A good choice somewhere between .223 and .308

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Tomekeuro85

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Oct 11, 2007
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#1
Im looking to possibly get a rifle built. Looking for a caliber somewhere in between .223 and .308, both ballistic wise and price wise. I dont have much experience with anything other than those 2, so I'm looking for suggestions.

Itd be mainly for target shooting, possibly some deer hunting in the future. Id probably have GAP build the rifle. Maybe 6mmbr?

Suggestions?
 
#4
Re: A good choice somewhere between .223 and .308

Grief...the list is almost endless as to suitable calibers in that range, but my personal short list would be (in no particular order):

.243 Win
6.5 Grendel
6.5 Creedmore
6.5x47
7mm-08
260 Rem
 
#6
Re: A good choice somewhere between .223 and .308

When you say "between the 223 and 308" what do you mean?

Recoil? Muzzle Energy? Ammo cost? Ballistic performance?

Recoil: Anything 6mm - 7mm based on the 308 case or 22-250 case, x47 Lapua case

Muzzle Energy: 6.5 or 7mm on the 308 case
Ammo Cost: You're not going to get cheaper for match grade ammo than a 223 or a 308 with a more "exotic" caliber like the 260

Ballistic Performance for paper and deer: 260, 7-08, 6.5 CM, 6.5x47L

Best all around I'd suggest the 260 with 123-140gr bullets and handloading or the 7mm-08 with 150-168gr bullets and handloading.

Some hunting ammo exits for both calibers and will work fine for shots on deer inside 400yd. After that, you might want to hand load with something like a SGK, Amax, GMX, SST bullet but until you're consistently shooting 400yd under stress conditions I'd skip those shots on animals and stick to paper/steel.

Having a Crusader built in 260 or 7-08 is a dynamite choice that I doubt you'll be disappointed by.
 
#7
Re: A good choice somewhere between .223 and .308

I would have to say, if you are looking for something with reasonably priced factory match ammo available that is fairly easy on barrels that is also suitable for hunting, the 6.5 creedmore.
 
#11
Re: A good choice somewhere between .223 and .308

.260 Rem brass, sorted, will be nearly as good as any other higher priced brass that's available.

Necking down the 7mm-08 brass of your choice is probably the next easiest way to get .260 brass, next would be necking up Lapua .243.

There is no shortage of superb 6.5mm bullets from Sierra, Lapua, Norma, Berger and JLK. Hornady A-Max has a certain following, but I have not shot them, so I can't say.

As mentioned above, there are other excellent choices available in the gap between .223 and .308, but I went with the .260 and don't give anything up to any of the other choices.

Paul
 
#12
Re: A good choice somewhere between .223 and .308

A few thoughts:

<span style="font-weight: bold">.260 Rem</span> - Poor brass availability. I own a 6.5-08AI and brass is a PITA. Avoid the AI variants since the brass prep is not worth the nominal performance gain.

<span style="font-weight: bold">6.5x47 Lapua</span> - Great brass / performance. Would be my choice for a bolt rifle. The 6.5 Creedmoore may be lower cost, but I see more wildcatting done with the 6.4x47 Lapua cartridge. In the long term this is likely the one that will survive.

<span style="font-weight: bold">6.5 Grendel</span> No reason to us this in a bolt rifle, but if your interest is a semi-auto, this is maximizes the performance out of the dimensional constraints of the AR. Magazines and feeding issues may make this 'quirky'. Longevity of this round is suspect due to infighting between minor variants and no indications that any military is moving to adopt it (although the specs are compelling). I personally like mine.

--rootshot
 
#13
Re: A good choice somewhere between .223 and .308

For competition, a .243 would be the flattest shooting and has no real recoil. A 7mm-08 would probably be better for general shooting, long barrel life, and hunting.

The .260 is a compromise, and does very well at that. However at the 2010 Nor Cal PPRC Steel Match, 7 of the top ten shooters were using .243.

As the .243 barrel life is shorter than the larger calibers, I think it would be best to do much practice with a .223. Really you need three rifles, a practice rifle (.223), a comp gun (.243) and a hunting rifle (7mm-08 or something-WSM).
 
#15
Re: A good choice somewhere between .223 and .308

Another 260 vote. The nosler brass is expensive but great stuff. It's really not hard to find brass. Google it and away you go. Buy 100 cases and you're set for a lot of shooting! I've also reloaded some of the Remington brass and it's not bad but it does take quite a bit if prep work and seems to stretch more. You can always make 260 out of a host of other calibers if you're stuck on using lapua brass. I haven't done it, but it doesn't look too hard.

A GAP Crusader in 260 is about as sweet as they come! I know :)
 
#17
Re: A good choice somewhere between .223 and .308

With more experience, I've become acutely aware of the benefits of being able to load target (aka VLD) ammunition that touches the lands and also fits into a short action magazine. Unfortunately, that rules out the 308 derivatives like 243WIN, 260REM. Based on this criteria, I'd suggest looking at either 6XC or 6.5x47 Lapua. Both can use the longest highest BC bullets in magazine lengths. These are a little more exotic and you need to reload. Otherwise, I'd look at the 243WIN or 260REM. :)
 
#22
Re: A good choice somewhere between .223 and .308

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CLEVER</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Why look for anything else. .308 and you are done. the caliber will do everything and is easy to find. In between? </div></div>

Shot some unknown distance field matches and you will see why people are looking at .243 and the 6.5 Caliber variations.

Good luck

Jerry
 
#23
Re: A good choice somewhere between .223 and .308

i like the 6.8 spc but it fall on its face just after 300 yards i have ben thinking about a 6.5 Creedmore too but availiball over the counter reasonable priced ammo makes the 260 hard to beat!
 
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