Efficient Short Barrel Caliber

[sierracharlie338]

Op in my experience you are asking for a rifle/cartridge combo that doesn’t exist.

A 20-22 inch 308, 7-08 will be plenty of a hammer for WT and hogs. Even the manbunned cartridges would be a viable option (22,6cm).

Just don’t think you will get your cake and eat it in this scenario for everything up to Nilgai, but that depends on you loading capabilities or if you buy factory.


Sierracharlie out....

[RMW]

Op in my experience you are asking for a rifle/cartridge combo that doesn’t exist.

A 20-22 inch 308, 7-08 will be plenty of a hammer for WT and hogs. Even the manbunned cartridges would be a viable option (22,6cm).

Just don’t think you will get your cake and eat it in this scenario for everything up to Nilgai, but that depends on you loading capabilities or if you buy factory.


Sierracharlie out....

What kind of velocity would you expect a .300WSM with 20 inch barrel shooting 150 nosiler ballistic tips?

[TX03RUBI]

Not many standard SA cartridges in a 20" barrel are really going to fill the 'Laser' category, which in my mind is getting into the 3100 fps+ realm.

I think the 22cm and 6cm will probably be the only two that really fit that niche.

A 22cm with a 20" barrel shooting 75-80ELDMs would be pretty awesome. And you could bump to a LRX or Hammer mono for slightly larger critters.

The 6cm gives a lot of flexibility too 87gr Vmax on up to 115 class bullets

I like the way you think. I’ve got a case of 90 ELDXs sitting waiting on an 18” 6 barrel. 3150 over a stout charge of 4350 in Lapua brass is quite doable, but I’m hoping for closer to 3200.

[muzzlebrake]

Can Apr chamber the Lazzeroni calibers? Interested for sure

All they would have to get is a reamer and I'm sure there are mfrs that will make one for them. When I had the 338 WSM made there was no such thing and the gunsmith had one made but I don't know where. Ed Lewis and Tod McGredy of Euless Guns and Ammo built it for me. RCBS made me a custom set of loading dies matched to the reamer specs. All this was way before SAMI spec came out for the 338/300 WSM wildcat. This set of dies is a one off. I think you can use any of the Win short mag cases to make your Lazzeroni cases and just fire form or expand the neck like I do from new Starline 300WSM cases and I'm fairly certain RCBS will make whatever dies you want if they don't already have them.

[TX03RUBI]

Wouldn’t want to shoot ST whitetails with anything less than 115s, would like something 3000fps+ 150grains

Nailgi and big exotics on the list also

ST white tails aren’t much more than overgrown pasture poodles. We shoot a handful of much larger white tails with 105-108gr 6s at distances that far exceed the typical 75-150 yds blind shot with excellent success. I’d think a much smaller bodied ST whitetail would be more susceptible to the smaller calibers than what we have up here. It won’t be a “hammer” in the sense of energy, but it would be more than sufficient for WT although a bit marginal for axis etc.

[muzzlebrake]

What kind of velocity would you expect a .300WSM with 20 inch barrel shooting 150 nosiler ballistic tips?

In a standard Browning A-bolt with 24" barrel I get 3250 with factory 150 ballistic silvertips on my Chrony. So from a tight twist 20" I would expect 3050-3100

[HTOWN]

I have a 300 WSM in. Christinsen Arms, 22 inch carbon barrel.
I shoot 125s, 150s, 165 and 180s out of it. It shoots great with them all. I haven't put them on the chrono, no need to I guess. I will eventually.
But the ammo is always available, even now.

[RMW]

ST white tails aren’t much more than overgrown pasture poodles. We shoot a handful of much larger white tails with 105-108gr 6s at distances that far exceed the typical 75-150 yds blind shot with excellent success. I’d think a much smaller bodied ST whitetail would be more susceptible to the smaller calibers than what we have up here. It won’t be a “hammer” in the sense of energy, but it would be more than sufficient for WT although a bit marginal for axis etc.

I’ve shot many with smaller caliber rifles, just don’t like how far they run off into brush and having to track or lose them. Usually larger caliber they don’t make it off the sendero.

[RMW]

In a standard Browning A-bolt with 24" barrel I get 3250 with factory 150 ballistic silvertips on my Chrony. So from a tight twist 20" I would expect 3050-3100

This would work for sure

[RMW]

I have a 300 WSM in. Christinsen Arms, 22 inch carbon barrel.
I shoot 125s, 150s, 165 and 180s out of it. It shoots great with them all. I haven't put them on the chrono, no need to I guess. I will eventually.
But the ammo is always available, even now.

Good deal! Thanks for posting

[quackadikt]

I’ll also add, if you’re a handloader, the 7-08 AI. APR with a 22” barrel, I’m seeing:

2800 with a 162 ELDM
2803 with a 165 Sierra GC/TGK
3020 with a 140 Nosler AB.
3155 with a 120 Nosler BT

All velocities averaged over a LabRadar. To put that in perspective, my buddies APR 280 AI with a 24” barrel shooting Federal Premium 168 Berger’s was only running around 2850 if I remember correctly. With a lot more powder than the 7-08. Granted, we got much better velocity handloading the 280. Just food for thought, and more data for you.

Dang that’s impressive. A 7-08ai just might be in my future.

OP - what about an -06 or a .300 wsm and plan on shooting a 130gr ttsx our of it? You’ll be able to make those things scream pretty good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[freerhunter16]

The 7 saum might be a good option.

[muzzlebrake]

With current trends of shorter barrel, tighter twist and longer bullets it gets harder to go over 3000 fps and then there is the barrel life thing when you do. Normally I don't worry much about barrel life with hunting rifles that may never see more than 20 or 30 rounds a year once broken in. Modern optics and ranging gadgets make long range accuracy very easy now days. These 6.5 man bun guns (and I have one) easily reach 1300+ with 140 gr pills. I doubt they will drop deer in their tracks every shot but they will hit 10" steel gongs nearly every time.

[duckhunter175]

Im not sure how crazy the OP wants to get on this but here is another thought--

set aside the efficiency argument because if you want 3000+ from a short barrel AND a heavy/well constructed bullet for Nilgai

Jake (unknown munitions) built a 20", 300RUM-- 215gr Berger @ 3100fps. You could take that blueprint but run a slighty lighter mono even faster... and then load up a big heavy A-frame or Partition for Nilgai etc.

I'm sure the muzzleblast is no laughing matter but with a brake it would be fine-- I run a 24" 338RUM and with a 5 port brake it is equal to a 30/06.


OR

Someone already mentioned 300wsm, which I think is probably the most versatile SA mag cartridge given the wide range of bullet weights. I've never owned one but I'm sure if you built it right and had the ability to seat bullets out and maximize case capacity it could also get close to the unicorn you are looking for.

Now we just need someone to take us down the Sherman rabbit hole!!

[Cuda2525]

I have an apr 7mm-08 with 20" barrel and it shot about 20 animals this fall with 140g accubonds. I was impressed with its performance. I run a silencerco omega on it and there is minimal recoil or noise.