Will be getting a remington sportsman 78 (adl) in .223. Do I leave the bolt face alone a build a .223 or .223 AI or open the bolt face and have a .22 or 6 BR or something in a 6.5(grendel, creedmore or 6.5x47 lapua). Mostly varmints (pd's and coyotes) or depending on caliber a short range deer rifle for wife and kids. Lets hear your suggestions. Thanks,
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Re: new build....help pick the caliber
If prarie dogs are your main focus then the .243 is pretty good, as is a 22-250, and the .223AI. All would be fine on coyotes as well.
If you want to also be able to do some more long range shooting with the rifle than the 6.5mm has a lot of options but personally I would probably just start with a .308 bolt rather than pay to enlarge the one you already have.
Just my .02.
If prarie dogs are your main focus then the .243 is pretty good, as is a 22-250, and the .223AI. All would be fine on coyotes as well.
If you want to also be able to do some more long range shooting with the rifle than the 6.5mm has a lot of options but personally I would probably just start with a .308 bolt rather than pay to enlarge the one you already have.
Just my .02.
Re: new build....help pick the caliber
Yep my pick would be the .223AI and shoot 75gr Amax bullets
Reason, A Max bullets are reasonably priced. It recoil light enough that your wife and kid would shoot it and the Amax is a heavy enough bullet to kill prairie dogs to whitetail deer with a proper placed shot.
If I were going the 6.5 route to the 6.5X47 lapua
Yep my pick would be the .223AI and shoot 75gr Amax bullets
Reason, A Max bullets are reasonably priced. It recoil light enough that your wife and kid would shoot it and the Amax is a heavy enough bullet to kill prairie dogs to whitetail deer with a proper placed shot.
If I were going the 6.5 route to the 6.5X47 lapua
Re: new build....help pick the caliber
My approach would be to get a .22-250, or a .308 and rebarrel to .22-250. This chambering is capable of being loaded according to .223 and .22-250 performance specs and anything in between, without needing to do anything special about brass, etc. For the 75gr and somewhat heavier, the rifling twist neeeds to be at least 1:9" and might do better with 1:8". Really lightweight bullets might be at a disadvantage at peak load velocities, in that the fast twist could result in bullet disintegration due to exessive spin.
Folks will also point out that the .22-250 can be punishing on the bore/throat, but that's only especially true when loading the case to its peak potential, which is decidedly not absolutely necessary. The chambering also lends itself to tailering such loads downward while still maintaining very decent performance.
Such flexibility can be a particularly valuable asset.
I went through a bad patch a few years ago and had to sell a number of cherished rifles. But of all the ones I sold, the only one I honestly miss is the .22-250.
Greg
My approach would be to get a .22-250, or a .308 and rebarrel to .22-250. This chambering is capable of being loaded according to .223 and .22-250 performance specs and anything in between, without needing to do anything special about brass, etc. For the 75gr and somewhat heavier, the rifling twist neeeds to be at least 1:9" and might do better with 1:8". Really lightweight bullets might be at a disadvantage at peak load velocities, in that the fast twist could result in bullet disintegration due to exessive spin.
Folks will also point out that the .22-250 can be punishing on the bore/throat, but that's only especially true when loading the case to its peak potential, which is decidedly not absolutely necessary. The chambering also lends itself to tailering such loads downward while still maintaining very decent performance.
Such flexibility can be a particularly valuable asset.
I went through a bad patch a few years ago and had to sell a number of cherished rifles. But of all the ones I sold, the only one I honestly miss is the .22-250.
Greg
I have a savage bolt rifle that started out as a 223. Just because I could ..I swapped out the bolt head and put on a new X-Caliber barrel in .224 Vakyrie. I don't regret it. Shoots much better than expected. It really likes the 88 gr
ELD bullets. I also looked pretty seriously into a 22_250 AI and the 243-22 both are great .... but in these times of shortages I liked the Valkyrie
ELD bullets. I also looked pretty seriously into a 22_250 AI and the 243-22 both are great .... but in these times of shortages I liked the Valkyrie
I tried three different times to get three different .224 Valkyrie's to shoot well (or even "just OK"). Thousands of dollars and years of frustration later ... I gave up and went in other directions. I hope you have better luck than I did.
Resurrecting an almost 13 year old thread, bless your heart! All kidding aside, it happens on occasion to the best of us when we don't check the dates.
