I have a Rem 700 ADL long action circa 1974 that is a plain jane factory gun that shoots fairly well. I am considering making it into a nice gun with new stock barrel etc. Since I am rebarreling it can make it any of the long action calibers I want. I only really need one rifle and I will use this one in order of frequency, to shoot paper as accurately as I can, to shoot woodchucks and coyotes and for hunting game as large as elk. Not to totally beat a dead horse but what are shooters and hunters feelings as to best long action caliber for these purposes and should I also convert it to a BDL? Thanks for all your inputs.

What was the original chambering.The boltface will be different if it was a magnum chambering.If It was a magnum,I would go with a 7mmremmag.If It was not I would go with a 280rem.

hmmmm... No one cartridge is the "best", and you will kill yourself looking for it. I would go for any number of cartridges between 6.5mm-to the .308s. 270/280?

For your purposes look into a .280 Rem. Just a thought. Sean

If it was/is a 270/30-06, etc, I'd make it a 280 Ackley Improved.

If it was/is a 7mm rem mag or 300 win mag, etc, I'd go with one of these again.

BDL is nice for unloading quick, but if you're going for a lightweight mountain rifle, go ADL, it's lighter.

You didn't tell us if you reload or not. Since you only have 1 rifle I would assume you don't.

1st choice, I would go with a 7Rem Mag. There is lots of premium ammo out there for it for target shooting, every where they sell loaded bullets you'll find 7Rem Mags. It's a solid elk round, maybe a little big wood chucks but I bet they won't complain too much about it

2nd choice, 30-06 This old war horse will do any thing you mentioned, bullets are cheap and plentiful. It doesn't have there range of the 7mag, that's the only reason I'd put it as my 2nd choice.

There are a lot of good choices out there, but those would be my two.

Terry

One gun....

One gun for the night stand.
One gun for the hall closet.
One gun for the dresser drawer.
One gun for the truck.
One gun for the duck season.
One gun for the brush hunting during buck season
One gun for the long range antelope dream hunt.
One gun for the pig season in nasty weather.
One gun for the squirrel season.
One gun varmint?
One gun for elk?
Just one gun?
No matter what the reason, or usage, never think one gun��
This is just my opinion, and it is only worth two cents...

280 for standard, 7mmrem mag for magnum bolt face.

With barns XLC's the 280 can be plenty for elk. 120gr. V-max is great for woodchucks and paper.

.338 Win Mag.

Ok, one rifle... 6.5x55 BJAI....

I did forget to say that it is standard caliber so the magnums are out. Also am considering reloading as I have a couple of handguns too that I shoot. So far all the suggestions have been great and quite helpful. I have been leaning towards a 280AI so was nice to have some confirmations of that. Thanks.

I would suggest a .30-06. There is a greater selection of bullets available than any other caliber. Factory ammo is availabe anywhere and with the Federal High Energy ammo, you can get magnum performance if you want.

hear-hear on the 30-06 - if the rifle is supposed to be your only big game rifle.
- mike

.280 Remington/7X64mm!!

I would go .280 or, if you have to, a .270. Since elk may be in the future either will do w/ carefull shot placement. If you are popping varmints, their lighter wt. bullets would be more desirable than one of the .30s.
If it's a mag bolt face a .257wby, .270wby or 7mag. I used to shoot alot of ground squirrels w/ my old 7mag & 120gr bullets.

.30-06 for the standard configuration. You'll never regret it

No mags........ok, 30-06. It's done it all and still doing it.

mellison,

quote:

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I only really need one rifle and I will use this one in order of frequency, to shoot paper as accurately as I can, to shoot woodchucks and coyotes and for hunting game as large as elk.

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There is really only one choice then, .30-06. The .308 would get by but I'd make do with the 06. Lawdog

I'll cast another vote for the 280 ackley improved. With a 28" pacnor tube on a 700 action and a FACTORY trigger done by the smith,...mine is a .25moa gun with nosler 140gr BT, 150gr BT and smk 150's. I expect that the next load with the 162 a-max will provide the same results as well.

Damn accurate caliber,...can't make it not shoot well.

[ 08-05-2003, 04:41: Message edited by: JustC ]

30/06

If you were going with a TWO gun battery then I would suggest a 338-06 with another smaller caliber to compliment it. But for ONE in the lower 48 you would be well served with a number of chamberings including 7-08, 7mm Mauser, 280 Rem, 308 Win, 30-06 to name a few. They will all accomplish what you mentioned. If you do not intend to reload then I would highly reccomend the 30-06. You can get over the counter ammo from an accelerator for funning around to high energy premium loads that nearly duplicate a 300 Magnum and nearly any outlet will have them.

None of the others offer that kind of versatility or availability with factory loads.

Overall I would keep to a 7mm or a 30 caliber for your criteria.

.338-06 Ackley Improved

From Rock Chucks to elk? I'd get a .270 it will be better than the 06 or 308 on rock chucks and easier on the shoulder..A day of shooting rock chucks can get pretty grim on rock chucks and prarie dogs around here and the 270 is fine for elk....

Personally I'd rather have a 222 and a 300 of some kind.

You might try just working on the bedding of that rifle as it is. Thats the place to start to improve things.

What caliber is it now?

if you reload, the 6.5-06 would be worth considering. the lighter weight bullets would be easier on the shoulder and flatter trajectory for varmets and general shooting and premium heavier weights would handle deer on up.

While the caliber recommendations have all been covered from 6.5 to 30/06 and bigger, No one addressed converting it to a BDL.

I have both BDLs and ADLs. I would not really waste the money on the conversion. I spend the cash on a good barrel ( I like PacNor for the price and quality and accuracy), then on a better scope. If you choose a 30/06, with bullets ranging from a 110 grainer to a 220 grainer or bigger, consider getting a couple of scopes in quick change mounts.

You can have a high power scope for the 110 grainers and varmints, and then switch to a 3 x 9 or whatever your poison is for the larger stuff shooting 165s to 200 grainers, and/or a low power ( 1.5 x 4 or a 4x) for shooting 220 grainers if that is your choice.

While all of the choices presented are good, I can only pass on being on Midway USAs site last night, and searched for 30/06 bullets. They had 267 choices listed, as line items. Keep in mind the same bullet in quantity of 100, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 would represent 4 line items, it still shows, you can't have any more options available in any caliber that you do in 30 cal.

Recommendation on the Stock, check out Boyd's ( www.boydboys.com) They have some great laminates or wood stocks, finished or almost finished for some real attractive prices in some decent variety of choices. Gray or Brown Laminates, Wood: thumbhole, Varmint, thumbhole varmint. The choices in Remington is only matched by the choices they offer in a Mauser action. I have recently bought several more stocks from them, semi finished for $65.00 each in gray laminate. Took about 2 hours worth of work to finish.

Good luck on the project

All you have been great and I really appreciate the info as it is most helpful. Let's expand a little and have two guns instead of one. Let's say that the bigger one is a non magnum 30-06 or perhaps a 338-06 what would you all recommend for the smaller one? Having factory ammo would be great as I am trying to decide if my quantity of shooting and time warrant hand loading.

Its no big secret I am a 270 win fan. Anymore, I will shoot a 270, or a 300H&H if it is a serious hunt, otherwise I waist no time in grabbing my 375 H&H or lott.
To me, the 270 represents the smallest, very serious cartridge you can go down to. It has no problems taking on elk.

I use a 257 AI for coyotes up to Mule deer and either an 8mm Mauser or 30-06 for Larger species.

The 257 provides a nice long range cartridge and the 06 or 8mm has got plenty mustard to drop anything in he lower 48.

The 243 Win is a sweetheart too and may be a better choice than the bob for non-reloaders. I also like the 6mm Rem, or the 6.5 Sweede for the "lighter side" of big game. They tuck nicley into a good Mauser action and perform with the best.

Ive been considering having my 06 rebarreled to a 338-06, but I kind of like my old Springfield in its original configuration, otherwise Id do it in a heartbeat.

30.06 and a .223 just about covers it all.

Since you are going to the trouble and expense of a new barrel, it makes sense to build something interesting as well as useful. I can't see a downside to the 280 AI, recommended above. You will come within 100 fps of the 7MM mag, with less recoil than the '06 and you can shoot factory 280 ammo with no problem when you don't have handloads along.

30-06 and 22-250

if the first was a 338/06 ( good choice, love mine), my second choice would be either a 6mm or a 6.5 mm. ( the 257Roberts being a third choice)

IN the 6mm, I would go with the Remington 6mm.

In 6.5, I would do either the 6.5 x 55, or if you are like me and want to have something that is different ( WHAT caliber is that thing???)
then a 6.5 x 57. ( just neck up 257 Rob or 6mm Rem brass or neck down 7mm Mauser brass).

I own 243s, 22/250s, 260s & ALL THE CALIBERS listed above. If I had to pick favorites, the 6mm Rem and the 6.5 ( either x 55 or x 57) are my favorites. ( 7 x 57 is also not bad, but the above would make better varmint choices)

How much chuck & coyote shooting will you do? If you plan to shoot a bunch, I would suggest that your small rifle be an AR-15 type in .223 Rem (a Bushmaster Varminter comes to mind). The ammo is as cheap as it gets for quality varmint ammo, the rifle will be very accurate and withstand abuse (overheating) better than any bolt action.
This will take care of your varmint needs, especially if you get the chance to go after prairie dogs. I would use the .30-06 for all game larger than coyotes, but the .06 will work on them as well.

For your purposes, I'd go with the .270 Winchester ahead of anything else. I wouldn't consider a wildcat cartridge for any reason.

AD

270 Winchester!

Now that the .338/06 has been legitimized by available factory ammo and the caliber is now offered in factory rifles, I would not hesitate to choose it for the heavy cal rifle. I would want some overlap, so in the light cal I would select either .257 Roberts or .260 Rem.

Re ADL vs BDL
I prefer a blind magazine, no floor plate, no dbm, but that is personal preference. You will have to make that decision for yourself or you will occasionally wonder if you should have done it differently.