Help me complete my 3 gun collection

[Namibia Hunter]

6.5x68s to pair with your 8?

Now that does sound really exciting. If I can find a rifle chambered in this cartridge we may just have a winner...

 

[Namibia Hunter]

6, 7, 8, and 9!

Yes after the 6 I will definitely need a 9.3x62 as well. And maybe a 10.75.

 

[Namibia Hunter]

Hello Namibia Hunter,

Your 8x68 rifle seems like it’d be a good long shooter, if not a bit over-powered for springbokie.

That said, my #1 favorite long shooter is the .300 H&H - 180 gr spitzer.
It too is over powered for springbok.
However, that particular load is a real peach for shooting through a crosswind.
Plus, it is not especially destructive on meat.

My very close 2nd favorite long shooter is the 7MM Remington Magnum - 160 gr spitzer.
Again, it’s a bit much for springbok but, holds it’s course well through somewhat windy conditions.

Having said all that, if I lived in Africa and could wait until a fairly calm day, the 6.5x55 Mauser - 140 gr spitzer seems like it’d be a very good one.
I have a CZ 550 in that caliber and with 160 gr RNSP, it drops deer critters quickly, without much meat damage.
And, out to about 300 paces,
It shoots plenty flat enough for my purposes.
Yet for shots out beyond that distance, the 140 gr spitzer is a very good one.

Recoil isn’t much more than the little .243 but again, much easier on the edible meat.
Sadly, due to the puzzling popularity of the Johnny-Come-Lately, 6.5 Creedmoor, the formerly well established 6.5x55 ammunition has become difficult to find now.
(Puzzling because they are ballistic twins).

Another one that seems like it’d be a real fine springbok getter is the .270 Winchester - 130 gr spitzer.
Although, it has been in my experiences, a bit too destructive on meat for my liking.

Last but far from least, you already have a 7x57.
Seems like that one, when loaded with 140 hr spitzer would make a fine springbok rifle.

Anyway, blah blah blah - whatever.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

Thanks Velo for you thoughtful reply. I know I can use my existing rifles for springbok hunting. The 8x68S is truly a magnificent hard hitter even at longer ranges and I have had many a successful hunt with her. But I have already convinced the wife that I need a new rifle for springbok so there is unfortunately no going back. A new rifle is now an absolute must, you see.

 

[Inline6]

I always thought the 6.5 Creedmore was the answer to a problem solved long ago . The 6.5x55 Swede is terrific .

No sir.

The 6.5CM is shorter than a 308. It allows you to seat the long 140 bullets out further and still mag feed. Components and ammo are easily had. It might not be a classic, it is very accurate.

If you want a " flat shooting " round. Like others have said 257 Weatherby would get my vote. If you are having one made. Get a fast twist barrel and shoot 135gr class of bullets.

 

[cmk]

Another option, but probably not a clever choice, could be the 6.5-284 Norma. A 284 Winchester necked down to 6.5. Previously a wildcat until standardized by Norma ~25 years ago. Has a little more oomph than the 6.5x55, but not overly much.

According to wikipedia, it has some history with benchrest shooting and a reputation for long range accuracy. Apparently a world record was set with it, when a shooter managed to shoot a 1.5" group at 1000yd. But I guess much of that is in the rifle and shooter, and that such a rifle might not be hunting-friendly in terms of weight.

Also, brass would probably be hard to find, since it was never a popular cartridge, and nor was its parent.

 

[375Ruger416]

+1 on the 257 Wby. It’s the only weatherby cartridge that really interests me. It is tailor made for the situation you intend for it.
If prefer a truly historic cartridge the 6.5x55.
If going modern, it’s ballistic twin the 6.5 CM is good, though I recently replaced mine with a 6.5 PRC.

My brother in law has a collection of weatherby chambered rifles. His lightweight 257 is a great rifle and cartridge.

 

[crossone]

Another option, but probably not a clever choice, could be the 6.5-284 Norma. A 284 Winchester necked down to 6.5. Previously a wildcat until standardized by Norma ~25 years ago. Has a little more oomph than the 6.5x55, but not overly much.

According to wikipedia, it has some history with benchrest shooting and a reputation for long range accuracy. Apparently a world record was set with it, when a shooter managed to shoot a 1.5" group at 1000yd. But I guess much of that is in the rifle and shooter, and that such a rifle might not be hunting-friendly in terms of weight.

Also, brass would probably be hard to find, since it was never a popular cartridge, and nor was its

The 6.5x284 Norma is great for handloading. I don't know how hard it would be to find brass but Lapua makes brass for it that lasts a long time, especially if you buy an AMP annealer. AMP annealers are made in New Zealand, they work really well and will extend the life of your brass by a lot, maybe double the firings from a case. The prices that people pay for brass on this site I'm surprised that AMP annealers aren't considered standard equipment.

 

[Velo Dog]

Back before the wheel was invented, my favorite long shooter was the .257 Roberts with 100 gr, 117 gr or 120 gr spitzers, depending on which specific rifle I owned at the time.
This Montana pronghorn (N. American Sprintbok), shown in my pic attached below, was shot with 117 gr Sierra, flat based spitzer, @ 2800+ fps.
Admittedly, he was at fairly close range when I crawled into position for the shot.
But the bullet held together and I still have it as a memento of that hunt, near Malta, Montana.

That super accurate rifle was my last .257 Rbts.
It was a 1950’s vintage Remington Model 722, 26” factory barrel and Leupold 6x scope.
It would put 3 shots under and inch at 200 yards, from the bench with sand bags.
I sold it well over 10 years ago to help pay for more hunting and fishing trips.

Going way back in time now, my first .257 Roberts was a first run Ruger M77, 22” barrel and I had a vintage Leupold 3x in Ruger rings on it, as I put it together primarily to shoot running jack rabbits and to also hunt the smallish California black tail deer, in the Coast Range of that politically oppressive state.
Bought it brand new from Barth Sporting Goods, in Chico, California, around 1974 or ‘75.
It shot little tiny groups with 100 gr Hornady spire points, at approximately 3,000 fps.
With the little Ruger, I once stoned a broadside Nevada coyote at 396 straight line long paces, across a dry alkali pan, from sand bags on the hood of my friend’s 1967 Chevy Camero.
Those were the days.

Anywhooo, seems to me that a Pre-64 Model 70 Winchester in that classic caliber, with a 6x scope, would make a very classy and extra fine springbok getter, out to around 400 paces.

That said, these days I have abandoned the .25 caliber rifles, in favor of the 6.5x55, as it handles the same light spitzers as well as the Roberts cartridge does but also, it handles clear up to 160 gr round nosers extremely well.

Today’s fad is for short actioned repeaters.
But IMO, the magazines on those sacrifice bullet length.
The 6.5x55 is usually built on actions and magazines long enough for cartridges such as the 7x57 and 8x57 Mauser cartridges, if not the longer .30-06 cartridge.
This leaves the hand loader with being able to fill the magazine with 160 gr bullets in the 6.5x55 cartridge, unlike the short actioned Creedmoor rifles so strangely popular today.

 

[Finprof]

Another option, but probably not a clever choice, could be the 6.5-284 Norma. A 284 Winchester necked down to 6.5. Previously a wildcat until standardized by Norma ~25 years ago….
Also, brass would probably be hard to find, since it was never a popular cartridge, and nor was its parent.

Brass or loaded ammunition for 6.5x284 is fairly easy to find. Nosler has it in stock now.
Norma makes brass and ammo and Lapus makes some fine brass.

I had my 6.5x284 built before the 6.5 PRC or the 6.5 RPM were available. If I was to do it now it would be 6.5 PRC. Everybody makes one and ammo is easily available.

The 6.5 RPM is a stretched 6.5x284 but guns and ammo are only available from Weatherby.

By the way I have 2 6.5x55 rifles and am getting a third but the 6.5x284 is my beanfield deer and pronghorn rifle.

 

[woodsman1991]

257 Weatherby and 264 Winchester Magnum are two classic cartridges with excellent characteristics that will perform with aplomb at your chosen distance. Would be very hard to go wrong with either of them!