another . . . What to Build ??

[lckytylr]

I have a Rem 700 Long Action that I'm considering cannibalizing and building off of. This will be a long process, acquiring parts as funds become available, I'm thinking 2 years, maybe more, we are building a house.

This will be for my Wife and Kids (when they get old enough). I want your opinions on what caliber. I should probably back up and try not to lie to you all . . . if I'm building a really nice custom, I'm going to shoot and hunt with it quite a bit.

Requirements: Light and not too much recoil (without a brake).

I'm hoping that, since this will be built in a LA, that I'll be able to seat whatever bullets work best in this rifle almost to the lands and keep them fitting inside the magazine.

Ideally, I'd like the round to be good for Mulies and Elk, but the Elk shots would have
to be slam dunks and stars aligned, so mostly, I want a lightweight Mulie gun.

Action: R700 LA
Barrel: Proof
Stock: McMillan Carbon
Trigger: Jewell
Bottom Metal: Undecided, but assuredly DBM
Scope: Leupold or Vortex $800 - $1300
Bases: Undecided
Caliber: Help Please

Thanks in advance.

 

[J E Custom]

I would recommend something with a wide range of bullets that have good Ballistics. (.284) and something easy to find ammo in (280 Remington) with a wide recoil range (Depending on bullet weight).

The 280 rem is one of the best all round cartridges for hunting. Bullets range from 90 grains to 190
and is capable of taking game from varmints to Elk size game with the right bullet choice.

Recoil is very mild with 90 to 120 grain bullets and reasonable with 140 and 150 grain bullets. in the AI version, It can exceed the 7 rem mag with less recoil.

Mag length will be no problem in a Long Action and with the standard bolt face it will be easy to find an action for if you don't already have one.

There are many cartridges to chose from but for your needs/wants it would be my recommendation.
If you want to use a shorter cartridge in a long action with the same requirements a 7/08 would be another choice.

J E CUSTOM

 

[matt_3479]

With the kids and the wife shooting and no muzzle brake, then I'd look towards a 6.5 of some kind. 6.5 creedmoor and 260. Rem are great deer rounds and still decent on elk with a well placed shot and knowing your limit with range. Benefit, low recoil, both are incredibly accurate.

6.5-284 is another great one, and will extend your range on elk a little. If you like the 7mm series then a 7mm-08 or the 284 win which would be my choice. Short case, long neck, allowing bullets to be seated way out and still able to run out of a mag. Managable recoil, and pushing 168gr's 2900 +

 

[MudRunner2005]

Gotta agree with JE, .280 AI would be my suggestion. Nosler makes factory loaded .280 AI ammo, if you don't reload. If that is too much recoil, then the 7mm-08 would be my next suggestion.

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?sortby=1&itemsperpage=20&newcategorydimensionid=10015

 

[Rick Richard]

I am another advocate for the 6.5 Creed or 260 if it is to be extended to a wife and kids.

 

[engineer40]

I am another advocate for the 6.5 Creed or 260 if it is to be extended to a wife and kids.

I might get ostracized for saying this on a forum that favors bolt guns (I personally own more bolt guns than semi-autos). But I've always thought a 6.5 Creed in an AR platform would make a nice, light recoiling hunting gun.

Gas operated semi-autos just don't recoil as much.

Sorry to get off topic.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Action: R700 LA
Barrel: Proof
Stock: McMillan Carbon
Trigger: Jewell
Bottom Metal: Undecided, but assuredly DBM
Scope: Leupold or Vortex $800 - $1300 I would go better with your glass
Bases: Badger Ordinance Picatinny 20MOA with Seekins 6/4 rings
Caliber: .280AI, .280 Rem, 7-08 AI, 7x57 AI, .270 WSM, .270 Win, 6.5-06 AI, 6.5-06, 6.5 4S, 6.5-284, 6.5 SLR, .260 AI, .260 Rem, 6.5 Creed

A lot will depend on your ranges you normally hunt. For under 500 yards, and of the short action rounds will do amazing. Out to 1K, I would add some oomph by going one of the AI versions or a true LA cartridge.

I would go a better quality of glass if it were me. Why build a $3-4K rifle and put a mediocre scope on it? Just my opinion. Also, if you go with a better scope, you can switch it between rifles when you are not using it on your hunting rig. I would rather have 2 expensive pieces of glass than 5-6 OK scopes. And don't cheap out on base/rings.

 

[snookntarpon]

I agree with the 280 AI. Just got myself a new 280 and having it reamed for AI. Going to see how it shoots the Nosler factory loads and if not top notch I will get some reloads until i find the right one.

But if you are not opposed to leaving the elk out of it (some might use it on elk but I think it is on the light side), make it a 25-06.

The 25-06 is a mule deer and whitetail hammer. I have a cooper in 25-06 and this tack driver has the capacity to short circuit deer on the spot out to 500. Not sure what it is but it art's them better than most of my other calibers, and this is the smallest caliber I shoot.

Ammo is plentiful off the shelf and reloading lets you really squeeze the max out of it. Pet load is Doubletap ammo's 110 gr NAB 110 gr at a magnetospeed of 3175fps. Zero at 200 and i am over 2000 fps at 600 yards (9.6 moa) and that is my deer limit with this bullet.

Love my 7mm bullets on everything, but on anything under 400lbs and 600 yards i will take my quarter bore hammer every day.

 

[lckytylr]

Awesome Replies everyone. It's going to be a very fun process.

 

[HARPERC]

If kids and wife are in the mix, fit becomes more important than the minor variations in a host of mid range calibers.

I have a 6mm Remington set up as such. In 30+ years the compact size and weight is still its best feature. Not enough 6mm brass out there to recommend it as a cartridge choice, the only advice I have is do a quick check of component availability before you choose.

 

[Tabascoman79]

I'd look at a 243ai. 6mm bullets are plenty full and won't break the bank. I try to always build off a long action. I did a 6mm-06 and love it with 105gr hornady bthp. Or a 260/AI, I think it's definately a soft shooting round. Mine has no recoil at all but it weights close to 17 pounds