What are some good longe range varmit rounds that will fit a short action Remington? I have a 40 XBKS with a shot out barrel in .220 Swift, and am wanting to rebarrel. Not looking for anything over .25 caliber. A wilcat is fine, not looking for a real complex one though. I still want rounds to cycle through the magazine. What are some good ones to look at?

Why not another 220 swift?
For long range varmints, it is certainly in the upper level. Plus, you already have the gear.

Are you just looking to try something new?
Any other criteria to meet?

I'm shooting a .204 ruger and like it very well, although it's too small for your bolt face. The .22-250 is the most popular varmint caliber and it is indeed a very good one, and is easier on barrels than the swift. It would be a perfect fit in your action and magazine as would the 6xc. The .243,6mm rem.,.257 roberts, will all fit your bolt and action, although you might need to open up your magazine a little bit.

I like the Swift, it has it's moments, for sure. The main problem I have with mine (besides it being shot out)is it has the slow twist, and that is a killer. It limits you to lightweight bullets (60 grains or less). Also case life is somewhat problematic. I have a nice little .223 for my light varmit rifle now, what I am really looking for is something that will step it up a significant notch.

I think what I may be looking at is a .243 AI. There are some really nice 6mm bullets that will cut the wind much better than the .22's, and wind is a big factor around here. The .260 is a great long range round, but I don't think I'm ready to start throwing bullets that heavy across the landscape on a high volume basis. I have heard the .257 Bob mentioned, but it is off the 7x57 case and really a bit too long for a short action to run through the mag. Maybe a blown out 25-08 would work?

EDIT: Swampshooter, how hard would it be to open up the mag well and eigth or so? I think thats about what it would need for the 6mm or .257 Bob

I'd go for a 243 or 243 AI like you said. You will have the energy to take down some Yotes (and even deer) at distance.

The best thing is that brass and bullets are wildly available and almost always in stock.

Decisions, decisions... If you don't want another Swift then how about:

22/250
22/250 AI
6mm International
243 (1:8 if you want to play with the 107s)
250/3000 AI (1:10 twist)

If you relax your caliber restriction the 6.5x47 Lapua, 6.5 Creedmore, and 260 Remington would be less a varmint gun, more of a target gun, and even better for deer... Have fun deciding.

22/6mm...love mine and turns varmints into mushy messes.

Whatever you get make sure it has as fast a twist as you can get to maximize your bullet options.

Perry

6BRX

Many a long range varmint shooters enjoy 6mmBR w/fast twist and 105 amax. Gilt edged accuracy rules, as way out you will range and click anyway, you need all the accuracy you can get. A good 22 cal will get you 500 yds or so, but out further many prefer a good 6mm high BC bullet.

Barrel life is shorter in hot 22s and in larger 6mms than say a 6BR, so if that's important you might consider.

For less recoil and still flat shooting destructive bullets to 400 yds or so with a 6BR, you can use 55 Ballistic tips (higher BC than same in 22 cal) at 3800 or so MV, and 70 TNTs at 3400+.

Lots of choices but do some research on the 6BR at 6mmBR.com and see what you think if you have not considered that one yet.

Just an option.

6mm Remington would seem to suffice with the machinery at hand. Superior to the 243 Winchester chambering and change up the twist a bit and make it a long range ..........LONG RANGE!!!!........ choice also. Cut it and chaber it for the 260 Remington with a 1-8 or 1-9 twist and you've got a short range varminter that will blow the dickens out of stuff with 95 grain VMAXS or reach a long ways out with 140 AMAXS and not much recoil with either!! GHD

While I agree with Charlie /GHD..on the 6mm Rem...(and mine has the one in 7 twist)...
another round I am looking at putting together a rifle for, is the 20 BR...

being a handloader..ammo isnt a problem..

while everyone rants and raves about the 204, I just couldn't warm up to it...guess it doesn't fit my Gemini personality....

either it wasn't efficient enough..like a 20 Vartag would be...or a 20 Vartag turbo..

or practical enough...for brass availability and low cost.. the 20 Practical ( 20/223)

or fast enough and cool enough, or unique enough...enter the 20 BR...

so in the near future, I think that is going to be my next rifle project...

only question is to build it on a Mauser, Ruger or Remington 700 S....or just order it as another barrel for my Savage actions...

or if I really want to go eccentric...I have pondered a BR case necked down to take the 19 caliber Calhoon stuff...efficient NO...cool and fast..yeah...

A 12 twist Swift was one of my choices. It does really well with 52gr to 60gr V-Max.
I also chose a 250/3000 Ackley Improved 40" .
It loves 75gr V-Max out to 450yds.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING!!!

I have a Rem Short Action rifle in 250-3000AI.
Can't say enough good about it; it's accurate, easy to shoot, and a dream to carry.
I have three Rem short action rifles in 257 Roberts too, but I personally think the 250AI is better for the short action.
YMMV however.
My 250 AI is wickedly accurate with 75 grain V-Max bullets. It's my go-to bullet for the 250 AI.

Thanks for the responses guys. I still have lots of different ideas/options running around in my head right now. Another cartridge that has come to my attention is the 6BR, but not sure if it is quite fast enough for what I want. On the other hand, some folks say that barrel life with a .243 AI is not that great...

Anyone know some websites for some good gunsmiths that specialize in this kind of work?

JTP, If you go with the "6's" just save yourself the time and trouble of fireforming a 243AI case and make it the 6mm Remington in the first place. Brass is available, the selection of 6mm bullets is immense and you want a "long range" varminter. You can push the big bullets(105's)((87 grain VMAXS)) to enough velocity that they will eat the "little guys" up in the extended ranges......600-1200 yards. I love the "little guys"....17 Fireball, 204, 223, 222 Magnum, 22-250 but the physics of sending a projectile at the extended ranges does not weigh heavily in their corner. The 6mmRemington will do you justice at 300 yards or 800 yards whereas some of the afformentioned chamberings are suffering. Yes you can get a fast twist .224 barrel for the 223, 22-250 or the Swift and have at it with the heavies. Why not just get a tried and true chambering with the correct twist and not have to dink with all the details of working brass, seating depths impeding on case capacity, and the intracises of reloading for a fickle chambering? Just use the 6mm and be done with it! If Remington would have used the right twist in the original .244 Remington chambering the 243 Winchester would be as obsolete as the 6mm Remington is today!! Probably more so! But alas, Remington is the company who let the SAUM's out of the bag 8 months behind the WSM's!! Another expensive lesson learned!! The SAUM's have more to offer than the WSM's from a handloader/wildcatter/ riflebuilder prospective but they were essentially "D.O.A." by the time they were released!! Do I like the 6's? YES!! I think the 6mm chamberings be it the little ones, 6PPC, 6BR, 6x47(my favorite of the little guys) 6mmRemington, 6x284, even the 243 to some extent, are fun to shoot, inherently accurate and quite impressive in varmint fields. Do I like the .224's? Yes! Especially the 22-250 Remington! A better all around varmint cartridge for typical vermin in the up to 600 yard range coupling accuracy with lethality and acrobatics of small vermin may not have ever been devised! And some of our states even let people use the "useless" 30 Carbine for deer hunting based solely on it's diameter rather than the energy released!! I like the 17's and 20's also but they cannot deliver the punch out past 500 yards on a consistent basis for "humane dispatch" of animals(yes before somebody brings it up, I have measured, witnessed kills on groundhogs a whole lot further than that with the 204!! But it does have limitations! That's why there is always a 6mm or a 260Remington set up alongside the little guys in the varmint fields!!)Hope you all enjoyed the Friday Night GHD Epistle!! GHD

I have a 243 Ackley with a lilja fluted barrel with 12" twist. A real tack driver with 70 noslers or speers. If I had the funds wouldn't mind making a 22/243 Middlestead. Just thought I'd give you another possibility. Paul.

20 BR with 55 grain Bergers. That's a LASER.

quote:

Originally posted by MThuntr:
I'd go for a 243 like you said. You will have the energy to take down some Yotes (and even deer) at distance.

The best thing is that brass and bullets are wildly available and almost always in stock.

There is much merit in this reasoning. The .243 with 55 grain BTs are a superb varmint round and with the 100 grain bullets will kill deer like magic!

1:9 twist 22-284 with the JLK or Sierra 80gr VLD's. 3500fps and a BC over .500

Rich

with the rep the 6.5-284 has for eating barrels, I can only imagine what a .22-284 must be like.

If I were going to get over .22 caliber, I'd go to the 6mm Rem.

If you wanna shoot heavier good BC bullets IMO the two best choices would be 22-243 Middlestead or 6-284 both in fast twist barrels.

You can use Lapua brass for both. Neither is going to have long barrel life. I don't know of any true "hot rod" varmint rounds that have long barrel life but that's why those barrels are threaded and not welded.

Just finished up a 6-284 on a squared up short action 700 Rem. reciever with a Lilja tube and HS Precision stock. Made for a very nice looking yote rig.

You might want to take a look at the 6mm Dasher. It is a blown out version, mover the shoulder forward, of a 6BR. I think that there is a wildcat 6mm/250 that might look good to you. If neither of these fit what you are looking for then take a serious look at the 6mm Remington. The 243 is a good round as well but I think that the 6mm edges it out slightly.

I'm with GHD on the 6mm or the .260 rem. Either one of these two will do excellent work for you and components are easy to find.

I would agree on the Rem. 6mm if you were looking at staying with a standard chambering.

IMO the Rem. 6mm is the top of its class for a standard round. Only down side to the 6mm in a short action is they don't feed very well with longer bullets.

My 40X is a 6 Rem, fast twist... I built for Pdoggin. Works for me. I also shoot a 243 AI, but prefer the 6 Rem.

Hey 308Sako- The 6mm Rem is what I have really wanted from the beginning, but just didn't think it would work in that action. Obviously it does for you, I would like to hear more. Does it limit you on bullet selection or OAL? How much, if any, hinderance is it in the short 40X action? Really, I think I would mainly be shooting bullets in the 85 to 95 grain range. How has barrel life been for you?

Remington chambered the 6mm Rem in the short action 700 for years. The debate is really about having the option to seat the heavier bullets to a longer overall length, so that a few more grains of powder can be used.

quote:

Originally posted by B-23:
I would agree on the Rem. 6mm if you were looking at staying with a standard chambering.

IMO the Rem. 6mm is the top of its class for a standard round. Only down side to the 6mm in a short action is they don't feed very well with longer bullets.

the 6mm Rem is a total different animal with heavy bullets in a long action...

in a short action, a better option would be the 2423 AI or the 6/284.... equal powder capacity.. more short action friendly...

How about .25 Souper?:

quote:

Originally posted by mad_jack02:
How about .25 Souper?:

That's on the menue; will be my next quarterbore rifle.
I now have most of the bases covered in quarterbores, except for the 25 Souper, and the wicked 257 Weatherby. There no 257 Weatherby in my crystal ball however. My 25-06 is just fine for the top end quarterbore. Have four 257 Roberts', two plain jane 250 Savages, and a fine 250AI, along with the 25-06.

Gidday Guys,

What about the 22/243. The longrange varminters here think its the ducks nuts with 62gr and up projectiles on magpies. Instant feather duster way out there apparently.

According to the guys who use a couple down in the McKenzie country they make the 220 look pedestrian and give another 75 metres on it.

This I have yet to see with my own eyes but they are all raving about it so it may be worth a look if you want a barrel burner.

Happy Hunting

Hamish

JTPinTX
You have been given lots of options/great cartridge choices. My suggestion would be to first define some parameters. What is the longest shots you see taking. 600 yds and less the heavy 224s will do. 1000 yds then the heavy 243s will be needed. The heavy for caliber bullets need faster twist barrels. The chambers will need to be throated for the longer bullets.
Staying with shorter bullets (to cycle through the magazine) you will limit the range for each caliber. Lighter bullets need less spin there fore slower twist barrels. And the throats cut for the lighter bullets.
However if you choose a short and fat case. You can be free to use heavy or light bullets. Only compromise would be the throating. The lighter bullets would need to "jump" a little.
Therefore I, as well as others here, suggest the Rem 6mm BR . I believe this cartridge to be the best compromise for Varmint shooting out past 1000 yds. Given the constraints of short action and magazine feeding. It will move the light for caliber bullets at vaporization velocities. As well as sending the heavy for caliber bullets down range at respectable speeds.

muck

Thanks everyone for all of the information. I am still debating, and will take my time on the final decision, no rush. I am about 90% decided on the .243 bullet diameter, just not sure which case I want to push it with. There is alot of give and take on trajectory/workability/barrel life, and I am just not sure exactly where on that line I want to fall yet. Keep the ideas rolling, I'm still all ears.

Here's one for you and it's good enough to clean the prone target at 1,000 yards with Berger 105's. Take a .243AI reamer and chamber the new barrel .130 short. Make your brass by fireforming .250 Savage brass. Make your dies by buying .243AI dies and cut .130 off the bottom of the full length sizer and seater die. Run the .250 savage brass through the sizer and load with whatever bullet you choose to fireform with. Use at least an 8 twist barrel if you want to shoot the 105 grain bullets, slower twists for lighter bullets. Velocity? How about 3400 FPS with the 105 moly coated Bergers using H4350 powder. Barrel life? Well..about 1200 rounds to maintain 1,000 yard accuracy, but maybe 2,000 rounds for inside 500 yards on varmints.

clowdis, How about using the 6mmRemington as it was designed, no machining, no special dies needed and using either 87 grain VMAxs or 105 AMaxs and shooting stuff a long ways off and getting 3000+ rounds out of the barrel???? Not everyone is a machinist. Not everyone has " a friend who is a machinist". Not everyone has "endless supplies of money". ..............Just use the 6mm Remington or if you want to call it the "6x57", and have fun!!! Remington has made another stupid blunder by abandoning their SUPERIOR chambering and dropping it in favor of saving the 243 winchester in their product lines. GHD

Well GHD, right now the 6mm Remington is at the top of the list as far as what I am considering. The argument I am using runs exactly like yours, which is why jump through alot of hoops or make it complicated just to "get even" with a readily available factory round? I keep thinking about all the others, but keep coming back to the 6mm. Less money on dies and such means more money for the rifle itself. Mike Bryant is just right up the road from me and is going to get the work once I can get the cash rounded up.

I seem to remember that I have a bag of 100 new 6mm BR cases sitting in my shop...