LRH - single "do it all" rifle or 2 gun battery?

[Alwinearcher]

I think the 280Ai is a great all around caliber, but I wouldn't be attempting 3 loads out of it.
I would setup a 180 ish load and use that for everything!
You will be burning up a lot of rounds trying to have so many load options and sighting/re sighting in each.

 

[Rick Richard]

Here's my Rem 280 AI build list if I go this route:

• Rem 700 action trued ($600)
• Carbon 6 barrel, 1:9, Sendero profile, either 24" or 26", may just go 25" ($700)
• XLR Element 3.0 Magnesium Chassis ($750)
• TriggerTech Special Trigger ($160)
• Vortex Viper PST Gen II 3-15x44 (already have it)

Puts me around $2,200 - $2,300, a little less if I wait for good sales on each item. Any other suggestions or things I should think about?

I really don't want to respond on the cost of a company on a public forum. So PM me if you want my opinion. Good luck!

 

[SteelBanger]

I really don't want to respond on the cost of a company on a public forum. So PM me if you want my opinion. Good luck!

For some reason it's not letting me start a conversation with you Rick, but I've removed all mentions of the company I've been talking to. Didn't mean to have a negative sound regarding them, i've been extremely impressed with what I've seen them do and feel they're probably worth every penny they charge. If you still don't want to comment could you try to start a conversation with me perhaps and see if that works?

Thanks Rick!

 

[Tarheelpwr]

Don't discount a switch lug. Easy barrel swaps on the same action/trigger/scope. Saved a ton of money.

whatever you decide, get yourself a C&R FFL. The Cost is $30 for 3 years, and LOTS of vendors will extend dealer pricing to you for having that, McMillian included.

 

[blackburbot]

Can't go wrong with a safe full of rifles....but simple usually gets the job done. A 30-06 or 7mmRM done a pile of game harvesting in the past. But sometimes getting confidence from new rifles is all that it takes

 

[emp1953]

I've always said as hunters and even hobbyist we need three guns;
30-06
22lr
12 gauge shotgun

Notice I said need not want....i have lots of wants.

I hunted with a 30-06 from 1971 through 1998 and loved it and wouldn't have stopped using it for anything..... until I picked up a Sig 970shr in .270win. After playing with several loads I fell in love with this. The '06 still goes to camp as a back up rifle. I'm a Nosler fan. 130gr partitions in the .270 many times did not exit a deer at 400-500 yds. So I upped it the the 150gr. Now passes through every time. If in a survivalist situation or your budget only allows a couple of strategic purchases then I agree with Slick8. The availability of 30-06 ammo make that a hands down favorite, same for the 22lr and the 12ga. Each will have a specific task and will do it will.

 

[BrentM]

It sounds like you have a budget in mind. I'd personally get a switch action like a bighorn origin. I have the tl3 but the origin would be less for your budget and accomplish the same thing. With the origin you can get shouldered prefit barrels that are crazy easy to swap.
Caliber and cartridge are personal desires. Nothing wrong with the 280ai at all. Love the 7mm bullet selection. I'm a 6.5 fan so I went the 6.5 PRC Route for my 1 gun thought. I'm running 156's for the heavy side and 135 for the light side. However I run 6mm and 6.5 creed for comp and the 204 for giggles and varmint. So, that's why I have bighorn and 3 bolt heads.

 

[JarHeadTim]

280 AI

2 bullets weights will do it all

I'd can't recommend highly enough the Bighorn Origin for an action.

We just built this combo and are getting off the charts results. It will handle anything in North America

 

[memtb]

I hunted with a 30-06 from 1971 through 1998 and loved it and wouldn't have stopped using it for anything..... until I picked up a Sig 970shr in .270win. After playing with several loads I fell in love with this. The '06 still goes to camp as a back up rifle. I'm a Nosler fan. 130gr partitions in the .270 many times did not exit a deer at 400-500 yds. So I upped it the the 150gr. Now passes through every time. If in a survivalist situation or your budget only allows a couple of strategic purchases then I agree with Slick8. The availability of 30-06 ammo make that a hands down favorite, same for the 22lr and the 12ga. Each will have a specific task and will do it will.

If a survivalist situation.....a bullet mold for that 30-06 would be a great addition! memtb

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Hey all, I've been sitting on an old Rem 700 long action with a standard bolt face for years, dreaming of eventually turning into a custom build. Quick background: live in IL, just started bow hunting a couple years ago and love it. Don't have a money tree in the back yard but I plan to start doing some hunts out West within the next 3-5 years and am slowly in the planning stage and putting gear lists together, and I'm starting the rifle part.

My plan has been to turn the Rem 700 action into a 280 AI. My thought is that the 280 AI can pretty well handle most anything I would ever want it to do, from loading lightweight 120gr rounds for varmint hunting, 140gr -150gr for deer sized game, and up to 180gr for elk which is likely the biggest game I'll ever get the chance to go after.

Like I said, logically I feel like this caliber can accomplish pretty much everything I'd ever need, but, I can't shake the thought of going with a 2 rifle battery with something like a 6.5 PRC and 300 PRC. That setup would also do everything I need, but maybe a bit better?

One last question, is it really worth trueing the 700 action when I can get something like the Gunwerks GRB or APR G2 for $850 and have all the features I want but can't get with the trueing job unless I spend roughly the same $850 on the custom work? I figure if I sold the 700 action and put that on what I've already saved for the action work I'd have more than enough to get a budget custom action like those mentioned above.

Thanks for your thoughts and tips!

My grandpa always used to say beware of the man that uses one rifle for everything - they are a force to be reckoned with behind the trigger . I kind of agree - I think when you roll with one rifle you really get to know and understand it. I am in the process of consolidating from 12 down to 3. Elk/Deer - 6.5 PRC. Coyotes/Antelope - 6mm Creedmoor. Varmints - 223. Also, instead of spreading the available funds out between more guns, you can put together one really sweet rig. Quality over quantity

 

[Pulpwood]

Grandpa is correct but it sure is fun having more than just one rifle

 

[ramrod79]

Hey all, I've been sitting on an old Rem 700 long action with a standard bolt face for years, dreaming of eventually turning into a custom build. Quick background: live in IL, just started bow hunting a couple years ago and love it. Don't have a money tree in the back yard but I plan to start doing some hunts out West within the next 3-5 years and am slowly in the planning stage and putting gear lists together, and I'm starting the rifle part.

My plan has been to turn the Rem 700 action into a 280 AI. My thought is that the 280 AI can pretty well handle most anything I would ever want it to do, from loading lightweight 120gr rounds for varmint hunting, 140gr -150gr for deer sized game, and up to 180gr for elk which is likely the biggest game I'll ever get the chance to go after.

Like I said, logically I feel like this caliber can accomplish pretty much everything I'd ever need, but, I can't shake the thought of going with a 2 rifle battery with something like a 6.5 PRC and 300 PRC. That setup would also do everything I need, but maybe a bit better?

One last question, is it really worth trueing the 700 action when I can get something like the Gunwerks GRB or APR G2 for $850 and have all the features I want but can't get with the trueing job unless I spend roughly the same $850 on the custom work? I figure if I sold the 700 action and put that on what I've already saved for the action work I'd have more than enough to get a budget custom action like those mentioned above.

Thanks for your thoughts and tips!

Hey all, I've been sitting on an old Rem 700 long action with a standard bolt face for years, dreaming of eventually turning into a custom build. Quick background: live in IL, just started bow hunting a couple years ago and love it. Don't have a money tree in the back yard but I plan to start doing some hunts out West within the next 3-5 years and am slowly in the
planning stage and putting gear lists together, and I'm starting the rifle part.

My plan has been to turn the Rem 700 action into a 280 AI. My thought is that the 280 AI can pretty well handle most anything I would ever want it to do, from loading lightweight 120gr rounds for varmint hunting, 140gr -150gr for deer sized game, and up to 180gr for elk which is likely the biggest game I'll ever get the chance to go after.

Like I said, logically I feel like this caliber can accomplish pretty much everything I'd ever need, but, I can't shake the thought of going with a 2 rifle battery with something like a 6.5 PRC and 300 PRC. That setup would also do everything I need, but maybe a bit better?

One last question, is it really worth trueing the 700 action when I can get something like the Gunwerks GRB or APR G2 for $850 and have all the features I want but can't get with the trueing job unless I spend roughly the same $850 on the custom work? I figure if I sold the 700 action and put that on what I've already saved for the action work I'd have more than enough to get a budget custom action like those mentioned above.

Thanks for your thoughts and tips!

Sounds like you ha e a few great calibers in mind.
To save your self money a 6.5 PRC /300 PRC switch barrel outfit would be a killer outfit. You could shoot factory if needed with both if you reload there is top notch components for both. You will be working from same platform so you will be comfortable with in both calibers and if you get bored spin up a new barrel. If you deer hunting use the 6.5 if you head out for elk or bigger throw on the 300.
I'm in process of doing same thing in slightly different calibers one 6.5 one 338. Only one piece of glass needed and one stock to stay comfortable with.

 

[jebel]

You can count me in the multiple-hunting-rifles camp. I was attracted to the simplicity of the one-hunting-rifle view only until I realized I was hauling a heavy elk rifle around 100% of the time, when its particular capabilities were only needed 10% of the time (or less). Of course, it all comes down to the animals you hunt and the range you want to be able to take them.

A soft shooting 7mm-08 Rem or 6.5 Creedmoor can readily take deer-sized game out to 500+ yards, and can be housed in a lightweight rifle that is a pleasure to carry in the field.

 

[memtb]

I'm in the one rifle "camp"! Though, my shots will be limited to 700 yards maximum, under ideal conditions....so, I guess I'm "not" truly shooting long range. As I'm "not" truly shooting long range, my elk rifle can be lighter than the "seemingly accepted", heavy, long range rig. Therefore, my moderately weighted "elk rifle", can also be my moderately weighted " small" big game rifle! Heck....my last 3 or 4 coyotes were also killed with my moderately weighted, "elk rifle"! So.....I guess I have a moderately weighted "do it all" rifle! It's far simpler than it may sound! memtb