Looking for suggestions on a new caliber

[std7mag]

Learn to reload your 25.06. You'll save tons of money.

Since @AFBeyers is new and may not know, I'll expand on this a little for them.

Reloading will save you money if you look at it as cost per cartridge or shot if you will.

But you'll end up shooting 2-10 times more than with factory ammo. Maybe even more than that. In 1 year I put 900 rounds of 7mm-08AI down range, 300 7mm Rem Mag, 500 of 223 Rem, 1,100 45 ACP, and 900 of 9mm.

But you can taylor the ammo to YOUR rifle for the type of shooting you do.
And obsolete/obscure cartridges are no issue.

Example would be to try to find factory ammo for a 250 Savage loaded with a 115gr Berger VLD.
I'll save you the hassle and tell you that you won't.
But I can go to my shelf and grab a box.

 

[peterk1234]

.308 win to be different. No one is doing it these days. Well except for me!

Another 308 fanboy here. So many reloading options. Spectacular round. Always can find a powder for it.

 

[Eagle376]

I think .308 would be a great choice for deer with the option to go bigger but I think your 338 would cover the bigger stuff anyways.

 

[yakimanoob]

I love my 7mm-08 and highly recommend it, but I don't know where you folks are living that say it's readily available! . I can barely find 1, maybe 2 options on the shelf at any given time.

People love to hate it, but at the end of the day the 6.5 Creedmore is an excellent choice for deer, and no one can argue with the popularity of the cartridge.

 

[std7mag]

I love my 7mm-08 and highly recommend it, but I don't know where you folks are living that say it's readily available! . I can barely find 1, maybe 2 options on the shelf at any given time.

People love to hate it, but at the end of the day the 6.5 Creedmore is an excellent choice for deer, and no one can argue with the popularity of the cartridge.

Oh oh, pick me!!
I'll answer these ones!!

1) where are we living that 7mm-08 ammo is available?

Answer....
It doesn't matter where I live. I reload.
At anytime, I have at least 160 rounds of 7mm-08AI on the shelf.
100 rounds prepped for F-Open matches.
10 rounds with 140gr Berger VLD and 10 of 140gr NBT for hunting deer.
10-20 rounds with 100gr Sierra HP Varmint for coyote hunting.
And anywhere from 20-100 rounds for range use.
I put close to 600 rounds a year through my 7mm-08AI.

2) I love to hate on the 6.5 Manbun!!!
It absolutely blows my mind that so many people fell for the advertising BS that it's any better than the 260 Rem.
Because of the BS advertising, so many people wanted the latest, greatest square wheel that manufacturers started pumping every conceivable form of firearm chambered for it. So the ammo manufacturers started pumping out ammo for it.
When 12yr old girls are shooting Tikka T3 Lites in 7mm Rem Mag, I'm not about to jump on the Manbun bandwagon!

I'm not being facetious about the 12yr old girl.
My neighbors daughter picked out the T3 Lite.
We tried to suggest to her a lighter recoiling round like 7mm-08. But she wanted the Rem Mag to be able to hunt anything.

There is also a video of another 12yr old girl hunting with one.

 

[Floridagt500]

Oh oh, pick me!!
I'll answer these ones!!

1) where are we living that 7mm-08 ammo is available?

Answer....
It doesn't matter where I live. I reload.
At anytime, I have at least 160 rounds of 7mm-08AI on the shelf.
100 rounds prepped for F-Open matches.
10 rounds with 140gr Berger VLD and 10 of 140gr NBT for hunting deer.
10-20 rounds with 100gr Sierra HP Varmint for coyote hunting.
And anywhere from 20-100 rounds for range use.
I put close to 600 rounds a year through my 7mm-08AI.

2) I love to hate on the 6.5 Manbun!!!
It absolutely blows my mind that so many people fell for the advertising BS that it's any better than the 260 Rem.
Because of the BS advertising, so many people wanted the latest, greatest square wheel that manufacturers started pumping every conceivable form of firearm chambered for it. So the ammo manufacturers started pumping out ammo for it.
When 12yr old girls are shooting Tikka T3 Lites in 7mm Rem Mag, I'm not about to jump on the Manbun bandwagon!

I'm not being facetious about the 12yr old girl.
My neighbors daughter picked out the T3 Lite.
We tried to suggest to her a lighter recoiling round like 7mm-08. But she wanted the Rem Mag to be able to hunt anything.

There is also a video of another 12yr old girl hunting with one.

I’ve lurked here for a while, but I just finally joined to say how interesting I find it that someone who has a 7-08AI and likely chose it over a standard 7-08 has a hard time understanding the benefits of a 6.5CM over a 260.

Nevermind the better case design or the SAAMI specs that manufacturers follow for twist rates, pressure, COAL and everything else.

 

[Don Fischer]

Oh oh, pick me!!
I'll answer these ones!!

1) where are we living that 7mm-08 ammo is available?

Answer....
It doesn't matter where I live. I reload.
At anytime, I have at least 160 rounds of 7mm-08AI on the shelf.
100 rounds prepped for F-Open matches.
10 rounds with 140gr Berger VLD and 10 of 140gr NBT for hunting deer.
10-20 rounds with 100gr Sierra HP Varmint for coyote hunting.
And anywhere from 20-100 rounds for range use.
I put close to 600 rounds a year through my 7mm-08AI.

2) I love to hate on the 6.5 Manbun!!!
It absolutely blows my mind that so many people fell for the advertising BS that it's any better than the 260 Rem.
Because of the BS advertising, so many people wanted the latest, greatest square wheel that manufacturers started pumping every conceivable form of firearm chambered for it. So the ammo manufacturers started pumping out ammo for it.
When 12yr old girls are shooting Tikka T3 Lites in 7mm Rem Mag, I'm not about to jump on the Manbun bandwagon!

I'm not being facetious about the 12yr old girl.
My neighbors daughter picked out the T3 Lite.
We tried to suggest to her a lighter recoiling round like 7mm-08. But she wanted the Rem Mag to be able to hunt anything.

There is also a video of another 12yr old girl hunting with one.

Had a 243 restocked to 260 This past year. Wanted a 250-3000 but couldn't get good answers on where to find cases so went with the 260. Was a good move I think! Bullet's around for pretty much anything you want to hunt and low recoil. Very very accurate. Doesn't hurt a thing that I'm a 6.5 fan in the first place, /also have a 6.5x06 and a 6.5x55.

 

[std7mag]

I’ve lurked here for a while, but I just finally joined to say how interesting I find it that someone who has a 7-08AI and likely chose it over a standard 7-08 has a hard time understanding the benefits of a 6.5CM over a 260.

Nevermind the better case design or the SAAMI specs that manufacturers follow for twist rates, pressure, COAL and everything else.

I did the 7mm-08AI for several reasons.
1) It's a wildcat cartridge without a lot of fuss to make it.
2) I wanted to challenge myself and my abilities to see if I could do it. I did all the work myself by hand.
3) While it looks cool at band camp, realistically I only gained about 50fps over the standard 7mm-08.
4) I never said that there was anything wrong with the standard 7mm-08.

As far as the Manbun goes.
From what I have read on it's design, it was developed to allow long heavy target bullets to fit in an AR10 magazine without bullet encroaching in the powder column.
Note I said target bullet.
For match shooters with bolt rifles, they will throat the chamber appropriately. Hence it's a non issue for a benchrest or F Class shooter.
And going through several barrels a year, they will order a barrel with the appropriate twist rate.

For a typical bolt action hunting rifle, the Manbun doesn't really give any advantages either.
Bullets in the 120gr range will drop a deer just as well as a heavier bullet.

Welcome to the Forum!!

 

[jtschwing]

I don’t know who deemed the .270 inadequate. Probably the same frogs who leg hump the 6.8 western.

Jack O’Connor loved the .270. And for good reason.

Only issue is the twist rate of a 270 win is slow for some of those new high-speed,
low-drag bullets now days

 

[bucdoego]

There’s quite a bit of 25-06 ammo available on ammoseek.

Yup. This would be a defining factor for me too. I find some of the newer cartridge offerings interesting, but not all of them a good choices when you consider factory ammo offerings and availability. Pricing for 25-06 ammo seems to be very affordable when compared to any of the new stuff.

.25-06 Rem Ammo

In-stock best prices for 25-06 Rem Ammo | Best 25-06 Rem Ammunition - AmmoSeek.com

ammoseek.com

With the two guns you have now, you are well suited for anything whitetail (or even many muley hunts), so you don't need a 6.5CM, 6.5PRC, 270, 6.8 Western, 308, 7mmRM, 7mm-08, 30-06, etc. to cover those hunts. The 338 is a lot of gun, but you are going to find those that swear by it for Elk, Bear, Moose and any large 'Alaska game', too.

Still, you could buy a gun with a caliber somewhere in between, favoring the hunting that you anticipate. I'd let ammo availability be a guiding factor, if you go this route. Sounds like a fun 'problem' to have, i.e., which gun do I buy?

 

[brymoore]

These caliber posts are fun, especially the elk one!

@AFBeyers. You’re 25-06 will work fine on deer. If you want a different rifle, I understand. My family has a 257 Roberts I bought for my wife and kids. Wife has never used it but the kids and I have killed a pile of deer, a bear and a few elk. Light kicking rifle that we all love.

270 is a great caliber too. I have one I killed a few deer and elk. The ability to shoot its MPBR out to early 300 yards make it a great point and shoot rifle.

My caliber now is a 280ai. Love the caliber but I wouldn’t own one if I didn’t load my own ammo. I dial now and a 284 caliber flies better than my 270.

My Dad’s 308 is in my gun cabinet too. I’ve killed a few deer with it. He’s killed deer, antelope and an elk. Great caliber too.

We’ve had a few other calibers in my house, 264 Win Mag, 8x57 and 30-06. Probably a few I forgot about.

Thinking about all of them now, if elk weren’t part of the equation, I’d probably carry the 257 Roberts. It kills mule deer easily without a big recoil.

 

[std7mag]

@brymoore,

People have taken elk with the 257 Roberts for years now.

People have also taken elk with 243 Win.