I have a Savage 12 BVSS .308 for deer with a .223 for varmints out to 300 yds. I'm hunting in a stand so the weight is no problem.

I'm now looking for a top of the line rifle in between for varmints out to 500 or 600 yds., 1,000 target rifle and can also serve as a deer rifle. Although I reload, it has to be a popular caliber that I could find ammo anywhere if needed and rather easy on the barrel.

Right now I'm considering either a .243 or a 2506. Not sure just how hard the 2506 would be on coyote pelts. Looking for all suggestions and any other recommendations that meet these specs.

Thanks in advance.

Look seriously at the 260 Rem. With a 100 gr. Nosler B.T. @ 3300 fps or a 120 gr. Nosler B.T. at 3000 fps it is a legitimate 500 to 600 yard varmint rifle. Take the same bullets and you have a very flat shooting, hard hitting deer or antelope cartridge. Using any of the 140 gr. hunting bullets and you have a cartridge that hits feral hogs hard. Pushing a 142 gr. Sierra MatchKing @ 2700 to 2750 fps it is legitmate 1000 yard target cartridge. I have won 600 and 1000 yard F class matches with the 260 Rem, as well as taking coyotes past 600 yards, deer and some large hogs with the 260 Rem. I have shot the throat out 2 barrels and am on my third barrel chambered in 260 so I have quite a bit of experience with it. It has beat the 308 out of being my favorite cartridge, and that took some doing.

Try it you won't regret it.

PaPa 260

About 15 years ago I made a decision to take my dog shooting to another level and as such I spent a fair amount of time looking into this.

After doing some research it was an easy choice, I went to and love the 6/06 a ton load and that is the way I would go.

Second choice for long range dog shooting would no doubt be the 25/06.

I kind of like to do things a bit differntly hence the love for the 6/06.

Mark D

Another barrel for the 308 12 BVSS would be the least costly...

Not to conflict with Mr. Dobrenski here, as I support a lot of his opinions.. but the 260 is what the 25/06 is but in a short action round...

with the addition of being able to take bullet weights above 120 grains....

If you want the 6.5/06, then a 6.5 x 284 would accomplish the same thing, or like I did go for a 257 Roberts necked up to 6.5, ONLY if on a long action...or 6.5 x 55....

both will equal a 6.5/06, in a long action, if long throated, and the bullets long seated... both have close to the capacity of a 6.5/06.. because the bullet takes up so little of the case volume, whereas an 06 case must have the bullet seated down and taking up a lot of the case's powder capacity.....

you never see anyone do it, but a 6.5/06 on a longer action that would normally be used for a 300 Weatherby or a 375 H & H, would allow you to seat the bullet way out and still function in the magazine.. then you would have a definite step up then in performance over the 6.5 x 55...

Magnum cases on the 6.5 bore are over capacity in my book...

I do have to admit a desire to play with the 6.5 WSSM tho....

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:


Not to conflict with Mr. Dobrenski here, as I support a lot of his opinions.. but the 260 is what the 25/06 is but in a short action round...????????????? John, ! Have you been visiting Bill's Still?


you never see anyone do it, but a 6.5/06 on a longer action that would normally be used for a 300 Weatherby or a 375 H & H, would allow you to seat the bullet way out and still function in the magazine.. than you would have capacity approaching magnum cases
Magnum cases on the 6.5 bore are over capacity in my book......

Get a .264 Win Magnum or a 6.5 x 68 Schuler. Our shooting fraternatity by this time is mature enough to handle the (OVER BORE CAPACITY) cartridges. I even think I saw someone suggest a 6mm x 06.

Who invented the term over bore capacity? It wasn't rag writers trying to discredit Weatherby, was it?

It's not on the shelf yet ,but I do like the Idea of a long necked 6.5 X .404 X 2.5" roger

Yep I mentioned the 6/06 because in his last paragraph he said he was thinking about either a 243 or a 25/06.

Hence my statement about a 6/06, I was at the same place he is many moons ago. I'm plenty happy with the way I went.

Mark D

Sea-please don't call me Mr. someone says that and I look around to see if my dad is behind me...(grins). Mark D is more than fine.

Have to agree with the 260. Fantastic mid range power cartridge.

Your talking about a toy. Don't limit yourself to only factory stuff. I have a 6.5x06 with a long throat that seafire spoke of. The throat was cut to seat 140gr bullet's to the base of the neck. Work's very well on a 700 action, what I have. But don't discount the 6.5x55 either. My last two are a mauser supreme action and a Winchester featherweight. Not so hot as the 6.5x06 but will scare the pant's off of it in a modern action.

The first kill with my 6.5x06 was a coyote at about 200+/- yds with a 140gr Hornady interlock. Bullet in and out with very little pelt damage. I cannot inagine a lot better long range bullet's than 6.5's that also keep recoil tolerable. At long range, my 6.5's blow away my 25-06.

Looking at what you are after and trying to accomplish I would go with the 243. The 25.06 is a little better for Deer but does not do nearly as well on the varmints and does not have many good long range bullets.

Get another Savage in 243 and don't look back. You can shoot varmints with the 55, 70 or 80 grain bullets. You can shoot long range target with the 105 Amax.

Mike.

Thanks for the replys fellows. I'm afraid some of you missed one of my points though. I know that all of the rifles mentioned are great but I am also looking for a caliber that ammo can be purchased about anywhere. Yes I reload but in a pinch I don't want something that I can't find ammo for except to reload it.

Thnaks again and keep the opinions coming.

Does anyone have some first hand experience as to the amount of pelt damage on a coyote that is caused by a .243 vs 2506 vs .260?

quote:

Originally posted by 2nd Hand Lion:
Does anyone have some first hand experience as to the amount of pelt damage on a coyote that is caused by a .243 vs 2506 vs .260?

Bullet construction is the most important factor here. A ballistic tip bullet with a thin jacket will cause much more damage than a monometal bullet of the same size and weight. Any of the above calibers will be a complete pass thru on a yote at normal shooting ranges. If your looking for a bullet to limit pelt damage, a monometal, or quality bonded bullet will be your best choice. The last thing you want the bullet to do is explode on impact leaving a baseball size hole on the exit.JMHO.

quote:

Originally posted by 2nd Hand Lion:
Does anyone have some first hand experience as to the amount of pelt damage on a coyote that is caused by a .243 vs 2506 vs .260?

The 260 is awfully lot like the 6.5x55. Both run fairly hard on a 6.5x06 in modern actions. The first animal I killed with my 6.5x06 was a coyote. Used a 140gr Hornady interlock and no pelt damage. I suspect that with that bullet in a 260 you'd get pretty much the same results.

I like either the 25/06 or maybe the 6mm rem mag............also the new rem 70 vssf in .264 win mag would be a good thing to I bet.

quote:

Originally posted by PC:
I like either the 25/06 or maybe the 6mm rem mag............also the new rem 70 vssf in .264 win mag would be a good thing to I bet.

roger

I too want a rifle for similar reasons.

Availablility of factory ammunition is also very important to me too, and if it was not readily available, I would not buy the caliber.

I have settled on 243 or 25-06. Both of these calibers seem to always be in stock at my local Wal-Marts.

The 260 is not hide friedly. I have shot coyotes with a 90 gr. Speer TNT @ 3450 fps, the 100 gr. Nosler BT @ 3300 fps and the 120 Nosler BT @ 3000 and a little change. The 90 gr. load leaves huge exit holes. Exit holes with the 120 B.T are tennis ball size. The 100 gr. BT exit wound is somewhere in between the two but closer to 90 gr. damage.

You probably can't by 260 Rem. ammo in any WalMart in the country, but in the better gun shops in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alambma you can. And by the way 120 gr. AccuTip load shoots pretty darn good out of my 260's. I just don't think you can beat a 260 for what you seem to be wanting to do.

PaPa 260

quote:

Originally posted by 2nd Hand Lion:
.....Right now I'm considering either a .243 or a 2506. Not sure just how hard the 2506 would be on coyote pelts. Looking for all suggestions and any other recommendations that meet these specs.....

Either one is up to the task & will work fine. I am quite pleased with my .243 on shooting prairie dogs. As for pelt damage on coyotees you could load a solid bullet.

Looks like you are a fan of one of my favorite movies.

We do not have many coyotes but we got foxes. Shot placement for pelt damage seems to be the key 17 -22 cal. I would lean towards the 25-06 or the 260 and use a controlled expansion bullet and stay off the fringes shots, neck, spine, head. A 115-120grn Accubond I bet would be great for yotes.

quote:

Originally posted by Mark Dobrenski:
Sea-please don't call me Mr. someone says that and I look around to see if my dad is behind me...(grins). Mark D is more than fine.

Mark D, I hear that too.
I have a 6mm Rem that is a perfect in between rifle. Brass is cheap and plentiful, it has more power than a .243 Win, and I can hunt any small to medium sized game with it using the HUNDREDS of different bullets available for it (from 55 to 108 grains) providing I don't mind packing an 11 lb. rifle, that is.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by 2nd Hand Lion:
Thanks for the replys fellows. I'm afraid some of you missed one of my points though. I know that all of the rifles mentioned are great but I am also looking for a caliber that ammo can be purchased about anywhere. Yes I reload but in a pinch I don't want something that I can't find ammo for except to reload it.

Thanks again and keep the opinions coming.

In this case I would opt for the .243.
BUT and it's a big but, all the .243 ammo in my parts that is available at the "normal" shops is tailored towards deer-sized game, not usually pelt friendly. Get a 6mm, reload lots of ammo and never look back.

You seem (like me) to like the Savage 12BVSS, and need a 600+ yard rifle. The easy answer here in Idaho seems to be: buy a .223 for the 1:9" twist, and then buy a 308 bolthead and rechamber to 22-284 Win. You can safely shoot the 80gr JLK/Sierra/Nosler bullets in the 3300fps range.

Rich

243 would be a great choice, good performing round on both deer and varmints. Plenty of factory loaded ammo available, and lots of components if you hand roll your own!

I have a .243. 25-06 and a 6.5 X 284. For you're needs go with the .243. With 75 gr Hornady interlock I get 3.5" groups at 600 yards with my Howa sportier.

For fur friendly on yotes between the 243 and the 260 I would go 243 4 sure.

I'd also find some loads with the 55 NBT in it (not the 58 VM) and do my darndest to stay off the spine/shoulder/ and breast bone (if the yote is facing to you).

IMO and IME this bullet is the one you want and you don't want to go the FMJ route either in most country.

Mark D