Mountain/long range rifle. Looking for input

[ladrones]

Find you a pre 64 Winchester 70 featherweight in 264 win mag.

[trjones87]

I'll have to look into that 284 a little more, there are just so many variations of the 6.5...
I've done a little googling myself but can't find what I'm looking for, anyone know where to find a ballistics chart for the 6.5s to compare the elevation and wind drift difference?

[tx07]

I would get a 280 over a 264.
Not very much difference but enough to want a flatter shooting rifle at least.
2" less drop at 400 yards & almost 200 fps faster with both compared using 140gr bullet.

[tx07]

I'll have to look into that 284 a little more, there are just so many variations of the 6.5...
I've done a little googling myself but can't find what I'm looking for, anyone know where to find a ballistics chart for the 6.5s to compare the elevation and wind drift difference?

Have you tried the iPhone app?
Winchester ballistic calculator.

[killerbee]

300 win mag! Everything on the north american continent is covered...... Excellent long range gun

[killerbee]

I have a titka light in thos caliber that will straight shoot! Shot a hog last year at 550. Get yourself a good rangefinder and have a custom reticle installed for your paticular load. Then practice! You will be amazed at what you can do!

[JW]

6.5-284 is my first choice. Build it on a long action so you can seat those VLD bullets way old it will be a killer. If you want a factory rifle in that caliber, look at the Savage 111 long range hunter.

I was wondering how i could shoot bergers if i had one built without having all that work done to seat the bullet right. So all you need to do is build it on a long action???

[JW]

I would get a 280 over a 264.
Not very much difference but enough to want a flatter shooting rifle at least.
2" less drop at 400 yards & almost 200 fps faster with both compared using 140gr bullet.

Have you compared the ballistics from 600-1000 yards?

[JW]

never had a problem with my 6.5x284 as it reaches out and touches 'em

barrel life is all relative .... clean and take of your rifle properly and it will take care of you

CB is that a Nasika or Nekeska or how ever you say it action?

[ABroussard]

My 300 wsm hasn't let me down. Enough for big game and long range accuracy.

[Cajun Blake]

CB is that a Nasika or Nekeska or how ever you say it action?

Nesika Model T , short action , single shot

sporting a #3 fluted HART 21" barrel , McM stock that was shortened at the fore end , walk-about rifle that weighs < 8 lbs with glass

[Mike D]

I was wondering how i could shoot bergers if i had one built without having all that work done to seat the bullet right. So all you need to do is build it on a long action???

Yes sir, just build on a long action. Kind of defeats the original purpose of the parent cartridge being built on a short action but the 6.5mm bullets are long and skinny so to get the full benefit of the cartridge, it's best to build it on a long action.

The Savage rifle that I mentioned is built on a long action.

[Jackson357]

Nesika Model T , short action , single shot

sporting a #3 fluted HART 21" barrel , McM stock that was shortened at the fore end , walk-about rifle that weighs < 8 lbs with glass

Sweet rig!

[SabreKiller]

6.5X284 is what I am considering as well...

I'm thinking about a Rifles, Inc. Lightweight Strata in 6.5x284 with a 24" tube. The hard part is dropping 3K for the gun.

As far as the 7mm SAUM I have one and it is a heck of shooter. My Remington 700 Ti shoots 140 gr. Barnes TTSX and IMR 4350 at a little over 3000 fps. I don't know where Cactus kid is getting his info, but I haven't seen any published data for a 170 grain bullet at that velocity.

[TX Doc]

What are you planning on using the rifle for most of the time, and are you going to be reloading or buying factory ammo. 264 ammo isn't really easy to find locally sometimes. The 6.5 calibers are great shooting guns but you're going to be limited on factory ammo bullet choices and you'll pretty much be stuck with a 140gr bullet. If you are going to reload then this isn't an issue. It sounds like you are trying to get one gun to do what you should really have two separate rifles for. For long range you'll need the rifle bedded in a good fiberglass stock with a long heavy contour barrel and high quality mounts and glass. The rifle will probably end up weighing in the 13 to 18 pound range. You certainly won't want to carry it around in the mountains. If you build a light to moderate weight hunting rifle then you could play around with some long range shooting, but you won't really have the right tool for the job. I think you'll be happier if you decide what primary purpose you have for the rifle and then build it to best suit that purpose. If you want to be able to kill anything on the North American continent then as said earlier a 300 wim mag is a good choice. For elk and smaller game I would go with a 7mm mag. I have a 280rem and it is a good rifle but it is so lightweight that it has more recoil than my slightly heavier 7mm mag and isn't as enjoyable to shoot. These standard calibers have been around forever and ammo is readily availabe anywhere in many different bullet weights. The WSM and SAUM calibers are good rifles, but I don't think they really have an advantage. The allow you to use a short action with a shorter overall rifle but they will weigh a little less and there will be more recoil. The cases are large diameter and it will limit your magazine capacity one round. Factory ammo for 7mm mag and 300win mag has been downloaded over the years to account for old rifles chambered in the caliber that may not be able to handle as high a pressure as present day rifles. This is why they can say the 300WSM duplicates 300win mag ballistics. If you reload then the larger case capacity on the older cartridges will always allow you to get better performance. I think for the purposes you stated earlier I would choose whatever caliber you prefer and build a lighter weight mountain rifle. I prefer fiberglass stocks to the synthetic plastic stocks. Put good mounts and glass on it so that you will be able to shoot out to 500 or possibly 600 yards and you should be in good shape for any whitetail and mountain hunting you plan to do.