# What cal to re-barrel short action deer/antelope rifle ...



## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

I've got a Savage rig I built up for shooting prairie dogs, which I haven't done in years. Its a 6BR Norma in a heavy laminated stock (below). I'm thinking of breaking it down and re-barreling it to an antelope & deer rifle. I'm missing that mid cal rifle selection in the safe. Being a short action (308 bolt face) I'm thinking 7mm-08 or 6.5 Creedmoor with a 22-24" #4 or 5 contour barrel. Reading it seems like the 6.5, 260 & 7mm-08 are all right there together regarding ballistics(?) Any other cal's I should be considering and any thoughts between the ones I've already listed? Don't see the need to push anything bigger then 140gr bullets.

Anyone have a Manners stock? Not sure I want to spend the $$, but they look like nice stocks. Plan is to ultimately screw a suppressor on the rifle as well.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

If 140 is the top end of the bullet weight range that you want, I would go with a 6.5. The Creedmore shooting 130's is very similar to the quintessential 270 Win. Who can argue with that performance on deer and antelope?

While this is the decision that makes the most sense, I personally would build the Ackley Improved version of the 257 Roberts........but I'm a weirdo like that.-----SS


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Will shooting heavier then the 140's out of those cals benefits me much for deer & antelope in regards to performance(?) My son has a 7mm-08 now which we are reloading for, but adding another die set to the mix is no big deal. I've read the 6.5 has a little more room for seating longer bullets over the 7-08.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Bullets of the same weight will have a better BC in 6.5 vs 7MM. If you want to shoot 120-140, 6.5 has the edge in BC/SD. Nowhere near enough difference to make one iota of difference in field performance. 7-08 is a great choice too and it will most likely achieve enough velocity increase to make up any advantage that a short 6.5 would have in BC. 

All that being said, you should build a 257 Ackley and be a weirdo like me.-----SS


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I vote .260


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

I'd vote for a 6.5x284 Norma just 'cause....I like them a lot. All of the calibers mentioned would be great for deer and antelope but I really like the 140gr A-Max bullets out of the 6.5x284.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

longbow said:


> 140gr A-Max bullets out of the 6.5x284.


In a short action?


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

For the sake of being simplistic, I'd go with either 6.5 CM or 260. I don't think there's a big enough difference between the two, I just know there are plenty of guys that have a preference for one or the other. I seem to see way more brass for the 6.5 CM than the 260, but that's probably because I'm not looking at Lapua brass...

That last sentence made me think of another option - the 6.5x47 Lapua. My uncle built one recently and he's been very pleased with the performance of the 130 VLD.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

As mentioned, 6.5 is where it is at. After much research I decided on the 6.5x47 Lapua. Tamer shoulder makes for almost no need to ever trim and Lapua brass lasts forever, friend I know has I think 18 reloads on his last I asked; I dont think he has ever even annealed them. Another thing he really likes, he shoots competitively, is the small primer, which is rare in anything using 308 bolt face. Smaller primer makes for that much more brass holding it in place to allow for higher pressures and stronger overall.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

gdog said:


> In a short action?


Ah, glad you caught that. I guess you could but mag length and ejecting a live round would be a problem. I have a 6.5x284 in a short action but it's a Stiller Predator V single shot.


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

gdog said:


> In a short action?


If I'm not mistaken, a 6.5-284 _can_ be done in a short action, but it's not super practical. You won't be able to utilize the 140 grain bullets like the VLD.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Yup, it would be kind of like my fancy new Nosler.......too short for the big bullets.-O,-------SS


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Appreciate the info gents....just need to find a quarter and give it a flip to decide:-?


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

gdog said:


> Appreciate the info gents....just need to find a quarter and give it a flip to decide:-?


Maybe we need a discussion on types of Quarters then. Washington? Liberty (we should debate Standing vs Sitting)? Clad? Silver (90%? 40%?)?

Maybe a US State quarter, do you need it to be a Utah Quarter? Would a Wyoming Quarter work?

:mrgreen:

-DallanC


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Forget flipping a quarter, just build an awesome quarter bore.......like a 257 Ackley.-----SS


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Isn't the 257 a long action? If it is he wants a short action. 

So in a short action hunting round I'd go 7mm08 125 grain bullets. It's about as perfect as you can get for a short action gun. 


Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

257 with longer bullets won't work as a repeater in a short action unaltered...from what I've read.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I vote 6.5 Creedmore or .260; not much difference really. 

Here, in the southwest Wyoming part of Utah, the Creedmore is popular for dispatching pipeline marker signs at great distances and the .260 is using for hunting.

And it goes without saying: make sure the magazine will take the long bullets.

.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

One thing that I don't think I have read on this thread is: what bolt face do you have? I assume a .308 bolt face?


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Bax* said:


> One thing that I don't think I have read on this thread is: what bolt face do you have? I assume a .308 bolt face?


yes...308


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

gdog said:


> yes...308


 And I assume that you don't want to replace the bolt face for simplicity sake?


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Correct...unless there would be a big advantage in performance to changing it out for another cal. At this point, its down to the 6.5 Creedmoor or another 7mm-08. Some efficiency's going with the 7mm-08 since I already have the dies, cases and bullets/powder...but what fun is in that! I think the shorter 6.5 CM case allowing for longer bullet use without having to mess with mag length is a bonus. Thinking about a CDI DBM setup. I do like the ability to use heavier bullets in the 7mm-08, but really not needed for specific deer/antelope rifle setup like this.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Im gonna throw out a oddball, just because I want one.

Bolt action 6.5 Grendel. You would need a PPC bolt face, but the job would be fairly simple.

It really wouldn't serve much purpose from a hunting aspect, but it would be a fun caliber to shoot distance with very minimal recoil.

I know you prob don't want to do that, but its on my "want list" next to a leaver action .22 Hornet.


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## Bob L. (Jan 11, 2015)

We all know a 6.5 kills better than a 7mm 

260, 6.5x55 or 7-08.

I like the 120ttsx and 127lrx in 6.5 but that is me.

I also think a 243 with 80ttsx are great for goats and deer but sounds like you like the heavys. Hard to do better than a 140 partition for anything you want to kill including elk.


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## archerben (Sep 14, 2007)

Here's another vote for the 6.5x47 Lapua. I was in a similar boat as you, and had made my mind up that I was going to build a 6.5 Creedmoor. Then I learned about the 6.5x47L and ordered parts for that instead. Everybody I've talked to that is familiar with both cartridges gives the nod to the 6.5x47 for all the reasons mentioned by Huge. 

Also, I have a Manners stock on order, but don't expect to see if for a few months. I decided the EH-1 is the right stock for my particular build.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

archerben said:


> Also, I have a Manners stock on order, but don't expect to see if for a few months. I decided the EH-1 is the right stock for my particular build.


I'm considering the MCS-TA.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

The next stock I'll get will be a manners. They are dang nice!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

How about bottom metal...CDI?


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## archerben (Sep 14, 2007)

I'm doing an internal box mag (adl style) to minimize weight, therfore, no bottom metal needed.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Bob L. said:


> We all know a 6.5 kills better than a 7mm
> 
> 260, 6.5x55 or 7-08.
> 
> ...


The 6.5 does indeed kill better because it's more fashionable but the 7MM always gets them dead enough for me to get into my freezer. Come to think of it, every big game animal that I have ever shot with any caliber has ended up dead enough for some nice field pics and an arduous pack out job.

Now I just need to find a caliber that kills cow elk just dead enough to allow removal of the tenderloins and back straps before they happily run away back to the wild. Any suggestions would be appreciated.-------SS


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Springville Shooter said:


> Now I just need to find a caliber that kills cow elk just dead enough to allow removal of the tenderloins and back straps before they happily run away back to the wild. Any suggestions would be appreciated.-------SS


I found one of those kind of elk this year while hunting in Colorado. It appeared that the doctor tried to get the bullet out of her but only managed to take the back straps along with her ivories and left the tenderloins.

I think that it is called the gutless method.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

DallanC said:


> Maybe we need a discussion on types of Quarters then. Washington? Liberty (we should debate Standing vs Sitting)? Clad? Silver (90%? 40%?)?
> 
> Maybe a US State quarter, do you need it to be a Utah Quarter? Would a Wyoming Quarter work?
> 
> ...


I have quarters that have heads on both sides. $9 each, plus shipping.

.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

wyogoob said:


> I have quarters that have heads on both sides. $9 each, plus shipping.
> 
> .


Flip ya for it......

I'll call heads:mrgreen:


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

gdog said:


> .................... screw a suppressor.............


Yeah, I agree with that.

.


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

If you are looking to build a great antelope, deer gun and already have a 7mm-08 which is on the heavier side. Why not build a .243 AI 1-8 twist. Shoot the 105 Berger VLD out around 3200-3300 with a BC of .532 its going to out perform the .260 and 6.5 CM. I have a .260 and a 6.5x284 and love them both but I'm wishing I had gone .243AI over the .260 to be honest.


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## massmanute (Apr 23, 2012)

7mm-08, making the assumption that ammo is more available and (possibly) more variety of bullets available for handloading.

Otherwise, flip a coin.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Don't get me started on the 6MM's. The 6MM Creedmore, 6XC, 6x47 .........just add a fast barrel and some 105 A-Max bullets and you will be constantly amazed. 6MM's have all but displaced the 6.5's for 1000 yard bench work.------SS


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