Thoughts on my cartridge selection?

[TurdFerguson]

Putting together a Remage rifle with an old long action 700. I have the chassis and what not set up. Just deciding on calibers. I am going to be poor here instead of somewhere else. It may be a while before I can set another one up similarly, so I am trying to get the most bang for my buck. Rifle would be entered into local tactical class competitions/ sometime drug out for groundhog or predator hunting.

I am looking at getting 2 calibers from Criterion:
308- Easy to load for, good barrel life, I have lots of components. Mostly for predator hunting or plinking at the range (100-1k) Looking at a 22 or 24 inch Varmint contour.
6.5x55 Swede- Take advantage of the long action+good ballistics. Components are available locally. Not sure what would be a good load, have some friends who like it a lot. Not sure on a contour, maybe heavy palma?

Looking at other calibers as well:
280 Remington
6.5 Creed
6mm Remington (take advantage of case size vs action length)
3006

 

[The D]

Looks like a good list. As easy as bolt guns are to tinker with now, the choice of cartridges is sort of arbitrary. Especially if you reload. My barrel wish list looks like this;

.30-06
280ai
260 Rem
25 Creedmoor
6x47 Lapua
22GT


This is just my opinion but, unless you have an emotional attachment to a certain cartridge(which is totally fine) your cartridge choices should be based on availability of the best brass

 

[R_A_W]

.308 is a great choice

If you want a long action caliber suitable for large game at longer ranges, I’d look at .280AI over the .280 Remington. if you just want a target round, 6.5CM should be the second barrel. That said, 6.5CM is pretty similar to a .308 IMO…

30-06 performance gains vs a 308 aren’t substantial enough for me to want one.

I’d probably go 6.5PRC over 6Rem, but that’s just me (would require a second bolt)

edit - revising the above after reading through the .30-06 handloads thread, pretty great performance w/ 200+ grain bullets out of a .473 bolt face

 

[Rob01]

It's a long action. Use a long action cartridge or plan on being frustrated.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

as an alternative of the 6.5x55 (a good choice in my opinion) would be a fast twist .25-06. Berger 133 bullets are regularly available and hopefully other brands as well. A bit more powder capacity than the 6.5x55 and as far as cases go probably the easiest to come by because at least one of the virtually unlimited .30-06 family is available. The .25-06 Is easily formed from any of them.

I would tend to discourage the members of the .308 family. That includes the 6.5 Creedmoor family. Just go with the .30-06, no sense in loosing the advantages of the long action.

 

[CerebralDistortion]

308 and 6.5x55 BJAI 40° or 280AI.

 

[The D]

6.5x55 BJAI 40°

What is this jumble of symbols?

Edit: lol, I realize this may seem a bit harsh. Genuinely curious

 

[spife7980]

What is this jumble of symbols?

Edit: lol, I realize this may seem a bit harsh. Genuinely curious

its a 6x55 ackley improved with a 40 degree shoulder variant

stolen from accurateshooter
""Bob Jourdan Ackley Improved" or BJAI - Jourdan's version is a blown out case with a 40 degree shoulder and a straight or nearly straight taper."

 

[CerebralDistortion]

What is this jumble of symbols?

Edit: lol, I realize this may seem a bit harsh. Genuinely curious

Base cartridge 6.5x55 Swede Bob Jourdan Ackley Improved 40 degrees.

Ackley never did the 6.5x55 so Robert Jourdan did.

No worries mate.

 

[The D]

its a 6x55 ackley improved with a 40 degree shoulder variant

stolen from accurateshooter
""Bob Jourdan Ackley Improved" or BJAI - Jourdan's version is a blown out case with a 40 degree shoulder and a straight or nearly straight taper."

Base cartridge 6.5x55 Swede Bob Jourdan Ackley Improved 40 degrees.

Ackley never did the 6.5x55 so Robert Jourdan did.

No worries mate.

Right on, thanks.

 

[TurdFerguson]

What would good contours be? Im thinking 280 ai if I can get it chambered and the venerable 308. I was thinking varmint for the 308 22 or 24 inch and heavy palma for the 280 24 in? Would 280 benefit from a 26 inch?

 

[Rob01]

Both would benefit from a 26”.

 

[CerebralDistortion]

Long barrel for the 280AI. 26" is probably enough (same for a 6.5x55 AI).

Profile as heavy as is practical for you. Kriegers "Remington varmint" is heavy enough, but go heavier if you like.

 

[n2ishun]

Looking backwards.....reloading possibilities.
If you go 30-06 it would be simple to also go 25-06 and then turn around and do 35 whelen.
They all be the same case, and like, stuff.

I realize you can also do that if you go 308 route.....but dewd ?
Long action.
Much better long range ballistics with the bigger 06 case.

I haven't hugged my 30-06 lately, maybe it's about time.
Sumbitch is a very long range bambi killin machine...and elk...and bear....and even (gasp!) paper.

 

[MarshallDodge]

On your list, I only have experience with the 308 and 30-06. My thoughts are to pick the latter, although the 6.5x55 sounds like something fun...as long as you have a brake on the end of the barrel

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

Looking backwards.....reloading possibilities.
If you go 30-06 it would be simple to also go 25-06 and then turn around and do 35 whelen.
They all be the same case, and like, stuff.

I realize you can also do that if you go 308 route.....but dewd ?
Long action.
Much better long range ballistics with the bigger 06 case.

I haven't hugged my 30-06 lately, maybe it's about time.
Sumbitch is a very long range bambi killin machine...and elk...and bear....and even (gasp!) paper.

With the .30-06 case, forming .25-06 and 35 Whelen is easy. Making cases from the .308; not so much, in fact, not many folks bother. They used to make 7BR cases from .308 small rifle primer cases. The die set alone cast over 300, 1970’s Dollars!

Heck, in the days when I started shooting .25-06, they did not make .25-06 cases. Made .35 Whelen cases from .30-06 as well. Probably the easiest case forming I ever came across.

I agree, There is so much to like about the .30-06 and its family and with a long action rifle, why consider a short action round.

One other thought. Making bullets is doable. Actually making primers while rather dangerous but with some effort, doable (the little peoples of the USSR used to make their own) Making black powder is doable. But making cases from scratch is beyond what a fellow in could do at home.

 

[cas6969]

I usually choose based on what I haven't owned yet.
A couple years ago I might have said .25-06. Today I would say 6.5-06 or 6.5-06AI.

 

[CerebralDistortion]

Oppinion:

Once you are passed 6,5x55AI in powder capacity you are approaching point of diminishing return fast.

30-06 is a versatile cartridge. But if you don't need energy on target, 6 mm/.243 bullets are probably enough and have "better" BC and less recoil.

30-06 brass can be used for making brass for a lot of different cartridges, including 280AI.

Feel free to disagree.

 

[psharon78]

284 chambered for heavy bullets

 

[TurdFerguson]

One last stupid question…. I know the Remage barrels would be simple to produce. Would companies like Bartlein, Douglas or Schneider spin up a remage? Or is Criterion the only game in town.

 

[The D]

One last stupid question…. I know the Remage barrels would be simple to produce. Would companies like Bartlein, Douglas or Schneider spin up a remage? Or is Criterion the only game in town.

Lots of places make remage barrels.

PVA sell Rock Creek and their Osprey barrel as remages, for a few specific examples

 

[TurdFerguson]

Probably going to be laughed at but the first barrel is ordered. Originally ordered it in 308 but seriously looked at the 3006 reloading section here.... I just emailed Northland shooter supply to change it over 3006+guages... Poor mans 300 win mag here I come...

 

[Rob01]

Smart move. And will lead to less frustration with feeding short action cartridge through a long action.

 

[The D]

Probably going to be laughed at but the first barrel is ordered. Originally ordered it in 308 but seriously looked at the 3006 reloading section here.... I just emailed Northland shooter supply to change it over 3006+guages... Poor mans 300 win mag here I come...

You’ll not be laughed at for choosing God’s cartridge over that half pint, friend. There’s not a whole lot the ‘ol graybeard can’t get done

 

[R_A_W]

What twist did you order for the .30-06?

I'd shoot the .30-06 barrel for a while before deciding on another caliber & buying a second barrel.

 

[TurdFerguson]

I went 1:10 I figured a general jack of all trades twist would be a good start.