Sauer Atacama caliber

[dpskipper]

Recently fell in love with the sauer atacama (mostly thanks to the video aaron did on SSA)

Just wondering what caliber people recommend for hunting / target shooting? Already got a 308, planning on getting a 223 shortly, and I'd like to spend some money on this one and get it some better glass. Maybe keep it in the back of the ute and use it as a long range rig for goats and keep the Remington 308 as the scrub gun.

I'm very privileged to have access to a very large cattle station somewhere in the middle of nowhere in SA. (the likes of which you could shoot a .50 in the air and it would still land inside the boundary, no matter what direction you face). Primarily shooting feral goats. Some portions of the property are very flat and sneaking up on the goats is almost pointless, they can smell/see you before you're even close. Only solution we've found is to wack them from a distance of >300m.

The sauer comes in the following calibers: 223 Rem.; .243 Win.; .270 Win.; 7 mm-08 Rem.; 6.5×55 SE; 6.5 Creedmoor; .308 Win.; .30-06 Spring.; 8×57 IS; 9.3×62; 6.5 PRC; 7mm Rem. Mag.; .300 Win. Mag.

I'm leaning towards the 6.5 prc or 300 win mag. Just looking for the right caliber that can be used for some longish range hunting, or even for that matter whacking an old oil barrel we setup 1km away. Freedom on the open land!

[TassieTiger]

My vote is 300wm - if your reloading.

[dpskipper]

My vote is 300wm - if your reloading.

should have specified, don't reload. but more than happy to pick up another hobby !

[JimTom]

Long distance goats I’d go the 6.5 Britney.

[marksman]

l'm with Tassie for the 300wm

[SCJ429]

I have used a 243 and a 6.5x55 Swede on goats out past 400, the Creedmoor would also be equally capable. The 7mm Rem Mag and 300 are very effective but a bit of a handful. Depends on how you can shoot something that moves around on you.

The 243 is a pleasure to shoot and is very flat shooting. I get 3300 fps out of a 105 grain projectile.

[dpskipper]

I have used a 243 and a 6.5x55 Swede on goats out past 400, the Creedmoor would also be equally capable. The 7mm Rem Mag and 300 are very effective but a bit of a handful. Depends on how you can shoot something that moves around on you.

The 243 is a pleasure to shoot and is very flat shooting. I get 3300 fps out of a 105 grain projectile.

looking to use the rifle with a bipod. probably on the bonnet of the ute or prone on the ground depending on the terrain. if i want some 'oompf' in the scrub i've got my remington 783 which is 'disposable' to an extent.

Cost of ammo on 300 win mag or 7mm might get up there. 6.5 creed is sorta popular these days and the prices (from what i've seen) are better than what they where a couple of years ago when 6.5 creed was still new on the block

[SCJ429]

I wouldn't know about factory ammo, if you are buying projectiles, the 30 cal is usually the best value for money.

I am guessing that a 243 and a Creedmoor is about the same cost for poor unfortunates that cannot load their own.

[TassieTiger]

300wm cases = $1.20 each, magnum primers 7c each, 180gn sst’s .50c each, 68gns of ar2209 or similar..... all adds up to a f*** load of fun per shot

[JimTom]

Mate what 300WM cases are you using that only cost $1.20?

[TassieTiger]

PPU brass is $84 for 100...EDIT - CRAPS. Nope. Its 84 for 50. Damn. Apologies. Doesn't change end result though..."crap load of fun".

[dpskipper]

> 2 bucks a pop is getting up there. depends on how much i shoot it i guess. Whats the street price on creedmore compare wise? Better to reload creedmore?

[TassieTiger]

Lapua brass in my 260 is typically $200 for 100...will be similar for creedmore.
How many firings per brass - I'm not experienced enough to know how many firings you can get from 300wm vs 6.5.

One of the reasons I suggested the 300 was because - you already have a 308 and plan on getting a 223, so depending on your view, a 6.5 is not a big enough departure from both existing calibres to raise the excitement bar. Alternately - the view might be, its perfect, exactly in the middle...I will add, I have found my 260 almost too easy to shoot accurately - it's boringly consistent and low recoil means anyone can shoot it quite easily, where's the 300 presents a real challenge that I am still wresting with...

[dpskipper]

Lapua brass in my 260 is typically $200 for 100...will be similar for creedmore.
How many firings per brass - I'm not experienced enough to know how many firings you can get from 300wm vs 6.5.

One of the reasons I suggested the 300 was because - you already have a 308 and plan on getting a 223, so depending on your view, a 6.5 is not a big enough departure from both existing calibres to raise the excitement bar. Alternately - the view might be, its perfect, exactly in the middle...I will add, I have found my 260 almost too easy to shoot accurately - it's boringly consistent and low recoil means anyone can shoot it quite easily, where's the 300 presents a real challenge that I am still wresting with...

keen to get your advice on accuracy out of the 300. I've read that the 6.5 (and 260 for that matter) are very flat shooting and make up for the loss in umph (comapared to 308) by staying supersonic longer and delivering great knockdown power at distance. Although with 308 you can do plenty of damage with a hollow point even if you don't hit a critical organ. I think with the .20 caliber stuff at a distance of 300m or more you'd have to have a direct hit to the brain, heart or lungs to get a humane kill.

[TassieTiger]

My advice should be considered minimal compared to many on here. My experience is as follows;
As your aware, accuracy is very much dependant on crap loads of parameters. My 260’s most accurate load is at 2950 FPS average with 120’s but my 300 looks like being well over 3000...with 180’s, so based on those parameters, the 300 will have the legs. But the 260 also shoots the 140’s very well at 2800, and they retain velocity very nicely...there is just so many “what ifs.”
I went with a howa 300 heavy barrel on advice from here and I’m glad I listened - I’ve now put in a mdt chassis.
Results are still being tweaked - a friend bought a tikka in sporter 300 and we set up a challenge that ran fora few months. It was close but the howa grabbed the edge and we are now starting to push some long range targets back.

This was a couple weeks ago with 68 gns of 2209 @ 150.

[Stix]

Gday dpskipper.

Sounds like you're living the life driving around & plonking the odd goat or 44gal..
Dont they muster them...?
And got any work going out there...?...

As for the rifle, i csnt speak for accuracy, other than to say that would be down to the rifle & you.

As for cost, get the reloading gear & its all cheaper than buying factory...
And then you'll always have ammo, & another job to do loading them up...

[JimTom]

> 2 bucks a pop is getting up there. depends on how much i shoot it i guess. Whats the street price on creedmore compare wise? Better to reload creedmore?

Mate Assuming I get ten reloads per case, I reload the 6.5 CM for $1.01 a shot with 140gr Speer, and $1.09 a shot with 143 ELD X.

I have only just started reloading for 300WM however assuming the same ten reloads per case, I can reload it for $1.30 a shot with 178gr ELD X.

Any more than ten reloads per case will reduce the price also mate. Dearest part is the projectile so if you can by the specials in bulk, it will save you a 5hit tin of coin too. No doubt you can get there prices down more if you shop around for the cheaper components and buy in bulk.

[JimTom]

There is a significant difference in powder quantity obviously mate too. Creedmoor uses circa 41gr whereas the 300 is up around 65-70 depending on projectile. Powder cost can overtake projectile cost with the 300WM.

[SCJ429]

keen to get your advice on accuracy out of the 300. I've read that the 6.5 (and 260 for that matter) are very flat shooting and make up for the loss in umph (comapared to 308) by staying supersonic longer and delivering great knockdown power at distance. Although with 308 you can do plenty of damage with a hollow point even if you don't hit a critical organ. I think with the .20 caliber stuff at a distance of 300m or more you'd have to have a direct hit to the brain, heart or lungs to get a humane kill.

You should always try for a spine, brain or heart lung shot for a humane kills. No matter if you are using a 204 or a 505 Gibbs. I shot a fox at just under 300 with a 204 using 39 grain Blitzkings and the pelt was so damaged it was not worth taking. The 204 is very flat shooting, more than all the other calibers you are considering.

I think that a 6mm or 6.5mm sits nicely between a 223 and a 308. Will a Creedmoor do the job on goats that you described earlier, it sure will and is heaps of fun to shoot. Would the 7mm Rem Mag hit hard and shoot flat, you bet but it is a little more difficult to shoot well. That is the fun part of owning a Magnum.

[dpskipper]

Gday dpskipper.

Sounds like you're living the life driving around & plonking the odd goat or 44gal..
Dont they muster them...?
And got any work going out there...?...

As for the rifle, i csnt speak for accuracy, other than to say that would be down to the rifle & you.

As for cost, get the reloading gear & its all cheaper than buying factory...
And then you'll always have ammo, & another job to do loading them up...

This is a merino wool station. Anyone familiar with merino in SA could probably nail it down to a rough location. The goats are rounded up on bikes only when times are tough and income needs to be boosted. Otherwise it's not worth the effort rounding them up on such a large property. It's mostly shoot on sight once the numbers get large enough that we notice the goats are denying the sheep water from the troughs.

We have a handful of well trusted hunters who come around and shoot some goat too for the freezer. I am one of those hunters, but recently have been helping out more often, pretty much become a part time station hand.