custom dogger suggestions

[WestKentucky]

I'm considering a custom rifle for varmints from prairie dogs to coyotes. Most likely would be a contender rifle barrel from MGM or Bullberry but if AR prices keep dropping I may build an AR15 upper. Right now everything is up in the air.

My requirements are this...
#1 .204 to .284 bullet diameter
#2 ZERO factory ammo at Walmart, MAYBE at bass pro or cabelas....I reload and like odd
#3 600 yard capable on a coyote
#4 500 yard prairie dog accuracy
#5 Parent cases readily available to make brass from
#6 Correct headstamp cases available from a current brass producer.
#7 Good projectiles must not be chamber specific and subject to inavailability/extinction.

Things I have looked at are things like 5.45x39, 20tactical, 257roberts, 257 Weatherby, 6br, 223wssm, etc. I am particularly drawn to 20tactical but am very concerned of winddrift. I am also very interested in .257 Weatherby but think it may be a bit much for the task I am asking.

I already have 270win (vanilla, plain, great but not unique), .256winmag (love it but no long range potential), 30-30 (levergun so no fancy bullets, plus too common of a caliber), and 7-30waters (contender pistol barrel, pretty sweet but limited by 10" barrel).

 

[briansmithwins]

AR in .204 Ruger with a long barrel.

Friend of mine uses his on prairie dogs for his yearly hunt.

If that's too small or light 6.5mm Grendel is great for long distance shooting and retains energy well.

BSW

 

[WestKentucky]

Too common. I like it but a coworker has one. I gotta be special and have something odd. Otherwise it would be a 204 or 22-250.

 

[Moparnut]

25-06? Readily available brass from parent case and not as hard hitting as 257 wby. Not necessarily odd but not necessarily common either.

 

[WestKentucky]

That's an option, but I'm not sure either platform I have in mind would work. The case I'd too long for an AR and I think it's too hot for the contender. It would work in a rem700 or k98 action though.

 

[rcmodel]

The .204 Ruger is in no way, shape, or form a 600 yard coyote rifle like the OP ask about.
Wind drift is excessive compared to most any other good long range caliber.

He needs to look at a minimum 6.5 mm bullet, with a high SD, and starting at a reasonably high velocity.

But your gun with power for 600 yard coyotes is going to be terribly over-power & recoil for a days shooting on a prairie dog town!

Methinks you are asking for too much out of one caliber.

rc

 

[WestKentucky]

Not a primary for dogtown, just a fun reach out and touch some pdog next county over kinda rifle. Maybe 1 box of 50 reloads through the course of the day. And 600 yds on a coyote can be done with a screaming 22 but then we are talking barrel torches which are no fun. A slightly stronger .243 would be nice as long as it doesn't get too long for an AR

 

[Robert]

AR10 in 260AI.

 

[Jim Watson]

A lot of long range varminters use 6mms.
I guess a .243 would be too ordinary, so get a 6mm Remington.
A friend has one that is very accurate, he uses it when he wants to shoot F Open instead of F-T/R to 1000 yards.

I would not want an AR in an uncommon caliber, it just throws your scarce prepped brass in the weeds. Even policing up prepped .223 is an annoyance, I know, I have a good one.

I don't know what can be expected from an Encore, but it will certainly handle the pressure.

But I don't have a Need For Novelty and any smokeless target or varmint rifle I add will be a bolt action.

 

[CHALK22]

I have a good buddy that swears by .22-250 for a gopher/pig gun. This year he went through 1100 rounds of it on his gopher "vacation"

 

[MistWolf]

22 Cheetah with 90-100 gr VLD bullets

 

[H&Hhunter]

6.5-06. I just built one on a M-70. 140 gr bullets @ 2900 fps. Super accurate and easy shooting.

If you really want to be different go with a 6.5 Gibbs.

 

[Jim Watson]

.256 Newton

 

[H&Hhunter]

Jim,

Exactly....

 

[WestKentucky]

Any experience positive or negative with the 6.5 grendel? It seems to fit my criteria but I have never seen one in person or spoken to an owner to get any feedback. This could be my best option for either TC or AR platform, but maybe not.

 

[allaroundhunter]

6.5-06. I just built one on a M-70. 140 gr bullets @ 2900 fps. Super accurate and easy shooting.

If you really want to be different go with a 6.5 Gibbs.

Either this or a 6-06.

 

[moojpg2]

6mm remington.

 

[Bronden]

6.5x47 lapua. Or the necked down 6x47 Not entirely sure it will fit. Its odd in an AR but superior ballistics.

 

[Bezoar]

if i was going to through that kind of money around, i would call up savage.

get a nice 22-24 inch barrel target rifle. get a nice 3-18 x 50 illuminated reticle on top. and sight it in for something i like to shoot.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Either this or a 6-06.

+1

6mm-06 improved is on my list to build. 107-115 gr high BC bullets out of a 28" tube at 3,500-3,700 FPS seems just the ticket for ultra long range varminting, well beyond what my .220 Swift can do.

 

[Jim Watson]

If you want to burn that much powder, look at 6x284.

 

[WestKentucky]

H&H...6.5-06 doesn't seem like much of an African plains rifle.. but it does sound like it's right up my alley. Seems like it should be good on whitetail, and possibly pronghorn as well as the little furry friends. Time to read up on it a lot more.

 

[H&Hhunter]

I wouldn't hesitate to use mine on plains game up to about kudu sized critters.

 

[EchoM70]

6mm Creedmoor

6.5x47 Lapua

6.5-.284 Norma

6mmXC

 

[Offfhand]

Here ya'go, all you want and more. Even impressive looking just standing still: the 6.5 Leopard. Easy to make from .270 WSM brass, and a terrific selection of bullets available. A big favorite with the 1000 yd benchrest crowd.