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Custom Rifle Caliber Advice #5415315 11/12/14 03:13 PM
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So I'm starting to think about doing a full custom rifle in the next year or so. I already have one Semi Custom from Hill Country in .270 Win and will likely have another Semi Custom in 300WSM in a couple months. If you guys were only going to ever have one fully custom rifle, what caliber would you get it down in? I just want to hear some choices and reasoning behind why you chose that caliber. It will help me start to think about which I want and what to plan for when I finally get it done. Thanks!

Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415335 11/12/14 03:22 PM
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I have one and it is a 243. I am shooting the 105 Berger hybrid at 3050 fps with very small groups. I picked it because of the components are easy to get. Lapua makes brass for it. I can shoot the heavy bullet fast. There is hardly any kick and I can easily watch my hits. In texas it will kill anything I want it to. And it will shoot farther than I have room to take it.

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Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415344 11/12/14 03:24 PM
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6.5 saum


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Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415364 11/12/14 03:35 PM
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What's the rifle for? That matters on what to build.


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Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415391 11/12/14 03:46 PM
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I got the bug for a 7mm-08 with an 18" threaded barrel bad for hunting out to 400 or so..

Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415425 11/12/14 03:59 PM
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I'm a 6mm whore but if I could only have one it would be a 6.5 or 7mm just so I could hunt anything in North America with it. 6.5 SAUM while a good choice, brass is limited and if you ever did want to rebarrel you are limited on the magnum cases. So for those 2 reasons I wouldn't do that one. I also would want more than a 6mm for elk, moose, bear so that would eliminate those calibers all together.

I'd probably end up with a 6.5 Creedmoor or 7-08...mainly because I don't like recoil and those two would get the job done without killing on one end and wounding on the other grin


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Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: J.G.] #5415441 11/12/14 04:03 PM
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Originally Posted By: FiremanJG
What's the rifle for? That matters on what to build.


No one can answer your question until we answer this ^^^^. Give us some parameters you have- recoil, cost of ammo, long range, hunting, etc?


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Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415442 11/12/14 04:04 PM
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Creedmoor of some type. I personally would go with the 22 creedmoor thats what I am running and 3350 with the 75 grainers out of a 22 inch barrel puts the hammer down.

Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ChadTRG42] #5415461 11/12/14 04:12 PM
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Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42
Originally Posted By: FiremanJG
What's the rifle for? That matters on what to build.


No one can answer your question until we answer this ^^^^. Give us some parameters you have- recoil, cost of ammo, long range, hunting, etc?


Sure we can...unless he comes back with shooting cans at 20ft in his backyard in town my answer wont' change grin Then I'd tell him to get a nice Gamo roflmao I can't tell him what stock/action/scope/bottom metal (if at all) but we can tell him calibers.


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Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415470 11/12/14 04:14 PM
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7mm-08 is my next build.....

Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415573 11/12/14 04:37 PM
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If I was gonna build a rifle it would be a fancy wood stocked blued job in .257 wby or .270 wby mag


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Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: J.G.] #5415603 11/12/14 04:48 PM
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Hunting anything the US has to offer except maybe Grizzleys. I want a good all-arounder if I'm gonna drop that kinda money on one rifle. I'm probably leaning towards 280ai or 7mm.

Originally Posted By: FiremanJG
What's the rifle for? That matters on what to build.

Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415627 11/12/14 04:57 PM
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Whatever caliber you pick, I'd have the barrel threaded, so I could hang this off of it...


Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415628 11/12/14 04:58 PM
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300WM with a 208 A-max, 210 VLD, 230 Hybrid or Hornady 225 BTHP. I like big bullets (bigger than 7mm). But a 7 mag with a 180 is no slouch. A 225 or 230 will hit a lot harder than a 180 in a 7mm.


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Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415642 11/12/14 05:03 PM
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If it were me I would go with 30-06. It can take anything in North America except the big bears. You have a wide range of bullets available and ammo is generally available. It has been said you can hunt mice to moose with a 30-06 and that is pretty much true. Some will say that it is not a long range cartridge and they may be right but I have never found that to be an issue. As an alternative I have a personal affinity for long forgotten 8mm (8x57). That big 32 cal bullet is hard hitting and has never failed me. Biggest problem with it is you must handload for it as factory ammo is hard to find and generally under powered. I have seen an 8mm 175 grain Sierra bullet knock a 200lb hog backwards at 80 yards. That's my kind of power.


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Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415666 11/12/14 05:15 PM
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as Chad said 300wm w/ a 200+gr bullet is the bomb and will more than enough to take down a Grizzly if you ever get a chance..

I don't like long action as a personal preference so I'm partial to my 300wsm 185's at 3010fps.....

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Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415668 11/12/14 05:16 PM
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Originally Posted By: ltsheets
Hunting anything the US has to offer except maybe Grizzleys. I want a good all-arounder if I'm gonna drop that kinda money on one rifle. I'm probably leaning towards 280ai or 7mm.

Originally Posted By: FiremanJG
What's the rifle for? That matters on what to build.


300 Win Mag and 205-230 bullets.

Or a 7 Rem Mag, 1:8.5" twist and 180 Bergers. I have that combo and it is stout medicine. Dropped a bull elk at 200 yards in one shot.


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Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415737 11/12/14 05:48 PM
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Personal preference only...I think .280ai sounds great, but already have a .280 in the safe and I'd want something different. A .30-06 would be very utilitarian but I'd have the barrel stamped ".300 Whelen." Kinda joking, but kinda not! Another one I'd look at is the .264 Win Mag, always appealed to me and it would be very versatile.


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Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415780 11/12/14 06:03 PM
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Originally Posted By: ltsheets
Hunting anything the US has to offer except maybe Grizzleys. I want a good all-arounder if I'm gonna drop that kinda money on one rifle. I'm probably leaning towards 280ai or 7mm.


I love my 280AI, great caliber

Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415832 11/12/14 06:20 PM
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Thanks guys. Some great opinions in here so far.

Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415863 11/12/14 06:31 PM
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If I was calling Horizon with my order, it would likely be either 7mm Rem Mag or 300 Win Mag.

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Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415900 11/12/14 06:51 PM
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I really like the 6.5-284 shooting a 140 gr pill. Handle pretty much anything you need it to around here

Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5415980 11/12/14 07:42 PM
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My current build will be either 6.5-06 or 7-08ai. But if there was only one rifle I think 280ai would be my choice. If there's more than one choice 90% of the time the lower recoiling rounds are adequate.

Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5416165 11/12/14 09:03 PM
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Like the post above.... if it were one rifle only, I'd build a .280AI with a 24" barrel. You can load it heavy or load it light, lots of reach.... lots of options... else, I'd look at something in 6.5 or maybe a classic 7x57.

Re: Custom Rifle Caliber Advice [Re: ltsheets] #5416541 11/13/14 12:00 AM
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I hate recoil and long barrels. I would pick something a 22" barrel would work and the total weight be between 8-9 lb with scope.
Depending on what it's for , 6.5 creed, 708, 308 and pick a bullet to fit your style.

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