Its time for a new wildcat and I have decided it needs to be a "barrel burner". I realize that I dont actually get to shoot nearly as much as I would like so Im not too worried about barrel life. THAT BEING SAID, Im not looking at a 224-50BMG either. I was thinking about either a 224 Clark, 6mmAI, 6mm-284, or a 25-284. Anything with a larger case capacity will create more recoil than Im looking for. So what can everyone reccomend for me? By the way, this will be used as a groundhog gun and for targets to 500 yards.

The 22/243 Middlested, the 224 Clark, 243AI, 244 AI, 6/284. 25/284 all will fit the bill and unless you like to shoot your barrel "hot" will last more rounds than you might expect.
Now something like a 22/300 mag or a 6mm STW might turn your crank and burn your barrel at a more rapid pace.

Unless you have some special .224" bullet in mind with a quick twist I would look at the 6mm's.

For 500 yd chucks the 243 will burn a barrel just fine. I suppose you want something special however.

Check in with Dober as he shoots a 6mm-06. That should rip.

Yep for chucks I love the 6/06, get yourself a 4.5 weight Schneider in 10 twist and let er rip.
Cut it to 25-27" and you'll get plenty of speed. I use the 25" myself.

If you were interested in going past 500 yds I might just go with an 8 twist but to 500 a 10 works just fine.

I'd use a 95 NBT and load it to somewhere between 3500 and 3600.

You'll like the results, I've dusted many a chuck at long range with this load.

Good luck

Mark D

I'm with Mark. The 6mm-06 is hard to beat, if you want a super fast rig! I shoot the 87 grain Hornady HPBT right at 3700fps, out of my 28" Pac-Nor tube. Love the cartridge, and the barrel.

Jerry

The other bullet I am doing a fair amount of work with now Jerry is the 85 VMax. It looks like it will work quite well.

The wife and I used the 75 VM the last 3 years for lopes/deer/chucks/yotes/ PD's etc and it worked just fine.

Mark D

You know what Mark? That sounds like a bullet I ought to try! What kind of groups have you been getting with the 85 Grain V-MAX?

Jerry

Jerry-I have an old 7.5 Leo with a dot in it so groups are a bit tough to shoot, but it will shoot sub 1/2 moa just fine.

For me that is plenty good given what I am working with.

I used the 75 VM for about the last 3 years and it did very well for me.

I also like to run the 85 TX and so I went to the 85 VM just to keep things a bit closer. Bored I guess you could say, but it worked.

Mark D

22 Cheetah or 220 swift Imp. or 22/243

Hoeram

I'll shoot some and let you know how they work out in my rig. I have a 6-24 Bushnell Elite 4200 on mine, so sighting is not a problem, if I do my part, sometimes that isn't often enough, LOL!

Jerry

Whats everyone using for dies for the 6mm-06?

I've got Redding

Mark D

224x55 or 6x55..

The swede case has almost the same amount of powder as the 6mm Rem (not sure about AI).

But you get almost BR quality brass from the Lapua brass.

You should se 3800fps with a 80grain 224 cal bullet.

Or 3700 fps with a 75 V-max 6mm bullet

I've got C&H, but a word of caution with them. If you are going to use 25-06 cases tell them, because if they set the dies up to convert 30-06 brass to 6mm-06, they will not hold a bullet, if you use 25-06 brass. Seems the 30-06 brass is thicker in the neck. You could also use any 6mm neck sizer, and any combination of 06 dies to get the job done.

Jerry

I have ch dies for my 6mm-06. You can also get away with just plain 243 dies. It just takes abit to set them up, works just fine.

Or.....you might consider joining the 20 crazies with a 20x22/250 AI. 1in9 twist for 50's. 40's just scream along 4400+. I want one can you tell?

just one mans' "pet" project, but I have a 22-378Wby with an Ackley Improved style shoulder.
60gr solid base Noslers at a bit over 5000fps.

Rich

How about a 6.5 WSM or 6.5 SUM?

Or even a 7mm RUM. Factory chambering, I know, but I bet it will burn up a barrel in no time! Heck you could even neck the RUM down to 6mm and get a long bbl...

Some years ago, few of us built 22-250's using 8 twist barrels, 30" long and used the 80grain Sierra 223 MK bullets. Outstanding accuracy and shot w/ the 308/155's out to 1000 yard mark. I had one with a Douglas and one with a Krieger stainless and both shot deadnuts on. Varget and 4064 both worked fine. Just a suggestion.

I have a 8mm x 284 tight neck, that has a 1 in 8 on it. That thing is a hell of a lot of fun to shoot. I also have a .243 AI that is fun also.