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I have never been a long range shooter, I don't think I've killed big game past 150 yards. I want to build a semi-custom rifle to start shooting longer ranges and kill a few groundhogs here in PA. I will likely never shoot at a groundhog past 4-500 yards but would like to stretch out to 700-1000 yards on paper/gongs for the experience. I would also like to keep ammunition cost and recoil as low as possible and not get overly complicated forming cases or wildcatting.

My original thought was a 22-250 with a fast twist barrel (1:8ish) to shoot heavier bullets. Maybe an AI. I also considered a 243 with a standard twist and 90-100 grainers. Of course now everyone is 6.5 Creed happy. What are some other options? What would you pick?

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Are you a reloader? Practicing to become proficient at longer ranges will eat up quite a bit of ammo, so take that into consideration as well. Of the 2 choices you listed I'd go with the 243. Components are readily available, and reasonably priced. If you don't reload, there's lots of choices for factory ammo. I'd also look into the 308, barrel life is excellent and ammo/components are also readily available and relatively inexpensive.

I'm sure you're going to get lots of replies and probably the same amount of caliber selections.

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For lower recoil and wind bucking the 6 Creed and 6 dasher are what most of the 700-1,000 shooting (PRS Guys) are using... the 6.5 kicked just a bit more with a break than they wanted.

For up to 600 a very fast spinning 22 is really hard to beat kick wise, and wind bucking wise... so you were right on that.
700-1k... a 6 is better, and if it’s windy a fast 7mm is better as well (7 SAUM is what the F class guys have been winning with because of that).

One other thing you need to think about is good bullets... they really come into play at longer ranges, and 6mm has more of those than the rest so I’d say go with a 6mm.
The only problem with the creed is how fast it will eat the throat, ~1,500 rounds or less.

I did pick the 6 creed myself to start shooting at longer ranges because the speed helps you get in front of wind.

You’ll need a good scope as well so don’t forget that... if you shoot PRS you’ll need a ballistic calc tool also.

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6 creed, or a fast twist 243. The former is a better design. Both give great accuracy, and lots of bullet choices.105 Berger hybrids are tough to beat.

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Don't reinvent the wheel. 6.5 creed or 6 creed.

308 is fine choice as it used to be the cheapest long range factory ammo you could get (M118LR or 7.62 175 GMM), brass is cheap and easy to find, but BCs are from a different era unless you want a lot more recoil and are definitely going to load your own.

Cheapest option is .223 with 1/8 or 1/7 and buying loaded 77gr ammo of various flavors.

You're about to get into a very expensive hobby that you can't get good at with out a high round count. Once you shoot a while it becomes hilarious watching people come to the range with a ton of expensive gear and not be able to hit a 500 yard gong. It's the Indian rather than the arrow.

I would try to make life as easy as possible on the gear side. If you want to get good at this, focus on learning the skills rather than doing a deep dive into the gear. It might be wise to just buy a Tikka or Savage in 6.5 or 6 creed and just start shooting right away. Once you've shot the throat out of a barrel and actually know what you want, then build your custom rifle.

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You could also look at .223 AI. It requires fireforming, but that's as simple as loading up a regular .223 round and letting it rip. You'll get another 100-150 fps. Still cheap to load and shoot, and barrel life is reported to still be excellent.

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In .22, I'd do a 1:8 twist .220 Swift AI

In .24 , I'd likely do a 6-'06


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Just working on the same deal. Buddy and I are both building rem 700s in 223. 20” tube with 1:8 twist to run suppressed. Plan I’m running 75-77 grain bullets. Bought barrels that were short chambered and we finished out ourselves. Like another poster said this can be an expensive path.

We planned on building cheap to practice with our hunting rifles. But you start “wondering” if something might be BBC a little better. Easy to get a lot of money in.

Also good advice to buy a tikka or savage or Remington and shoot the snot out of it and think of what you really want. Don’t be afraid to find ranges or matches to stop and check stuff out. We’ve found most guys are pretty decent if ya just ask. Who doesn’t like showing off their toys.

Either way it money and time better spent than shooting than sitting in a bar or chasing women.

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There's no ground hogs around here. But I got a 223 and 243. Both in standard hunting configuration and a relatively small investment. I'll give them a try at 700 in a couple of weeks

I'd like to upgrade the 223 to a .223AI so the brass would last longer. And while I'm at it, go to an 8 twist. But there's lots of good factory .223 ammo designed for long range. I'm just getting my toes wet with loading for the .223, so it may be a while before I switch to .223AI.

If you're building your own, you can pick your poison. But to get started cheap, a Ruger American Predator reamed to AI and put in a laminated stock might fit the bill without being as cumbersome as a varmint rifle.
And I believe the .223 would have a much longer barrel life than most other rifles that might meet your criteria, unless you were willing to move up to a 6.5 chambering.

A 22-250 certainly shoots flatter than any .223 if you don't mind the barrel not lasting as long. This with an 8 twist is probably a really good choice if you reload. I don't know if they've started producing factory ammo with the long bullets yet.

My 243 is far from a competition rifle. It's a lightweight with moderate 9.25 twist that I'm hoping will shoot the shorter 105's accurately for the 700 yard range.
But again, if your building your own, the skies the limit.
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2017...en-uses-243-win-for-long-range-shooting/
That article is two and a half years old. But the 6mm Creedmoor was designed in 2009.

Of course, the 6 Creed is the easy button with all factory rifles set up to shoot the long range boxed ammo available for it. But I haven't seen them or ammo offered locally.

Last edited by DollarShort; 02/06/20.
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Redleg, you are in Pa. Not sure where, but if you want to meet some long range shooters, Ridgeway has a shooting event that has targets up to 1000 yards.. It is a Varmint shoot with steel cutouts of various varmints.. I attended one, not to shoot but look.. It was awesome.. Many smaller calibers in current use... When I got interested in long range stuff many years ago, the .300's and 7mm Mags ruled with a few 6.5-300's... The guys and gals are super friendly and you will see all kinds of long range rifles and stuff to go along with the shooting.. It would be worth your time to pay a visit... I hope to get up there this summer, if I get back in that country and have time.. Good luck..


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Here's another article about John Whiddon that I found interesting. Talks about how he uses a low neck tension and seats bullets way out, allowing them to "soft seat" themselves into the rifling.
https://www.accurateshooter.com/shooting-skills/john-whidden-shares-championship-secrets/

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.223 with 6" twist shooting the 88 ELD at 2600 would be a great learning tool.

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223 with 75s or heavier.

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Disclaimer, I don’t have any experience shooting competition or Custom builds.
But I did stay at Holliday inn and I know you said no 6.5
On serious note I bit the bullet this last summer and got a 6.5. I reload and found a load my tikka likes.
The other weekend I was out and found a gong set up at 850 yard or so I let her rip and even though I didn’t connect 100% of the time. I was right there.
For the price of ammo and availability is strongly suggest looking at the 6.5 for hunting and gongs

Last edited by Dre; 02/06/20.

All of them do something better than the 30-06, but none of them do everything as well.
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I think a fast twist 22-250 would be worth consideration.


Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.

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Originally Posted by Dre
Disclaimer, I don’t have any experience shooting competition or Custom builds.
But I did stay at Holliday inn and I know you said no 6.5
On serious note I bit the bullet this last summer and got a 6.5. I reload and found a load my tikka likes.
The other weekend I was out and found a gong set up at 850 yard or so I let her rip and even though I didn’t connect 100% of the time. I was right there.
For the price of ammo and availability is strongly suggest looking at the 6.5 for hunting and gongs


Dre, come on. He said no 6.5's... grin


Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.

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6.5x47 Lapua.
38.5g of Varget with a 123g to 500 yards.
40g of VV 550 with a 140g to 1000 yards.
Get a good rangefinder.
Thank me later.
dave


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Thanks for all of the great answers - you confirmed what I was thinking and caused me to consider some other options. I'm not opposed to a 6.5 if that is the best option. After a little more research, I definitely like the 6mm Creed. I do reload so that isn't an issue.

I'm keeping my eyes open for a lightly used 22-250 or 243 in varmint configuration (I would love a 700 VLS) so I can start shooting factory and then upgrade when it's shot out but he prices are crazy around here for well used guns. I've only just started the build sheet for this thing so that will be another project once I decide on caliber.

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If you reload, look at 6x47 Lapua, if not 6 creed. Both are very similar, more than enough for chucks, more than adequate for deer, and will get you to 1k paper punching without a problem. Where in PA are you located?


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I'm in Carlisle, south central just west of Harrisburg. I just moved here this summer with the Army and am trying to find something unique to do and shooting groundhogs seems pretty popular around here.

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