I have a Howa 6.5 Swedish which I love. It has just the Hogue stock, which is very comfortable for just shooting and hunting. If I ever wanted to accurize it, I'd probably also got with the more rigid B+C stock. Still, for just practicing and shooting at steel plates out to a few hundred yards, it works fine.

If I could have only one...

a 270 or maybe a 7mm mag if elk were on the menu more


Like I said the 338 would be more of a "lets see how far we can hit shit" kind of a gun, more of a toy then a practical hunting rifle.


My buddy whose killed pretty much everything that walks or crawls swears by his old 30-06. If I was smart I'd probably use that experience and just get one of those.  Still I'm pretty happy with my 6.5x55mm. Until I feel the need to get a bigger gun,(If I ever move to Alaska or the rockies or whatever else) she'll have to do.

Quote from: sqlbullet on January 17 2016 08:53:32 AM MST
338 lapua is just a toy.  It does nothing at ethical hunting range that tons of other cartridges do with less cost and recoil.  If you want one, great, but I would not call it a hunting cartridge.

It would be a hybrid toy/hunting rifle.  Target shooting a mile away sounds pretty fun.  Elk would be much, much, much closer.  I mean I could get a 300 winmag or 30/06 but that's so boring. I live on the edge of the great basin(NV) and our ranges seem a lot longer then most other areas in the US.

Sqlbullet are you back east?

I have a 30/30 for the woods and I just picked up a 6.5x55 for deer and antelope out in the wide open spaces. Really looking forward to building up some loads with that one. There's a mountain of info on them, especially from the swedes and Norwegians. If I ever went after big game and stuff like elk, I'd probably get a 7mm mag, 338 Lapua or something similar.

Quote from: 4949shooter on January 16 2016 02:27:16 PM MST

Quote from: Captain_Witness on January 16 2016 09:22:53 AM MST
Latest is their 115 grain Penetrator @ 1700 FPS. Every third round in my carry mags is one of these.. it has been suggested that they can easily penetrate 3A Kevlar, which is why I carry them. Where I live a shoot is either righteous or not and this ammo is perfectly legal. It's also very likely the best thing going for the poor bastages in NJ, who cannot use hollowpoints

I'm from New Jersey. These will most likely be my carry loads when I retire. As a law enforcement officer, upon retirement I will no longer be able to carry hollowpoints.

Do they not allow civis to carry hollow points in NJ?

Quote from: kilibreaux on March 25 2015 03:07:09 AM MDT
Underwood 140 grain xtreme penetrator - 10mm 140 grain, fired from a G20SF with OEM 4.6" barrel, 22# spring over SS guide rod, 10' from Shooting Chrony recorded an average velocity of 1,447 fps, for 651 lb-ft of kinetic energy.

This isn't terrible for a 10mm load, but it's not anywhere close to other Underwood loads I've tested.  I have noticed all the "xtreme penetrator" rounds seem to be loaded down from other bullets in similar weights.

By comparison, Underwood 10mm 155 grain JHP blasted from the OEM barrel G20SF at 1,524 fps average for 800 lb-ft of kinetic energy. and from the G29SF 3.6" barrel at 1,434 fps average for 708 lb-ft of kinetic energy.

Considering what Liberty is doing with ultralight 10mm loads, one would think Underwood would push the 140 grain slug as fast as possible....and clearly 1,447 average from a G20 isn't that.

Xtreme penetrators are solid copper and are much lighter then bullets using lead. To get the same grain weight, the bullets need to be bigger and as such, they use up more of the case capacity for powder, consequently they are slower then standard Underwood offerings. They still have some unique qualities and seem to be superior compared to standard loads for certain jobs, particularly against barriers, soft armor and bullet proof glass.

Ive been diggin my 800-x

Looks pretty cool. I'm excited that it seems some companies are making it a habit to release a 45acp and a 10mm as their standard large frame handgun options. Out of my price range unfortunately. I'll be staying in Glock land for the time being.

Their hollow points act like FMJs anyway

fine for plinking with but, hardly good self defense ammo though

I did not know that, I always assumed it was velocity, good to know! Still Id want a fairly hard bullet correct? Would water quenched lead from wheel weights be sufficient? What about quenched Lyman #2?

I wouldn't mind a gas checked bullet for the mechtech carbine. Anybody know of one?

Wow that's huge!

800-x seems like a good powder for 155 grains

Quote from: Benchrst on December 07 2015 09:46:25 PM MST
I've read that .4340 is the max expansion that some will load to. My stock (Gen 4) barrel measures .4390

The max expansion I've realized is .4305 in a Lone Wolf barrel, it's chamber measures .4340.

The same load that produced .4290 in the LW produced .4340 in the stock barrel.

Head hurts...

The brass probably fills to capacity when at max pressure and temperature, then when it cools it probably shrinks a little.  (Wild guess)

By you numbers it shrinks .005 after cooling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ8C0a7NXZ4