While I was sitting at my computer Sunday morning I had a bad idea... why not have a varmint barrel spun up for my new AIAE?
I already have a .223 R700 and 24" barrel AR that I currently use for long range squirrel blasting. Both guns are launching 53gr Vmax (.290 BC) at 3250 fps and do a fine job but I'm thinking I want to do a barrel for the AE with a little more power.
Whatever caliber I choose would have to be compatible with 308 case head dimensions and feed out of AICS magazines.
So far I've considered the following:
.220 swift
.22-250
.243
6mm Creedmoor
.22-250 is a known that I've had experience with. I already have .22-250 dies as I use them for reloading a friend's squirrel gun. We launch the 53gr Vmax out of his rifle at 3800fps; a good flat shooter and it really explodes the squirrels. Barrel life is an unknown; he's sitting at about 900 rounds after this season and it's still shooting great.
.220 swift would be similar to the .22-250, I'd probably stick with the 53gr Vmax I already have. I'd lean towards the .22-250 instead as I already have the dies.
For the .243 or 6mm Creedmoor I was thinking of using 58, 65, or 75gr Vmax. Unfortunately the 58gr (at .250BC) and 65gr 6mm Vmax (at .280BC) both have poorer BCs than my current .224 53 max at .290BC. Only when you get to the 75gr Vmax at .330BC does the bullet selection surpass my current .290 BC 53gr Vmax load. Looking at load data for .243 it looks like I could launch a 58gr Vmax at about 3800fps, a 65gr Vmax at about 3650, or a 75gr Vmax at about 3400fps, all of which should do a number on the squirrels and do so quite a ways out. I can't find much in the way of load data for the 6mm Creedmoor but I think it could achieve similar velocites compared to the .243.
Thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated...
I already have a .223 R700 and 24" barrel AR that I currently use for long range squirrel blasting. Both guns are launching 53gr Vmax (.290 BC) at 3250 fps and do a fine job but I'm thinking I want to do a barrel for the AE with a little more power.
Whatever caliber I choose would have to be compatible with 308 case head dimensions and feed out of AICS magazines.
So far I've considered the following:
.220 swift
.22-250
.243
6mm Creedmoor
.22-250 is a known that I've had experience with. I already have .22-250 dies as I use them for reloading a friend's squirrel gun. We launch the 53gr Vmax out of his rifle at 3800fps; a good flat shooter and it really explodes the squirrels. Barrel life is an unknown; he's sitting at about 900 rounds after this season and it's still shooting great.
.220 swift would be similar to the .22-250, I'd probably stick with the 53gr Vmax I already have. I'd lean towards the .22-250 instead as I already have the dies.
For the .243 or 6mm Creedmoor I was thinking of using 58, 65, or 75gr Vmax. Unfortunately the 58gr (at .250BC) and 65gr 6mm Vmax (at .280BC) both have poorer BCs than my current .224 53 max at .290BC. Only when you get to the 75gr Vmax at .330BC does the bullet selection surpass my current .290 BC 53gr Vmax load. Looking at load data for .243 it looks like I could launch a 58gr Vmax at about 3800fps, a 65gr Vmax at about 3650, or a 75gr Vmax at about 3400fps, all of which should do a number on the squirrels and do so quite a ways out. I can't find much in the way of load data for the 6mm Creedmoor but I think it could achieve similar velocites compared to the .243.
Thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated...