Which caliber for Remington 700 long action (3006 bolt face) rebarrel?

[Bigeclipse]

I have a Remington 700 long action with a bolt face for a 3006 and it is the drop floorplate type action for the internal magazine. What are some other cartridge options for this rifle with no modification other than the barrel swap of course? This would be hunting out to 400 yards (deer with a very occasional black bear) and target shooting out to 600 yards. I wish to keep relatively light weight so the barrel will be a sporter or magnum sporter type contour. I would like to keep the barrel to 24 inches max. I will put a brake on it if it is anything more than say a 7mm08 haha as I do not care for recoil lol. Open to all suggestions! As an FYI I do reload so outside the norm cartridges are ok. I currently shoot a 6.5creed, 6.5 prc (my love at the moment haha), 7mm08, 7mm rem mag and a 28nosler. I am trying to avoid hyper barrel burners like the 28nosler but I am ok with slight barrel burners like the traditional 300 win mag or 7mm rem mag. Thanks!

 

[Wyo32]

I had the same dilemma 2 years ago and I settled on a 284 win. I ordered a reamer (lapua based) from JGS, stock from AG composites, 143 Hammer bullets, and now I have my favorite deer/antelope rifle.

 

[Huckleberry75]

280Ackley fits that bill quite well. You will also have continuity of components with you other 7's. Some might find it redundant and you might find that it fills a niche better and you sell off the 7.08 or 7rm, as the 280ai is faster than the 08 and just a hair slower than the RM.

 

[Jud96]

6.5-284, .280 Ackley, or a long throated .284 Win. I did this same thing a couple years ago and went with a .284 Norma Match reamer. I run 175gr Berger's in it at 2840-2850 with Peterson brass, RL23, and Fed 210Ms. It's a hammer.

 

[Santiam338]

I am doing the same as you...700 ,30-06 that shoots 2 inches on its good days...Benchmark 7mm blank on the way UPS and 280ai is the plan...

 

[Bigeclipse]

280Ackley fits that bill quite well. You will also have continuity of components with you other 7's. Some might find it redundant and you might find that it fills a niche better and you sell off the 7.08 or 7rm, as the 280ai is faster than the 08 and just a hair slower than the RM.

The 7mm08 is technically the wife's hunting rifle and the 7mm rem mag is a 26 inch varmint barrel so is HEAVY lol it sounds like the 280ai might be the way I'm going then. Sounds like a fun round. Is it considered a barrel burner?

 

[JMW67]

the 280 AI is a great choice I also like the 260AI or a 6.5x55AI or with the new .277 heavy bullets coming out a 270 AI would be pretty cool with a fast twist barrel

 

[Wildcat99]

The .280 AI or a 6.5 PRC would be my top two options.

 

[Texas sniper]

6.5-06 is a good choice. Then you can use any 30-06 brass you have although it will require trimming. I use 25-06 brass in my 6.5 so I don't have to trim. 400 yard is no big deal for this cartridge.

 

[25WSM]

For quite awhile the 280ai was the most popular rifle I built and everyone loves them. Not till a few yrs ago did the creed beat it out on the customs I built. It's still the number 2 cartridge I do. I built quite a few 6.5-06imp for 1000 yd BR shooters and it's a hammer as well. The 6.5-284 will be kind of redundant to your prc. I'm a big fan of 6.5s because of recoil concerns and I don't put brakes on my hunting rifles. If you didn't already have a 65prc I would do the 65-284 but since you do the 280ai is a very nice do all cartridge. Nothing wrong with a reg 280 either. Have fun choosing or just build one of each.
shep

 

[TriggerTime426]

could do a 25-06 since it seems you have alot of bigger cartridge's covered, and have a laser shooting deer killer. plus have workable brass yet.

 

[QuietTexan]

I don't see any 30cals on the list of what you have, and you said you'd be open to a 300WM... so I'd vote that or a 30-06AI. That keeps you able to use .308 components in two of the most-used calibers out there, so fewer bottlenecks on supplies.

This is assuming you don't buy enough to burn out the barrel up front, which isn't a bad idea either.

 

[Bigeclipse]

I don't see any 30cals on the list of what you have, and you said you'd be open to a 300WM... so I'd vote that or a 30-06AI. That keeps you able to use .308 components in two of the most-used calibers out there, so fewer bottlenecks on supplies.

This is assuming you don't buy enough to burn out the barrel up front, which isn't a bad idea either.

Would a 300win work? I thought it needed a different bolt face? Not sure I'm interested in a 3006ai...I think I'd just put another 3006 on it versus that. My other hesitation is I want to keep the rifle light which means if I went 300win mag I'd need 26 in barrel to maximize it and definitely a brake

 

[SteelBanger]

Any of the standard Sherman cartridges would be my choice. It sounds like you're pretty well covered in the 6.5 and 7mm calibers so maybe the 300 Sherman?

300 Sherman | Sherman Wildcat Cartridges

shermanwildcatcartridges.com

Outside of that I'd say a 25-06 would be great for your intended purposes.