Hi,
I am ready to step up to a nice, accurate bolt action rifle. Mainly for target shooting, but it will see some hunting (hogs and prairie dogs). I do plan on shooting out to the 600 yard mark in the future when I have access to such facilities. Primarily I will be reloading for it (but it may see a few factory rounds here and there though). I have been reloading for 223 for about the past 4-5 years, so not a total noob, but still plenty to learn and gadgets to buy!

Right now I am leaning to a .308 Win. And eyeballing the Savage Model 10.

Suggestions as to caliber selection and gun itself?
Thanks!

A 25-06 ON A Remington 700 action?

It'll shoot flatter than the 308, is very accurate and is well suited to varmits and deer.

I used to have one and used 75g Sierras on varmits and 120g swift a frames on deer.

quote:

Originally posted by Scott King:
A 25-06 ON A Remington 700 action?

It'll shoot flatter than the 308, is very accurate and is well suited to varmits and deer.

I used to have one and used 75g Sierras on varmits and 120g swift a frames on deer.

I don't know much about the 25-06. The thing that appeals most to me about the 308 is its widespread availability and adoption. It is not a GREAT cartridge, but it is good. After a year like 2013, I don't want to start getting into obscure highly specialized stuff that might otherwise be a limiting factor.

quote:

Originally posted by Not_Infringed:
I don't know much about the 25-06. The thing that appeals most to me about the 308 is its widespread availability and adoption. It is not a GREAT cartridge, but it is good. After a year like 2013, I don't want to start getting into obscure highly specialized stuff that might otherwise be a limiting factor.

All very reasonable thoughts.

The 25-06 is a 30-06 based cartridge and so brass can be made for the 25 with regular old 30-06 cases or you can buy 25-06 brass. 25 caliber bullets are widely available and my rifle liked 4350, a very common powder.

In bolt actions, I don't think there is a more common action than the model 700 and other than the semi auto's, I don't think there is a rifle that has more aftermarket or spare parts made for them.

I'm sure the 308 and Savage will serve you well.

I think it really depends on what you want. If my information is correct, the Army competition shooting team has been shooting the 30-338 for many years. The round is the ballistic equivalent of the 308 Norma Magnum...

quote:

Right now I am leaning to a .308 Win. And eyeballing the Savage Model 10.

I think you've already done some good reasearch. IMO an excellent place to start (and probably finish, too) for the two options you've listed.

For PD's a 308 Win. would not be my first choice (a .223 Rem. would but you're already loading for this cartridge) but if I had one (and often do when shooting PD's) loaded with 100, 110, 125 or 130 bullets it is a fantastic long(er) range option for PD's. An over 50 cartridge day in a good PD town will take it's toll in recoil though, but still doable.

I agree that componets for these two cartridges should be available and easy (comparatively) to obtain in the forseeable future.

Either a Savage 10 series or a Howa in either heavy barrel or hunting weight barrel would be a good place to start.

quote:

Originally posted by Not_Infringed:
Right now I am leaning to a .308 Win. And eyeballing the Savage Model 10.

I am in the process of building a 308 and getting a little geeked about trying her out. I think a guy would be REALLY hard pressed to come up with a single caliber that would be better suited for 600 yd targets, hogs and prarie dogs.

Id say you're on the right track! Since you reload, you might also give the 7-08 some consideration. I personaly prefer the 7mm bullet selection to the 308 because you can pretty much accomplish the same thing but with slightly better SD slugs.

I've got a Steyr SL in 222, with double-set triggers, 100+ cases. 600+ bullets, and competition micrometer dies for a good price if interested.

6.5 swede or 260 Remington?

If you can withstand the recoil over a long period of time ,the .270 would be hard to beat.
If the recoil becomes a problem the .243 will do just fine. roger

In today's shooting world cost is a factor. The more you lean to a lesser common caliber the more the price goes up as well as finding components on the shelf.
With many of the distributors gouging the public on shipping charges, you may want to stay with the common calibers. Its hard to beat the .308 and .30-06. Both new and surplus components are for sale and relatively easy to find. Load data can be found by the ream.
You can use the Remington or other sabot loads in both calibers with a light bullet and get very respectable accuracy. Both will also shoot 100 grain bullets with ease.
At long range,both are fine shooters. I've been shooting both calibers out to 1,000 yards on a regular basis for many years and have no complaints on either caliber using a heavy bullet of 168 grains or heavier.
Neither has recoil that is a problem from a proper fitting rifle.

I am a 3006 fan but I will admit that the 308 gives up very little to the older '06. For shooting at targets out to 600 yards you will want a twist rate that will stabilize a 150 to 170 grain bullets in whatever temperatures you shoot in. (colder temps need more twist) I would think that 1:10 would be great for shooting the medium weight bullets but if you want to shoot 190 or heavier bullets you might want to look into a tighter twist. (my 1:10 3006 won't shoot 220 grain bullets - they go into the targets sideways at 100 yards) Using lighter bullets for the diggers and dogs will cost you in trajectory and velocity retention but you should still be OK out to 300 yards with 110 to 130 grain bullets. As long as velocities are matched to your bullets the fast twist won't hurt the lighter bullets at all. I have successfully used the 130 HP in my 3006 and my brother has had excellent with it in his 308. It is a "grenade" on diggers and dogs and when used in head and neck shots it is great on white-tails and muleys alike. I prefer heavier bullets for hunting deer but I don't limit my shots the the head and neck areas. ]

In your 308 the 130 and 150 grain bullets could either fulfill your needs or you could work up loads for both and use the bullet best suited to your tasks.

I would personally go with a 260. You can make it from 308 brass, if necessary, and you can use 85-100 grain bullets on varmints (I use 107 Matchkings) and 120-140 grain bullets on pigs. Easy to load for and less recoil than a 308.

When purchasing ammo for my .270, I have never noticed 25.06 to not be right there as well. Availability is as good as any.

The .308 IS a great cartriidge, IMO.

I think you are asking a lot of one cartridge. If you will be spending most of your time shooting Pdogs and deer, then a 243 would be perfect. If you are going to shoot at steel and hogs, then the 308 would be better.

I'd go with the 308 but pick up an inexpensive 22 centerfire later on. Spending an afternoon in Pdog town could get uncomfortable with the 308 and will definitely be more expensive. With what you save over the years, the 22 centerfire may end up costing less than you think.

For your purposes, I think you have made a very wise choice in adding the .308.

Recoil from it is no big thing, once you are used to the rifle, and assuming the rifle doesn't have some weirdo stock on it. (In NRA Camp Perry type shooting it is not unusual to shoot 100 or more .308 rounds per day for 5 or more days in a row, with no problems.)

Going back to the subject of component availability, if I could own only two rifles in this world one would be a .223 (which you already have) and the .308.

If for no other reason, consider that the big manufacturers produce first and most often, components for the most common and in demand cartridges. That also keeps down price gouging to some degree as there is at least a little competition between sellers. The .223 and .308 are probably the most common chamberings for rifles already in the hands of American shooters and reloaders.

Between the two you can successfully hunt anything in North America. They may not be the very best rounds for some specific hunting applications, but when you consider components, power, bullet selection, price, and so on, the two would probably the best all-around pair for this country. If you also have a 12 gauge shotgun and a fishing rod, you'll have everything well covered.

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
If you can withstand the recoil over a long period of time ,the .270 would be hard to beat.
If the recoil becomes a problem the .243 will do just fine. roger

+1 and +1

No other caliber offers more selection of bullets than 308. You have a wide variety of weights, styles and types that allow you to shoot anything from gophers to moose. The 308Win will do anything if you want a short action. For a standard action you can go 30-06 or 300WM.