OK,
I have a sported springfield 03 that has a bull barrel 25 06, but I am also have a springfield 03 worked over into a 25 06 with a #2 contour barrel as most of my hunting is done on foot, not in a stand and the bull barrel would get real heavy REAL fast. So I am not sure what to do with this heavy 25 06...I know, I know, I could sell her, but it sure is a nice gun. I was flirting with the idea of a 35 whelen, but I am coming here for other ideas...

I have a safe full of medium caliber gun including 7x57, 6.5x55, 270, 257 roberts, .243, 223, and the afore mentioned 25 06 at the smith's shop right now. I also have a lever 44 mag, so I guess the two largets bores I have are the .270 and the 44 mag. I hunt mostly deer and hogs but hope one day to hunt elk, moose and larger game. I have full confidence in the 270 for elk and moose, but having another, possibly larger option might be nice. I undersatnd the whelen may have some distance limitations that other calibers may not.

On the other hand, I could leave it as is or maybe rebarrel to something smaller and use it as a bench rifle mostly. Or I could sell it. I just hate to sell such a nice gun. I also hate to rebarrel a perfectly good shooting and accurate 25 06

what would you do?

Dave

When I get around to doing something with mine it will be a 338 06. Might be something to think about. Good luck with what ever you choose.

Dave,
You should consider having your exhisting 25/06 with the heavy barrel turned down to a smaller contour and use the other 03 for whatever caliber you want.

9.3X62

I think you would like either the 338-06 or the 9.3x62.

keep em both, take the money you would spend on rebarreling and get another project!!

jeffe

Jeffeoso,

hmmm, you got a point...

What action would you go with to build a light weight 25 06? keep in mind the budget is tight-

Dave

Dave,
you sure you want a third one?

I would suggest a long term build of a 358 winchester.. get you a 308 rem bdl and work from there... it's now just a matter of time till you have one!!

jeffe

Hmm.....

The 25-06 is to the Rem 700 what the 270 is to the Model 70. You can make a really nice looking rifle out of a Mod 700 if you think out of the box.

There was a D'Arcy Echols Rem 700 posted awhile back that was stunning. I'm sure that ain't in the budget if you could find those pics it would give you an idea or two.

I didn't see the 30-06 listed among your battery. Everybody needs at least one rifle in '06. I've got four so chambered and my favorite is a classic stocked Springfield with a featherweight contour barrel. You'll never go wrong with a Springfield in it's original chambering.

Craigster,

you don't think the 30 06 is too close to the 270 or/and the 7x57 in performance? I guess the same can be said for the 257 bob, 243, 25 06, 6.5 etc...and it seems like I have no problem with those!

and jeffeoso,

what kind of recoil does the 358 win have?

lubbockdave,

IMO, the 270 and the 7x57 are close "but no cigar" when compared to the '06. The 30-06 can handle up to 220 grainers and even 250's, (with the right twist )whereas the 270 and 7x57 are limited in this regard. There are lots of guys out there who might dispute this, and that's okay. I think it all boils done to shot placement and bullet selection. FWIW, If push came to shove and I was forced to shitcan all my rifles (and i have more than a few) except two, I'd keep an '06 and a 22RF. All that and 2 bucks will buy you a cup of coffee most anywhere except Starbucks.

What a nice battery of weapons, evenly spaced one calibre at a time. I also like the way you have the light and heavy aspects covered, considering how the 25-06/270, and the 7X57/257 share the same parent case.
The way I see it, 30-06 is the next logical selection. On the wild side, I like the 9.3 idea too, think of it as a metric Whelen.

I got one waiting to go to a 6mm Remington in the near future, with a 26 inch barrel...and one in 7twist....

Currently it has a shot out 30/06 aftermarket barrel on it now....

cheers
seafire

OK, let say we go with a 30 06---what barrel length and twist rate would allow the use of the 220 grn or higher? and how will this affect my use of the smaller 125 grn bullets?

Dave

I think you should go with the 35 whelen. A classic chambering on a classic action.

Weagle

I like barrels on the medium-heavy side of sporter, much like the early Browning and FNs. A few extra ounces goes a long way in soaking up recoil.
Length? That's a personal thing, but in my opinion 23"- 24" is best. It isn't a magnum and doesn't need more length, and it shouldn't have the blast that the shorter will.
Barnes Original's are the only 250 grain bullets I can think of off hand, and I fail to see where they outshine the 220s, so no need for a faster twist. A slower twist won't help with the heavy bullets. I don't see how to improve upon the standard 1 in 10.
Honestly, I'm not the person to ask as you will surely end up with a mauser type sporter without claw mounts built around a Springfield action.
When WWII broke out and the government resumed Springfield production, like the 03A3, I wish they would have deleted the magazine cutoff. Wouldn't the gunsmiths have gone nuts?

quote:

Originally posted by lubbockdave:
and jeffeoso,

what kind of recoil does the 358 win have?

Dave,
see, I told you,l this is just a matter of time...

Funny vingette, at least to me, I was sitting at the range one day, with a 257 rob and a 358 win (both on springfields) and a fella sits down a little from me with 25-06 and 35 whelen (JPJ if you guys know JP).. on mausers.. we both have chronies setup... thought it would be a good idea to verify each others, and we shoot the other's guns over our chronies..

both of JPs where about 125 fps faster, with about the same bullet, but, to quote jp "your's don't beat the crap out me"

In my 6.5# 358, recoil (not comparing to big bores, mind you, but back when i built this) is BRISK.. but not anything like a 3" 12 in a single shot... more like dove or estate loads...

in a 7.5# gun (let's back into this) you would be throwing a 225gr bullet 2500fps... or just 5 grains more than the classic 30-06 thumper of a 220 at 2500... (don't compare bullet weight here, as the .358 225 sd is barely .250) OR a 180gr at something crazy like 2800.. just like an 06'..... or a 250 at 2300+

I've built a couple of these, bought a couple, and handled a few more... in fact, i have only passed on TWO 358s at gun shows.. one was the first one I ever saw (and would still pass.. NIB pre64) and one was the other day, a too heavy barreled commerical FN.

you need a remington 700 short action in 308, a 35 barrel, and a reamer... quick and dirty project.

jeffe

I started with one Springfield, previously sporterized with a shot out original bbl. I opted to rebbl it to 30-06. The new stock is getting very close to being done, Ill post pics when it is. Now I have another much the same, I would make it into a Whelen but I already have one built on a Mauser. What to do?

Looking at your current battery I would suggest a Whelen, they are awsome for those Texas hogs. 9.3X62 or 338/06 are quite similar as well. IMO the 30-06 is best limited to about 200 gn bullets, the above list is a better proposition for larger slugs.

Most of my other rifles are quite similar to what youve got, but I wouldnt give up my Whelen for any of them, it is a fun rifle.

Oh Hell the campfire:
I have Springfield 03 in .280 that I really like and like more each time I shoot it. I had not though of a .280 but the rifle knew my name and cried until I took it home. It has less recoil than the 7mag. but close to the same balistics I feel comfortable using it on any thing up to big bears which I am not going to shoot anyway. It has replaced my Old Model 70 in 300 wby as my go to rifle, and I did not think I would say that about anything but a 30-06. This is just my humble opinion and my children disavow any statements made by me, unless it is Here is some money, have fum.
Good shooting
Judge Sharpe
Lover of bird dogs, red heads. and wood stocked rifles.

I would recommend the whelen improved, and go with a 26" barrel if you don't dislike the feel. Your performance will be great and for efficiency it is damn hard to beat. I'm not a big fan of the 25-06 so I'd change both of them!

I think after the 06 the whelen is the most appropriate cartridge for the springfield. Of course, if I didn't already have a whelen on an enfield I would have one of my springfields changed to a 358 Norma so I'd have a pair with my 308 Norma.

I have shot the 225g Sierra GK in the whelen (never taken game with the rifle mind), and worked some good loads with the 250's. Mine is fast and those 250's were ripping. I am going to back the load down and use Northforks, then going to work a load for 275's at about 2250fps and use those two bullets weights exclusively. Mine has a 26" Douglas barrel and a high cheekcombed monte carlo stock, which is not really my style, but for some reason it is my favorite handling and feeling rifle of them all. And that barrel weight where it is makes the rifle just plain fun to shoot.

The 338-06 is supposed to be a hell of a good cartridge as well. those two will keep you from having to change the boltface, which is more money and complication.

Red

I have three Springfields in the works right now. Two are 1903's and one is an 03-A3. The 03's will be 30-06 and a 35 Whelan. The 03A3 will become a 257 Roberts. The 30-06 is nearing completion and I hope to take delivery soon. I debated long an hard between the Whelan and the 9.3X62. Ended up keeping all three classic. I vote for going bigger since you are pretty well covered elsewhere.

Like JudgeSharp, I too have a Springfield 03 in 280, with a 26" Douglas Air Gauge barrel. It was put together by a guy in El Paso named Ron Zerr. I love it. A little heavy but ok for me.

Recently had a Mauser done in a 25-06. I can see why Lubbock Dave likes the caliber. I like it too. Shot a deer and a hog with it this past season.

I have another 03 already semi sporterized that I'm thinking of having rebarrelled and I'm stuck between these two calibers. I already have one of each but one more won't hurt!

Just completed my "budget" Whelen. 22" Shaw barrel, maple semi-inlet stock off ebay, Timney trigger, Buehler safety, Redfield base and rings, leather covered pad, 24 lpi checkering, Weaver K2.5. Throw away my time, and I have $518 in this rifle.

This is intended for my deep-woods northern Wisconsin deer and bear gun. A light-weight it's not. But I'm pretty pleased with the exercise.

GV

03A3 35 Whelen 1
03A3 35 Whelen 2
03A3 35 Whelen 3
03A3 35 Whelen 4

With that low of a total price for parts it's quite obvious I sold you that scope to cheap.

I would have never thought that you could make a half way decent looking stock from that fencepost when I first saw it. I do like the checkering pattern also. Overall a nice A3.

quote:

Originally posted by Idared:
With that low of a total price for parts it's quite obvious I sold you that scope to cheap.

Then you must have forgotten I also acquired the action from you. It was fairly reasonable also.

quote:

I would have never thought that you could make a half way decent looking stock from that fencepost when I first saw it.

Heh Heh......

She was a beauty, eh?

GV

quote:

I undersatnd the whelen may have some distance limitations that other calibers may not.

Darn few shooters good enough to ever notice it.

I want to thank you all for your replies...except you jeffeoso-my wife is mad at you for putting the 358 idea into my head!! Seriously though, thanks for the great replies. It looks like the Springfield will return to it's origional caliber of 30 06-probably the best choice for someone who does not re-load right now, not yet anyway. It sure is fun to talk this stuff up though, aint it!

Dave

Grandview, Nice work, the english cheak piece looks good too. Ought to be a sweet deep woods rifle.

Enjoy.

quote:

Originally posted by 54JNoll:
Grandview, Nice work, the english cheak piece looks good too. Ought to be a sweet deep woods rifle.

Thanks. Not sure why the links went bad in my previous post.