Caliber for 600 yard range

[cwitherow]

If you were to add a gun to your collection as a dedicated range gun, with the max range being 600 yards, what caliber would you choose? I do not reload, so factory offerings only. I am leaning toward .223.

 

[ccc23454]

Out to 600 223s are great and cheap, so many ammo options to play with also

 

[Deleted member 38069]

Out to 600 223s are great and cheap, so many ammo options to play with also

X2! I love .223/5.56!

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Lots to like about a .223. I'd probably lean toward a small 6 of some flavor myself. 6br, 6xc, 6dasher, 6creed, somewhere in there.

 

[MTLabrador]

I was just gifted a super accurate AR from my dad for the same purpose, plus coyotes. .223 and 77 gr Matchkings are what he’s used with good results.

 

[PNWGator]

By range gun are you thinking benchrest, plinking, PRS, etc?

 

[mtmuley]

Lots to like about a .223. I'd probably lean toward a small 6 of some flavor myself. 6br, 6xc, 6dasher, 6creed, somewhere in there.

Factory stuff is tough for those. .243 is available. mtmuley

 

[fishing4sanity]

The 223 is certainly capable of what you're asking and perhaps the cheapest in factory offerings. Personally, I'd go 6 Creedmoor, lots of capability to extend your 600 yard range and plenty of good factory options available. What type of range shooting are you planning on doing?

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Factory stuff is tough for those. .243 is available. mtmuley

Yeah I totally missed that, that was really bad reading.

 

[VikingsGuy]

6mmBR and its child cartridges 6mmXC and 6mmDasher are the top 600yd cartridges. You can get 6mmBR ammo in factory from Lapua but it's pricey - no factory in XC or Dasher that I am aware of. I would guess the 6mmCM grow into a decent number of factory options given the success of the 6.5cm. If you want cheap ammo go .223 but know that it is a marginal option for target shooting at that distance. Or add to your hobby and set up to reload 6mmBR

 

[44hunter45]

Even for handloaders, 223/556 is the cheapest thing. I pick up that brass at every rock pit. Not so much else any more.

 

[mtmuley]

Take a look at the .308. mtmuley

 

[HighDesertSage]

50 BMG, do it.

 

[VikingsGuy]

50 BMG, do it.

I think OP said 600y, not 6,000yds

 

[FLS]

I shoot a 223 for some local tactical matches that only got out to 6-700 yds. I load 77 SMKs over TAC on a Dillon 550. I buy match prepped LC brass and pump them out 500 at a time. I can’t think of a more economical way to shoot mid range. If you want to learn to read wind and be a better long range shooter, get a 223 to practice with. It’s way cheaper and you’ll have 2-3x the barrel life of a 6 or 6.5 mm. I put 10x the rounds down my 223 match rifles than I do my 6.5 match rifle.
If you don’t reload, the 75grain Hornady Frontier has been really accurate and before the corona foolishness you could get it pretty cheap. The Black Hills 77 SMK and TMK loads are better but more expensive and harder to find.

 

[MThuntr]

Factory only to 600 = 6CM, 6.5CM, 308, possibly 223, 22-250 or 243 if you can push a heavier bullet.

Reload = all of the 6mm options with the right twist to do 110-115 grain bullets...then push it to 1K+

 

[cwitherow]

By range gun are you thinking benchrest, plinking, PRS, etc?

Non-competitive shooting. Simply for my own enjoyment.

 

[FLS]

If you do get a 223, get an 8 twist or faster, so you can stabilize the longer bullets.

 

[1_pointer]

Factory ammo only: 223 or 243 with a preference in that order.

Make sure the rifle you buy has 1:8" twist or faster for the longer, sleeker bullets that are best for shooting long.

 

[sbhooper]

If you mean caliber, then any 6.5. If you mean cartridge, then the 6.5 Creed gets the nod. Cartridge and caliber are too different things.