Bolt gun gear suggestions

Recently purchased a Bergara B-14 ridge in 6.5 CM with a Vortex Viper HS/T scope. Mostly for hunting and longer range shooting. This is my first rifle of any quality, since I live and mostly hunt Southern MN, I’ve never had a need for one. My friends and I are planning a Western Mule deer trip so i figured its an excuse to finally buy a nice rifle. And i figured a 6.5 would be great for deer and shooting a lot of rounds at steel with long range performance, low recoil, good barrel life and relatively low ammo costs. So far I’ve bought a nice case, some shooting bags, and cleaning equipment. I’ve only put 47 rounds through it and am SUPER happy with the groups and the way it shoots. Just wondering if you guys have suggestions for ammo (both hunting and target), bi pod, steel targets, and any other things since I’m new to this bolt gun thing.
-Thanks

Buy a good reloader set-up and dies. Loads tailored to the gun will be worlds apart in accuracy at the gun club and terminal performance on animals. I reloaded every center fire gun I owned.

Tom Sawvell wrote:

Buy a good reloader set-up and dies. Loads tailored to the gun will be worlds apart in accuracy at the gun club and terminal performance on animals. I reloaded every center fire gun I owned.

Agree with Tom reloading is the way to get the best performance out of any centerfire.

I agree, a reloading setup gives you what you cannot get any other way–ammo that is custom-made to maximize performance in an individual rifle.

Reloading is a simple process that can be learned with a little bit of study and dedication. Once learned, you have infinite possibilities and you can load better ammo at lower cost.

You simply can’t beat the overall value of the Lyman or RCBS Rock Chucker reloading kits. Both have everything you need to get started as far as tools. Both will last a lifetime and then some.

https://www.brownells.com/reloading/reloading-kits/expert-kit-expert-w-1000-gr-digital-scale-prod42912.aspx

https://www.brownells.com/reloading/reloading-kits/rock-chucker-supreme-master-kit-sku749015681-79994-164084.aspx

I’ve had RCBS presses since I picked up a Jr press at a garage sale when I was a teenager. My current Rock Chucker was made in the 1980s and has tens of thousands of rounds on it and it will easily last many lifetimes. I’m using many sets of dies that my dad bought in the 1960s and the only really “new” pieces of equipment I have are a digitial scale and a brass tumbler that replaced one that wore out.

Grouse

A lot of the hype around the 6.5 is based on the long range Bullets. Definitely a performance difference from most hunting Bullets. For hunting, I shoot exclusively the Barns TSX. They definitely perform different at 1000 yards.

I’ve thought about getting into reloading and when I look into it, it doesn’t seem that bad to get started. Thanks for the suggestions!

Guns are funny things. I have a few rifle/caliber combinations for which I reload. My favorite hunting rifle is a Ruger 77 Mk II that shoots the Federal 30.06 180 grain Power-shock (their generic load) better than anything I can reload. That said, reloading is very typically the best avenue for improving accuracy in a rifle and is rewarding in and of itself.

That rifle is guaranteed to shoot inside MOA with “quality factory ammo”, so don’t get real wound up about handloading just yet unless you plan to do a ton of shooting. I would suggest getting several of the premium factory ammo brands and testing which your rifle digest the best…then, get a bunch of that specific lot number.

A Harris bipod that pivots is a good choice. A wind meter will help you learn as well.

I have the Hornady Lock and Load Progressive I can load almost as fast as I can shoot. Then turn around and load just like a single stage press. Me I would not have anything else especially for 9m, 45, 357 and 223.

I sure wish someone would come out with a center fire 22 just for kicks it would be fun to reload it.

For got what this started as, for me with my bolt guns I like to take JB Weld in the stick form and re-due my bolt handles as I find many are a little short to work or hard to work with gloves on. Jb Weld it sand and shape to how I want it paint it cheaper and custom versus spending a ton on a new bolt or add on.I decide to change it a little heat it comes right off and can re-due it if I choose too.

Thats going to be an awesome setup! Something that has always helped me out is a ballistics table of sorts to be a baseline on your best load for that rifle. I would always confirm the drops at a range if possible and keep the numbers for quick reference. Lots of guys i shoot .22lrs long range with have printed out cards that will give them adjustments out to 300 yards. very handy.

Now that I have it zeroed at 100 yards I’ll start stretching it out and develop a range card once I have the ammo figured out. So far I’ve only shot Hornady Am. Gunner 140gr BTHP out of it and so far it seems to like that stuff, but I want to try all of the loads that I can through it. I’m excited to see how the 143 ELD bullets do compared to the 140 at greater distances.

Last night I threw a Harris bipod on there (6-9 inch I believe). Also bought a lead sled today from a guy at work. By Sunday, I’m hoping to have another hundred rounds though it.

Tom P. wrote:

I sure wish someone would come out with a center fire 22 just for kicks it would be fun to reload it.

There are quite a few center fire .22 cartridges out there. First introduced in 1885. “.22 Winchester Centerfire is a small centerfire cartridge introduced in 1885 for use in the Winchester Model 1885 single-shot rifle”