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What caliber do you recommend for a fun custom????
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.257 Weatherby
 
Posts: 1280 | Location: The Bluegrass State | Registered: 21 October 2014Reply With Quote
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35 Whelen .... you can load heavy Woodleigh 275g bullets for Big Game ... and shoot light weight pistol bullets for "fun" plinking.


" .... you never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early .... "

How to Hunt Wisconsin Whitetail Deer with a Cannon

How to Hunt Feral Cats with a Mortar
 
Posts: 2236 | Location: Whitetail Country - Wisconsin | Registered: 28 September 2013Reply With Quote
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As already mentioned by posters a couple of times above, I too vote for the 35 Whelen also (besides the 9.3x66 & 338-06)!

I’ve taken my 35 Whelen to Africa and taken: Leopard,Sable,Sitatunga,Hartebeest,Lechwe,Bushbuck, Warthog & Oribi. In America, I’ve taken Elk & Moose with it. Used 250gr. NP and 280gr. SAF. The 35 Whelen is an Awesome cartridge!

Having said that, if you hunt mostly in Africa, I’d make a 9.3x62. If you mostly hunt here in the states, I’d build the Whelen.

Enjoy the mental gymnastics!
 
Posts: 2654 | Location: Colorado | Registered: 26 May 2010Reply With Quote
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Fun gun, little bit odd duck, 25-284 was a real good one on a M70 action with WSM mag box/follower (3.050” internal length). Not a ‘classic’ but an easy wildcat, but a great deer round. It’s been one of my favorites.


Shoot straight, shoot often.
Matt
 
Posts: 1190 | Location: Wisconsin | Registered: 19 July 2001Reply With Quote
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35 Whelen or a 8x68s


"Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid" -- Ronald Reagan

"Ignorance of The People gives strength to totalitarians."

Want to make just about anything work better? Keep the government as far away from it as possible, then step back and behold the wonderment and goodness.
 
Posts: 3084 | Location: Austin, Texas | Registered: 05 April 2006Reply With Quote
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Also a vote for 35 Whelen. I have stainless/synthetic one that hill country rifles built for me, but I would love a model 70 in 35 Whelen with a nice piece of English walnut.
 
Posts: 259 | Registered: 02 July 2015Reply With Quote
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The gaps in your lineup are small, but I think the following could fill them -

25-06 ( or .257 Weatherby) for a fast light cartridge for fast light game,

.35 Whelen, or 9.3x62 ( I prefer the 9.3x62 after using both quite a lot) Both kill big stuff dead with no fuss and don't kick much.

8x68S just because it's such a good capable cartridge that gets no love in North America. A .338 Win would do the same job but with less panache.
 
Posts: 241 | Location: Saskatchewan, Canada | Registered: 24 January 2009Reply With Quote
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I would think you'd want to define the rifle, and the concept of what you mean by "fun" before choosing a caliber...

Do you want to do a lot of rapid fire short range shooting at cans? Medium range hammering of things like water jugs and water melons? Long range, prone, sniper-like plinking at things?

I would take that approach, but that's just me.
 
Posts: 1138 | Location: Washington State | Registered: 07 September 2005Reply With Quote
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318 WR


Add a little "romance" to your life!

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Posts: 164 | Location: Mississippi USA | Registered: 09 January 2003Reply With Quote
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.35 Whelen AI. It give you a little more oomph, but can still shoot the regular.


I meant to be DSC Member...bad typing skills.

Marcus Cady

DRSS
 
Posts: 3464 | Location: Dallas | Registered: 19 March 2008Reply With Quote
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All great ideas.

.257 Roberts, .257 Weatherby, 35 Whelen, 93x62, 25 Creedmore, 30-06 (if I could get Duane to build one for his 1990's prices!), 7x64 brenneke per Jeffeosso, all great ideas.

Please keep them coming!
 
Posts: 10499 | Location: Texas... time to secede!! | Registered: 12 February 2004Reply With Quote
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8mm-06 AI


Mike

Legistine actu quod scripsi?

Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.




What I have learned on AR, since 2001:
1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken.
2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps.
3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges.
4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down.
5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine.
6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle.
7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions.
8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA.
9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not.
10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact.
11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores.
12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence.
13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances.
 
Posts: 10181 | Location: Loving retirement in Boise, ID | Registered: 16 December 2003Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):
When a client orders a 30-06...I probably wopn't see him again....unless he needs a 375 H&H the 06 covers just about anything you'd bother to hunt.

Reasonable recoil,. plenty of punch ,ammo availability. world wide...wide range of bullet weights...what's not to like?


Run out of or loose ammo for your 7mm Lazaroni ? Tough shit...30-06? no problem ...even in Arusha.



Well said,
 
Posts: 3811 | Location: san angelo tx | Registered: 18 November 2009Reply With Quote
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Shooting air rifles I shot .177 and .22 cals, my Sheridan is 5mm-20 cal and I liked it the best--considered it the best of both worlds between the 17's and 22's. Way back before the .204 Ruger I had thoughts that a .20 cal centerfire would be neat. What I'd use it for didn't have a clue. Then the .204 Ruger came out and I really liked the lightweight of the CZ rifle---but the backwards safety turned me off. I have never had interest in a wildcat, but I think with availability of brass, I'd prefer the .223 necked down to .20 (whatever that is called) versus a .204 Ruger.
 
Posts: 3811 | Location: san angelo tx | Registered: 18 November 2009Reply With Quote
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I agree with the earlier suggestions for 35 Whelen, or if you want to have really something special the 333 Jeffery is another variant – and even ballistically similar.
 
Posts: 208 | Location: Prague, Czech Republic | Registered: 28 January 2005Reply With Quote
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.257 Roberts would be my choice.
 
Posts: 414 | Location: Indiana | Registered: 22 November 2015Reply With Quote
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Ok, the winner is …. .257 Roberts.
Will report as it progresses.

Matt Roberts is building it.
 
Posts: 10499 | Location: Texas... time to secede!! | Registered: 12 February 2004Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by dogcat:
Timan,
Where do you get the brass for the 25 Creed??


Alpha brass make 25 Creedmoor headstamped brass.
I just bought a couple hundred for a new build I'm doing.

Zeke
 
Posts: 2270 | Registered: 27 October 2011Reply With Quote
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Recreate the .425 WR in a .41 or .45 caliber. A clip loading elephant cartridge that you designed your self, what's not to love.

.22 CHeetah with a tight twist, With the right bullets should be humane up to large, non-dangerous, NA or European game.

.20 or .22 BR Remington, .20 seems like it would not be a good choice for anything larger than a small whitetail. If that based on available bullets.

6.5-284 or .284 Winchester, easy to find ammo off the shelf.
 
Posts: 15 | Registered: 22 June 2007Reply With Quote
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I’m liking the 375 Rimless Express or 9.5X56 Mannlicher by another name.

The 318 is alluring too until you look for a variety of projectiles so something in 35, 9.3 or .375 would be more satisfactory IMO.
 
Posts: 3402 | Location: Colorado U.S.A. | Registered: 24 December 2004Reply With Quote
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Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
Ross, if we're talking about a bolt action, and given what you already have, I would suggest the .257 Roberts.

A classic small bore that is easy to feed and a lot of fun to shoot.

Doesn't need a 24 or 26 inch barrel and fits in any standard Mauser M98 or short Winchester M70 action.

Makes for a light, handy rifle.

And shoots well besides.

Little noise, no recoil, yet plenty accurate and powerful enough for deer and antelope-sized animals and can do double duty for predators and varmints as well.

Of course, I am old-fashioned, and will generally go for a classic these days.


I agree completely with Michael. My first choice. Another “fun” caliber I would consider is the 6mm-204RR. Very similar to the 6x47 bench rest round, but with slightly more capacity and faster twist. Norma makes quality 204 brass.

A friend has 3 bolt rifles in 7mm TCU. Very light recoil, and they take deer with soft jacket 140’s surprisingly well. Very fun to shoot!


Matt
FISH!!

Heed the words of Winston Smith in Orwell's 1984:

"Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right."
 
Posts: 3300 | Location: Northern Colorado | Registered: 22 November 2005Reply With Quote
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I guess you settled on your choice, but I thought I'd share one of my "just for fun" builds: 510WSM. This is an affordable way to launch the 50BMG bullets, and I've also played with cast, paper patched, and lathe turned bullets. The only thing I've killed with it is some PD. Sometimes when they're hiding just below visible, it's fun to "dig" them out with an API.

http://forums.accuratereloadin.../6521043/m/472101969
 
Posts: 871 | Registered: 13 November 2008Reply With Quote
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I like the 9,3x62. Hunted a lot with the 9.3x62 and 64 and my chronograph with modern powders and strong actions such as the good 98s or mod 70s gave up 100 fps difference so I offed the 64s and became a fan of handloaded 62s, It was fun and games to load for as factory ammo was low ball stuff back in those days and nobody knew what it was in that small ranching community in far West Texas. Shot a lot of deer and a couple of Colorado elk with the 62 and one with the 64, that was the beginning and as the years went by I used both on DG in Africa, where both caliber made their reputations. They still compete with the 375 H&H without the bark..Fun gun in my books.


Ray Atkinson
Atkinson Hunting Adventures
10 Ward Lane,
Filer, Idaho, 83328
208-731-4120

rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com
 
Posts: 42298 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000Reply With Quote
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Looking hard at the 9.3x62 or 7x64
I ordered and spec'ed the .257 Roberts.
May add a twin.... if oil prices stay high...
 
Posts: 10499 | Location: Texas... time to secede!! | Registered: 12 February 2004Reply With Quote
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