Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Best Long Range Rock Chuck rig recommendations

was looking for input for a long range set up to take shots at say Rock Chucks at 500 to 700 yds type of rig..

Currently have available 22.250 ( and with a fast 1 in 7 twist), 243s (with one in 9 twist)... 6 mm Rem ( with one in 7 twist) and a new 25/06 heavy barrel for my Savages...

was looking to top this with a 8 x 32 or 10 x 40 scope..

of the available rifles, which one do you guys with experience think would give me the best flattest shooting set up? and what bullet weights should I be considering??? ( do want something that will be explosive.. )

I can also consider punching one of the 22.250s out to an Ackley or to a 220 Swift...

this will not be a high volume shooter, so not necessarily concerned about barrel wear potential...

thanks for your input in advance..
cheers
seafire

I'd pick either the 6mm Rem or the .25-06, depending on which shot better. And for the type of shooting you mention here, I'd be looking for a consistent sub-.5 MOA shooter. Even at that, you have quite a challenge. I'd stay away from the .22s; wind is not your friend. And on the explosive business, you're out of luck at long range. None of these has enough velocity left to be explosive as these cartridges can be inside of 400 yards.

Another issue is scope - for that range, you need more power.

I would go with either the 6rem or the 243.. Since the 6rem has a 7 twist I would run the 105 Amax. Since the 243 has a 9 twist the 87gr vmax would be a great choice. depending on what speed you will be running the 243 and the 87gr should be alittle flatter then the 6 but the 6 will buck the wind a bit better just because of the better bc of the 105. say 243 with 87's @ 3200fps will get you 800 at about 18moa while the 6 at say 2900 will get you there in about 20moa. its not all that big of difference..

I shoot the 243AI with a 10 twist launching the Sierra 70 grain Blitzkings & 75 grn Hornady V-maxes... My objective is to kill them once I hit them.. I have made kills out to 880 yards on groundhogs.... match bullets may pass thru at extended ranges. My rifle is shooting very nicely-.75" groups @ 325 yards watching the wind very carefully.
You can certainly hit them with match bullets but dispatching them is another matter.

Hey John,
Going heavy with the 22-250 is always cool. Hard to fight cool.

You know kind of like squeeks at 250 with the 22 rf.

I used the 6mm Remington 700 BDL years ago and used Sierra bullets in the 85BT weight. The rifle shot .320-MOA many times and never shot over .500-MOA.

I now use a 25-06 Savage with bull stainless fluted barrel and reload my own of course. It too is very accurate but shooting over 400 yards takes more than just a quality good shooting rifle, it takes lots of knowledge and experience dopping the wind and such, plus know how.

Got a buddy that's shooting coyotes at long-range with an AR-10 243/87 V-Max. He's got his std. trajectory established well on his I-pod Touch (JBM Ballistics program using the G7 drag function) and then calls in to the airport every so many hours for a density altitude update that goes into the 'puter for the most up-to-date air density changes. Been working pretty well for him. he has 1st shot kills at 785, 650, 535 and 470 on coyotes this past season.

Id also consider the 6.5-284 with the new 123-grain A-Max Hornady's putting out.

6mm Rem. You get style points and women are naturally more attracted to a man who shoots a 6mm Rem at rockchucks.

Seafire, I shot a heavy load of R#19 with a sierra 80g Blitz BT, velocity was 3600 fps in a 26" barrel, accuracy was supurb with all bullets touching at 100. At 300, I could catch a chuck under the chin and lift him clean over the rock with acrobatics!

Your twist rate will for sure change things up a bit in your 6 Remm, bullets will explode a little more, pressures will spike qucker.

If you were starting from scratch, a 244 AI with zero freebore in a 12 twist would shoot the 75g V max at 3800 fps+ with extreme accuracy. I shot the 70's at 450 fps out of one with a 1-14 twist and never full length sized the brass. Chamber in this rifle was minimum spec match with zero freebore and a .2435 throat. I don't think that the 87g V max gives reliable expansion shot after shot on chucks, coyotes yes.

Good luck!

Seafire,no one has mentioned it,but with the 22's and 6's the bullet impact is harder to see at the very long ranges.The big 7mm's and 30's kick up a lot more dirt and grass making it a little easier to "walk one in".It depends on how serious you want to get. Having said that, a 6mm Ackley with the 87 V-Max is pretty impressive at 400-600.

If you didn't already have the 243 and 6mm rem I'd say you need a 6mmbr 1-8 twist barrel. You probably NEED one anyway!
check 6mmbr.com ,for some ideas.

The heavy bullet shot at 6 BR velocties do not expand on chucks. Even the 87g V max does not reliably expand on chucks.

Mike,

My fast twist 22.250 will launch 75 and 80 grain A Maxes at 3300 to 3350 fps..that is pretty COOL..

I am leaning to relying on the 6mm Rem tho...with the 22.250 for a back up plan..

I'm thinking of sticking with the fast twist 6mm REM.. just need to up grade to some dynamite optics on it as all.. was thinking the 4.5 x 30 Bushnell 6500 Series might just be the ticket...

This Remington is on a Model 700 Long Action, with a PAC NOR stainless barrel..24 inches in length, Heavy Magnum Contour...
It is the most accurate rifle of all the ones I own..

Rechecked out some old notes.. Hornady 75 grain HPs leave the muzzle at between 3650 to 3725 fps.....

on the opposite end.. a 115 grain Berger will exit the barrel at 3250 fps, with a load of Rl 19...

The rifle is throated to accept cartridges to full magazine length..so the bullets can be seated long....going to maybe upgrade the stock also..

Thanks for all the input guys...now just to find some unsuspecting Rock Chucks over in Klamath Co, or Lake County...

6.5x284

50BMG its the only logical choice

You're kidding me - right....

Mackay, that's the million dollar answer.

I wish I would have never looked on the other side of the fence! I regrett trading off my model 700 bull barrel BDL in the 6mm caliber. It was so accurate shooting out to 400 yards that it was a total bore. I am sure it would handle anything out to 600 yards but we never shot that far 40 years ago.