- 2 for Rem 25-06
+1 for Long Time Long Ranger
My favorite gun at the moment is a Rem 700 LH with a tupperware stock, a 26" REM sporter barrel and a defensive edge brake. She weighs in at just under 10 LBS all up.
I shoot it all afternoon prone wearing a tee shirt, prone with only the very slightest notice of shoulder muscle ache the next morning. I have to probe the ol shoulder pretty hard to feel what little ache there is.
I shoot nothing but 300 SMKS at around 2750 only about 150 FPS less than a moderate load in an Edge.
I feel I am limited to right at 900 yds only because the scope I have on it has 1/8 min clicks and I don't really trust them. The reticle is a mil dot. With a 300 yd zero she is pretty much spot on at 900 at the top of the post.
I'm seriously considering a reticle w/more hash marks to extend the range to 1100 which is about as far as I need to consider at this stage in life.
BTW, accuracy is awesome. I shoot 3 shot groups due to the lightness of the rifle and she demonstrated the ability to approach 1/4 MOA at 200, 300, 500, 600, 700 and 880 yds. Of course I cheated and shot only on cloud covered (read no mirage) and windless days. We had a week's worth of them last week.
3 shots X 6 ranges = 18 shots. About a half dose of Tubbs Final Finish on the new unfired factory barrel, add a dozen or so break in shots plus some dinking around with Hornady and Sierra bullets which weren't impressive performers and the discovery that US 863 worked well with the 300 SMKs then learning that Retumo worked just a little better there ain't much more shooting to do.
The biggest shot saver I've come across is Exbal. Do range shooting based on velocity and Exbal data then adjust trajectory based on the actual drops. Confirm drop chart at several distances and your ready to go. there is no need to burn up pounds of powder and bullets to get ready.
Then when the time comes, which it may not, rebarrel to a longer heavier barrel chambered for the 338 Edge and gain several hundred more yards of effectiveness, if you really think you need them.
Just my humble open minded unbiased opinion.