Our numbers are down compared to medium and big bores - need more topics. For coyotes to caribou and from the 243 to the 264 WM, and you could only choose one rifle/caliber/scope combo, what would it be?

I'll start:

A 260 in a 722 with a 22.5" Douglas 1-8" XX featherweight contour, Leupold rings and bases, 2-7x VX-II, in a nice English walnut stock. Maybe a 3-position safety, a Sako-style extractor, and a Shilen trigger too...

[ 07-09-2003, 06:56: Message edited by: 9.3x62 ]

I'd suggest a 6.5x55 with a Hornady 129gr SP. I use this caliber on moose with the Sierra 160gr SPSP and it really does a job on them. Excellent penetration. I shoot them out of a Remington Classic. It's a winning combination. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

It would be my old .243. It is built on a Mauser action with a synthetic stock. The only change I would make would be to top it off with a 4X14 Leupold. Same set up in 7mm08 would be a close second.

Make mine a 8.5 to 9 lb. 30-06, 26" barrel with a 1x4 Leupold in QD Talley rings and bases with a good set of iron sights...180 or 200 gr. Noslers behind a case full (60 grs,) of "old surplus 4831" will do. It has been working for me for years.

A wildcat 257SAUM in a Remington Model 7 action, Kriegher 24" CM light-countour barrel in a McMillan Mountain Rifle stock. Swarovski AV 3-10x42mm scope in ltwt Talley mounts. Metal NP-3 coated by Robar. Anything up to 400 pounds as far as I can hit a 2-liter soda bottle.

Since it has to be "from the 243 to the 264"(not .308") I would go with a 25-06.The rifle would be a stainless 700 with 24" premium barrel and mcmillan stock.Scope would be a swarovski 3x10x42.

[ 07-09-2003, 08:58: Message edited by: stubblejumper ]

Chalk up another vote for the 6.5X55 Swedish Mauser. Put it in a Sako with a Leupold 2x7 on top and I'd be happy.

packrat

Not to be a horse of a different color;

but a 6.5 x 57, in a Winchester Model 70 action, and a 28 inch heavy sporter barrel, with a Leupold 3 x 9 with a Leupold Dot reticle,

or a 6.5 x 55 in a Winchester Featherweight, with a 26 inch barrel, with a Leupold 3 x 9 dot reticle in a factory laminated Brown on Brown stock.

Wait a minute; those two sound familiar?

Oh yeah, already asked myself that question and had both guns rebarreled from 30/06 to their current configurations.

Still have a couple of 30/06s tho, and of course two in model 70s.

257AI in a FN Mauser topped with 6x42 Kahles

I would choose a 6.5x55 CZ 550 with leupold scope and load 140 gr bullets in it.

Because I'm cheap, I'll stick with my Remington Sendero 25-06 and continue to cuss the barrel. I've got two scopes for it, a Nikon 3.5 to 10 and, the biggest scope I've ever seen, a Tasco 8 TO 40, this scope weighs as much as the whole rifle.
The 100 gr HP Speer, these things look like the intake on the old F-100 Supersaber, man that dates me! These bullets will blow daylight all the way through a ground hog at any distance that you care to shoot him at. The 100 gr. Matchkings will stack five bullets under a nickle at 100 meters. The 120, or 117, Sierras are accurate to way out yonder and, as I understand it, deadly.
I mostly use this rifle for practicing offhand, kneeling, prone, sitting. As heavy as this rifle is it it makes my two fun guns a Winchester 1886 and an AR-10t feel almost petite!
I wouldn't feel the least bit under gunned using it one deer or antelope.
Jim

The .25-06 The best all around cartridge! 60 grain to 120 grain bullets. Shoot crows to elk

Since this is a reloading site I would go with a 6.5 X 284

I'll PLay on this one

It would be a difficult choice but for me right now the 7x57 is a gem. Load it with 120's for coyotes and 140-160's for bigger stuff.

Make it on a Mauser action, 24-26" barrel with a nice piece of wood .

Good day

BD

Another vote for the .25/06 . After owning 4 of them , I have a mountain of components left to use up . I like the Ruger in this caliber , if they are still using their magnum contour barrel for the .25/06 . This makes for a good stiff pipe , yet it is not all out of reason to pack around , unlike the varmint weight outfits. Top it with any good scope in the 4 to 12 range ......

[ 07-09-2003, 18:50: Message edited by: sdgunslinger ]

6.5-06 in two barrels for the Encore rifle:

1. 28 inch bull bbl with 1 in 10 twist and throated for 85 to 130 grain bullets

2. 24 inch tapered bbl with 1 in 8 twist throated for 140 to 160 gr bullets.

The 24 inch is the walk around configuration, 38.5 inches over all, suitable for big game and brush if necessary.

The 28 inch is a varmint configuration, 42.5 inches overall, with extended bbl mounting pin I designed for a bipod mount. Speer 90 gr TNTs clock 3700 fps.

If you prefer the 260 of the 6.5X55, just do the same thing in either of those calibers. The velocity differences won't matter in 99 out of 100 shots in the field.

The trick with 6.5s is to get the throat and twist rates right for the bullet length/weight you want to use. The above approach allows every 6.5 bullet made to touch the lands, not intrude on powder space, and to get optimal stabilization...not just good stabilization.

The 24 inch set up will still shoot Nosler 120 BTs, 125 PARs and Hornady 129s well...just seat them out and don't worry...its a single shot.

I would go with a 6mm Winchester Super Short Magnum (6mm WSSM) simply to give me an excuse to try out the new cartridge. Top it off with a good quality 1-8 twist barrel and use either Hornady 105 a-max or 107 Sierra Matchking bullets. For lighter varmints the 95 grain Berger VLD's should be just the ticket, particularly in windy conditions. The Bergers have a BC of .524 and go at 3200 fps from my 243, so the 6mm WSSM should go at least as fast.

My second choice would be the 260 Remington chambered in a Model 7 SS topped off with a Leupold 3.5-10 M3 Mil-dot scope mounted on a Leupold one piece tapered base with extra low 30mm rings. Oh yes, got to have a good trigger. I ahve been real happy with the Rifle Basix 1 lb trigger adjusted up to 1.5 lbs.

Another vote for the 25-06. What a fantastic round! Bullet weights that can vary by almost 100%. Easily over 3000 fps with 100+ grain bullets. Flat shooting and will knock down 'most anything you want to shoot at.

Hollywood

pre 64 Model 70 in 257 Roberts. Load is 48 grains of RL22 and the 120 grain Hornady HP...Probably have it "overscoped" with a Leupold 3.5-10 but it all works, albeit a tad heavy.....compared to all the modern, synthetic stuff anyhow.....

I have killed several deer with the 243WCF, the 257WBY and the 264Win. I have seen several whitetail, mule deer, and antelope killed with the 243WCF, 6MM Rem, and the 25/06.
I never could see any difference in performance between any of these cartridges. No doubt the 257WBY and the 264Win would show up better at very long range and on bigger animals.....Still I would be perfectly happy with the 243WCF. For the things I would do with this class of ctg. the 243 would work fine for me.
I [and my wife] always used the 100gr. Sierra Spz. or the 95gr. Nosler Partition. We never had any problems.

Oops. I forgot to say what rifle and scope.
In the past I used a Ruger No1-A with a 3.5x10 Leupold. It was a good rig, accurate but the scope was a little big for the rifle. My wife used a synthetic Rem Mod 7 with a 4x Swarovski. Both rifles killed animals at over 300 yards.
If I was going to have a 243 today I would just get a bbl for my Blaser R-93 and use one of the following, a Leupold 2.5x8, a Kahles or Ziess 1" tube 3x9. Or maybe a 4.5x14, but I do not like a great big scope that destroys the fine handling charactistcs of a rifle.
But I really did like the 243 No1-A.

[ 07-10-2003, 07:22: Message edited by: N E 450 No2 ]

Arkey Pete;

I have to strongly disagree with you!!!

The Hollow Point on that Sierra bullet does not resemble, the intake on a Supersabre! I beg to differ. Looks much more like the one of the F 86 Sabre to me, the H model to be more exact!

Where do you get your information???

( with an F 86 who is the more dated, lol)

NE 450 ......You see no difference in the killing power of a .243 or a .264 Mag ??

I have to say I have seen one HELL of a difference between those two.........Not that the .243 isn't a good little cartridge , but it seems to me they tend to run off a little ways even with good hits , and leave little in the way of blood trails..........with the .264 and 120 s at 3400 fps , it's tits up RIGHT THERE....... ..........I would guess a .257 Weath. would be more of the same .

[ 07-10-2003, 17:24: Message edited by: sdgunslinger ]

I'd say my G33/40 which is in African Walnut (Brown Pre---grins), with its 2-8 Leo in Talley lightweights and being as you said 264 or below I'd have to go 6.5/06-twer it not for that it would be in my 06 Improved--or at least that is what I call my beloved 270-which it is now.

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dog

I'm not sure what action I would settle on(ither a pre 64 Winchester or a Rem 700), but it would be chambered for 6.5-06. Have a 24" #3 barrel, a Bansner fiberglass stock and Talley lightweights holding a Leupold 6x scope.
What more could you need?
John

bobcash has a good idea there with the pre 64 M70 in 257R. I'll have to stick with my two favorites and it would be hard to pick just one of them. They are a 257AI on pre 64 M70 action, 24" Douglas premium #4 bbl, XXX English walnut with all the custom goodies topped off with a Leopold vari X III 3.5X10. The other a Weatherby Ultra Light 257Wby with a B&L Elite 4200 4X12.

I really like my TC Contender Carbine in 257 TCU. It works well on woodchucks, turkeys, crows, coyotes, and deer. It shoots 100gr bullets @ 2700fps using 30 grains of powder, weighs around 5-5 1/2 #, 35" long (21" barrel), 2x7 leupold VX-I scope. It may not be the best at anything but it is good at a lot. I don't think a caribou (cow elk) would like getting a bullet in the ribs if I got close enough.

A close second would be a 257 roberts Ruger#1 26" barrel, 6x18 bushnell scope (it works). Its second because it's a little heavy.

[ 07-11-2003, 22:38: Message edited by: RAS 323 ]

Just one but it doesn't have to be one I currently own? very hard....

Probably a 1903 Springfield in .257Roberts AI with a 25" medium contour barrel on a classic stock in walnut (no cheekpiece), open sights with a removeable aperture setup in the rear, and a fxied 6x Leupold in quick detach rings. With the stock checkered in the Roy Rogers Rocket pattern out of the Monte Kennedy book. Leather military sling. :-)

Red

God help me only one? Ok, 6.5 Mannlicher in of course a Mannlicher rifle.

About twenty years ago I picked the Remington Model 700 ADL in 25.06. When I'm serious I put my Leupold 6 x 18 on it and chamber a Sierra 120 gr. HPBT.

A good 25/06 is the sensible answer here, but just to be different I think I would take a 6.5/06 on an FN Mauser action, light weight 24 inch barrel and 4x12 scope.

Coyotes aren't very particular what you shoot them with but I think the heavier 6.5 bullets would be nice on the caribou.

[ 07-11-2003, 07:30: Message edited by: Pecos45 ]

Got this one covered already. My Ruger M77V in .25-06. This one was made in 1976(Centennial model with the tang safety) with a 26" bull barrel topped with a Burris 6-24x Signature scope. Restocked in European walnut. A tact driver that will keep them at or under 1/2" groups all day. Lawdog

T/C contender, then I could stll have everything;-)
Doc

I'll take Rich's 257 AI!

A 722????

This is a great question!

I would choose a 1994 Remington Classic in 6.5x55 Swedish.
Put that action into a Bell&Carlson Premier Thumbhole Sporter stock (in BLACK, of course).
Top it off with a NIKON Monarch 4-12x40 scope in Conetrol 1-pc. Kustum base/rings.
Use a Brownells Latigo sling in natural finish.

To me, that'd be a beautiful firearm and a pleasure to own and shoot.
Not that I'd ever thought about this combination before...

I would (and do) choose a 722 (or 721) over a 700 most days! I prefer the design of the bolt handle, the undercarriage is more durable than a wood floor or a cast aluminum hinged floorplate, and they seem to feed a bit smoother (at least mine do).

Technically, a 700 SA is little more than a 722 action with a slightly modified extractor, a swept back bolt handle, and a jeweled bolt. Remington just tweaked a great action and out came another great action.

any action you prefer,6.5/06{in the non factory}, off the shelf cartridges would be the 25-06.

My choice would be

Muaser action, nice wood and a backup synthetic stoc. 26 inch crome moly barrel, perferably a krieger or border. Swarowski 3-12X50, tally rings.

Caliber 6,5-284 Norma, with 100-120 nosler bt to 140 grain nosler partition bullets it will cover everything from sheeps, deers and goats to vermins

/ JOHAN

[ 11-03-2003, 20:08: Message edited by: JOHAN ]