Thread: LR gong options

First off, you can single load in any of my comps. A practiced competitor, familiar with their gear and rifle will not be at a significant disadvantage using a single shot. Every year i have run our long range Woodstock 1000 it has been won with a single shot rifle - including this year.

In a medium action i think the 6.5mm caliber will do what you want easier than a 7mm. Yes, a 7mm08 pushing a 162gr AMAX at 2650fps will slip through the wind just a little easier than a 139gr scenar at 2800fps... The difference is something like a whole 0.1MIL or one click worth of windage. I think you will find it easier to get the 139gr to that speed than you will a 162gr projectile. Any of the 6.5 options (6.5x47, 6.5Creedmore, .260Rem, 6.5SLR, etc.) are pretty good and all are certainly good enough. Don't overlook the 6mm calibers as well. Shooting 108gr to 115gr projectiles they certainly perform.

Barrel burners - running a 6.5mm hot you won't get 3500 rounds out of it. I started noticing a significant drop in accuracy in my .260Rem at about 2500 - that said my 130gr bergers are doing well over 3000fps in a 26" barrel (run that against your 7mm08/162 AMAX and see how it compares!). A hot 6mm won't even last that long. The 7mm will likely give you a little more barrel life. Personally if you are worried about the life or cost of your barrel you might want to have a closer look at the game you are getting into. A shit hot scope will likely set you back the cost of three re-barrels!

Barrel length - personally i wouldn't go over 26" for a rifle i would be expected to carry for any sort of distance. Any of the medium contours will do. I have no idea what contour the sako varmint profile equates to but i use that contour - mainly because it fits my sako. I wouldn't recommend fluting either to be honest - and definitely not on a stainless barrel. Don't underestimate a suppressor on a non-magnum caliber either. I would prefer a suppressor over another 3" of barrel any day. Magnum calibers i think a brake works better on anything other than a bullpup rifle.

Personally i think the shooter almost always makes the difference over the caliber - a good shooter who can call wind will beat an average shooter with a shit hot caliber AND a good shooter with a shit hot caliber should clean up. Hence why i typically recommend new shooters wanting to get into the game get a standard caliber, with standard chamber that won't loose completely on the re-sale value. Once you have been to a few shoots and seen what works for you then get a custom rifle if that is what is going to float your boat.