ovny
(.375 member)
12/02/18 06:13 PM
Giving the coconut

Hello gentlemen, I appeal to your experience regarding weapons and especially rifles and their ammunition. I presented my new 8x68S iron and I also have a 300 Win Mag that I think is very similar to the 8x68S. Now I'm thinking about changing the 300 WM for something that complements the 8x68S. I had thought of a 270 Win, a 7x64, 280 Rem or similar. What do you think? , Any suggestions?

Claydog
(.375 member)
12/02/18 06:26 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

I personally think the 270, 280 etc are too similar to the 8x68 or 300min mag to bother about. I would think you would need to go up to something like a 375 or down to a smallish 6.5mm if you want a complimenting rifle. Just my opinion of course.

ovny
(.375 member)
12/02/18 06:44 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

Which 6.5 mm would be your choice. Among my rifles I have a Ceska from 375 H & H. Thank you very much.

Claydog
(.375 member)
12/02/18 07:00 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

Not much of a small gun man so I really don not really know. One of those Creedmoors everyone is talking might be a nice small rifle. Personally I would go 6.5x55 or a Mannlicher 6.5x54 would be sweet.

NitroXAdministrator
(.700 member)
12/02/18 09:25 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

Instead of lookinf for a cartridge/calibre, examine perhaps what you need rifles for. The type of game animals and type of hunting.

You have a .375 which takes care of larger game, at the lower end of the choice range.

The 8x68S is a powerful magnum powered medium rifle.

As for the next choice?

If I looked at the ideal minimum sort of battery this is how I would do it. For my purposes at least.

1. Small game centrefire rifle. Accurate for head shots. Not over powered to reduce fur and meat damage. Scoped with a decent powered variable scope.

For me, this is a Mauser M03 .222 with Ziess Conquest 3.5-10x powered scope. Shooting rabbits, hares, foxes, roos, and smaller ferals.

2. Big game hunting rifle, bolt action. For buffalo and other large bovines and such.

I have a .375 and a .404 for this. Plus .450 double rifle.

3. Flat shooting powerful magnum rifle. For 'world' trophy hunting of plains game, deer, antelope etc. Scoped.

A .30-06 M98 and a 8x68S M03 fill this role.

4. Brush hunting rifle. For sambar deer in the forest, pigs in lignum etc.

My Browning lever action BLR .308 does this. A BLR is accurate and could easily be used for no.3 as well. If we had driven medium game hunts here, this rifle would also do well for that purpose. Fast shooting and reloading. Light, short and handy.

5. Lightweight mountain hunting rifle. Might be the same as no.3 if that rifle is light enough to be carried up and down mountains.

I don't have any lightweight rifles and make do with medium weioght rifle such as my Mauser 98 .30-06. Again the BLR .308 IS light and short and accurate and while unconventional as a mountain rifle would work as well as any of these customised Rem 600 customised rifles in .308.

Some people might choose also a lesser medium calibre, for easier shooting than a 8x68S, for smaller medium game species.


So what do you use your rifles for:
Monteria and driven game hunting of medium sized species, boar, red deer, other?
General stalking rifle for medium sized game, perhaps some mountainous terrain?
Other?

My guesses would be:

Driven and monteria type hunting. A 8x68S would do this.

But some driven game hunters have told me, a classic bolt action is too slow reloading for driven hunting. And so go for some of these more modern bolt actions, with inline bolts. Like the Blaser and other Euro makers. I am not that familiar with a lot of those rifle models. Obviously a medium calibre double rifle can also fill this role with two shots. A semi auto such as a BAR was once the ideal here in Australia prior to 1996.

Combined with a 8x68S, something like a 7x64 might be good in such a "faster" rifle, if such is needed.

For general stalking type hunting, again your 8x68S does this. But perhaps a lighter calibre is sometimes desired.

Again the 7x64 would be attractive to me. But by simple difference to what you have, and no particular chosen hunting need, I agree a Mannlicher in 6.5x54 M-S would be a cool addition. If wanting a better variety of projectiles and different rifles, yes I agree the 6.5x55.


ovny
(.375 member)
13/02/18 12:52 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

Hello, my current battery of rifles is this:

-For big game I have a 458 Lott.
-For large atilopes I have a 375 H & H.
- For monteria and stalking of large animals the 8x68S.

And the 300 to be similar to the 8x68S wanted to change it to one suitable to stalk animals of the size of a roe deer, fox etc ...


DarylS
(.700 member)
13/02/18 04:18 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

Ovny - a 6.5x68S is a most remarkable stalker - with the ability to kill moose, deer & elk sized animals well past 300meters, as shown by my 'best' friend Keith.

One trip with me in the 70's, I spotted for him on a smallish bull Elk at a range of 250 yards, using his 6.5x68, the 129gr. Hornady bullet exiting the far side, after disintegrating both lungs. On another trip, a large dry cow moose was shot at just over 300. The cow was facing away from us and the 120gr. Barnes X bullet, started at 3,420fps, entering just beside the white spot, traveled the full length of the animal, stopping against the hide on the lower neck. The moose braced her feet at the shot and refused to take a step, wobbled a bit, then the knees buckled and she collapsed onto her legs, dead.

He likes to use good, premium bullets, driven to the maximum safe pressure for his rifles. He dearly loves this ctg. Nosler Partitions have also worked well for him. He recommends a 9" twist barrel for shooting the heavier 6.5mm bullets, like the good 139 and 140gr. versions. The 'standard' 12" twist will not allow shooting the heavier premium bullets which make this ctg. suitable for large game, when the need arises.

The 6.5x68S and 8x68S are two rifles he has always had since I met him in 1979 - that's 39 years that I know him using those two ctgs.


ovny
(.375 member)
13/02/18 05:26 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

Hello, I would love a 6.5 × 68, the younger brother of the 8x68S, but the rifles in that cartridge are expensive. And in Spain that hard to find cartridge.

Ripp
(.577 member)
13/02/18 01:47 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

Quote:

Hello, my current battery of rifles is this:

-For big game I have a 458 Lott.
-For large atilopes I have a 375 H & H.
- For monteria and stalking of large animals the 8x68S.

And the 300 to be similar to the 8x68S wanted to change it to one suitable to stalk animals of the size of a roe deer, fox etc ...




If you are truly going to use it for fox, roe deer and game that size I personally would go smaller than the 6.5..and get a 6mm of some sort.. a .243 Winchester would be fine or the new 6mm Creedmoor... I have both and have killed game with the .243 from prairie dogs and antelope to elk for the past 20+ years..in fact have shot it so much I have actually worn out the barrel, currently having it replaced with a new Hart ..

Anther good choice would be a .22 centerfire such as a .22-250 Remington. Still have plenty of knock down and very flat shooting...

All of above can be purchased in a very small quick handling rifle ..and all of the above can kill anything you point it at provided your shot is true..

Roe deer would be no problem for either...not sure what its like in your part of the world, but over here every sporting goods store has the ammo and its cheap...

Ripp


NitroXAdministrator
(.700 member)
13/02/18 02:30 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

For small game such as fox, a .22 centrefire. The 5.6x50mm was also designed as the minimum for roe deer.

ovny
(.375 member)
13/02/18 06:20 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

And a 7-08 would it be a good choice?

ovny
(.375 member)
13/02/18 08:14 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

And what I think too, what a mess of rifles? a 300 WM is going to kill a roe deer, a fox and whatever is put ahead. Spend the money in hunting. It's what logic tells me hehehe.

Claydog
(.375 member)
13/02/18 10:19 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

A 7-08 is a great choice or 7x57 for that classic touch.

ovny
(.375 member)
13/02/18 11:42 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

In the end I thought that everything they do on 7-08, 270W, 280 R and similar, the 300 WM will do it too but on the contrary no. And what is theirs is to enjoy the weapons that are possessed and hunted. sell a blue wildebeest skin that fell into my hands (or try to sell) and use the money to hunt.

ovny
(.375 member)
13/02/18 11:43 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

Quote:

A 7-08 is a great choice or 7x57 for that classic touch.




Thanks friend.


Ripp
(.577 member)
14/02/18 01:27 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

Quote:

Quote:

A 7-08 is a great choice or 7x57 for that classic touch.




Thanks friend. [/quote

7-08 or 7x57 are great but way too big if you want to save the pelt of the fox.. IMHO..

Ripp


ovny
(.375 member)
14/02/18 01:43 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

The fox hunting in Spain is to control their populations as it is a great predator of rabbits and partridge clutches. We do not take advantage of the skin.

ovny
(.375 member)
14/02/18 01:45 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

Moreover, the fox is considered a part of a small game and is hunted with a shotgun. I do not know if it is necessary to request a specific authorization to hunt him with a rifle.

ovny
(.375 member)
14/02/18 04:06 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

Even a 257 Weatherby Magnum would be an appetizing cartridge.

PatagonHunter
(.300 member)
14/02/18 10:44 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

Hola ovny,

I like the idea about matching the trajectory between my different cartridges rifles. So, in my opinion, a good partner for a 8x68 would be a .270 Win. Even more than the 7x64 because this was designed with and for relatively heavy for caliber bullets. And the .270 Win is a universal round to be found everywhere. The .270 fills the gap under the 8x68 somewhat better than a 6 mm. Just my point of view.
By the way, where do you live in Spain? Now I have a son in Madrid, working as an economist in the Central Bank, and a daughter in Barcelona, also an economist.

Best regards


ovny
(.375 member)
15/02/18 12:41 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

I live in Torrejon de Ardoz.

93mouse
(.375 member)
15/02/18 06:15 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

Quote:

... a .243 Winchester would be fine... Ripp




This ^


Claydog
(.375 member)
15/02/18 06:30 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

Agree. The 243 is an awesome cartridge and would fit in well. Underrated and near forgotten these days.

ovny
(.375 member)
17/02/18 07:53 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

Quote:

Agree. The 243 is an awesome cartridge and would fit in well. Underrated and near forgotten these days.





Hello, I would love a 243 Winchester rifle. It is a very capable cartridge, despite how small it is. Although I foresee that it will not be very easy to sell the 300 WM.


fsrmg1
(.300 member)
18/02/18 10:10 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

Any one of a 6.5x55, 7x57 or 7x64 would be a good fit. I've also heard good stuff about the 6.5x65.

ovny
(.375 member)
18/02/18 10:41 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

Quote:

Any one of a 6.5x55, 7x57 or 7x64 would be a good fit. I've also heard good stuff about the 6.5x65.




I do not know the 6.5 × 65. I will inquire about that cartridge.


DarylS
(.700 member)
19/02/18 01:36 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

6.5x57 and .260 Rem. also. All in the same ball park for ballistics.

ovny
(.375 member)
19/02/18 06:09 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

I think that in Spain it would be easier to find 6.5 × 57 than 6.5 × 65. I find it more common. The fact is that it will not be easy for me to sell Santa Barbara del 300.

ovny
(.375 member)
11/02/19 07:26 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

What do you think about the accuracy of my Santa Barbara ?, shots made by a gunsmith at 50 meters, 300 Win Mag with Winchester Power Point ammunition of 180 grains. The viewfinder is a Bushnell Fullfield 3-9 × 40.



NitroXAdministrator
(.700 member)
12/02/19 02:18 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

Pretty good accuracy.

My Parker Hale 1200 M98 was said to have a Santa Barbara action. Others hjave since claimed it is a Mark X. But when I purchased it, everyone said Santa Barbara.

It is a .30-06 and used to shoot single hole three shot groups at 100 metres. between 5 mm and 12 mm, centre to centre. 180gr Nosler Partitions. Most projectiles shot very well, with three shot groups. The thin barrel heats up quickly after that.

I do shoot foxes for skins and also destruction. My .222 does the first.

Having read the posts and my posts again, I have changed my mind and reckon the classic 7x57/.275 Rigby us a great choice for everything from fox with skin damage, roe deer, and still good for anything medium game.

Spending money on hunting, and not on new firearms is also an excellent option.


ovny
(.375 member)
12/02/19 03:41 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

I'm happy to read your opinion. I thought that at 50 meters the two impacts should be touched. But if you think that the rifle shoots well is a relief. I had doubts whether to sell the rifle or not, and I think I keep it. I also thought about saving for a new and better viewfinder and I think I'll save to go hunting. Thank you.

NitroXAdministrator
(.700 member)
12/02/19 03:53 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

Oops I see it is 50 metres. What does a three shot group do?

12 mm at 50 metres is 24 mm at 100 metres so still 0.8 MOA. And still good for hunting accuracy.


ovny
(.375 member)
12/02/19 04:20 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

A little less precise. I'll have to get closer to the pieces to hunt.

ovny
(.375 member)
12/02/19 04:51 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

Quote:

Oops I see it is 50 metres. What does a three shot group do?

12 mm at 50 metres is 24 mm at 100 metres so still 0.8 MOA. And still good for hunting accuracy.




One question ... then with this precision would you still keep the rifle?


NitroXAdministrator
(.700 member)
12/02/19 06:07 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

I'd shoot 3 shot groups and at least three of the 3 shot groups to see whether the hunting accuracy is there or not.

Some people like to shoot 5 shot groups. To see if the rifle has any bedding issues.

But 3 shot groups are enough for me to determine hunting suitability.


DarylS
(.700 member)
12/02/19 06:15 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

Quote:

What do you think about the accuracy of my Santa Barbara ?, shots made by a gunsmith at 50 meters, 300 Win Mag with Winchester Power Point ammunition of 180 grains. The viewfinder is a Bushnell Fullfield 3-9 × 40.






I have owned a few Parker Hale rifles, 6mm. .308 and 7mm Mag. with SantaBarara actions. They all shot well, in the 3/8" to 1" range at 100 yards (1970's) That was pretty good accuracy for 1970's.

My Browning A-3 .300 Winchester Magnum shoots cloverleafs at 100 meters, with factory WW 180 Bonded and RP 180gr. CoreLokt ammo - into same group.


ovny
(.375 member)
12/02/19 07:34 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

Hello, from what the gunsmith told me, he was centering the rifle. He was not grouping. The anecdote is that he made 5 shots, two of them did not touch the target and the cause is that I mounted the visor badly, do not tighten either the mounts and the rings. The first shot that went into the target was very far to the right, later corrected with the turrets and achieved the two impacts of the photo.

ovny
(.375 member)
12/02/19 05:36 PM
Re: Giving the coconut

One question ... then with this precision would you still keep the rifle?

DarylS
(.700 member)
13/02/19 05:19 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

I see absolutely no reason not to keep it and enjoy it, ovny.

ovny
(.375 member)
13/02/19 06:37 AM
Re: Giving the coconut

Thank you very much.


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