Which Cartridge?

[Hornseeker]

I do most all my hunting with my 30-06, which is accurrate enough for what I do. I have the bug to build up a rifle that is a tack driver, something I can shoot confidenltly out to 700+ yards... I dont want to mess with my 06'... she's my baby... and works just fine for the thick, mountain country I hunt...

I've got a 300 winny that I am going to build up with a new stock and new optics eventually... then, if she dont shoot I'll rebarrel her.... I plan on that being my LR tack driver.

So, as far as rifles go, I have a 700 243 that my daughter uses that I can use anytime of course....

My main question is this. I have this old Rem 721 06'. It was my first bolt action gun and I hunted with it for about 15 years before getting my Abolt 06. She handles like a dream and shoots nice enough, but well...she just sits there nowadays. I am thinking of rebarreling her. Just cant figure out what i want to do. 338-06? 6.5-284? 270 Weatherby (I was looking at ballistics last night, and that 270 Weatherby is a flat shootin SOB...with a 130 or 150 bullet!)... 25-06....

Give me some input!!! If I rebarrel her, I'll probably get a new bolt, cerrakote the rifle and bed the stock and paint the stock.... plop a Leupold VX-II 3-9 or so on there... probably be a mountain gun more than anything, but could use it on the prairie too....

Im really edging towards the 270 weatherby.... I like that caliber....

[spookgus]

From the cartridges your considering you must reload. Take a look at the 6.5-06 AI. You would not need to replace the bolt.

I have a 721 in 30-06 also and could never bring myself to re-barrel it, since my grandfather gave it to me in the early 70's. I have adjusted the trigger and fitted an ADL stock to it which made it more scope friendly.

[JackOfAllTrades]

From the cartridges your considering you must reload. Take a look at the 6.5-06 AI. You would not need to replace the bolt.

Or a 270win AI.  Also no need to change the bolt face. Much better bullet selection than 25cal.

-Steve

[quadrafire]

I used to have a 721 in -06, wish I didn't get rid of it I would have done the same thing you are thinking. Always heard those actions were awsome. I really can't comment on any of you selections. Good luck.

[JimmyHoffa]

Sounds like you have a good list of LR cartridges already.  If you are interested in a shorter range, heavy bullet cartridge you could look at the .35 Whelen.  It is based off the .30-06 case.

[AWS]

Take a look at the 280 Rem AI, great selection of bullets, gets near 7mm RM velocities, fits your bolt face and Nosler loads for it. What more could you want probly leave everthing else at home after you build it.

AWS

[Hornseeker]

Decisions Decisions!!    There will be no perfect answer....aargh!

It'll be fun though. This gun has a little sentimental value since it was my first bolt gun... paid $110 for it.... it served me well.  I could let it sit...shoot it now and again... and just buy something else to build a gun out of!

We'll see. You guys will be the first to know when I do build something!

[257 Wby Mag]

Ernie, my pards hunted with a 270 Roy for about 15 years. I 've seen him work magic with it more than once, its a great cartridge! I also used to have a Browning BAR 270 Roy, killed 3 bulls with, great results. Getcha a Mark V Ultra Lightweight, thanks me later...

PS, after smokin that ripper bull with lo faithful, you might not want to retire her!! grin

[quadrafire]

Would you do most of the work yourself, or have a smithy do it? I think it would be fun, but Seems like you would have to pony up for some specific tools. I have the midway catalog and drool over alot of the stuff in it. Could get to be an expensive hobby.

[Alan K]

If I were you and the rifle has the sentimental value to you that it appears to, I would say leave it as is and build up another rifle.  I'd leave it in the condition you always remember it being and you can look at it up on the mantle and remember the times you had with it.   

I have 2 rifles and 2 bows I've retired because I've moved on to newer gear, but will never part with them or alter them because of the experiences I;ve had with them.

[elkslayer069]

 

[Hornseeker]

257....my dad has that Mark V Ultralight in 270 Roy..... LOVE That gun... Love it. Thing kicks like a 22 and shoots a 140 grain bullet dang near the speed of light!!! And I shot the big bull with my 10 year old Abolt...she's getting some history under her too now!

Quad... I'd have smith change barrel, Id fit and bed a new stock if I got one though... My feelings change like the dang tide... I am considering slapping the iron sights back on this old 721 and keeping it for those days I KNOW I am not going to get out of the brush, at all...and wet, and snow...and ....well, you get the picture. I have an old 94 30-30 for that purpose, but this ole 721 is a nice handling gun.....we'll see. For that matter, I could convert it to the Whelen or 338-06 and load heavies in it for hunting close quarters with iron sights.... Hmmmmm

Thanks all, its fun to discuss....

[bobcat]

For long range shooting I'd go with something like the 7mm Ultra Mag or 7mm WSM. All depending on how much recoil you want to endure.

[257 Wby Mag]

I'm with ya, I'm always thinkin of differant calibers, pro's and cons etc. Gives a guy sumthin to daydream about... Sure is fun though. Later

[AWS]

I rebored my 721 to 35 whelen. Works great with reciever sights do to the drop in the factory stock.  After eye surgery I could no long focus close enough to use iron sights any more so I dropped it into a 700 BDL stock and mounted a Nikon 1.5x4.5 MONARCH on it. Great rig for close in work and still enough X's in the scope to work well to 330yrds

AWS

[Hornseeker]

When you say rebored... did you just rebore the same barell or did you get a new barrel??

330 yards huh? I wasnt thinking of it being that long of a range gun, but that would be great. Shoot... I could mount a low powererd, long eye relief scope on it and it'd be great in close and LR... Nuther possiblility...when I bought this rifle, it had an old Tip Off mount on it... I could remount that on there and have sights and the scope....

[AWS]

I

 had the original barrel rebored. Ended up with a very nice shooting cut rifled barrel.  The smith that did mine passed but I can give the name of a couple of smiths that are reasonable. That should have read 300yrds but I wouldn't pass a good shot at 330.  225gr Sierras at 2600+fps is well out of the brush gun classification

[KimberRich]

I like the idea of the 270 Wby.  I think that would be an awesome gun.

721 is a rock solid action and a great choice for your project plus you'll be using your first rifle as the basis for your new gun so it will have a little piece of your past in it.  Cool idea.

I've collected 721/722 Remington's for years and used the actions for a few custom guns and they have work flawlessly.  I re-did a 722 "B" grade .257 Roberts a couple years back and it's my favorite gun in the safe.  My grandpa bought a 721 .270 brand new in '49 and it still shoots amazing.

You said maybe a 3-9 Leupy on it but you were talking about 700+ yards..  Is that going to be enough magnification for that distance??  

[Hornseeker]

Yes it is AWS...Yes it is....

Probably not KR... If I wanted to stretch out to that distance maybe I'd have to go 4-12 or 4-14??

[KimberRich]

I've got a couple VX-III's in 4.5-14 and I totally love them.  4.5 is low enough to shoot something under a 100 yards and still be able to find it in the scope fairly easily and at 14 you can really zoom in on something at 300+. 

Look forward to seeing what you come up with and what you do! 

[KillBilly]

Now, you might be right on the verge of making the LR caliber decision.... but have you decided where you will find a convenient 700 yd range to sight your new beast in on? You might be very close to one but they are in short demand for the most part.

[Hornseeker]

You know Billy... that is a good question. There are no 700-1000 yard "ranges" around here, but, being eastern Montana, there are hundreds of miles of uninhabited lands that allow shooting. The only prob that will come up for me, is that I live in a Very windy area. There are calm days, I'll just have to watch for them!!!

I do have a 300 yard range to get started though!

Thanks

KR, do you have the clickable turrets on any of your VXIII's? I think ordering them puts you into the money for a Mark 4 that already has them. They sure would be nice for thos long shots. However, there are those Mil Dot scopes and the "varminter" reticle that may do the job just as well huh??

[scoutsniper17]

6.5x.284 all the way,if you want a nice shooting,long range rifle.Look at the B.C. on the 139 and 142 loads in that caliber.Dan Collins down in Victor is putting mine together right now and I am pumped.Soon as he gets that one done he is gonna get started on my      25-284.Seriously,look at the ballistics on the 6.5.Good luck

[rbros]

Might want to look at the 6.5-06 Improved as well.  Almost 264WM ballistics, benchrest accuracy and not finicky at all.

[Hornseeker]

There are entirely too many choices .... I need more money.... 

[KimberRich]

You know Billy... that is a good question. There are no 700-1000 yard "ranges" around here, but, being eastern Montana, there are hundreds of miles of uninhabited lands that allow shooting. The only prob that will come up for me, is that I live in a Very windy area. There are calm days, I'll just have to watch for them!!!

I do have a 300 yard range to get started though!

Thanks

KR, do you have the clickable turrets on any of your VXIII's? I think ordering them puts you into the money for a Mark 4 that already has them. They sure would be nice for thos long shots. However, there are those Mil Dot scopes and the "varminter" reticle that may do the job just as well huh??

I don't have any of the clickable turrets on my VX-III's.  I've never looked into the Mark 4's so can't say on the prices of them.  The Boone and Crocket Reticle seems like it would do the job well in the normal VX-III's but I've yet to spend the extra $$ for it in any of my scopes.