Re-barrel time, but with what?

[the running man]

30-06 is a proven caliber,and listed as the most versatile round in cartridges of the world......I loves mine.

[WelshShooter]

I target shoot and handload the 8x57JS for my Yugoslavian Mauser and bullet choice is quite limited for me. I can easily rule out the Privi 198gr projectile as it is undersized and is easily pushed further into the case by hand. I use full length dies and this is after firing factory loaded cases, so definitely not spring back. The 200gr S&B bullet is correctly sized and well priced. The 200gr SMK is even better. The problem is price. The SMK is easily £45 or more for a box of 100 which is too rich for my blood in this rifle. I've not been able to find affordable expanding bullets for reloading as a substitute for the S&B bullet, which I buy abroad (https://www.shooting-supplies.eu/en/pro ... r-100.html). I've shot the 8x57JS out to 1,000 yards and the 200gr SMK does not care too much about the wind, so it's great fun knocking down Fig11's using this bullet I will admit.

Since you're not going to be shooting past 300m I wouldn't punish yourself with the 8x57JS, the former two calibres you listed will do the job just as well with less recoil and more affordable reloading components. Flip a coin on the 6.5x55 and the 7mm-08 (though if I were in your position, I'd go for the 7mm-08 because you already have the best 6.5 calibre, the 6.5x47 Lapua )

[Alpha1]

6.5x55

[meles meles]

.458 SOCOM...

[Alpha1]

.458 SOCOM...

SOCOM ? Give us a clue.

[TomH]

.458 SOCOM...

SOCOM ? Give us a clue.

GOOGLE

[Alpha1]

I dont think so.

[Mattnall]

6.5-08/.260Rem
Possibly a little nicer on the barrel than the 6.5x55 and as accurate as any other full-size 6.5 out there, certainly out to 300. Cases easily made from 243 brass if needs be.
Personally I think the 6.5 bullets are ballistically much better than the 30cal one in comparable cartridge sizes.

I rebarrelled my old 308 Rem500 in .260 and never looked back.

[Sim G]

MVs around 2,800-2,850 fps for the 160/162s from cool burning N160 give a long barrel life, modest recoil, and very good accuracy.

I’m presuming you’re using small primer brass for loads to get that MV? What charge weight of N160 are you using, Laurie? I’d like to work up to that sort of velocity.

[Laurie]

That's from a 31-inch barrel, and remember it's a long-freebore chamber (2.97" COAL). Yes, I use necked-down Palma brass for my longer range loads, pressures are likely right on the 60,000 psi level. For short-range matches, I have a low pressure load of the Lapua 150gn Scenar L and Lovex SO65 using Winchester brass that consistently groups into 0.15-0.25" at 100 and gives high 300 yard F-Class scores.

That's (160 TMK) a compressed load at that with N160 having worked up to 47.1gn. Various lower charges in other makes of case (Lapua large primer and Winchester) had given good groups but lower MVs than I wanted. (To compete with the 6.5s in mid range F-Class you need to be around 2,800 fps - even at that, people are pushing their small primer Creedmoor loads to well over 2,800 fps now - even claiming nigh on 2,900 fps - and there is nothing much ballistically between 6.5gn 140s and 7mm 160-168s.)

Viht N550 had been promising in early tests in large primer brass, but Elcho-17 (Reload Swiss RS60) even more so with good precision and MVs up at around 2,900 fps in the reformed small primer Palma case, but I wanted to use a cooler burning powder if possible.