Looking for a caliber to fit with what I have

[Gatehouse]

I have been tossing around these 3 but open to ideas on other calibers

6.5-06 Imp

Cool, but won't do anything a .270/.280 7mm RM won't do, without the need for forming brass.

.284 Win

Cool, but won't do anything the .270/.280/7mm RM won't do

.280 Imp

Cool, but won't do anything the .270/,280/7mmRM/7WSM won't do.

When I wanted a "one gun, do it all" custom hunting rifle, I chose a 300WSM, but woudl have been equally happy with a 7RM, 7WSM, .280 etc....First, decide if you want long or short action, then go from there- All the middle of the road cartridges from 7-08 to .300 magnums kill pretty good.

 

[stanway]

338 06 awesome calibre. recoil is mild and there's not much you can't do with a 225 grn. shoots as flat as a 30 06 with 180 grn. can use for deer to moose and bear.

x2








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[jed]

how about a 250savage AI?

 

[mpwolf]

I've been thinking about the same sort of rifle and I've come up with a couple. If nice blue and walnut are waht you're looking for, than I'd do something along the lines of a classic 7x57. 'Course you would have to call it a .257 Rigby.. If go anywhere, survive any weather, kill what needs killing is what you're thinking, then I go find a Kimber Montana in 7 wsm, or build somehting along the same lines.

 

[jiminthecorner]

I went the 284 route on a 98 1909 action. I had Douglas lengthen the chamber to a OAL of 3.1 " so I can seat the bullets out a litle further. Now ballistically the same as 7mm mag in shorter chamber! Oh yes it also kills em dead. JITC

 

[Mr. Friendly]

Gatehouse, how much of a difference would you say the short action has over the long for the speed of working it and reloading?

 

[MTM]

Your present guns will do for most hunting. If you want something for everything else and can't live with a magnum its pretty obvious that leaves only the .416 Rigby.

 

[a j cave]

I don't have nor even shot a 338-06, a very good reason to go that way. AJ's .02

 

[BC Bigbore]

I recommended the .338-06 as it was my choice for a Model 70 build I'm patiently (ya right) waiting on. I'm confident that the .338-06 will do anything required from a medium bore for hunting moose, elk, black bear & mountain grizzly here in British Columbia. And loaded with those wicked 160gr TTSX's, I'm sure it would do an excellent job on deer, caribou & sheep (although that's what my .270's are for) Besides, not everyone has one, unlike the (yawn) .300 and .338 Mags that abound in my area.

 

[moose_hunter]

284 is a great calibre

 

[blargon]

I have a .338WM that, when I drop down a grain or two, becomes a .338-06, without the added cost of a custom build.

 

[Brno8x57]

I had a custom gun built up on a FM Mauser action a while back. It is a 340Gibbs cal. Its really just a 338-06 with slightly more powder capacity.
Unfortunately it involves fire forming brass. The 338-06 cal has new manufacture brass available from Norma and others and is called the
338-06 A-Square. If I had my time back, I think I would have opted for the 338-06 rather than the gibbs as the differences are very minor.
I have used the 340 Gibbs successfully on Moose on 3 occaisions. It works really well.

Those who have recommended the 338-06 have proposed a good option for your collection and a round that will flatten anything that walks in North America.

Good luck with your deliberations

 

[BC Bigbore]

without the added cost of a custom build.

If a run of the mill, factory rifle is good enough, have at 'er Some enthusiasts want unique rifles crafted to their specifications to hand down to future generations

 

[Kevan]

280 AI
Cool, but won't do anything the .270/,280/7mmRM/7WSM won't do.


This is very true but on the other hand the 270/280/7mmRM/7WSM won't do anything the 280 AI can't do....

 

[barktwid]

8x57, I have 3 and have had a few others. They are different but not crazy different. Two are old but one is a new custom job. They are very accurate and I can get a 200 grn Nos accubond going 2700fps or a 150 grn Speer sp giong 3000fps. They are easy on powder and easy on the sholder. There is also an allright bullet selection.

 

[rem338win]

I would do either a 257 Roberts (that new Kimber Classic would be tempting), or a 338-06. I would probably do the 35 Whelen over the 338 though. Just me. There would be nearly no difference in recoil. And I know for a fact that you can get 2600fps out of a 250gr Partition or Interlock with RL15. That would thump anything needing thumping out to 400yds easy. (Ok, order Kimber Montana in 30-06, call Ian at Adams Lake and order #3 in .358 cal with 10 flutes finished for 22", call Henry Remple, or Dennis Sorensen, or that Leeper guy.....)

 

[Gatehouse]

Gatehouse, how much of a difference would you say the short action has over the long for the speed of working it and reloading?

It's faster, but the real question is- Does it matter?

 

[Gatehouse]

280 AI
Cool, but won't do anything the .270/,280/7mmRM/7WSM won't do.


This is very true but on the other hand the 270/280/7mmRM/7WSM won't do anything the 280 AI can't do....

There is plenty of factory ammo and brass for those cartirdges, the 280AI brass and ammo is only offered by Nosler, as far as I know. Also, the WSM and RM offer higher velocity.

 

[SuperCub]

All three not too far off the .270 to have real practical advantage.

Get something in a .338-06............................................................

[I would've said .35 Whelen but you said .338 or smaller....]

X2! ........ esp the part about the 35Whelen.


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[Kevan]

There is plenty of factory ammo and brass for those cartirdges, the 280AI brass and ammo is only offered by Nosler, as far as I know.

This is important if you're not a handloader, otherwise simply firing a 280 Rem in the AI chamber will give you a fire-formed AI case....thats all I do....
As for velocity, you're right again, the others mentioned are faster if that matters..