re: New Custom Build What Caliber Rifle?

.223
22/250

quote:

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.243
.257 Weatherby
6.5 Creedmor
6.5 PRC
.264 Win Mag
.270
.280 AI
30/30
.308
.300 win mag

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Man, you've really got a good collection of calibers. You pretty much already have the boxes checked in each caliber for both "standard" and "barrel burner." The only one you're missing is in 7mm since the AI is kinda in between. I really love my 284 Win XP 100. That round would give you a 7mm "standard" cartridge. The 28 Nosler would give you a REAL "barrel burner" and be a significant ballistic upgrade over the AI, especially w/ a 26" barrel. Since you don't have a "standard" 25 caliber, the 25-06 would fill that gap. You also don't have a "barrel burner" 6mm, but I wouldn't want to shoot at a deer 400 yards away w/ a 6mm. A good argument can be made against every other suggestion made, DownShitf's rec for the 338 WM is interesting. It's obviously more than you need for whitetail deer, but it fills a gap in your current gun cabinet.

My XP handgun in 7-08 hs become one of my go to guns for deer hunting, but I wouldn't spend the kind of money on a 26" barrel 7-08 for box stand hunting at long distance. Save the short barrel, lightweight 7-08 for woods hunting or shorter range box stands.

If you change your specs for varmint hunting, Got Blaze has some good suggestions. Then I'd add 22 BR or 6 BR.