Calibres That Interest You The Most

dev110 · 15-10-2012 12:34PM #1

I think this could be an interesting thread.

I'm just wondering what is the calibre that you want the most?
The calibre must fit into the Irish laws eg no more than .30 cal so all the talk of .338's is gone out the window

Would you choose a calibre that you mostly have to load for?
(Lets imagine that reloading was in place for this thread)

For me I would love a 6.5x47. There is just something about it that I really like.

Lately I have been looking up about the 6XC. Lots of energy and good out to long ranges. There is a few ways you can form the brass. You can use a 22.250 case and change the shoulder angle with a .308 FL sizing die and then opening out the neck to allow the 6mm heads. I believe only Norma make brass for this calibre so its a toss up between buying it straight or doing a little extra work to get .22-250 brass fire formed.

I have also been looking at the .260. It is a .308 case necked down to 6.5.
This also looks to be a really good calibre. Also because .308 is very popular brass would be cheap.

Let's hear what ye dream of getting.

6mmSwiss_Comparison.25.jpg

From L-R: 6mm BR, 6x47 Swiss Match, 6.5x47 Lapua, 6XC, and .260 Rem

Glensman · 15-10-2012 02:03PM

6.5x47 does it for me!
Unfortunately I can't license one in the 6 counties

tac foley · 15-10-2012 02:19PM

Glensman wrote: »

6.5x47 does it for me!
Unfortunately I can't license one in the 6 counties

Why's that?

Nothing special about the 6.5x47 - there are half a dozen of more in our club.

tac

Glensman · 15-10-2012 02:51PM

tac foley wrote: »

Why's that?

Nothing special about the 6.5x47 - there are half a dozen of more in our club.

tac

It's over 22-250.
Nothing over 22-250 can be licensed for use on foxes.

(Ridiculous I know) BASC, SACS and the CA seem to have no interest in lobbying to correct this.

If it does ever get sorted I would probably sell the .270 and the .223 and get a 6.5x47 to do both.

It wasn't me! · 15-10-2012 03:11PM

Not sure why you'd exclude anything over .30 cal. While restricted, they certainly can be licensed!

For me, I'd love a neat little 7x57. It would require handloading, but it'd be a nice low-recoil, low noise cartridge, chucking a 160gr bullet about 2700 fps. I have a craving for a nice little full-stocked European style stutzen. 21.5" barrel, open sights and a neat little scope.

Next up, some sort of .300 mag, either Winchester or Weatherby. Winchester is more practical, but the Weatherby is a pretty classy round, all on its own. 180gr bullets at 3250 fps and 200gr at 3000+ have an awful lot of authority! A friend of mine has one of these on the way at the moment so I'm really looking forward to having a proper look at it. The .300 win will do everything exactly the same, but hey, this isn't supposed to be practical!

Next up, and into the restricted section, is a 9.3x62. A really interesting and practical cartridge, which does just about everything the .375 H&H will do, with less recoil and noise, in a lighter rifle, with an extra cartridge in the magazine. Again, a handloading proposition for the most part, but like everything else, there's quality ammo available, it's just expensive. Handloading, you'll get a 286gr bullet to about 2450 fps from a typical rifle barrel pretty easily, and that's usefully flat-shooting for a plains game rifle as well as offering what you need for buffalo and larger antelope. It's even legal for dangerous game in several countries, testament to its effective use for everything for well over a century now.

I think to round out the list would definitely require a double gun. I think a .450 NE would do nicely here. Big, slow thumper. Of course, if I could afford the rifle and fodder for it, there'd be no problem affording to hunt appropriate animals for it either! 480gr bullet at 2150 fps. I reckon I'd have to whack a fox with it at some point, just to see what'd happen.

It might become apparent that I like older cartridges. Of those four, three have over a century of history behind them, two are 19th century designs and even the .300 Weatherby is basically an archaic dinosaur, the first really modern .30 magnum. Well, I reckon that'd be me set up for everything I could ever even daydream about doing, with a big bag of class too.

deerhunter1 · 15-10-2012 03:56PM

dev110 wrote: »

I think this could be an interesting thread.

I'm just wondering what is the calibre that you want the most?
The calibre must fit into the Irish laws eg no more than .30 cal so all the talk of .338's is gone out the window

Would you choose a calibre that you mostly have to load for?
(Lets imagine that reloading was in place for this thread)

For me I would love a 6.5x47. There is just something about it that I really like.

Lately I have been looking up about the 6XC. Lots of energy and good out to long ranges. There is a few ways you can form the brass. You can use a 22.250 case and change the shoulder angle with a .308 FL sizing die and then opening out the neck to allow the 6mm heads. I believe only Norma make brass for this calibre so its a toss up between buying it straight or doing a little extra work to get .22-250 brass fire formed.

I have also been looking at the .260. It is a .308 case necked down to 6.5.
This also looks to be a really good calibre. Also because .308 is very popular brass would be cheap.

Let's hear what ye dream of getting.

From L-R: 6mm BR, 6x47 Swiss Match, 6.5x47 Lapua, 6XC, and .260 Rem

.308 30-06:)

4200fps · 15-10-2012 04:00PM

Glensman wrote: »

It's over 22-250.
Nothing over 22-250 can be licensed for use on foxes.

Theres a good few guys whom are licenced to 243's who never had a deer licence and they are used on foxs but the majority of supers won't allow any greater than calibers 22-250 or 220 swift for foxs.

It wasn't me! · 15-10-2012 04:04PM

4200fps wrote: »

Theres a good few guys whom are licenced to 243's who never had a deer licence and they are used on foxs but the majority of supers won't allow any greater than calibers 22-250 or 220 swift for foxs.

He's in Northern Ireland. Rules are different.

Jonty · 15-10-2012 04:36PM

20 cal tactical

rowa · 15-10-2012 05:00PM

7x57 mauser (.275 rigby) , a brilliant round and very popular the world over, showed up the yanks in the spanish-american war and was used by karamojo bell to knock anything and everything in africa, including 1011 elephants.

.300 holland and holland magnum, another lovely round , if reloading was permitted in this jerk water berg it could be loaded light for deer or heavier loads for wild boar and the like.

dev110 · 15-10-2012 06:25PM

Jonty wrote: »

20 cal tactical

What drew you to the 20 tac?

tac foley · 15-10-2012 06:29PM

It wasn't me! wrote: »

For me, I'd love a neat little 7x57. It would require handloading, but it'd be a nice low-recoil, low noise cartridge, chucking a 160gr bullet about 2700 fps. I have a craving for a nice little full-stocked European style stutzen. 21.5" barrel, open sights and a neat little scope.

Another question, then I'll get back in my box. Why do you need to handload for 7x57?

I've just found that -

Norma
Hornady
RWS
Prvi Partizan
Sellier & Bellot
and Federal...

and maybe a few others, I can't be arsed to look, ALL make a variety of hunting loads for this rightly popular cartridge.

tac

Jonty · 15-10-2012 06:48PM

dev110 wrote: »

What drew you to the 20 tac?

I just read an article in the shooting times, and found it interesting. I have no practical experience with one

hedzball · 15-10-2012 06:49PM

a 25-06 and ability to reload would suit me for everything.

'hdz

tac foley · 15-10-2012 07:27PM

hedzball wrote: »

a 25-06 and ability to reload would suit me for everything.'hdz

The ability to reload takes the average person about an hour to gain, what you don't yet have is the facility.

tac

Jonty · 15-10-2012 07:30PM

http://www.shootinguk.co.uk/guns/ammo/340116/20_Tactical_calibre_review.html

20 tactical review

rowa · 15-10-2012 08:21PM

How bout the .950 jdj ? I dunno if its deer legal though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xohy9gWz7kk

silverfox1 · 15-10-2012 08:47PM

6.5x284 would be a cool one to try if we could handload.

cavan shooter · 15-10-2012 09:06PM

22 hornet for me. Really love that cartridge

dev110 · 15-10-2012 09:15PM

6.5 x 284 would be a serious round but the short barrel life would put me off.
They usually have a barrel burnt out in 1500 rounds. That is for competition shooting using hot loads so for hunting you might get 2000 out of it.

It wasn't me! · 15-10-2012 10:19PM

tac foley wrote: »

Another question, then I'll get back in my box. Why do you need to handload for 7x57?

I've just found that -

Norma
Hornady
RWS
Prvi Partizan
Sellier & Bellot
and Federal...

and maybe a few others, I can't be arsed to look, ALL make a variety of hunting loads for this rightly popular cartridge.

tac

Because it's sadly unpopular here. I've seen it a couple of times, but I don't want to spend my life chasing ammo for what'd probably be my main rifle here. If I could guarantee a decent supply of the 156gr Oryx load from Norma whenever I wanted it, I'd happily have one, handloading or no.

tac foley · 15-10-2012 10:26PM

It wasn't me! wrote: »

Because it's sadly unpopular here. I've seen it a couple of times, but I don't want to spend my life chasing ammo for what'd probably be my main rifle here. If I could guarantee a decent supply of the 156gr Oryx load from Norma whenever I wanted it, I'd happily have one, handloading or no.

Thank you for the explainment.:)

tac

It wasn't me! · 15-10-2012 10:31PM

tac foley wrote: »

Thank you for the explainment.:)

tac

No problem. It appears to be a wonderfully balanced cartridge, and I'd love to have one, but if I couldn't feed it, I'd go nuts. If I could find ammo and it weren't insanely expensive, I'd have one in the morning.

tac foley · 15-10-2012 10:47PM

It wasn't me! wrote: »

No problem. It appears to be a wonderfully balanced cartridge, and I'd love to have one, but if I couldn't feed it, I'd go nuts. If I could find ammo and it weren't insanely expensive, I'd have one in the morning.

I have two 7x57 Mausers, but they are nothing that would interest anybody here, being quite old.

They are a delight, just like my Swedish Mauser - another old gun - to shoot.

tac

stick shooter · 15-10-2012 10:52PM

the one caliber that would really interest me is the .257 weatherby magnum . i would reckon it is about as good as it gets in a 25 cal hunting round . factory ammo pushes the 115 gr nosler ballistic tip at 3400 fps . making it a pretty flat .

It wasn't me! · 15-10-2012 10:56PM

tac foley wrote: »

I have two 7x57 Mausers, but they are nothing that would interest anybody here, being quite old.

They are a delight, just like my Swedish Mauser - another old gun - to shoot.

tac

Wanna bet? I'd love to hear more.

badshot · 15-10-2012 11:00PM

.257 weatherby magnum &
6.5x47

customrifle · 15-10-2012 11:07PM

Have been lucky to have owned or tried many from 223,243,22-250,6xc,308. But still can't get over how accurate an old round like the 6.5x55 is in a good factory rifle. Had a tikka super varmint in this calibre and regret getting rid of it. I would like to try the 204 to see how good it is out to 500 compared to the 250

greengrasscork · 15-10-2012 11:13PM

I'm hunting with a krico 5.6x57 old gun and expensive round but a great rifle
never let me or my father down through the last 20 years

rowa · 15-10-2012 11:25PM

customrifle wrote: »

Have been lucky to have owned or tried many from 223,243,22-250,6xc,308. But still can't get over how accurate an old round like the 6.5x55 is in a good factory rifle. Had a tikka super varmint in this calibre and regret getting rid of it. I would like to try the 204 to see how good it is out to 500 compared to the 250

Some of the older rounds are among the best to be honest , 6.5x65 swedish, the legendary .30-06 springfield, the 7x57 mauser, the old .30-30 , .45-70, the .303 british, most of the heavy game rounds used in africa are old british rounds designed in victorian times.
A lot of the super duper new rounds are put into production by marketing departments in an effort to sell new rifles, just look at the wssm and wsm rounds announced by winchester a few years back. dead in the water now.

silverfox1 · 15-10-2012 11:26PM

dev110 wrote: »

6.5 x 284 would be a serious round but the short barrel life would put me off.
They usually have a barrel burnt out in 1500 rounds. That is for competition shooting using hot loads so for hunting you might get 2000 out of it.

True dev but the average hunter would be a long time getting through 2000 rounds. Myself included. Then you'd have an excuse to get to your gunsmith for a bit of custom work.

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Calibres That Interest You The Most

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