First Rifle

[Evelio Mc Donald]

Hey Guys
After 30 + years of shooting High Power Silhouette this is what I learned.
First of all you need a heavy barrel regardless of caliber.
If you are between 20 and 35 years old, full of pep, and incentive to recoil, go with a 308.
Between 35 & 50 a 7.08 will work fine.
Between 50 & 60 a 260 will also work fine.
After 60 you may consider going to a 6.5 x 47 or 6.5 x 55 a hell of a lot less recoil you can also consider a 7BR, 6BR or 6mm x 22/250 really mild.
Now if you are worried about knocking the rams down consistently, I would consider hitting 10 each of CPT with the light low recoil bullets, and if you only get down 4 or 5 rams, you will be setting on about 35 hits, which should put you in the winner circle.
If you are concerned with nocking the rams down every time you hit them, that will never happen, every once in a while they will stand there, and look at you. I even shot them with a 7mm Magnum, put a hole right thru it, and never went down.
As far as rifle, you can't beat a Rem. 700 or the new clones.
Evelio.

[kevinbear]

Funny!!! I'll bet there are some mouse gun weiners out there thinking "hey, I'm not 60 yet"

















Just kidding!

[kevinbear]

[quote="BlauBear"][quote="timfinle"]The 260 is a necked down 308 so, wouldn't it work if you rebarreled to a 6.5 barrel?[/quote]
Yes, a short action 308 bolt face is the prescription. You could also do a 6.5x47.[/quote]


Get a 223, have it rebarreled to 6mm x 221 remington.

[glen ring]

I think something stock, like a remington 700 in 708, will be as wild as I want to get.

[RBriscoe]

Glen,

It is "hard to go wrong" with a 7-08, but finding a production rifle with an appropriate barrel might not be all that easy. If you find one, great, but you might want to give a little more thought to Evelio's suggestion about looking into one of the Rem 700 "clones". They have all the machine work done right to begin with and do not require being "acurized" (corrected). They also will hold their value a little better. Ask around about what it will cost you to have an actual 700 action cleaned up and compare that with the cost of an action that is right to begin with. Yes, it is more expensive to start with because you will be putting a "custom" barrel on and having to pay a 'smith to chamber it, but there is a world of difference in how one of these barrels shoots and a typical factory barrel. That is not to say that a factory barrel will not shoot, but it is something of a crapshoot. If you want to hold the cost down, consider using a Rem 700 stock (you can usually pick one up comparatively inexpensively) and change to a different stock later.

One other option is to ask around about a used rifle that may be for sale. These can often be a good starting point as they are all put together, but will have some mileage on the barrel.

Better yet, go to a few matches. Look around and ask questions. Many, if not most, people will be happy to show you their gear and let you try it to see what you thing about a particular stock or weight or how a cartridge shoots. If you have not reloaded before, ask for suggestions about what equipment you will need, then buy one of the fine books such as the Sierra one that describes the process, read it several times and ask more questions.

Oh, don't forget to have fun!

[Innocent]

Evelio,
Your list is interesting...but it doesn't take into account wimpy women with bad neck/back.....hmmm.
Innocent

[kevinbear]

Mary, get a 1730 {22 hornet} and have it rebarreled to 6mm x 22 hornet.

[Innocent]

Already have a 6.5X47 in the works.
Innocent

[kevinbear]

That could have to much recoil, better go with the 6/hornet ;)

[Innocent]

That is what I shot at the nationals. Didn't seem to have any problem with it and 142 SK's. Only rang one ram, but that was when they were being propped up with rocks, and the guys on both sides of me, one with a 7/08 rang rams.

Innnocent

[RBriscoe]

Mary,

I do not know whether people have explored low end loads for cpt loads in the 6.5x47L yet, but there used to be some people shooting around 32 gr of H322 or Benchmark with 107/108 gr bullets in the 6.5x08 which were very light recoiling. The biggest limitation, as you know, is a center of gravity hit on the porkers. Sometimes they will just stand there if you go much below 2,750 fps. The 123s might actually be a better choice, among other reasons, because of reduced wind drift on the turkey line.

I have been using 35 gr Varget with 108s at about 2,820 fps, which is OK, but I think it is more than really needed. It is pleasant to shoot, but I ought to spend some time at the range to work on a new load.

Rams remind us that it is an outdoor event and "things happen". I am continually amazed by the results people get with low velocity loads with 142 MKs. My home range has a wind from behind the rams about 99% of the time and so I tend to work at a higher velocity node. I have come to doubt that it makes any real difference. Maybe next year I will try some of Bill Motl's ram loads that you can almost walk down range with. (But they work.)

Rick

[glen ring]

Kevin

The .22 hornet to 6mm sounds interesting. Where can I get info or talk to someone who has done that conversion and shot silhouette with that round?

[kevinbear]

The twilight zone!! I was jesting of course, I've been looking around but have been unable to determine if anyone has actually ever had a reamer and set of dies made in 6mm/hornet. The .270 REN was quite popular for a time in IHMSA which in part got me to thinking about other wildcats based on the hornet.
With the right loads you might be able to topple the birds but doubtful the pigs or rams would fall. I've never heard anyone discuss how much bolt thrust or PSI a Anschutz 54 action can handle but it would certainly be nice to shoot highpower with the same style of gun as smallbore. I would like to state here that if any of you decide to build one I expect it to be called a 6mm kevinbear!

[BlauBear]

Thanks for clearing that up Kevin - I had a mental image of the barrel blowing off and launching halfway down the range when the press fit and pins let go...

[kevinbear]

Not sure about that, one would think that the 54's that are chambered in .222 and 22 hornet are threaded.