Help complete the line up...

[Blaser243]

My current go-to rifle for most of my shooting is a boring old .308. It just gets the job done, has a short poky barrel that is still very accurate but a pleasure to carry. However, it isn't as flat shooting as I would like for longer range expeditions after fallow. I've enjoyed having a .30-06 in the past, but perhaps I'm better served by a 6.5 or 7mm offering?

I've just put my .243 up for sale because I just don't take it out much these days. I'm covered for most of my foxing with a .222 because it tends to be quite close range, but it would be nice to have something with a bit more long range punch that would double up for occasional deer work and be non-lead friendly.

I have a slot for a .270 but that was put down without much thought. I'm still tempted by it, but am thinking I may prefer to stick with 7mm because I have other rifle in that so it would save buying different projectiles.

I'm tempted by a 6mm XC at the bottom end which would fulfil the fox and occassional deer dimension. Then I'm not sure about the 6.5/7mm side of things.

All would be Blaser barrels, to fit with my existing platform. It doesn't necessarily have to be a Blaser stock item - I am considering getting a custom barrel made. I also reload, so no issues with availability of ammo. I'm shooting a lot, so barrel life and thoughts about cost-efficiency are not to be ignored!

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[DamaDaz]

My current go-to rifle for most of my shooting is a boring old .308. It just gets the job done, has a short poky barrel that is still very accurate but a pleasure to carry. However, it isn't as flat shooting as I would like for longer range expeditions after fallow. I've enjoyed having a .30-06 in the past, but perhaps I'm better served by a 6.5 or 7mm offering?

I've just put my .243 up for sale because I just don't take it out much these days. I'm covered for most of my foxing with a .222 because it tends to be quite close range, but it would be nice to have something with a bit more long range punch that would double up for occasional deer work and be non-lead friendly.

I have a slot for a .270 but that was put down without much thought. I'm still tempted by it, but am thinking I may prefer to stick with 7mm because I have other rifle in that so it would save buying different projectiles.

I'm tempted by a 6mm XC at the bottom end which would fulfil the fox and occassional deer dimension. Then I'm not sure about the 6.5/7mm side of things.

All would be Blaser barrels, to fit with my existing platform. It doesn't necessarily have to be a Blaser stock item - I am considering getting a custom barrel made. I also reload, so no issues with availability of ammo. I'm shooting a lot, so barrel life and thoughts about cost-efficiency are not to be ignored!

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Watching this with great interest

 

[VSS]

You have a slot for .270 and you're considering not filling it?
Good God man, what's the matter with you?!

 

[Blaser243]

You have a slot for .270 and you're considering not filling it?
Good God man, what's the matter with you?!

It's a fair question. I'm trying to be less dull. .243/.270/.308 is a little bit too textbook for me. I've had all sorts of wonderful rifles over the years, from .220 swift through .25-06 to .30-06. All of them brilliant in their own way, but its time for a change. With .270 I'd have to buy different copper bullets, and part of me likes the simplicity of just another 7mm in the cupboard. My existing 7mm (7x65r) is in a drilling, so its not really suitable for a longer range flat shooting moderated culling machine, which is what I need most of the time.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Hmmm.
“Boring old .308” and “isn’t as flat shooting…..”?
May I suggest if you are a homeloader you try Sierra 125gns Prohunters and a reasonable dollop of Viht N140 - this combination will drop anything walking this part of God’s earth - period. Fallow as far out as you can shoot accurately will just fall over in your scope….

 

[SCC]

7x64 ...Baser do this barrel

 

[Dickie]

Be a bit different go 7mm BM.

 

[tackb]

there is no such thing as a flat shooting calibre , when the range gets out there regardless of calibre you will need to compensate for drop , if you are happy with the 308 i'd suggest learning it's trajectory and carrying on with what you already like ?

the truth about long range shooting is it's 85% practice 10% honest ability and 5% calibre

i'm not sure if you have ballistic software but if you do try comparing a 130g 308 load against a 130g 270 load , might be an inch or two in it at 300m , is that worth worrying about over using a rifle/calibre you already like?

 

[VSS]

It's a fair question. I'm trying to be less dull. .243/.270/.308 is a little bit too textbook for me.

Ditch the mod, and .270 becomes a whole lot less dull

 

[Blaser243]

You're right, arguably another .308 would do the job as well as anything else. Why another/additional one? Well, I have to have a back up rifle in the larger calibres just in case something should go wrong with the .308. As reliable as the Blaser is, things can happen - such as when I knocked a rifle over once and smashed a turret off the scope. I can't afford down time.

But then, if another .308, why not something different?

As it is, I have a load in .308 that I'm very happy with (with Fox copper 130gns). I like it because its loaded down, so pretty quiet but still lots of knock down power with minimal carcass damage. It also has virtually no recoil, so quick second (and third and fourth) shots on groups of fallow are made easy without muzzle flip. It has a lot going for it, and yes, I could easily stoke it up and get it shooting flatter, but that isn't what that rifle is for.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Go quarter bore.

K

 

[tackb]

Go quarter bore.

K

oooh 25 creedmoor !

 

[landkeeper]

Ditch the mod, and .270 becomes a whole lot less dull

So does your hearing !