Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats What caliber for my next rifle?

Please help me out here so I don't overlook something. My next rifle project is going to be a lighter gun than my others. I am locked into using a long 700 action. I have that great looking McMillan mountian rifle stock that Rick painted for me. Now I need to decide what to put into it. Here is a list of what I already have and what I like.
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<br>I have the heavy barrel varmint rifle needs covered for now with a .222 Remington Varmint rifle and a 25-06 Remington Sendero. I also use the Sendero for deer hunting from blinds.
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<br>I have a Rugger M77 220 Swift (tang safety, factory sporter weight barrel) that I use for varmint calling and deer. And a Remington BDL in .243 that my son uses for everything he shoots.
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<br>I am in the process of building a 7mm Rem mag on a 700 action, Pac Nor # 4 contour barrel at 24 inches in a McMillan Sako hunter stock. This is not a light weight rifle but I don't consider it heavy either. I intend to use it when I go hunting for critters larger than whitetail deer when the shooting will be off hand or in field rest positions.
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<br>I do not like 30 calibers and don't want to go there or anything larger. What am I to do with the light rifle? Right now I am thinking a light 25-06 so I can leave the Sendero at home when I go walking and deer hunting at the same time. I have also thought about another 220 Swift. But my Rugger is such a good shooter and light enough for me. Why make a duplicate?
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<br>I want to make a light rifle to hunt deer size game. I want to keep the barrel length to 22 -23 inches with perhaps a # 2 contour? If it were a short action I would go with the 25-284 without a second thought. Leading myself back to the 25-06 am I not? It is likely that this rifle may end up being my youngest son's deer rifle in about six more years. I will shoot nothing but handloads anyway, so It does not have to be a factory cartridge. I want something that will fit between the .243 and the 7mm Rem mag in a light package. That narrows it down a bit, but there is still much wiggle room there.
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<br>What am I over looknig here guys? Do you see choices I don't. If you were in my place what would you do with the mountan rifle knowing you are locked in to using the long action?
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<br>I have already built the rifle in my mind, but for the cartridge. Think deer, antelope, and other such critters that are smaller than your big bull elk and that is how I plan to use it.

Gee this is easy...
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<br>I think everybody ought'a have two 25-06's. One light and one heavy. Case closed.
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<br>Uhhhh..............I HAVE heard of something called a .270 seems to me like a few folks sorta like those. Then there's this wildcat 6.5-06 thing and it seems like................Bah! Now ya got me doin' it.
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<br>Light 25-06.....yeah! that's it! that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
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<br>Don't let daddy take the T-Bird away.
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<br>JimF

Understand your quandry. Have a new stainless 700 LA, fresh grey McMillan KS, Williams SS ADL trigger guard, and a spare Jewell HVR trigger that awaits a purpose in life. The stainless LA is in 06' but it leaves me fairly cold. Effective though it is. Really just need a direction to go in after Mr. Ricks gets done with the .375 H&H and Hart gets done with .300 Winchester... Well that and a little time for my piggy bank to recoupe. She's pretty pitifull looking at the moment;-)...
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<br>Regards, Matt.

I'm a definite .270 fan, so that gets my vote.
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<br>Mike

PDS,A 270 WIn in a 23 inch barrel will do it all.And do it well.Its like they say, the 270 is the mag without the belt.
<br>dave

PDS,
<br> 25-06 Ack.... or if you're brave, 25 gibbs.
<br> VB

hmmmm, I like the sound of a 7-08. But as others say the 270 in also great but a 7-08 should do a great job. Just read that you are using a long action so that takes care of the 7-08 but like the others say the 270 is great or my favorite the 270 weatherby.
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<br>Brian

Well let's see, you have the varmint thing covered,the 7 Mag will take care of the whitetail thing.What I have in the rack is darn close to what I have.I have a heavy barrel 700/223,a heavy barrel 22-250 Sako,a 700MR 257 Rbts,a 700/7Mag and a 700/300Win. I have a stainless 700 in 270 that I think will be the donor for my next project,after I get my 7-08AI in the Sako from the smith.I know of another fellow getting a 6.5-06 done,maybe that's it,..will do whatever the 25-06 and the 270 will do.Or what about a 280 AI,too close to the 7 Mag you say?I think you're right.Maybe you should do a 338 Win Mag?Or leave the bolt face alone and do a 338-06 or 338-06 Ackley?Or maybe a plain old 35 Whelen.It's a tough decision.But two 25-06's sounds good too, a "heavy" and a "light". I know I haven't been much help but you'll get it figured out.Half the fun is in the deciding and the planning.

PDS,
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<br> With that battery I would definitely consider the 6.5-06. Can drop down the bullet weight almost as low as with the 25-06 (85g Sierra) if you want to coyote hunt or for crow/target plinking. The advantage it has over the 25-06 is the ability to shoot heavy bullets.......if called for.
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<br> A 1:9 twist will shoot 85g - 140g bullets. That pretty much covers non-dangerous game in N.A. 100g - 129g bullets are great on whitetail. 140g bullets have a good track record on European Elge (similar to our elk) out of the 6.5x55 and the 6.5-06 would add a little more velocity. Very easy to convert 25-06 brass with a stroke through the sizing die.
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<br> It is a flat shooting, deep penetrating, versatile cartridge with nominal recoil. Almost duplicates the performance of the 25-06 and the 270.......in one rifle. You might consider that versatility since one day it may be your sons only rifle.

PDS, Have you thought about the 260? Lots of good things possible and it is a factory loading too! JMHO TM

I vote for the 6.5-06. It will provide you with the ultimate deer caliber. You will also be able to shoot light bullets for some varmint work/practice.
<br>John

<br>sounds to me like you want a light, well-balanced, sweet-shooting sneak rifle in 6.5x55.
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<br>might as well use the whole length of that LA rather than lose the shorter .260 rem cartridge in the mag.
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<br>i'd put a single power scope on it, too, to keep things dead simple.
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<br>betcha it becomes the gun you pick up first.

Prairie Dog Shooter: I think i would go with the 6.5-06 or the improved version. It fills the bill nicely! Swede96.

try 6.5x55 swe. i have been hunting moose in norway.
it is very good.strong enough,i use swift 140g.a-frame

PDS,

Years ago I built a pair of rifles: a 6.5-'06 for hunting, and a .280 Rem to shoot Metallic Silhouette.

If I did it today I expect I would hunt with the 7 mm and target shoot with the 6.5. This is really splitting hairs though.

I owned a .270 for about 15 minutes once (I won it at an SCI banquet), it would work well too.

My lightweight deer gun is a Ruger M77 lightweight in .250 Savage. This rifle will go to a grandson soon.

jim

PDS:

I vote 6.5-06. Same Ballistics as a 6.5-284, which is a heckuva deer round.

Good Shooting,

BMT

Why not 6.5-284 on a Long Action? Sean

I'd cast yet another vote for the 6.5-06. I have both the 6.5-06 and the 6.5-284 and there isn't enough difference to matter. I like the 6.5-284 a little better (personal preference), but in the LA I'd go with the '06 just cause you can. Cases are easier to come by and all else is about equal. The 6.5 bullet range and SD are fantastic and it does make a truly excellent all around choice. 1:9 twist is the way to go. It would also make an excellent choice for a kid starting out. There's very little recoil and it hits a lot harder than it should due to the great SD of the 6.5 bullets. Varmints to Moose and everything in between is about as versatile as you can ask for...

25-06!!! mine is a win 70, 24" shilen stainless at 24", mcmillan featherweight stock, tally r&b and 6x42 schmidt & bender.

PDS,

As many have said ... 6.5-06. Pick the improved version if you are looking something a bit more unique.

In bullet selection you get from 85 varmit class to 160 heavy game class bullets. The B.C. of the spitzers is way up there for long range hunting or target work.

To get case real easy either neck up 25-06 cases or neck down 270 cases. No matter what you will always have a source for cases.

22 to 23 inch barrel should give you 270 or more class performance no problems.