Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Help me choose a cartridge for my next rifle.

This is what I have;
.222 Remington - heavy varmint
.220 Swift - sporter
.243 Winchester - sporter
.25-06 Remington - heavy Sendero
.270 Winchester - light sporter
.7mm Rem. Mag. - sporter

I hunt critters and varmints from prairie dogs to deer. I really don't have a use for 30 calibers or larger. What should my next project be?

I believe Stick would go along with this one. How about the 7mm-08imp. Hunt anything from varmints to whitetail, elk or whatever. Anything short of dangerous game. Know you already have the 7mag but this would be one without the kick. WWould probably reccomend a sporter weight barrel. My preference is a 26"tube but very few here like the long barrels because of the extra weight. I refuse to own a rifle without one. May not make that much difference in velocity, but I like every ounce of performance I can get from a round. And besides the longer tube definitely wont "hurt" performance. But long or short barrel in a varmint or sporter contour is a win-win situation in the 7-08imp.

Go for a real change of pace here....

You seem to be a bolt fella so I will try and convince you of doing a 450 Marlin on model 7 or such..

Next make the barrel no longer then 20... Though personally I would do 17 inch in a laminate manlincher set up.

Finally get the dies and cases. For bullets go with cast. Do a 300g load in the 800 to 1000 range, and a 400g cast in the 1500 fps range.

You already have rifles with speed and range for what you do. The 450 Marlin would give you a handy carry rifle that duplicates what great grand dad had. Try praire dogs with the sub sonic 300g. Yes the range will be short but it will be fun.

This would be purely for fun and if you really want you could do short range hunting with it also.. but the main point would be fun. It is amazing to rediscover how well those slow lead bullets shoot. Also it is cheap.

You asked for free advice and this may just be worth what you paid for it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

You don't have an holes in your lineup,so I'd opt fun.

Either a kick ass 10/22 or a midweight 223AI...............

.17 Mach IV or .17 Remington.

George

I agree with George, try the .17 Remington. These little buggers are just a blast to shoot. They cost peanuts to reload, push a 25 gr bullet over 4,000 fps and have no recoil at all. Mount a 6x18 or better tube on top and you have a first-class varmint rig. I have one in a Rem. M700 BDL with a 8.5x25 Vari-X III on top and I can count the hairs on a PD's chin at 350 yards. Actually, it's too much scope. I should take that off and put on one of my other VX-III's in lesser power..

I's sell the .243 and get a 6mm A.I. rem. The .17 Rem is a good suggestion, but it won't offer anything over the .220 swift (which can also be loaded well over 4000 fps).

Oh, and another good one might be either a factory .264 win mag or better yet a 6mm/264! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> 25-284 <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> :grin

That's what I'm gonna build.

You can't beat em with a stick even a Big Stick <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Never said I was gonna sell one......

There isn't really any holes in your lineup so just scratch whatever itch you might have. Maybe a "tactical" style rifle or an AR-15.

He's got to use that new blue and white swirlly stock for something and it's inletted for a SA Sucks. [color:"red"] 25-284 [/color] you know you want one so GO FOR IT. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Stainless action and barrel.

I can't argue against the 25-284 since I want one so bad. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> But does he want one?

Can't see where there is any need for a new cartridge in your line-up so why not go big. Sean

A 308 or 3006 in a Rem 7600 pump. It will not be much different, but you need a change of pace in action types. It will be the one you grab when you head for the woods or the corn.

Tough question. You've got the bases well covered! Still giving it some thought........

MtnHtr

PDS,

Know you don't want to venture into the world of the .30's ... Honestly ... a .308 would fit the bill nicely, just cause ammo is dirt cheap, enough recoil to have some fun with but not gonna hammer you all day plinking.

Perhaps something like a Mini-14/30 could be fun too ... cheap to shoot ... probably not as accurate as your used to though.

Just ramblin' thoughts here ....

Here's what keeps floating around in my mind... I've shot several .17 Remingtons and I like 'em. The .223 AI is very tempting. I do want a [color:"red"] .25-284 [/color] in a bad way. That blue and white swirly will be the britches this rifle will wear. Stainless action and barrel for sure, just not quite sure on the caliber yet. Can't decide if I want another dual purpose rifle or another varmint calling rifle. If I ever get to hunt critters too large for the 7mm Rem Mag I think I'd go for a 338 Win Mag. But I'm not going down that path any time soon.

PD daul purpose is definitely the .25-284.

Mine will be on a Sucks blued action, will have to get it bead blasted and coated with a Timney trigger (have both on hand) and it looks like I will have to settle for the B&C Medalist stock in camo pattern( Just can't afford the Mac rite now). Wonder if we could get a 2 for deal on the barrels. Hmm wonder what it would look like with a stainless barrel on the matte action with the camo stock.

What brand of barrel do you think you will go with. Also what contour are you thinking about for you new shootin iron.

i'd say your 25-06 kinda has the 25/284 covered. how about a 6.5/284 on a 700 long? #2@ 26". nice pepper laminate. hi gloss blue. and the glass of your flavor. all in at about 8.5# with your glass. that would make a mighty fine walkin rig.....
woofer