Your choice of cartrige for Thermal Rifle

[SeanM243]

Hello All,

Wanted to pick your brains about a thought I had here. I'm looking to build a bolt gun as a Thermal rig for hogs and coyotes. Looking to equip with a Pulsar Thermion and have been bouncing between a 22 Creedmoor with 80s/88s or a 6 Creedmoor with 105s/108s. Will be doing a 20" barrel with a TBAC Ultra 9 or Magnus S. I currently have an 18" AR in 6.8 SPC (115 SMK @2580) which has been great but I'm looking for something with easier to find ammo and components. All my shots are inside 250 yards at night as that feels like a mile to me in the dark (Inexperience). I also don't mind handloading. What cartridge would you be picking?

 

[Seeknelk]

I'd be thinking fast and flat for thermal use. Even most daytime calling for preds. I love my 22 CM but I'd just load it with something in the 50-60 grain range. Same with a 6 cm/243, light fast and flat since nighttime ranging doesn't really work right? And wind/bc really isn't a factor 400 yards and in .

 

[SeanM243]

I'd be thinking fast and flat for thermal use. Even most daytime calling for preds. I love my 22 CM but I'd just load it with something in the 50-60 grain range. Same with a 6 cm/243, light fast and flat since nighttime ranging doesn't really work right? And wind/bc really isn't a factor 400 yards and in .

That's kinda along the same lines that I was thinking. I do think some of the Pulsars have a ranging feature but at my ranges I'm not sure I'd need it.

 

[BBB]

I just put together the 62 grain vt in a .22 cm for a night rifle. 18”. Hits the speed and bc i if there’s a little distance or wind.

 

[ElPollo]

Hello All,

Wanted to pick your brains about a thought I had here. I'm looking to build a bolt gun as a Thermal rig for hogs and coyotes. Looking to equip with a Pulsar Thermion and have been bouncing between a 22 Creedmoor with 80s/88s or a 6 Creedmoor with 105s/108s. Will be doing a 20" barrel with a TBAC Ultra 9 or Magnus S. I currently have an 18" AR in 6.8 SPC (115 SMK @2580) which has been great but I'm looking for something with easier to find ammo and components. All my shots are inside 250 yards at night as that feels like a mile to me in the dark (Inexperience). I also don't mind handloading. What cartridge would you be picking?

If it’s inside of 250, why would you need any more than a 223? Less recoil, faster follow-up shots, long barrel life, and large amounts of damage with TMKs and ELDMs. Ammo is also 1/3 the cost.

 

[gman82001]

My 6.5 Grendel is accurate and hits pretty hard and has decent speed with a 90gr

 

[SeanM243]

If it’s inside of 250, why would you need any more than a 223? Less recoil, faster follow-up shots, long barrel life, and large amounts of damage with TMKs and ELDMs. Ammo is also 1/3 the cost.

That's fair. I currently run a 20" 223 AI/77TMK for a bunch of my daytime hogs and as a truck gun. I've thought about that a fair bit. I just thought I may want a little more as I get more comfortable with the rifle. I have a 6 Creedmoor coming already for a deer rifle, was thinking of building a second of the exact same rifle for thermal use.

 

[SeanM243]

My 6.5 Grendel is accurate and hits pretty hard and has decent speed with a 90gr

I just was unsure that it would be any more powerful than my 6.8. That's another way I've thought about too, just swapping uppers.

 

[ElPollo]

That's fair. I currently run a 20" 223 AI/77TMK for a bunch of my daytime hogs and as a truck gun. I've thought about that a fair bit. I just thought I may want a little more as I get more comfortable with the rifle. I have a 6 Creedmoor coming already for a deer rifle, was thinking of building a second of the exact same rifle for thermal use.

If you just want a different cartridge, that’s also fair. I have started to get over that affliction and have realized that it just adds unnecessary complication to my life. I find that I shoot more and shoot better with less complication.

 

[omicron1792]

I have 223, 6.5 PRC, and 30/06 all set up on thermal. In the end the 6.5prc gets 90% of the work.

 

[SeanM243]

If you just want a different cartridge, that’s also fair. I have started to get over that affliction and have realized that it just adds unnecessary complication to my life. I find that I shoot more and shoot better with less complication.

You make a good point with that. It makes sense too especially if I can purchase enough ammo to feed them both in bulk, given they like the same ammo. I'm just at the beginning of this but, I'm sure you're right. Simple is the way.

 

[Bert01]

I was thinking .223 also.

 

[waspocrew]

I’ve killed a pile of animals with my 6 CM topped with my Iray Rico MK1. Great round and really knocks things down. I recently swapped the thermal over to my 22 Creed with the 88 ELDM at about 3150 and it was definitely impressive.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

For thermal pigs I like an AR10 in 308, throw lots of cheap ammo at them if needed and easier running shots. I know 308 is boring but it works. Having said that I've never run into one my 6.8 SPC wouldn't knock down.

 

[CHGray]

.308 for the piggies. .223 for the rest. I swap my thermal back and forth and have a profile setup for both. I’m sure somebody could convince me the newer more expensive rounds could do it better but they’d have a hard time convincing all the dead critters.

 

[SeanM243]

Just to follow up here, I did end up going 308. To me, it seems like the best option for my needs especially since shots will be short. Thanks everyone for your help!