Here's the deal. I have an old Sako action in a 308 and a Weatherby UL in a 30-06. Both shoot around one inch or a little more. Not bad, but I recently ran into a 30 caliber Hart barrel for a good price.

Would you do a 308 and sell the 30-06? Or rebarrel the 30-06 and make the 308 a 260?

I also have a 7saum that shoots under an inch (eventually will become a 270 WSM) and a 338 Winmag.
The 308 has a 22inch barrel and was my woods rifle. I'm worried if the 260 will work as well in the woods?
The 30-06 is just a good all around rifle that everyone should have. I like lighter bullets with the shortmags so the 30-06 fits between the shortmag and 338.

Actually I'd do a .308 and a 6.5/06! The 08 is the best all around cartridge on the medium action for conventional ranges, and the 6.5/06 is all you need for longer flatter shooting. I shoot a 6.5/284 and am told the 6.5/06 is slightly superior. This I am not sure of, but love both of these rounds. The Hart tube is in what twist by the way? That will matter as to wha it makes better use for. These are opinions and like spincters... Yada yada Oh yeah, one last thought: The .308 will always be a better killer than the .260, always. Caliber and mass decide.

I'd re-sell the Hart barrel on e-bay for a profit and not mess with two perfectly good rifles. I'd then take the profits and upgrade any optic's I need upgrading. Ultimately great optics are more important.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeL:
Here's the deal. I have an old Sako action in a 308 and a Weatherby UL in a 30-06. Both shoot around one inch or a little more. Not bad, but I recently ran into a 30 caliber Hart barrel for a good price.

Would you do a 308 and sell the 30-06? Or rebarrel the 30-06 and make the 308 a 260?

I also have a 7saum that shoots under an inch (eventually will become a 270 WSM) and a 338 Winmag.
The 308 has a 22inch barrel and was my woods rifle. I'm worried if the 260 will work as well in the woods?
The 30-06 is just a good all around rifle that everyone should have. I like lighter bullets with the shortmags so the 30-06 fits between the shortmag and 338.

If you were shooting 150-165 grain class bullets either cartridge would be almost identical. stepping up to 180-200 grains the 06 would win that one hands down.I do not have a 260 nor have shot one but it is a 6.5x55 in a different name only. The 6.5 x 55 is world renowned for it's killing ability in an order of magnatude over its paper ballistics numbers.Having a rifle in 06 and one in 260 would have you sitting pretty for almost any game on this side of the planet (just not the big nasty bears). I love my 06 to death I also love the 300 win mag but I can't use what it offers me as well as I can with the 06.

quote:

The 30-06 is just a good all around rifle that everyone should have.

Looks like you already answered that part of your question.

Me, I'd take the Hart and redo the 30.06. Make a great gun even better. Leave the .308 alone as it has a definite edge over the 260. Plus, you would still have two 30 cal rifles and could test bullets in each. The 308 is more versatile than the 260.

But I would never part with the 30.06.

Thanks for the great thoughts and please keep them coming.
I just wanted to add I don't want this to become a flame thread on 308 verses 30-06 thread. Both are great calibers and will probably end up with both and a 260 before long. Just trying to figure out which one to do first.

In the east a .308 will do about everything. Little need for bullets beyond 180 gr Noslers.

I'm not anti-Weatherby as I have a Japanese Weathermark Alaskan in .375 H&H that shoots like a house of fire. But ...

Were it me, I'd save the barrel for a rebuild of the Sako in .308, and get rid of the Weatherby in favor of a larger bore like a .338 Win Mag (if you hunt out west) or a .375 H&H (if you're into Africa).

Keep the 30-06 and use the Sako to make a 7mm-08. The 7mm-08 is a very versatile calibre and while it was never intended for larger game, my son got his elk last year using 140 grain FailSafes. It is a Savage Sierra with 20" barrel.

quote:

Originally posted by Brad:
I'd re-sell the Hart barrel on e-bay for a profit and not mess with two perfectly good rifles. I'd then take the profits and upgrade any optic's I need upgrading. Ultimately great optics are more important.

There is much wisdom here.


Okie John

What twist rate is your new Hart barrel?? There is no point in chambering it for the .30-06 unless it is a 1-10" (or at least a 1-11"). Assuming you'll want to shoot only bullets up to around 170 grs (e.g. 168 grs) in a .308, you could get by with a 1-12 or even a 1-14" twist rate. If the barrel is a 1-10" or 1-11", you can naturally build either a .30-06 or a .308.

Also, what contour is the new barrel?? Will it fit one of your existing stocks better than the other?? The Weatherby probably needs a fairly light contour - lest you need to open up the forearm. How heavy a barrel can this stock accomodate?? Be careful if you have to change an existing barrel contour to make it fit the stock. This is a controversial operation - in particular for button rifled barrels.

Strictly speaking, it does not sound like any of your rifles NEED to be upgraded, but hey, we all know what it is like to be bitten by the gun-building bug...

If you decide to turn the Sako rifle into something different, then you are really pretty limited in caliber choice to calibers based on the .308 case (.243, .260, 7mm-08 etc). The Sako action will be perfectly matched for those calibers, but it will probably be too short for anything else.

The Weatherby action will be a bit longer, and thus more versatile, and will allow you to use calibers such as 6.5x55, 7x57, .270, .280 etc.

Which of your current barrels cleans the easiest?? If one is a fowler, maybe that would be a good candidate to go??

A final note: I could not personally see myself without a .30-06. It is just such a versatile round - even more versatile than the .308 - in particular for heavier game.

- mike

quote:

Originally posted by okie john:

quote:

Originally posted by Brad:
I'd re-sell the Hart barrel on e-bay for a profit and not mess with two perfectly good rifles. I'd then take the profits and upgrade any optic's I need upgrading. Ultimately great optics are more important.

There is much wisdom here.


Okie John

Ditto.

I'd keep the .308 and .338, sell the other guns and barrel, and book yourself a nice week long hunt somewhere exoctic.

There's really no game in NA that can be handled by a .308 and .338.

Verdict is in. I'm rebarreling the 308. (Optics on both rifle have been taken care of already.)
Talked to my smith and he mentioned the Sako is a better action to build off from. It has a McMillan stock already. So I might as well finish the project.

mho, your advice was the clincher. The Sako barrel is more of a fouler, though less picky. I get less than twenty shots before accuracy starts to go. Never been a problem in a hunting rifle since the first shot from a cold clean barrel hit in the same spot as the rest.
Thanks for all the help.

What Brad said. Good advice.

Mike, Best of luck and we all hope it shoots like a house a fire.