Now, the way I see it, I have several options. All I need is some wisdom from you all. So here's the way I see it.

I could:

A. Shoot and be happy.
B. Ackley improve it's 22" barrel and gain 100fps
C. Rebarrel to a 24" 30-06
D. Rebarrel to a 24" .280 .... and join Jonas's cult
E. Rebarrel to an Ackley Improved version of 30-06 or .280

Personally, I'm leaning toward the .280 or 30-06AI option simply because they're substancially bigger than my beloved .25-06 deer slayer. And with the right bullet weight, the PBR wouldn't be all that much different from what I'm used to.

Anyhow, thanks for you're input.

.

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Toxophilie and carry a bent stick.
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Try a 30 Gibbs - more powerful than the 06 AI, or a 338-06 AI.

Go w/a 27" barel and you're set.

Best o' luck.

Regards,

Mark

I would not rebarrel a good rifle. Just buy another one in a bigger caliber. Now thats a happy thought!

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May your chambers be true to your bores.

I'm kinda laughing at myself for this post, but in the end, I got what I wanted: discouragement for doing something for the sake of doing it. The choice was "A" from the start, and I kenw it. Guess I just needed someone to smack me upside the head and ask, "What are ya thinkin'?"

Anyhow, I bought a few boxes of shells, 130's 140's and 150's to play around some this weekend.

Thanks again!

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Toxophilie and carry a bent stick.
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quote:

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Originally posted by waldog:
Anyhow, I bought a few boxes of shells, 130's 140's and 150's to play around some this weekend.

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Your going to shoot factory ammo in it!!
That's blasphemy!
BTW, how much does that stuff go for these days. It's been so long since I bought factory shells (except .22LR) I don't even know how much money I'm saving.

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"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759.

I say convert your new rifle to 4-wheel drive and run the elk over!!!

Seriously, by the time I saw your post, you already got all the good advice you need...to leave the rifle as is. Find a good load with a partition or X-bullet and forget about needing a bigger hole (this from a guy who shoots everything with a 375 H&H!).

Shot about 35 rounds this afternoon. The freezing temperatures kept barrel heat down to nothing, but when the snow started blowing I decided to close shop! In the end, in seemed to prefer 140's though all grouped with unimpressive accuracy. ~1.8" 2.6" at (almost) 100yds. At least I was able to begin break in of the barrel. Topping the todo list is some basic gunsmithing. ie trigger adjustment, bed the action, and free float the barrel. That should be interesting, since the synthetic stock has two pressure points against the barrel an the end of the forend. Hummm.... I got a hunch then if I just spend a little quality time at the reloading bench, I'll be able to find the sweet spot and this thing will shoot as accurately as I will ever need it to.