Best caliber for long range varminting/target shooting

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KyleWoods

New member
Hello, I recently bought a Savage model 12 in 204 and I'm in love with it. I know it will kill a groundhog out to at least 400 yards. My only problem is the wind out to 600 yards or so, that light bullet gets blown around quite a bit. My question is what caliber would you suggest for long range (600+ yards) varminting and the occasional long range steel shooting? I would want a caliber that is relatively cheap to load for. I've been reading and some people said a 25-06 for the lower recoil and flat trajectory, my only concern is that it is pretty expensive to reload.

Any input is appreciated!
 
define relatively cheap... what kind of cost per round do you consider affordable to shoot regularily, that might help some folks narrow it down for ya
 
Factory gun or custom could ,ake amdifferemce to. 6.5 creedmoore or 243 for factory, your custom options are almost endless. 6.5 creedmoore, 6 creedmoore, 6x47 lapua are just some of the options out there for you.
 
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If you are considering the 25-06 here's an idea of cost. I load 49gr's of IMR-4350, very accurate out of my 77VT, 7000gr's in a pound, you can do the math, lol. Bullets, there is a post in reloading on 25 cal. Speer bullets, 87gr hp, 750 for $74.99, I shoot the 87gr Sierra's out of mine but I haven't met a bullet that I couldn't get to print decent yet. You can load the 06 up for bigger game or load it down for the smaller stuff, 60gr pills would be about the lightest you will find though.

Here Kitty Kitty
 
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Steel at 600 plus that is cheap to load for that bucks the wind? ...and kill a varmint? .243 with the longest bullet the barrel will shoot. Forget the 25-06. 6mm offers better bullet choices in a short action. I am slow on the keyboard. ZR 600 is already on it...what he said.
 
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My favorite cartridge is the .25-06, owned one for 38 years. For hunting it is a fantastic round, groundhogs to Elk. I also own a .243 but rarely use it, the .25 just works better for hunting. I consider the .25-06 a hunting cartridge, not a target cartridge. For target I have other rifles more suited to that purpose.

The .25 doesn't have a lot of bullet choices but it has enough that I have never found myself short. When it comes to bullets I was taught to pick a bullet for the task not just buy the heaviest match bullet available as I see a lot of people do. I use 87 to 90 gr bullets for groundhogs, 100 gr for larger game and the 120 gr for the largest animals I hunt. My personal thoughts on the long action is I don't care.

I like the .243 too, but it's not a love affair like the .25-06. My Winchester Featherweight in .243 is limited to shooting 100 gr bullets. It's a rifle that I can walk a long way with but I just don't shoot it that much.
 
It would have to be a pedestrian 243 Winchester for me for simplicity but a 243 LBC would be a unique one to have a go with.

Greg
 
I never even thought about the 243, this will need to be a factory rifle. So any opinions on the best factory rifle? My budget without scope is around 800-900 dollars.
 
I would go with the top end Savage. That barrel changing feature is the bees knees although Ritch can get Ruger barrels too fir the PR.

Greg
 
The tikas are nice rifles that shoot good. The savages are nice too with the upper end models. Do you want to build of the action later or just use it as a factory gun?
 
I'm thinking just keep it factory but who knows what the future will bring. If I want to build off the action i would probably want a Remington right?
 
Originally Posted By: KyleWoodsI'm thinking just keep it factory but who knows what the future will bring. If I want to build off the action i would probably want a Remington right?

Not if you want to keep the budget down much . IMHO.

Greg
 
Originally Posted By: KyleWoodsSo which action is the best to build off of?

My opinion is the Savage since you can do virtually everything on your own with a minimal amount of out lay. Barrels that are pre-chambered are much cheaper than sending one off and waiting for a re-barreling job plus you can change chamberings in about fifteen minutes if you so choose. Accuracy is certainly there if you want to pursue it.

Greg
 
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