grendel, but I can agree with your points. The 6.5c is just the newer version of my favorite cartridge the 6.5 Swede.

 

[hafejd30]

Curious on velocities with 178. I was thinking a heavier contour with a 20in barrel in 308 or 6.5cm

I run 178 ELDX, Lapua brass, CCI 200 and 42.5 grains IMR 4064. 2600 fps out of a 20” LW barrel on my AIAT

Killed many deer 100-550 yards and absolutely love the combo. Shot a bunch with my 260 and some with a 6.5 CM. I’ll take the 308/178 ELDX combo for inside 500 compared to the others

 

[supercorndogs]

Curious on velocities with 178. I was thinking a heavier contour with a 20in barrel in 308 or 6.5cm

I get 2620 Varget and 2720 RL-15 in my 23" 308. Would be like 2580 or 2680 @ 20". For 500y hunting i would be looking to drive a 155 or 168 faster rather than going heavy for cartridge like the 178. You are going to get less wind drift by picking up some velocity despite loosing B.C, until you get father out than 500y.

 

[Dildobaggins]

I get 2620 Varget and 2720 RL-15 in my 23" 308. Would be like 2580 or 2680 @ 20". For 500y hunting i would be looking to drive a 155 or 168 faster rather than going heavy for cartridge like the 178. You are going to get less wind drift by picking up some velocity despite loosing B.C, until you get father out than 500y.

Think I've narrowed it down to a 6.5cm or 308 win. If I go with the 308, I'll do that. Maybe try some 150gr game kings or 155 eld. Going to run some numbers in ballistic calculators. I imagine a 150 grain would have 1,000ftlbs or more at around 500 yards?

 

[jakelly]

If you go .308 the bullet alone (155 -175) will weigh more than a 120 gr bullet and the 40 gr powder charge in a 6.5. That’s not the end of the world, but if it was my surgically repaired shoulder, I sure wouldn’t make an appreciable jump in recoil for an appreciable drop in terminal ballistics.