Chuck,
I don't think you have really thought this thing through. There must be some need you've yet to identify.
Honestly, I have done most of my hunting with the same rifle since I was 15 years old. It is the one rifle I would never sell. I have other hunting rifles and use them occasionally but not too often.
I do build a rifle now and then just to try something different. Or because I want make a stock or I want to try a barrel or caliber. Just as often I will buy the reamer, accumulate the parts, and never get around to building the rifle.
I do the same thing with target rifles. I build them just to try some pet theory or just because I like building them.
The truth is, you can have more fun shooting one rifle than not shooting ten but this isn't something I should try to encourage!
One thing I have done which is just about as bad as building new rifles is changing barrels and, sometimes, stocks. I have one target rifle which has three barrels; two of which have been on the shelf for three years. I have two barrels and two stocks for my 308 Norma (a hunting rifle I seldom use though it's a good one). I have one short M70 action which has no less than four barrels and three stocks. It can be a big game rifle, a target rifle, or a varminter. What it mostly does is take up space in the rack.
You could make up a barrel in the same contour in 25/06 for your M70. You could then buy a different scope to complement the cartridge. You could put this barrel on, work up loads for it and shoot it a bit. The you could take it off and put it on the shelf where it would dwell for several years while you hunted with the 30/06.
You could do the same thing in 270, 280, 256 Newton, 338/06, 35whelen. You could have barrels layin' all over the house. You haven't lived until you've formed cases for a 270 Gibbs. Another great choice.
Going this route is a little easier than building a whole new rifle but enables you to spend nearly as much! Worth thinking about. Regards, Bill.
