Good 1000 yard caliber, just for fun.

[russ69]

...Why anyone walking this planet in 2015 would consider the 308 is purely for nostalgas sake...

Ow! Dam near stung a little. Simmer down buddy. A .308 is a great choice for the OPs criteria...

No the OP wanted a low recoil load: "Reloading costs are a big factor. Id prefer the lowest recoil round thats reasonable to shoot out to 1k.". That is not a 30 caliber.

[Grunt81]

No the OP wanted a low recoil load: "Reloading costs are a big factor. Id prefer the lowest recoil round thats reasonable to shoot out to 1k.". That is not a 30 caliber.

True, I forgot to add in the muzzle brake recommendation. I don't have one on mine, but I do have a slip-on LimbSaver recoil pad on the buttstock. $25 at Wal-Mart. The extra 4,000 rounds+ of barrel life more than makes up for it.

I believe in preserving my shoulders as well. I need them for other things. And the LimbSaver makes a world of difference. Combine that with a muzzle brake, heavy stock, and the OP will be able to see all of his impacts at 1,000yds. Like I said before, the .308 will hit the target with more authority and it's a "reasonable" round for that distance.

I'm not in to barrel burners. But if I was, I'd either go with a .260 Remington or the 6BR/6 Dasher that LynnJr is adamantly recommending.

[Grunt81]

As a compromise between barrel life, ballistics, and hunting authority, I'd look good and hard at the 7mm-08. I did before and was set on getting one, but Lapua brass was out of stock for like 6 months. So I went with the .308 and spent $20 on 106 LC cases. Resizing wasn't bad at all with proper lube and the consistency is good enough for 1,000 yards. I'd blame shooter, bullet, powder, primer, and dies, before I blamed LC brass for an ugly group.

[LynnJr]

Grunt81
The reason the 6BR got its name is because it is benchrest accurate. When you combine that with 15 grains less powder than the 308 and brass lasting 25 reloads or more its a simple decision.
Barrel life is 8000 rounds if you like 0.250 five shot groups.
I don't think it is prudent to ignore the FACT that the 6BR and 300 win mag are ballistic twins. A 20 + MOA advantage at 1000 yards is huge.
The original poster doesn't have to hit the gong once in a while he can ring it with regularity.
The best thing is reloadingreloading for the 6BR. It is so accurate that a bad load will outshoot most every cartridge listed here.
The OP never said which action he is using and I doubt he is using BAT or Borden actions with a coned boltface but I should have a take off that will fit a 700 Remington. If I find one with a recoil lug he can screw it on and be good to go in 5 minutes. I should also have plenty of used brass as well.

[milotrain]

Lynn, I think "huge" might be an understatement.

[TomReloaded]

6mm sounds better than 308. Its more accurate, lower recoil, and 15 grains less per case really adds up. Its not always easy to get powder these days.

Havent decided on the action yet.

[bsumoba]

6mm sounds better than 308. Its more accurate, lower recoil, and 15 grains less per case really adds up. Its not always easy to get powder these days.

Havent decided on the action yet.

Take a look at BAT, Barnard, Defiance, or Kelby Panda.

[TomReloaded]

Those seem a bit overkill for a fun gun. I understand 6BR is competition oriented, but its really a standard 243 bullet in different brass. A standard savage or 700 would do!

[JMP]

I got the itch for a new fun rifle. No competition, nothing serious, but I want to try shooting out to 1k and getting some hits now and then.

The fact of the matter is for occasional recreational shooting, just about all the standard sized short action cartridges will accomplish this. I keep a 6mm, 6.5mm, and .30 cal in my quiver as I like a variety.

As Lynn pointed out, the .308 Winchester faces some challenges as it's a bit ragged with wind at 1,000 yards. However, I don't agree in terms of the "20+ MOA" advantage of a 6BR over a .308 Win.

I generally shoot my .308 Win at intermediate distances, so I actually use 168gr SMKs since they are very forgiving. Though they are not optimal for shooting longer (especially the old 168gr), at 1,000 yards, there is a difference of only 11 arcminutes in elevation between my .308 and 6mm that drives a 105gr bullet at 3,200fps. My .308 does not go subsonic until a bit further than 1,100 yards.

So, with my old fashioned 168s in .308, I can make hits at 1,000 yards on a 1 MOA target at 1,000 yards. I will miss more frequently than with a 6mm or 6.5mm. Actually, it's not the drop that gets you, it's the wind. I suppose if I shot heavier bullets with my .308 (there'd be more drop but potentially less win--it depends on a lot of factors). I've had better results at 1,000 yards in .308 with 155s or 175s, but I have the philosophy of using what works best. I have gotten the most accuracy and precision from 168s, and it isn't my go-to gun at 1,000 yards. But, I'll shoot it at 1,000 yards and hit the target because often I shoot with folks that have only .308s, so it makes it more fun.

I am really not a fan of the new trend to go to faster twist barrels and try to shoot 30-06 or 300WM bullets out of a .308. I don't plan on shooting anything other than a 1:12" twist with 168gr bullets from a 308 as that's what the 308 does best with. If you can't obtain your desired ballistics from a 1:12" twist 24-28" barrel on a .308, then it's time to pick a new cartridge.

One pragmatic obstacle of the 6BR is that you may find it fussy to rapidly magazine cycle in a lot of the standard short action setups due to the shape of the cartridge.

For what you want, a 6.5mm might be a nice middle of the road cartridge. The 6.5 Creedmoor is a nice middle of the road cartridge that is easy to learn how to shoot. It isn't a high velocity round, but the 6.5 bullets have very good BCs and buck wind well. For shooting intermediate ranges, I actually find the slower cartridges a bit easier to shoot since you have more time to spot your hit.

With a standard short action, the cartridge you select really isn't a life decision as you can always rebarrel it to a different cartridge if your needs/wants change.

I guess my point is that most standard sized short action cartridges can accomplish your basic stated goals. Rather than solely getting caught up on the cartridge, make sure you have a decent barrel, rifle platform, and a scope. I'd recommend a Bartlein barrel with a reasonably thick contour that's 24-28" to start out on. Don't make the mistake of getting something like a 20" barrel. I only suggest 28" since barrel blanks are pretty much the same price on short actions up to 29", with finishing length at 28". For longer, you need to pay a bit more for each inch, which may or may not be worth it to you. For your platform, a basic R700 short action is fine. For a scope, if you aren't sure, I'd default to a Schmidt & Bender PMII 5-25x56 as it tends to be very universal in application and you'll have no problems finding a rifle to mount it to.

[NiteQwill]

As others have said before: any 6 or 6.5 mm will do just fine.

Easy to reload, brass life, high BC bullets... No issues getting either to 1000+ yards. Plus, both can be shot all day without shoulder pain when the sun sets.

[LynnJr]

Here is a Remington 700 that is barelled up in 6BR or 6 Dasher depending on conditions.
Here is a picture of how well it shoots.

[Grunt81]

Thanks for sharing Lynn. If I ever decide to go with a 6mm over a 6.5mm I'll highly consider the 6BR. Currently, I'm happy with a .308 and my next two rifles might be a custom .308 and a cheaper hunting rifle for my wife.

World class shooting shouuld be combination of all of the following. Do you think that 600 yd world record should be credited to the 6BR cartridge, MORE so than it should be credited to the reloading components, loading technique, barrel and action quality, and shooter's skills and ability for experimentation?

Which cartridges consistently win and set records for 1,000 yards? I thought is was 30 caliber standard and short magnums.

[milotrain]

Depends on if you are asking about BR, F-Class/FTR, or Palma.

In each of those disciplines ultimately it is the shooter who wins, because everyone can have access to equal equipment. In BR equipment is perhaps more important than in Palma, but it is the shooter who gets the rifle built and loads the ammo. They are each equal in their own way, and you are only ever competing against other excellent competitors and past records.

[Josh3239]

I am with NiteQwill on this one. Darn near anything in the 6mm to 6.5mm family is a great choice.

I've been jumping backwards and forwards between the 243 vs the 6.5 creedmoor. I am leaning toward the 243, barrel life isn't a concern as I don't believe I'll shoot it enough and for me I'd never consider a barrel dead if it is shooting .75'' at 100 yards like many serious shooters. And replacing the barrel isn't so horrible for a bench gun. It would be like getting into auto racing then whining about having to change tires. I do like the 243 a tad bit more than the 6.5 Creedmoor but if barrel changing or ammo finding does become an issue it is easy enough to rebarrel to 6.5 Creedmoor or another similiar round.

[ar15barrels]

6mm sounds better than 308. Its more accurate, lower recoil, and 15 grains less per case really adds up. Its not always easy to get powder these days.

Havent decided on the action yet.

Any single-shot action will be fine for a 6BR.
The 6BR's don't like to feed through magazines.

If you want a magazine fed 6mm, look at the 6mm Creedmoor or the 6XC or the 6x250.
Those all feed decently from magazine boxes.