I am looking to build a high velocity varmint whacker. I have had a 220 swift in the past and using that as my base of comparison I'd like to stay at or above that level of performance, except I do not want another Swift.

Looking at staying between 50-85 grain projectiles with loads that will dot the I's and cross the T's.

Some chamberings I am considering: .223 WSSM, .224 TTH, 6mm AI, .243 WSSM

What's your opinion?

20 caliber. 20 Practical, 204 Ruger, 20 Tactical. Visit Saubier for small caliber education .

None of those .224" offerings you mentioned turn my crank so I'm forced to opine about 6mm's...

I would do a vanilla .243 and run 55's very fast or 75 really fast.

Or if you want to do something out of the ordinary (I'm assuming this is the case with your 6mm chambering mentions above) I'd Ackely it...grin...

A .204" fast twisted shooting 55's could do it for me too -

6mm-06

Forget the WSSMs...they are dead on the vine, and a PITA to mod the gun to, bolt face, mag box, follower etc....

My vote would be a .22-250 AI...tight twist

I agree, cant stand theWSSM's. for 22cal the 22-250AI twisted 1-8".
For a 6mm my choice is the 6mmAI also twisted 1-8"

what kind of varmints, and how many rounds per day and to what ranges?

Thx
Dober

Mark,
Strictly recreational on varmints, less than 50 per day. Will double as a doe whacker with head shots.

what kind of varmints though?

And at what kinds of ranges?

Thx
Dober

Coyotes mostly. Out to no more than 500 yards.

I'd pass on anything .20 caliber then -

My thoughts are still what I posted above -

Half right here... since you already got the Swift, go for a 6mm Remington. They beat a .243 in velocity by a bit and are extremely accurate. I have one with a 24 inch barrel and getting about 3400 FPS with a Hornady 75 grain hollow point, 500 yards is quite do-able. Death on varmints, coyotes included...

He said I had a swift at one time. A lot of shooting , he needs a 22 cal. Second rifle for long range calls for a 6mm IMHO. Hasbeen

I'm partial to my 22-250 just the way it is. You might check into a 22-243 though. It's mean and will ruin a yotes day quick!!!!

Shrapnel, I am a fellow 6mm fan. That one of yours is gorgeous. More pics and specifics of it would be fine with me.

Coyotes to 500yds? I would stay with the 243/6mm and use a 75gr+ bullet.

243AI 23" #2 contour action depends on your budget.
Tikka T3 varmint 223 punch it to AI mod the mag or have bottom metal installed to accept Accuracy International mags. Either will kill with authority.

500 yard on coyotes i would get out the 6-284 with 80-100 gr bullet. 6mm-06 would be practically the same

I'm running a 22" 6mm Rem 55gr Nosler BT at 4050fps. 1.5" high at 150 (highest point and dead on at 225ish) is 2.3" low at 300, less than 10" low at 400 and 23" at 500. Bests what I've seen with the 22-250. I have no experience with the Swift. Probably not an all day prarie dog option, but great on coyotes and eastern groundhogs (if you can find one since the coyotes have taken over).

M7

It is a Custom made 6mm Remington by Dennis Olson of Plains, MT. It has a 24 inch Lilja barrel and a Sako L-57 action from an old Colt Huntsman rifle. I use the 75 grain Hornady HP and it is a nearly one hole gun. I use the same bullet in my 6mm PPC so that is why the choice of bullet. It will shoot the 75 grain bullet at around 3400 FPS. 500 yards is easily within the dealdly range of this gun.

shrapnel,beautiful rifles..your a lucky guy..always love to see the photos of those fine weapons..

Now I wish I had not asked- am green with envy! Wow. What a collection you have. That one in particular is one of the nicest looking rifles I have ever seen - and it is in 6mm to boot!!! Well done Sir.

I run 87gr Vmax in my Browning 243wssm and love it. However if I was going to build a gun I'd probly go 6mm BR or 6mm/284

6mm Rem or .243 AI

At those ranges I'm with ingwe - 22-250AI with a fast twist.
Very similar performance as a 220 Swift, but easier on brass, and if you get lazy you can shoot regular 22-250 ammo in it.
If you want something with a larger bore a plain 243 or 6mm with a fast twist and heavier bullets will smoke 'yotes at that range and you don't have to mess with brass issues, or you can drop down to the light 55gr BT or similar weight Vmaxes and your velocity is right back up in the fast 22 caliber range.............
Good luck whatever you decide,
Ted

A 6x45 (6mmx.223) will do this all the time for you.
Will drop a coyote to 600 yards w/ a 65g vmax & deer to 400 yards w/ 80g-95g bullets.
Low recoil, easy to load, very accurate.

I went with the 243AI , you have a little shorter case to allow for longer bullets and easyer to come up with good brass. Ive killed three dogs with this rifle this year shooting a berger 87gr VLD. Great results. My son also took his first buck with this combo this fall.

243 AI , that is mine in my avatar. Savage model 11, had the factory barrel rechambered to AI for a semi light calling rifle. So fare my longest shot has been at 326 yards. It is my go to rifle when it is windy.

i use a plain old.243 and rarly shoot over 200 yrds but have killed 2 coyotes at over 550yrds with my 243. get a gun you like and go hunting.rio7

Any 6mm with a 1-8 twist to shoot the berger 105 VLD's.

shrapnel someone is doing a fine job picking your wood, very nice.

The 6mm Remington is under-rated and gets no respect. Awesome round for what you want to do!

Model 7 with 22" Remington 1-9 twist barrel, aftermarket 3-position safety, Brown Precision FS stock. Should be finished this coming Tuesday.



DMc

I'm for the 6AI. Good performance boost, and it will push those 75s fast. Otherwise, 6-284. My cousin has a Cooper and it is lightning. He is shooting the 87 Berger. 1 1/4" at 500, real fast.

Right on with those suggestions for sensible cartridges and rifles (if you don't catch wildcat fever): .22-.250, 6mm Rem, .243 and such are readily available and will give good service for the work you described.

If you just can't live without $100 (or more) dies and another fee for a chamber reaming, check on the availability of brass before you start thinking outside the magazine. When cases are hard to find/uncommon, the price goes up and you shoot less. Case forming time and loads are regarded as a burden by some, while others think of it as time invested in a pleasant hobby. Which one are you?

"Hi, my name is Jim and I'm a handloader. I can control myself most of the time and have a gun safe full of oddball guns that will make you drool. Look at the gorgeous wood on this .227 rifle, and forget about finding affordable bullets. How 'bout this beauty that shoots half-inch groups at 150 yards, but only when using 70 grains of Finnish powder at $31 per pound, one-manufacturer brass that needs 10 minutes of tweaking before usable and drives hand-swaged 109 grain Silver bullets at 3350 fps?"

TOO FUNNY Border Doc!!!

6mm Remy Mdl 7 (bottom) completed:



Shown with McMillan KS ADL Mdl 7 300 Savage

DMc

Id say 6mm or 6mmAI... If your not worried about saving fur nothing anchor a coyote like 70gr moving over 3500fps