Its caliber decision time again and as usual the choices outnumber the available actions.

OK, I already have two 7mm-08's, two 30-06's, and a 300 Savage.

One of my 30-06's is a Springfield Armory 1903 that is still in the very capable hands of Jim Dubell and Chic Worthing. It will stay as a 30-06.

The other is a sporterized Remington 1903A3 which I plan to re-barrel into something smaller. I also have another SA 1903 Action which I plan to have built into a 9.3X62 Mauser.

So in the near future it would appear that I am well covered from deer up to Elk/Moose/Bear.

I have been wanting a good varmint caliber for a while but never got around to buying a varmint rifle. Well now I could build one off the 03A3 instead. Living in Missouri my varmints are Fox, Bobcat, Coyote, and Groundhogs. A .223 would work but will not fit in this action.

I have been contemplating the following cartridges: .220 Swift, 6mm Rem, .257 Roberts, and 25-06. I could even go with a wildcat 6mm-06. Not really wanting to go to the short 308 length cases in this action. The 57mm length is as short as I want to go.


This rifle would be used mostly for the above mentioned varmints and possible use for Antelope. I have ample choices for anything larger. I am leaning towards the 6mm Remington.

Comments? Criticisms? Would you choose something else and why?

Hi

I would go for a 6X57/ 6mm rem. A nice caliber that been badly treated by remington and the shooting press.

Why not a 6,5X55 or 6,5X57 instead of 257?

Cheers
/ JOHAN

With the right bullet they'll all work great for the described use.



Flip a coin. Get your rifle. Then, as the TV ad says, get OUT there! Every day you're not shooting is a wasted day you'll never get back. Life is too short to spend deciding between those three great cartridges.



MHO



Alberta Canuck

Tough choice! As mentioned, all would work.

Since you have the '06 and are planning a 9.3x62 (I'd personally go for the 35 Whelen as a nostalgia thing) on Springfields and your question relates to another Springfield, I'd probably go with the 25-06 for simplicity sake. Would take little modification to feed if you're planning on keeping it magazine fed.

One thing you didn't mention is how many shots are you planning to take over an 8 hour period at woodchucks? That would have a bearing on the choice as well. A couple of boxes of shells in a sporter weight is okay from a 25-06 but nicer from a Swift, 6mm Remington or 257 Roberts.

There's no wrong choice from your list.

Why not a 6.5 on this action? Well cause one of my 7mm-08's will most likely end up as a 6.5X55 or 57 at some point.

Been debating with myself all weekend. But as I told my brother-in-law, "In the end it really won't matter as they all will work".

Its nice to feedback and new input though just to see what comes up.

Of course once the caliber/cartridge decision is made then come the barrel length, twist rate, and profile choices.

I love my 6MM Rem with a 22" bbl I get 3850 fps from a 55gr nosler BT that turns coyotes in circles when it strikes.I shot my Antelope at 260 yds with the 87gr Hornady SP went in the neck and out behind the off side shoulder he dropped on the spot.Large WT deer and hogs with 100gr Partitions.Great round

With the requirements you've stated the 6mm(.244) would be the rifle of choice allowing you get the proper twist and throating .

Bullet selection is far greater and less expensive than any larger caliber. The selection of good varmint bullets in 25 cal. is poor to nil. Powder consumption is less than 06 type cases and recoil is only moderate.On antelope out to 300 yards and farther the rifle will do it's part. I,ve owned a 6mm.270 IMP, a 25-06 IMP and a number of .257s.Ive had fun with them all but for what you say you intend to use it the 6mm really is more than adequate, cost effective and versitile. It is one of the last sensible commercially designed , long necked, cartridges.

You won't have to replace the barrel as quickly either, not counting the .257. roger

.275 Roberts,

I would not choose any of those though, 22-250, hands down.

There are trade off's of course. The Swift will shoot smaller fur friendly bullets, richocet less and you can see the bullet hit. The 6mm will be legal for big game in many states.

So you pick the attributes that fit your needs and wants. When I go varmint hunting the Swift is my first choice.

Keep in mind that an accurate big game rifle can be a varminter as well and you already have some.

Another vote for the 257 Roberts or the 25-06 with my choice being the Roberts. There is lots of nostalgic flavor with either and the Springfield actions in rifles, and most folks know I am a hopeless nostalgic.
Also, if you want to hunt antelope, I myself would rather have a 25 caliber than a 6mm. Actually many feel the 25-06 is the perfect rifle for antelope. If it is to be strictly a 6mm varmint rifle, I would seroiusly consider a 1 in 12 inch twist barrel as I have found the lighter weight 6mm bullets shoot really well with that combo in my 6X45.

But as others have said there really is no right or wrong choice. That said, I think myself, I would still probably be figuring to own a 223 of some sort someday. I just can't imagine being without one in any rifle battery for several reasons. This might influence your choice somewhat also.

Idared you hit the nail on the head. Nostalgia does lead me towards the .257 Roberts and the 25-06. But then fur friendliness leads me towards the Swift. Then the desire to have a dual purpose varmint antelope rifle leads me more to the 6 Rem as a good middle of the road rifle. Not too bad on fur and legal for larget game. This of course would require a faster 1 in 9 twist. Also when it gets passed down it would be more versitile too.

Ahh the great debates ... weighing the pros and cons and relative merits of fine cartridges.

My wife already thinks I nuts anyway.

I guess what I really need is another Springfield. That way I could get the Roberts and the Swift.

Course I could always make the Springfield into the Roberts and change out the Mauser 7mm-08 into a Swift instead of a Sweed. Hey now that might be an idea. Hmmmmm.

Man life was sure easier when I had fewer rifles

Did I say that Shhh don't tell the wife.

Repeat to self, complication is good ... complication is good

None of the above if you really want a varmint rifle. For not much more than it'll cost you to rebarrel that 03-A3 with a decent tube you could buy a CZ 527 in .222 or .223. Go check one out, their like a cute speckled puppy that you just have to take home with you.

And everybody needs a .222 and/or a .223 (And a 220 Swift, a 22-250, 22 Hornet, .17 Rem.........)

Tom,
Given that you want to use that action, I would go with the .257 Roberts but for a different reason, I just like them and they do the job very well. As far as small varmints and lots of shooting. I would get a .223. Last year in Oregon I shot 900 rounds of .223 at ground squirrels (aka picket pins, Sage rats, etc.)and 300 rounds of .22 rimfire. The .257 Roberts is gentle but I would not want to shoot that much with it in a short session.

I agree that for a pure varmint caliber that it just doesnt get much better than a 22/250. However given that you want to build one on a Springfield and since youve already got 2 7mm's, I would opt for the 6mm rem. Thats coming from a guy who shoots and loves his 257 AI.

I also agree that a Whelen is a better fit in a Springfield than a 9.3X62 and it offers better selections stateside. I rode over to my local sporting goods store when my Whelen was done and picked up some RCBS dies off the shelf along with brass and 3 different kinds of bullets. Good luck doing that with a 9.3X62.

I have to agree on a couple observations ...

1. .257 Roberts just sounds better than 6mm Rem
2. for lots of shooting ie: long shootign sessions the .223 is definately the better choice.

Looking back through Cartriges of the World the .257 and the 6mm share the same case and can shoot many of the same bullet weights at the same velocities. Thus in the lighter varmint weight bullets performance should be similar. The Roberts would give greater flexibility to go larger should the desire strike.

Being honest with myself I will still most likely get a .223 at some point in the future. At present though Missouri just does not have the varmint numbers for high volume shooting and I am not likely to take a week off just to shoot varmints in high numbers out west.

As far as availability of reloading components ...

Local stores are slim pickings on pretty much anything beyond .308, .270, and 7mm. Once in a while you might if you are lucky find something in .257 or .243 but the selection will be very low. Even on the "common" components they often have to special order exactly what you may want and then they want a larger order or you have to waite until they get a large enough order in. Which makes experimentation tough. I can however drive 2 hours to Columbia Missouri and visit Midway and then get anything. Usually though it is easier to order and have them ship it to me. Heck I can't even buy the factory ammo my wife's 30-06, my 300 Savage, and my 7-08's like. I have to order all of it. So I made the plunge and ordered everything to start loading my own for everything.

So in light of this 9.3 is no harder for me than 35. And the 9.3 will fit better with my future plans (Grizzly and Alaskan Brown bears and Africa). Got to agree though as far as a Springfield threesome would go the trio of .257 Roberts/30-06/35 Whelen sounds cool.

Jim already has the Double Heat Treated 03 and is working up an estimate for me to build it into 9.3X62. No parts have been ordered but unless something drastic changes my thinking I am sticking with 9.3 for that one. Guess I will start a separate thread for that one.

For now the 03A3 is still in my gunsafe with a real ugly 06 barrel on it. Whatever I choose will be easier to shoot and do less damage then the 06 I was using (which I sold). Blew two huge hole out the other side of a coyote. It worked though.

One of each would be nice......

I agree ... one of each

220 Swift
223
257 Roberts
6.5X55
7X57
etc
etc
etc
plus 35W, 9.3, 375, 416

It looks to me like you need a varmint rifle, specifically for foxes and coyotes and that means .220 Swift to me. You have plenty of stuff to shoot antelope with already, need a coyote rifle.

I am not hunting them to sell the pelts. I would like a full body mount of a nice fox or bobcat though. Already have a real nice full body mount of a coyote in a walking pose. He was more a target of oppertunity being that he was in my front yard, and having no business being there, I ran and grabbed my 30-06 and quickly injected 150 grains of lead into him.

Good thing I live out in the country where neighbors are quite a ways off. Besides the loudeness of the shot it might have seemed a little unusual me standing there in my "Big Dog" boxers, a rifle, a coyote, and nothing else.

Afterwords I called my "nearest" neighbor to let them no what the shot was for and they said, "shot, what shot".

Either way whatever I use next has got to do less damage than that. Stiched up fine though.