Replacing three rifles with just the one.

The Lucky Hunter
P

phoebus

Well-Known Member
Hi,
Due to having a baby recently and consequently having very little time for shooting I'm going to sell three of my rifles and replace them with just the one. This is where you all come in with your greater knowledge and experience etc.
The three I'm getting rid of are a .223, .243 and .300wm
Now, I've not really used the Winmag much except for bashing gongs so not looking for something of that sort of muzzle energy.
I'm thinking something along the lines of 25/06, 6.5x47, 6.5x55, 260 rem, 6.5cm etc etc. Any recommendations and/or suggestions on other calibres I may not have considered etc. I do reload so that's not too much of an issue.
Thanks in advance!

Ben
 
timbrayford

timbrayford

Well-Known Member
phoebus said:
Hi,
Due to having a baby recently and consequently having very little time for shooting I'm going to sell three of my rifles and replace them with just the one. This is where you all come in with your greater knowledge and experience etc.
The three I'm getting rid of are a .223, .243 and .300wm
Now, I've not really used the Winmag much except for bashing gongs so not looking for something of that sort of muzzle energy.
I'm thinking something along the lines of 25/06, 6.5x47, 6.5x55, 260 rem, 6.5cm etc etc. Any recommendations and/or suggestions on other calibres I may not have considered etc. I do reload so that's not too much of an issue.
Thanks in advance!

Ben
Click to expand...
Had you thought of going to a modular rifle with interchangeable barrels? .308 seems to tick most boxes although I settled on .270.
 
K

kenbro

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Claret_Dabbler said:
Fail to see the connection between having a baby selling all your gear. Babies don’t stay babies for very long.
If you just want an excuse for a custom 260 or Creed moor by all means tear away.
Click to expand...
Babies might not stay babies for very long, but, as every mother knows....they want babying for a very very long time,
some even when they’re in their late 40s :eek::eek::lol:. Things ain’t like they used to be!
Ken.
 
Oldstalker

Oldstalker

Well-Known Member
Although I am a huge fan of 6.5x55 (I have two, and would have had three if the Cumbria Constab' had allowed it- so I got a 6.5x57 instead) I would not dissuade you from choosing a .260Rem which is used by a friend of mine for shooting a lot of sika and roe on a professional basis. It has quite a lot of energy and if you do not need the terminal energy of heavier bullets still packs a pretty fair punch. I do regard 6.5x47 and 6.5CM as slightly faddy but I am old and prejudiced having used 6.5x55 for about 40 years now. I was originally attracted to it because of the variety of bullet weights one can fire from it and expect them to stabilise and be accurate (from 76 grains up to 180 gr). What I am less sure of is how each of the calibres specified will stack up with non-toxic ammunition. Others on here may be able to enlighten you; I cannot as although I experimented with a lot of different loads it was all with lead cored ammunition. Good luck.
It is often said at rifle competitions, "Beware the man with only one rifle!"
 
U

Uncas

Well-Known Member
The 6.5x57 is a good choice, you can get factory none lead ammunition from RWS & Geco.
If you get a modular rifle like the S&L that will ensure you can add calibers when you want them.
Or just find a good second hand .257 Roberts and forget about everything else.
 
scotch_egg

scotch_egg

Well-Known Member
Supporter
I have tried the one rifle option, I am back to two in the cabinet with a third awaiting a stock to be delivered to @Ronin for him to finish.

I’ve got three children under 7 can attest that it will feel like you don’t get chance to shoot a lot for a few years.

However when you do get chance it’s far more fun using a rifle suited to the task in hand and having no compromise.

A lightweight stalking rifle isn’t a pleasure to bash gongs all day and a heavy target rifle isn't easy to drag up hill and down dale.
 
P

phoebus

Well-Known Member
Basically, I haven't got the time to load for all the calibres I shoot so I'm thinking selling off some of them to change to one calibre would be great. I shoot 69gr out of the .223, 87gr from the .243 and 212gr out of the wm. Ideally I'd like to have the flexibility to load from 70/80gr up to 130+ for the higher BC benefit and to keep it legal should I venture up to Scotland. I have roe and red on the ground I shoot but being honest, I generally shoot more foxes than deer so any of the calibres listed above are more than capable. I don't like the reputation the 6.5cm has gotten for itself but if it has the following that it does then surely it's as good as it claims? I suppose a .270 is another contender as well.
 
H

HandB

Well-Known Member
If you reload then I suggest a 7x57. Mine hits as hard as a .308 but with superior ballistics and milder recoil. I find PPU brass is cheap, accurate and lasts a long time with RS62 powder. With 50grains of RS62 I get close to 2900fps with a Hornady SST 139gr bullet out of a 24 inch barrel.
 
J

jb7x57

Well-Known Member
I sold my 243 recently due to not being able to 100 non lead to shoot good enough so went down the 6.5 cm route
I have been very impressed so far with 100 and 120 grn bullets nice and easy to reload for and very nice to shoot the 270 and 308 had some guests scared of pulling trigger after first shot
There are is of factory ammo available if needed as well
 
A

AHPP

Well-Known Member
scotch_egg said:
I have tried the one rifle option, I am back to two in the cabinet with a third awaiting a stock to be delivered to @Ronin for him to finish.

I’ve got three children under 7 can attest that it will feel like you don’t get chance to shoot a lot for a few years.

However when you do get chance it’s far more fun using a rifle suited to the task in hand and having no compromise.

A lightweight stalking rifle isn’t a pleasure to bash gongs all day and a heavy target rifle isn't easy to drag up hill and down dale.
Click to expand...
Was The Fix the one gun solution?
 
Scapegoat

Scapegoat

Well-Known Member
Supporter
You mention the Creedmoor reputation as if you would be concerned about what others will think of it.
It works, it’s accurate, it hits hard, plenty ammo, lots of choice to reload.

For the life of me I can’t understand why there is so much antipathy towards it. The negative comments are all from people who have never owned the chambering. I don’t k ow anyone who has one that slags it off.
 
Mr. Gain

Mr. Gain

Well-Known Member
It depends what kind of shooting/quarry you intend to fall retrench on.
Even if chambered for the same cartridge, stalking rifles, varmint rifles and range rifles are not the same thing. The projectile, twist, barrel length, stock and optics all have to suit the task in hand.
 
Foxyboy43

Foxyboy43

Well-Known Member
Oldstalker said:
Although I am a huge fan of 6.5x55 (I have two, and would have had three if the Cumbria Constab' had allowed it- so I got a 6.5x57 instead) I would not dissuade you from choosing a .260Rem which is used by a friend of mine for shooting a lot of sika and roe on a professional basis. It has quite a lot of energy and if you do not need the terminal energy of heavier bullets still packs a pretty fair punch. I do regard 6.5x47 and 6.5CM as slightly faddy but I am old and prejudiced having used 6.5x55 for about 40 years now. I was originally attracted to it because of the variety of bullet weights one can fire from it and expect them to stabilise and be accurate (from 76 grains up to 180 gr). What I am less sure of is how each of the calibres specified will stack up with non-toxic ammunition. Others on here may be able to enlighten you; I cannot as although I experimented with a lot of different loads it was all with lead cored ammunition. Good luck.
It is often said at rifle competitions, "Beware the man with only one rifle!"
Click to expand...
Good man! There is nothing wrong with being “old or prejudiced” indeed the two compliment each other - can you just imagine being young and impartial - yuck?
As a child of the early fifties myself I long ago fell for the charms of the 6.5x55 and it has never let me down, only last week it dropped three nice bucks dead in their tracks - 2 still had a mouthful of food protruding when I got to them. Sierra 120 gns Prohunters or 130gns Gamechangers over a moderate load of N160 will do the business for everything UK-wide and you can see the bullet strike. Way to go!!!
🦊🦊
 
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