Well it looks like i could have some extra money on the way for christmas. Its not like i can save it or anything so i have thought of a very good way to spend it, NEW RIFLE. Aight so im looking for a good long range deer popper. In this caliber i would like it to be plenty flat shooting and be able to dispatch deer and antelope at great distances probaby 350-400 yards. I would possibly use it to shoot an occasional goundhog or so. Here are a few of my choices: .25-06 rem, 6mm rem, an older .264 win mag,and possibly a .280 rem. I cannot afford a weatherby buutt the .240 weatherby mag looks interesting. Any comments on the above calibers or some other ones i have over looked would be appreciated. What would you fellas recommend? Advice on a new rifle may be nice as well. I wouldn't settle on any rifle w/ a barrel shorter than 24". I might look for a good used rifle. Thanks a lot

-john

7mm Rem.Mag.

Given the occasional praire dog, the 25-06 is the obvious choice.

.257 Weatherby Mag

I shoot 243 & 30.06 - love them both.
of the cartridges you listed I would pick the 25.06 over all the others.
If I was starting over today I would probably go with the 25.06 & a 300WSM- but I like the rifles I have now.

I never have liked belted brass or Weatherby's round shoulders...

The other one I would really consider would be a 257RobertsAI- I really like that cartridge and I think it is this best improved of all of Akley's wildcats... it's only 100fps slower than a 25.06

How about .270 Win? It's good for varmint as well. Ammo is cheap and easy to find.

Cheers!

Danny Boy

Take a look at the H&R single shot in .25/06. I have a friend who has one that's a .75" shooter. The gun has a 26" barrel so you get plenty velocity and for what it cost, you can get a quality scope included for the price of most bolt actions. I've owned several (presently a .45/70) and haven't had a cull yet.

I'll second the nomination for the .257 Weatherby and toss in a vote for the .257 Roberts. A buddy of mine took a deer with his last year at a paced off 312 yards, which I will vouch for. Mated with the right bullet, this is an awesome cartridge and is also very versatile.

7 mag gets my vote. Flat shooting hard hitting. Lots of Ammo.

ill give another vote for the 7mm rem. the best for what i do. if you can find a good used 270 wthby i would jump at that.

My choice in this order between two of them mentioned. 1. 270 winchester 2. 25-06

My vote for the .25-06 as well

I would go with the 25-06. It has been my deer rifle of choice for years. I have a 257 Weatherby but it's too pretty to go afield, never shot a thing with it, kinda a safe queen.

Good Luck, OD Bear

Its hard to go wrong with anything from a 243 win to 30-06 for that purpose. A 308 pushing 150's @ 2900 fs will get it done nicley too. My favorites are the 257 AI or a 270 and if it is to be a designated deer rifle I would go 270 over a 7mm Mag. But the 7mm is better suited for an all around chambering.

Another outstanding deer round is the 6.5/284.

257 weatherby mag. 100 grain noslers going 3500+ will end a deers life in short order. 85 grain nosler bts going 3750+ makes for some awesome impacts on chucks! can you say airtime! i would get a remington sendero in 25.06 and have it rechambered to 257 weatherby. i am not a big fan of weatherby rifles. good luck!

With what you have posted I'd also suggest the 25-06.

.25/06 gets my vote. i've had one for years and won't be without it. it'll do it all if you need it too. p-dogs to elk.

Since I am not a .270 fan, my 1st choice for deer/antelope would be the .280. If you are thinking of a varminter as well, then go to the .25-06. The various 6mm are good varmint rigs, but I don't trust them to cleanly kill big game @ the distances you want. The various mags are great, I'm a 7mm mag fan, but they burn alot of powder (read bbls.) for any extensive varminting.

I love my .257 Roberts, but for ammo availability and good velocity without handloading, I'd stick with the 25-06. It's easy shooting too,(ie less chance of developing a flinch) However, if you handload and find a good .257 Bob, it'll impress you. A Hornady 117BTSP@2900fps or a Barnes 100gr XLC@3200fps launched at a deer is no laughing matter!

Just my thoughts - Gib

I am not sure about the availability dates but Winchester has announced a new WSSM. It is in .25 caliber and is supposed to be to the .25-06, what the .270 WSM is to the .270.

I ordered one in the Winchester Coyote.

David.

I'm another fan of the quarter bores. My first choice would be the 257 Weatherby (actually took a couple of Elk with mine the last two years), but the 25-06 would be a close second.

john17:
I recently, last year in fact, built a .280 rem. on a mauser action. Before it I used mostly 30-06,& 35 Rem. for deer hunting here in PA. They always worked fine and the 280 would not have been my first choice. To date it has fired four shots at PA whitetails with three impressive drop-in-their-tracks kills. The projectiles were Swift 150 grain scirroco's at about 2900 f.p.s. All exited. The ranges were 125, 225, and 185 yards-estimated. One ran uphill about 80 yards with nearly no blood trail. It was shot with a 140 grain Nosler Balistic Tip traveling about the same 2900 f.p.s. The bullet, centered in the chest behind the shoulder exited. The range was 40 yards. With the exception of the performance with the Nosler I am currently liking the caliber; bullet options are numerous and recoil is mild. I notice however that there are few new listings in this caliber-it may be on the way out. Even Remington is only listing it in one rifle, the mountain rifle. Aren't having choices fun?!!!!