New Highland Calibre - What to go For

If it were me now Id put in a variation for a 6.5 calibre. You then get to choose form which ever you want. The 6.5 bullet is particularly good in the wind
Most forces won't let you just put "a 6.5mm" as I've just tried what you're suggesting 👍
North Yorkshire appear very competent and by far one of the better forces for FAC licensing but still wanted me to state which one despite my deliberate nonspecific request.
On the one hand fair enough but on the other hand does it really matter?
Is the person approved or not!
 
I suggest you try reloading small primer cases - have fun!

Well now let’s take a look at this shall we. We are at the “pointless argument” stage of the Which Calibre thread, so I might as well bite the bait.

So I started loading small primer brass in 6.5 Creedmoor in January 2018. That rifle now has around about 700 shots down the tube. I started reloading small primer brass in 6mm Creedmoor in December last, that rifle has about 250 shots down the tube.

Add to this the shooting partners that I reference frequently and who appear in some of my mission reports, Phil and Alan, the Walker brothers (who are pro deer & goat cullers), plus various other blokes who visit our property occasionally. It would be a complete guess as to how many shots these fellas have accrued in total, but the Walker brothers have already re-barrelled once and are on their the second lot of Lapua small primer brass, which is already over 20 reloads! So the professionals will be somewhere around about 4000+ shots I expect, I’ve just WhatsApp’d one of them to ask. I know Alan has roughly double the amount of rounds down his Howa than I do, and for Phil I have no idea.

So let’s say we have a total of somewhere around a 6,500 - 7,000 shot sample.

Not one of us has ever experienced a hang fire in the 6.5 Creedmoor with small primer brass.

Now I’m going to give you a clue to help you with your education, and that is to watch all four of Johnny’s long winded videos in his 6.5 CM hangfire series (2 hrs total) to learn the conclusion that he reached. I am not going to tell you what it is, you tell me. All I shall say now is that me and my mates all share one fundamental principle in our reloading practices.

So in the meantime... Good old YouTube, eh. Informing the largely ignorant masses who don’t own a particular chambering, and have probably never even shot one, with scary stories that are easily dismissed with best practice.

Do you remember when I did that? I was reamed! (But I was right, eh Alan... ;))
 
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Well now let’s take a look at this shall we. We are at the “pointless argument” stage of the Which Calibre thread, so I might as well bite the bait.

So I started loading small primer brass in 6.5 Creedmoor in January 2018. That rifle now has around about 700 shots down the tube. I started reloading small primer brass in 6mm Creedmoor in December last, that rifle has about 250 shots down the tube.

Add to this the shooting partners that I reference frequently and who appear in some of my mission reports, Phil and Alan, the Walker brothers (who are pro deer & goat cullers), plus various other blokes who visit our property occasionally. It would be a complete guess as to how many shots these fellas have accrued in total, but the Walker brothers have already re-barrelled once and are on their the second lot of Lapua small primer brass, which is already over 20 reloads! So the professionals will be somewhere around about 4000+ shots I expect, I’ve just WhatsApp’d one of them to ask. I know Alan has roughly double the amount of rounds down his Howa than I do, and for Phil I have no idea.

So let’s say we have a total of somewhere around a 6,500 - 7,000 shot sample.

Not one of us has ever experienced a hang fire in the 6.5 Creedmoor with small primer brass.

Now I’m going to give you a clue to help you with your education, and that is to watch all four of Johnny’s long winded videos in his 6.5 CM hangfire series (2 hrs total) to learn the conclusion that he reached. I am not going to tell you what it is, you tell me. All I shall say now is that me and my mates all share one fundamental principle in our reloading practices.

So in the meantime... Good old YouTube, eh. Informing the largely ignorant masses who don’t own a particular chambering, and have probably never even shot one, with scary stories that are easily dismissed with best practice.

Do you remember when I did that? I was reamed! (But I was right, eh Alan... ;))

I’ve never had an accident with an axe, neither have my mates john, George, Ringo or Paul....not sure that means it doesn’t happen though.🤔
 
Choose your rifle - the one that fits, you like the trigger of, can carry, easily mount the scope you want and excites you as you put in for the variation.

Think about the bullet weight, construction BC & MV you want

Consider recoil

Decide how nerdy you want to become and how willing you are to sacrifice convenience for that. Example "I want a mid range bullet of 120-140gr at a similar velocity to my 243 so I don't have a worse trajectory - Pragmatist "270 it is"
Nerd "If I get a 6.5CM I can run an inch longer barrel for the same overall length if I get a dedicated proper short action (hint - not T3), although the bullet starts out slower, the improved BC catches up by X00metres and the lighter powder charge reduces recoil and blast."

Ive run 6.5x55, 7-08, 308 & 30-06. I've shot more Reds with the 7-08 than the rest put together because it's a better more balanced rifle, stock and scope package. I freely admit I was the aforementioned nerd when I chose it but that now I rather wish it was a 308 simply because I value convenience a bit more now.
 
Ivehill stalked for 40 years now used the 243 and it has taken most of my deer and guests deer as well
Tried 308 just didn’t like it
270 was ok bu guests hate it
Used a 7x64 for 10 years now it does everything I need and no complaints from any guests as well
 
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