Which Barrel?
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Could you have the existing barrel bored out from .224 to .264" and go with the 6.5JDJ, instead of the 7-30 Waters? I shoot both of these rounds from a Contender action and enjoy them quite a bit.
You won't be able to shoot the heavier 7mm bullets, but the 7-30 Waters is not well-suited to those, anyway. You would be able to approach 2500fps with a 140gr bullet and 22" barrel with the 6.5JDJ, or 2650 with the 120gr pills. This performance would be nearly identical to the 7-30, with like bullet weights. The trade-off would be that you couldn't shoot heavier bullets. Then again, the .264" diameter bullets, of similar weight, will have a better BC and SD, than 7mm. All things considered these two cartridges are pretty darn similar.
Since you said you were open to all suggestions, it might be less expensive, just as effective, and way more fun to have your .225 Win bored out to 6.5JDJ!
If you already have 225 Win cases laying around, these could be annealed and used for the new cartridge. There isn't as much reloading data available for the 6.5JDJ, but the conversion of your existing action/barrel would probably be simpler and faster. Maybe talk to your gunsmith about the possibility? I'm not sure if you cut new grooves in a barrel without going quite a bit bigger than that, since it's only an increase of .040"?
You won't be able to shoot the heavier 7mm bullets, but the 7-30 Waters is not well-suited to those, anyway. You would be able to approach 2500fps with a 140gr bullet and 22" barrel with the 6.5JDJ, or 2650 with the 120gr pills. This performance would be nearly identical to the 7-30, with like bullet weights. The trade-off would be that you couldn't shoot heavier bullets. Then again, the .264" diameter bullets, of similar weight, will have a better BC and SD, than 7mm. All things considered these two cartridges are pretty darn similar.
Since you said you were open to all suggestions, it might be less expensive, just as effective, and way more fun to have your .225 Win bored out to 6.5JDJ!
If you already have 225 Win cases laying around, these could be annealed and used for the new cartridge. There isn't as much reloading data available for the 6.5JDJ, but the conversion of your existing action/barrel would probably be simpler and faster. Maybe talk to your gunsmith about the possibility? I'm not sure if you cut new grooves in a barrel without going quite a bit bigger than that, since it's only an increase of .040"?
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Give Fred Smith a call at Bullberry.
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