500-600m Flat Shooting Gun >.25Cal Ideas Please.

[kjd]

Hi everyone,

I am mulling over a 5-600m gun for a economical LR steel plate shooting and the odd bit of long range hunting/varminting factory gun.

A couple of restrictions I have placed on myself:

*Must not be a wildcat - I don't like handloading all that much and want it to be as easy as possible.

*I don't want it to be a custom gun.

I really want it to be flat shooting. I am mulling over a couple of possibilities: a 25-06, a 7mm Rem or 300win/wsm

What are your thoughts and considering the above (including the restrictions) what rifle and cartridge would you get?

Also what scope would you put on it?

Looking forward to seeing how this thread develops.

[Glenn]

I love my 300WM you looked though the Sightron on the Cheytac mate.

If you know someone at a gun shop you could get a good price on a new Sako 85 300WM and put a 6x20 Sightron on it and away you go!

Glenn

[Buffy]

Ohhhhh Keith........ I see glenn and Gnomes gong bashers have tickled the fancy

I rekon a 300WM in a T3 super varmint with a 6.5- 24 (decent quality) scope would be awesome!

I would put a good brake on it, followed by a good harris bi-pod and accushot mono pod and voila...... instant 700m gong gun!

Just my 2c......... (keep in mind, I have shot long range twice...... both times were sunday )


Cheers

BB

[Jacko9]

Hi everyone,

I am mulling over a 5-600m gun for a economical LR steel plate shooting and the odd bit of long range hunting/varminting factory gun.

A couple of restrictions I have placed on myself:

*Must not be a wildcat - I don't like handloading all that much and want it to be as easy as possible.

*I don't want it to be a custom gun.

I really want it to be flat shooting. I am mulling over a couple of possibilities: a 25-06, a 7mm Rem or 300win/wsm

What are your thoughts and considering the above (including the restrictions) what rifle and cartridge would you get?

Also what scope would you put on it?

Looking forward to seeing how this thread develops.

Economical? Makes me think a 30 cal... I'd go a 300 win mag personally, doubles up on a few purposes, heck, even the US army use em. After my 358 norma mag is being built, a 300 win mag is being built as it's partner for plains game. I'd also look at a 6.5mm caliber as well? A 6.5-06 or something like that... Maybe even a 6.5 win mag or wsm if your up for a wild cat!!!

Why not go a nightforce scope? The seem to be the benchmark scopes for this type of work, either that or a vortex viper pst if you want cheaper, that's where my money would be going...

[Dr G]

Its funny, I knew a bloke who had this 7mm-08 that had been set up for silhouette shooting that he needed to get rid of, seems you have come full circle Keith

I am still happy with it btw, your not getting it back

Dr G

[kjd]

Hi everyone,

I am mulling over a 5-600m gun for a economical LR steel plate shooting and the odd bit of long range hunting/varminting factory gun.

A couple of restrictions I have placed on myself:

*Must not be a wildcat - I don't like handloading all that much and want it to be as easy as possible.

*I don't want it to be a custom gun.

I really want it to be flat shooting. I am mulling over a couple of possibilities: a 25-06, a 7mm Rem or 300win/wsm

What are your thoughts and considering the above (including the restrictions) what rifle and cartridge would you get?

Also what scope would you put on it?

Looking forward to seeing how this thread develops.

Economical? Makes me think a 30 cal... I'd go a 300 win mag personally, doubles up on a few purposes, heck, even the US army use em. After my 358 norma mag is being built, a 300 win mag is being built as it's partner for plains game. I'd also look at a 6.5mm caliber as well? A 6.5-06 or something like that... Maybe even a 6.5 win mag or wsm if your up for a wild cat!!!

Why not go a nightforce scope? The seem to be the benchmark scopes for this type of work, either that or a vortex viper pst if you want cheaper, that's where my money would be going...

You make a very compelling argument Jacko! I like the 300Win.

[kjd]

Its funny, I knew a bloke who had this 7mm-08 that had been set up for silhouette shooting that he needed to get rid of, seems you have come full circle Keith

I am still happy with it btw, your not getting it back

Dr G

Yeah, yeah I know haha. I do regret selling it but I wasn't using it at the time. That said I think I want something that is a bit flatter shooting.
I'm glad you still have it, at least it wasn't a ausvarmint whore like the 243 haha.

[Jacko9]

Hi everyone,

I am mulling over a 5-600m gun for a economical LR steel plate shooting and the odd bit of long range hunting/varminting factory gun.

A couple of restrictions I have placed on myself:

*Must not be a wildcat - I don't like handloading all that much and want it to be as easy as possible.

*I don't want it to be a custom gun.

I really want it to be flat shooting. I am mulling over a couple of possibilities: a 25-06, a 7mm Rem or 300win/wsm

What are your thoughts and considering the above (including the restrictions) what rifle and cartridge would you get?

Also what scope would you put on it?

Looking forward to seeing how this thread develops.

Economical? Makes me think a 30 cal... I'd go a 300 win mag personally, doubles up on a few purposes, heck, even the US army use em. After my 358 norma mag is being built, a 300 win mag is being built as it's partner for plains game. I'd also look at a 6.5mm caliber as well? A 6.5-06 or something like that... Maybe even a 6.5 win mag or wsm if your up for a wild cat!!!

Why not go a nightforce scope? The seem to be the benchmark scopes for this type of work, either that or a vortex viper pst if you want cheaper, that's where my money would be going...

You make a very compelling argument Jacko! I like the 300Win.

Definately no flies on the 300 win mag mate. If you get a few purposes out of it, good, use your night force sitting in quick detachable rings for the long range work, loaded with an A-max, and set up a z3 3.5-10x40 or something of a sporter scope, also in quick detachable rings, to go after sambar and plains game, with a good 165 grain bonded projie, which you'll find in factory ammo I'd imagine...

[220]

257wby, factory chambering, available in the cheap vangard range, a few ammo manufacturers and good range of factory weights, easy to form brass if you want to reload, wont find better ballistics in a factory .25.
Top with a 4.5-14 or similar

[kjd]

257wby, factory chambering, available in the cheap vangard range, a few ammo manufacturers and good range of factory weights, easy to form brass if you want to reload, wont find better ballistics in a factory .25.
Top with a 4.5-14 or similar

See another good suggestion the 257wby has always made me feel a little bit funny down there haha!

Bugger no heavybarrels in it!!!

[trevort]

257wby, factory chambering, available in the cheap vangard range, a few ammo manufacturers and good range of factory weights, easy to form brass if you want to reload, wont find better ballistics in a factory .25.
Top with a 4.5-14 or similar

After shooting Aussie Steve's I'm a convert. he has a cheap $500 gun, a $200 aftermarket stock he bedded himself and he lightened the trigger himself. A $700 gun that really makes me want one. He was spotting the target I was shooting at. It might have been 350m away, it might have been further but it was very clear at 18x. He was telling me where to aim so the pill would drop into the killzone. Well I just put the cross hairs where I wanted to hit and that's exactly where it landed. Yeah, converted. refer to my silly gun post. His has a VX11 6-18 on top I believe.

[adamjp]

Factory ammunition? 7mm Rem Mag or 300 Win Mag are the two best contenders.

Go with a good factory action, particularly a nice Howa or Rem700. Staying away from a custom barrel and stock will limit you a great deal. Have a med-heavy 26in barrel fitted with a nice muzzle brake so you can see the fall of shot. Put it into a nice Manners/McMillan/HS Precision stock and top with a scope that goes up to 15 or 20x. Conquest HD5 is a damn good start.

If you are willing to consider reloading yourself, there are better cartridges available like the 300WSM, 7mm SAUM or WSM, or my next build, a 6.5 SAUM 4S (Google it) - Rem700 short action, Wildcat stock, 26in fluted sporter barrel with brake and either a HD5 3-15 or a Z5 3.5-18. 140gn AMAX @ an easy 3100fps flies as well as you could want.

[kjd]

Hmm,
Interesting.. I just noticed Remington do a SPS Long Range in 25-06, 7mm Rem, 300win and 300Rum...
Never a fan of Remington's but considering the application and all the go fast bits that Rem's have it could be a worthwhile option. . .

Do I go stupid and get a 300RUM?

168gr at 3326fps. . . HMMMMM

Sounds like fun to me. . . My mind is really ticking over now!!

Sorry Adamjp,
I'm happy to handload I just don't want to do all the forming that comes with a lot of wildcats.

What are your thoughts on the 300RUM?

[Camel]

257wby, factory chambering, available in the cheap vangard range, a few ammo manufacturers and good range of factory weights, easy to form brass if you want to reload, wont find better ballistics in a factory .25.
Top with a 4.5-14 or similar

See another good suggestion the 257wby has always made me feel a little bit funny down there haha!

Bugger no heavybarrels in it!!!

Barrels are consumable items you know Keith, just take it to the next two Ausvarmint .........Athons, first to wear out the factory barrel, second to run in the new heavy barrel. Easy

Im starting to wonder just how many of us that went there on the weekend have started thinking of something along the same lines, I know I have and there I was just an innocent little rabbit shooter liking his micro bores and medium bores, Glen and the Gnome have a lot to answer for.

[mick_762]

Keith,
BB had a 300 RUM, hopefully he can shed some light for you.

Mick