Light, flat & fast...What round should I choose?

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

3805FPS with a 100gr TTSX

Now thats smokin and here's me thinking 3,660 fps was doing well. It is a smaller case tho and still 200fps quicker than a 25-06
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Just a quick "Thanks" to everyone for sharing your thoughts with me. It's always nice when other experienced shooters weigh in. Someone will usually give me something to think about that I haven't considered or be more than happy to point out if I'm about to do something dumb.

Here's a snapshot of what the feedback looked like:

View attachment 734931

That distills down to this for recommendation count & chambering:

View attachment 734932

It definitely looks like the quarter bores are the favorite! For left-handers, the Ruger MkII in stainless with a laminate stock & a 24" barrel is something that comes up rarely but I have seen them. They never go "cheap" but the price usually isn't too ridiculous. LH Sako's in 25-06 appear occasionally with 22" barrels. There are plenty of 257 Weatherby's to be had that all come with a 26" barrel.

One other option I have is that I own three 30-06's so my Remington 700 BDL with a Timney trigger would be easy to rebarrel if I wanted to downsize it. This would give me the option of picking an optimal twist rate if I was so inclined. Lots of options to ponder over!

@odonata
A mate REM 700 in 30-06 for a bagin price and the person even threw in in a brand new REM factory 25-06 barrel to go with it. My smith changed the barrel out and headspaced it.
The first load we tried was 54gn of H4350 behind a 100 gn noslers ballistic tip.
That load shot 3 sub .75" groups from the brand new barrel and is only getting better
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I would throw in the 240 WBY as well. I have killed several deer with the round and it has worked wonderfully. I actually use it more often than my 257 WBY or 6mm Creedmoor.

@KY Hunting Guy
to me the 240 Weatherby is an overrated 243 but with a nice Barnes bullet a near warp speed should work well
Bob

 

[Don458]

240 Weatherby or 257 Weatherby

 

[skydiver386]

Savage Custom Shop will make you a left hand 257 Roberts or 25-06, or nearly any other caliber. The 257 on the short action or 25-06 on the long action. Your choice of caliber, barrel length, barrel profile, trigger, stock, etc.

They don't list the calibers they can make, but if it fits in their magazine, works through their action, and fits the standard bolt faces, they've probably already done one and have reamers on hand.

Their injection molded stocks aren't a fan favorite, but a little birdie told me they have a few choice blanks and can do a model 114 stock.

Straight comb

Monte Carlo comb

 

[KY Hunting Guy]

@KY Hunting Guy
to me the 240 Weatherby is an overrated 243 but with a nice Barnes bullet a near warp speed should work well
Bob

I can understand and respect your opinion. I think it’s what the 243 always wanted to be, it is also the caliber that I took one of my biggest deer with. The shot was about 65 yards and he didn’t go far at all.

 

[Tbitty]

I'm late to the conversation and only read the first page of responses, but I would echo the common suggestion of anything in the .257 class. I love my .25-06, the Bob and Weatherby have a long history of performance, the new 25 CM seems promising as long as it has staying power, and Ackley Improved options add to all the above.

 

[steve white]

Read a couple of posts and then skipped to the end. The answer is 25-06.

Unless there is a 25-06 Ackley Improved, which would be even better and no belt.

 

[Old3Toe]

That is a possible conclusion to be reached after a discussion like this. But in this particular situation, I quite like the results I get shooting 140gr Partitions out of my 6.5x55. Since it is a Ruger No. 1A, that makes it a nice compact gun for a lot of the hunting I do at moderate distances in the Arkansas & Mississippi woods.

So a question to ask myself is would I get similar results to a bolt action 25-06 or 257 Wby at triple the distance if I just started shooting 120gr bullets out of my single-shot falling-block instead? Is that an acceptable alternative?

I concur that you have NO GAP, and, you are in fact be chasing rainbows as you ponder hypervelocity quarter-bore offerings.

Back in your original post you stated that ~350 meters was the max distance you're contemplating on game contact. Your best solution, shortest route to success (and possibly the most satisfying) is to load up some 140 ELDMs for your lovely 6.5x55 No. 1 and go forth in full confidence. Yes, I do believe you will get the results you seek... but by going to a heavier, more streamlined, cup-n-core, wind defying bullet. The elegance of your rifle and a cartridge 120 years ahead of its time is just an added bonus.

 

[coreydb]

I used a .25-06 successfully on Golden Wildebeest, Hartebeest and Blesbok. All were taken 375-400 yds. I used Nosler 115 grain spitzer partitions. Wicked caliber.

 

[akrifleman]

That is a possible conclusion to be reached after a discussion like this. But in this particular situation, I quite like the results I get shooting 140gr Partitions out of my 6.5x55. Since it is a Ruger No. 1A, that makes it a nice compact gun for a lot of the hunting I do at moderate distances in the Arkansas & Mississippi woods.

So a question to ask myself is would I get similar results to a bolt action 25-06 or 257 Wby at triple the distance if I just started shooting 120gr bullets out of my single-shot falling-block instead? Is that an acceptable alternative?

In competition, 6.5s are a chip shot @700 with high BC bullets. I think we all assumed you needed an enabler for a quarter bore given your clear grain weight desires. Partitions have been a damn good bullet for a very long time, but if you already have a good twist Swede, there is nothing your wanting for. Try AccuBond or Eld-X for you AT&T needs.

Many many tests show hit probability declines after 700 anyway. Your barrel probably knows the answer better than any mythical chart.

 

[akrifleman]

Hey mr bob
My wife’s 6mm is acting up
We have not checked it out yet.
She is just using my little cz 6.5 Grendel.
If it needs a new barrel I have got her talked into trying the 257 r since if she wants to stick. With the 6 there 3 others in the house.

Kinda hoping it’s not a lose screw. Just have to buy 2-3 case of ammo if she changes lol

If it gets really irritating... PM me with the price.

 

[Flbt]

If it gets really irritating... PM me with the price.

I don’t think she will sell it no matter what.
The groups have opened up some.

 

[farmer_john]

I don’t think she will sell it no matter what.
The groups have opened up some.

What kind of groups were you getting/ getting now?

 

[Flbt]

What kind of groups were you getting/ getting now?

Last time she shot it.
Fist size groups. It had been shooting clover leaf tuching 3 shot groups before.
Using a table and leadslead.
It was cleaned with copper remover and had
It was shot some and then shot for groups again. Did not help .

Have a buddy with a bore scope he bring it over when he get a chance.
It was a used rifle when we got it 25 years ago. So have no idea about how many rounds have been down the barrel.

 

[GuttormG]

You have no gap...

There is nothing needed between .22-250 and 6.5X55 with 120's.

True, but no fun

 

[hoytcanon]

True, but no fun

You think developing new loads and testing them at the range is no fun???

 

[hoytcanon]

Savage Custom Shop will make you a left hand 257 Roberts or 25-06, or nearly any other caliber. The 257 on the short action or 25-06 on the long action. Your choice of caliber, barrel length, barrel profile, trigger, stock, etc.

Do NOT build a .257 Roberts on a short action... unless your goal is having a sh*tty. 243.

 

[GuttormG]

You think developing new loads and testing them at the range is no fun???

Off course that is fun, but it is funner with more guns

(I did try, sold off all the safequeens, kept the 3 guns I actually used. Not sure what happened but the inventory in the safe just did grow by it self...).

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Do NOT build a .257 Roberts on a short action... unless your goal is having a sh*tty. 243.

@hoytcanon
100% agree.
Our gun guru and Roberts lover Nick Harvey always said a Roberts should be on a long action and long throated to suit the 115 gn Barnes tsx.
With that combination he skew a lot of big red deer and other critters and was getting 2,900 fps with that combination.
No 243 will ever do that
Bob