Saturday’s stirring

[Hearties]

7x64 - it’s a Classic and has legendary status over here

 

[Hogpatrol]

6.5 Creedmoor and don't look back. ADG is making brass for it and shipping it to South Africa and Australia for reloading. If you want to go hotter, the 6.5 PRC.

 

[Ravensview]

What about a .257 Roberts, great little deer rifle, fairly flat shooting, low recoil, would make a nice light carry all day rifle?

 

[machinistbutler]

I love the 25/06 and 30/06. The 25 is my favourite for our big Alberta whitetails.

The 6.5x55 is wonderful, 9.3x62 is a classic as well. I have many 6.5 but need a 9.3 someday.

 

[Nyati]

.270 Win, it´s good for almost anything.

 

[Ryan]

You can hunt just about anything with what you already have, so why not go lighter? Will the 6.5x55 Swede work on that bolt face? Or if you want the modern version of it, the 6.5 Creedmoor. Heck, the 243 or a 25-06 are both useful cartridges too.

 

[Ridgewalker]

I like the 243. Currently I have a Kimber Montana in 243. I’ve owned 2 Savages and a Remington 700 in 243. They have all taken numerous animals from rabbits and prairie dogs to fine mule deer over 200 pounds. They have all been very accurate.
My favorite is the Kimber Montana with a 3-15x Leupold. Very light and easy to walk around at over 12,000 feet in elevation. I like light rifles in the mountains of Colorado!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

The 308WIN is the parent case to several options out there...
243WIN, 260REM, 7mm-08, 338FED & 358WIN to name a few.

After looking at what you have, the big stuff is pretty well covered.
How about a 243WIN for Varmints to Deer sized game?

@BeeMaa
Any of the above but leave that horrible little 243 out, to big for small game and to small for medium game.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

The 308WIN is the parent case to several options out there...


I would never hear the end of it if Bob found out.

My wife has one in a Weatherby GH2 , Girly stock, nice little rifle and she can smacked foxes with it or take a pig on the few shoots she does.

A mate recently bought a .338Federal, he is in Victoria the lockdown state, I wish him well.

They are south of the border so we also call them Mexicans.

He’s a bit technical minded so I reckon the .338Federal has its merits if he went that path.

@CBH
How could you inflict your beautiful wife with a 243. You should have been nicer to her and got her a 257 Roberts in a nice kimber Montana.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

On reading many threads and other info the .280rem and .35 Whelen make sense if you are recoil sensitive

I’m only average build but young enough to get a kick out of it. I still like my .375H&H.

I shoot ok maybe average and shoot in average conditions.

If I build a rifle I expect it should shoot better than a factory if done right.

While the .280, .35W, 7x64, .358w, .338fed are standard chamberings they are not common. Well probably not readily available in small town shops so I’m considering the pros and cons.

If I settle on something i will be handloading but I don’t want to be looking for cases on backorder or buying expensive series dies.

The 2 cartridges mentioned and the blokes commending them both like their choice being tolerable recoil easy shooting with good performance.

If I do this it will simply be a hunting rifle intended for carry and I want to shoot it accurately I like to headshot where I can , they just don’t walk away.
Accuracy builds confidence.

@CBH
Chris cases are easily available via email or phone, the same for projectiles. Lee make good dies and are readily available from western firearms in Sydney. Just call and ask for Dave.
As you have a 7mm and a 375 I would go the 25/06. Accurate, flat shooting and suitable for game in OZ. Read the article on the 257 Weatherby with 100grain Barnes TTSX in Africa. The 25 ought six ain't far behind it. My 25 groups 0.8 inches at 200 yards with both the TTSX and the 115grain nosler combined technology silver tip.
Bob

 

[CBH Australia]

@CBH
How could you inflict your beautiful wife with a 243. You should have been nicer to her and got her a 257 Roberts in a nice kimber Montana.
Bob

Budget Bob,
That little thing was new and going cheap .
She likes Echidnas, foxes eat Echidnas, she shoots foxes. Works for me.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Sounds like you REALLY need a 243WIN.
So what if Bob doesn't like it.
You drop a few Hogs with head shots at range and he'll change his tune.
Take back the 243WIN and make it a MANLY MAN cartridge again.

@BeeMaa
Sorry my son I will never change my mind on the 243. It never lived up to all the hype. It doesn't get the velocities advertised even with reloading and people were conned into believing it was the best thing since sliced bread and button up boots. It might kill stuff but it wounds better even with well placed shots. I've seen it to many times.
Below is another members experience of velocity inadequacy.
Bob

 

[CBH Australia]

You can hunt just about anything with what you already have, so why not go lighter? Will the 6.5x55 Swede work on that bolt face? Or if you want the modern version of it, the 6.5 Creedmoor. Heck, the 243 or a 25-06 are both useful cartridges too.

If I did rationalise and have just a couple to hunt with maybe I would want a medium with a little better performance than the .308 as a hunting rifle.

.25-06 or 6.5x55 have ithere merits I lived where was shooting dingoes regularly I would think these would be ideal to use From the vehicle. I’ve shot some and seen plenty walk out past 300 before presenting a shot . They get gun shy real quick if you miss.
Even .6.5cm might find it’s niche there. I met one property owner using a .260rem, not common in those parts but I bet he knew he was getting another built On some good gear and I realised he knew what he was doing.

7x64 - it’s a Classic and has legendary status over here

See, that’s what I’m thinking, something Classic, something with some allure and Not run of the mill. And something that performs on all counts and counts when it hits.
Then it comes down to splitting hairs between .280 and 7x64 from what I read, then someone says .280ai,

I had forgotten the .260 till now, They come up reasonably priced as they are not so common and not highly sort after iby the masses, closely followed by 7mm-08, I’ve seen some good deals on them too.

Genuinely considering something and wanting a good all rounder for Australia. Something I can keep and shoot into later life comfortably, especially if I reduce my selection for any reason. The 7mm-08 fits the bill but some of these others have an edge on that From what I read.

 

[CBH Australia]

Bob remembers Button Up Boots and sliced bread coming into fashion?

 

[BeeMaa]

@BeeMaa
Sorry my son I will never change my mind on the 243. It never lived up to all the hype. It doesn't get the velocities advertised even with reloading and people were conned into believing it was the best thing since sliced bread and button up boots. It might kill stuff but it wounds better even with well placed shots. I've seen it to many times.
Below is another members experience of velocity inadequacy.
Bob

You and your son are certainly entitled to your opinion on the 243WIN.
But I will have to respectfully disagree...

The fact of the matter is that it's adequate for up to Deer sized game.
Proper bullet selection, reasonable ranges and shot placement are the critical factors.
Just like a 375 is adequate for DG, but a .40 caliber would be preferred.
A 243WIN will get the job done...Varmints to Deer...done.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

Personally, I’m of the opinion that every free person on earth should own a 30-06.

I'm a 30-06 man through and through! Still my favourite cartridge for pig shooting in Australia.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

You and your son are certainly entitled to your opinion on the 243WIN.
But I will have to respectfully disagree...

The fact of the matter is that it's adequate for up to Deer sized game.
Proper bullet selection, reasonable ranges and shot placement are the critical factors.
Just like a 375 is adequate for DG, but a .40 caliber would be preferred.
A 243WIN will get the job done...Varmints to Deer...done.

@BeeMaa
I have seen goats, pigs and deer wounded by the 243 loaded with 90 grain balistic tips, 87 gn VMax, 87gn Speer and Sierra. Maybe the 95 grain SSTs, and 100grain round nose may work but I've seen to many failures even with good chest shots to change e my mind. A 50kg sow hit with a 90 grain balistic tip at 40 yards just had a nice 6mm hole so each side of its chest, a 90 kg boar same bullet at around 150 yards in the e same spot just ran off. He was finished off at 286 yards with a 117grain SST out of my 25.
Bob

 

[thriller]

So I have made friends with a couple of Aussies and shared messages with other s here from all over.
Many years ago I decided a 7mm-08 might be a good all rounder for Australia and bought one in recent years.
Reading here I’ve learned of more standard chambering’s and their merits.
I’ve even heard of some people’s favourite cartridge and how they might be all you ever need.
I used a 7mmRM in Africa, I own a .300wm and .375H&H if I need something big .
I’m considering building something just because and it’s probably on a Tikka action in a sporter configuration

I don’t want an exotic wildcat but it turns out that .280rem and .35Whelen can use a .308 sized bolt face, but so can a 7x64,

Give us a plug for your favourite chambering and why I should consider it.

I say buy them all and rotate which caliber you take with you based on “best fit” you can justify yourself that day haha. Seems like that’s what most of us around here do...

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

@BeeMaa
I have seen goats, pigs and deer wounded by the 243 loaded with 90 grain balistic tips, 87 gn VMax, 87gn Speer and Sierra. Maybe the 95 grain SSTs, and 100grain round nose may work but I've seen to many failures even with good chest shots to change e my mind. A 50kg sow hit with a 90 grain balistic tip at 40 yards just had a nice 6mm hole so each side of its chest, a 90 kg boar same bullet at around 150 yards in the e same spot just ran off. He was finished off at 286 yards with a 117grain SST out of my 25.
Bob

I have literally shot over 2000 pigs and counting in Australia and am of the opinion the 243 is definitely not the most suitable cartridge for pig shooting (and that's putting it politely). I know quite a few guys who started out with a 243 and were extremely disappointed in the results and very quickly moved up to 308, 30-06 type cartridges.

 

[Hearties]

The .243 running a ballistic tip 95gr @ 3075fos drops Springbok like they were electrocuted out to 400m.