Long Range Shooting Rifle Options

If by nicer you mean it doesn't beat the shit out of me, yes.
Not having shot either platform back-to-back and simply relying on recalled perceptions, I agree.

So, you have all the reloading equipment and supplies for 6.5? Have at it!
Interesting question considering the M24 is a long action receiver. Prolly wanted the option to go 300WinMag.

Maybe they knew someone would eventually develop an ELD bullet for the .308 and wanted to be able to stack it in a magazine?

 

Just surprised a bolt gun has less recoil than a gasser. In my experience (which doesn't amount to much), springs do wonders for felt recoil.

 

I just have to obtain the dies and other associated accessories to load for the 6.5.
Reloading is the hobby I found time for since covid arrived in early March. I had to take a break from the WERA/Covid forum for my own sanity. It was Covid overload for a while.

 

reloading for the 6.5 is fun and there is a ton of info out there for them. A 6.5 will do everything you want easily and pretty cheap.

Get a tikka or bergara 6.5 and your favorite vortex scope and don't look back.

 

just some general feedback for those looking at getting into longer range as I have recently gone thru this. Here was my take on brands for actions (feel free to chime in on your differentiations):

Savage/Howa --> Ruger --> Bergara/Tikka --> Rem700 worked over --> custom 700 platform actions
There are some other valid options out there as well, but these are generalizations. I started looking at the Ruger Precision Rifles, as the new (at the time) 6.5CM looked like they shot well and I liked the compatibility with AR10 mags (SR25) and I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Ruger. Savage is the SV of the shooting world. Not much respect but they can be good shooters and perform well. Howa is similar, then Ruger is nice for Bang for the buck (RPR in particular if you want a chassis, or something like a 338LM or 22lr). Bergara can be hit or miss with accuracy (some are tack drivers, but occasionally one not so much), tikka is the GSXR or the shooting world. Excellent platform that will grow with you but works great out of the box and you can sometimes find some very good deals on one. I was all set to get a Tikka Tac in 6.5 when I decided to go custom. Stock Remington 700's were the gold standard till the past 10 years or so, the quality was for sure hit or miss. usually miss. But plenty of shops will fix them up and make them shooters if you have one. Next up and top level are the custom actions built on the 700 platform (i.e. same dimensions as the R700 so you can find stocks, triggers, magazines, etc easily and they all fit). Kelbly, American Rifle Company (ARC), Bighorn/Zermat, Curtis, Defiance, Stiller, etc. etc. The past few years these have all come down a lot (or they have entry level actions in the $800-1k range) so it's actually a very good idea to consider. With the CNC machined R700 "clone" actions, you can get "prefit" barrels that don't need a gun smith to install and have correct headspacing, and having excellent accuracy. Or purchase a "barreled action" that is the action with a barrel already installed. Add trigger and chassis/stock of your preference and you are ready to roll. Chassis/stocks can be as simple as a KRG Bravo/MDT XRS ($400-500) up to $1500+ for a MPA and MDT ACC with folding stock. Triggers the same, but typically $150-300 for a nice trigger (Timney, Geissele, Trigger Tech, Bix N Andy).

I ended up with an American Rifle Company (ARC) Nucleus action with two barrels- a short 308 with brake from LRI and a longer 6.5CM from PVA that I will put on once I get used to the rifle. I bought a nice chassis (MDT ACC), trigger (Timney 2 stage) and optics (Vortex Gen II Razor 5-25) and I am set for a long time.

308 has much better barrel life, most would say around 5k rounds before seeing much accuracy degradation but that depends a lot upon barrel materials, manufacturer, loads, bullets, accuracy expectations, etc. 6.5CM can be 3k or so with the same variables. Also keep in mind that the accuracy that folks expect out of a 6.5 might be more than what they expect out of a 308 so a "shot out" barrel from one person might be perfectly acceptable to another shooter for another couple of thousand rounds.

For the LMT, it's easy to swap barrels, so why not buy a 308 barrel as well. I have a LMT MRP with 6.8 and 5.56 barrels, I shoot the 5.56 most of the time and swap in the 6.8 if I want to make a dent in something. I had the same idea with the ARC rifle, shoot the 308 to learn what I'm doing, then swap in the 6.5 afterwards. I reload and have around 1k 6.5CM cases, and maybe 2k 308 cases (I have a 308 AR as well).

Also keep in mind that 3k rounds of 6.5 is $$ compared to a new barrel (my Rock Creek cut rifled 26" cerakoted barrel for my ARC was like $500 (on sale) vs. $1k-2k for the ammo you just shot thru the rifle). For the vast majority of shooters, going thru 1k rounds in a bolt gun takes a while. It's not like an AR platform where you can go thru 100 rounds at the range without blinking an eye. If I were able to shoot 1k rounds in a year on mine (barring if I get into PRC matches) I would consider myself lucky. So most folks say that the barrel life isn't that big of a deal when you compare all costs (and 6.5CM is still better than most of the 6mm options that folks are running these days). FYI everything I mention above is based on Remington 700 short action (SA = 308, 6.5CM, etc). Or you can do the same thing with a Remington 700 Long Action (LA) and "magnum" calibers like 300WM, etc.

When you get into it further, sometimes you can swap bolt heads on the action for a magnum caliber, as there can be some magnums that will still work on the short action. I haven't looked into it but the newer 6.5 or 300PRC I think are like this (as are WSM, WSSM, etc). Take a short action, put on the magnum bolt head (or bolt if it's one piece) and thread on a new barrel and you can move "up" but you are still limited to the overall length that the action and magazine will accept.

 

You wont get 2500 good rounds out of a 6 or 6.5 CM. Figure more likes 1500ish, depending on powder, bullet and how hard you push it. H4350 Burns very hot and eats throats.
Think of barrels like tires for racebike. They are a consumable.
A 308 will be around 2500-3000 rounds n a barrel.
A 308 will not perform like a 6 or 6.5, but if you prefer the barrel life, then it may be a good choice.
A fast twist 223 shooting 75-85 grain pills is a decent 600-800 yard gun too. I'm shooting my 223 AR this winter @300m for sling practice.

 

Thanks for the info. I'll probably pickup a .308 barrel for the LMT just to use for general practice and save the 6.5 for when I really want to stretch its legs and see what I'm capable of as a shooter.

Speaking of .223, I also just built a SPR-esque AR with a Criterion 1:8 18" barrel in .223 Wylde. I've had the bug to stretch out a bit for awhile but only recently got around to procuring a couple rifles that could do it. Just need to find a scope for the LMT (thinking a Kahles 5-25) and some match ammo for the SPR so I can take them to the range.

 

See I look at a gun as all purpose. So I’d buy it to hunt and shoot 1000 yards.

 

I look at most long range rifles as match rifles. Most people don't want to lay down and shoot 60-100 rounds a day with a 300WM with big bullets when you can the same ballistics out of a 6 or 6.5, and half the recoils, and better accuracy.

 

It's not less, it's just smooth. It helps that my 700 has a buttstock recoil pad...it's painless.

The bolt carrier on an AR10 is huge compared to that on an AR15 and it slams back-n-forth like a jackhammer. Add the hard buttstock and, hell, a Barrett M82 is more forgiving. My AR10 not only beats up my shoulder but also beats the hell out of my cheek. I forgive it cuz it puts boowits through the same hole at 100 yds and I can unload ten rounds into 5"-6" @1000yds in 20-30 seconds...

...and it's certified!

 

I have a buddy that does a lot of .308 and 6.5 reloading followed up by 1000 yard shooting. If you want to compare notes, I can ask him whatever comes to mind.
(I almost never hear the end of 6.5 advantages. )

 

I would certainly be interested in some starter 6.5 recipes.

 

Gotcha. That makes sense. Your description reminds me a bit of the SCAR 17. FN did a really good job with the all the variables in mitigating the force directly into your shoulder. However, the size of that BCG and the rate at which it cycles will rattle your eyeballs out of your head. In my experience, it keeps its muzzle pretty flat all things considered (the brake does its job) and it really doesn't push you that hard but I instantly lose target focus when it fires due to the vibration and it's the only gun in I've shot where I can feel the gun pull back forward when the BCG goes back into battery. Same reason it's known as an optic muncher. So light recoil (for a .308)? Yes. But smooth? Not even close.

 

I appreciate this recommendation.
Any thoughts on this particular rifle?

 

I'll see what he has to offer.
Are you loading for a gas gun and what's your barrel length?

 

42.0gr H4350, 140 ELDM jumped , .030"
Tone it down to 41.5 or so if its real hot.

Also try IMR4451 or RL16.

 

Bolt action. I’m currently doing my initial research now. I’m
Not sure about a barrel length at the moment.

 

Sounds exactly like what I experience.

 

Is that then overall case length?

 

No, overall length/mag length is bullshit, unless you're talking 223.

You check your seating depth/distance to the lands using a Story Point or Hornady Lock and Load chamber checker(you need a modified case in the caliber you are reloading, and you measure with each different bullet version you are testing), and then measure base to ogive using a Hornady comparitors.
Your throat will erode away, so thusly you check that measurement occasionally, and adjust your seating depth accordingly.

https://www.hornady.com/reloading/p...tools-and-gauges/oal-gauges-modified-cases#!/

https://www.hornady.com/reloading/p...s-and-gauges/lock-n-load-bullet-comparator#!/