Help me plan my re-barrelling

[mrjashu]

I have several factory rifles that I would like to use as platforms to start to upgrade my hunting rifle fleet. My plan is to slowly re-barrel them over time as funds allow. Please help me match cartridges with existing rifles as re-barrel candidates and provide any recommendation on order of upgrades. I do reload, so as long as brass is available I should be good.

Here's are the three factory rifles I'm working with:
1. Remington 700 chambered in 300wsm; Short action, magnum bolt face with Wyatt's box magazine.
2. Howa 1500 chambered in 300 winmag; Long action, magnum bolt face factory Howa magazine length
3. Winchester 70 chambered in 270wsm; Short action, magnum bolt face with factory Winchester magazine length

Here's what I'd like to end up with.
1. 8-9lb rifle for large game (in my mind that means 7mm minimum, 30cal preferred)
2. 8-9lb rifle for medium game (6mm minimum, 6.5mm preferred)
3. 8-9lb rifle to backup 1 & 2 and be a loaner for friends

Assuming that triggers and stocks etc are good to go, how would you start to re-barrel these rifles?

 

[Canhunter35]

Duplicate

 

[MudRunner2005]

Here's what I would do...

1) 700 WSM action - 26" 1:8 twist Proof barrel chambered for 7mm SS.
2) Howa Magnum LA - 26" 7mm RemMag 1:8 twist Bartlein 3B fluted contour.
3) Win 70 WSM action - 26" 1:7 twist Bartlein Sendero barrel chambered for .25 SST.

 

[Canhunter35]

Do you reload?
The rem and Winchester are probably fine. I'd maybe change twist rates on them, use the heavier bullets.
For cartridge options, I like the 7ss(Sherman short) for whichever has the shorter magazine.
With the wyatts you're set up to rebarrel with a 6.5prc.
I'm getting a howa action rebarreled. I went with 8twist 7rem mag and had aics bottom metal put on so I have a magazine limit of 3.7". Lots of room to run 180class bullets.

if you're gonna switch them all, I'd go, 300wsm in howa(3.5" mag length) 9twist for heavies
6.5prc in 700(Wyatt's box should give enough room)
7ss or 270WSM in the model 70. Either 8twist

 

[mrjashu]

Do you reload?

.....
if you're gonna switch them all, I'd go, 300wsm in howa(3.5" mag length) 9twist for heavies
6.5prc in 700(Wyatt's box should give enough room)
7ss or 270WSM in the model 70. Either 8twist

Yes I do reload.
Thanks for the recommendations (you're very close to my original thinking on this as well )

 

[Mach 1]

You can't do much better than the cartridges you already have chambered. Plus if you already reload you don't have to buy any new dies or brass. I think I would leave the howa chambered in 300 WinMag. I would re-chamber the 270 short mag to 300 short mag. And I would chamber the Remington 700 in 6.5 PRC or 6.5 win short mag since those cartridges use a mag bolt face. All of your actions are using a mag bolt face so the majority of the 6.5s are Out of the question unless you get a replacement bolt with a 308 boldface. I am a big 300 WSM fan. So if it were actually up to me I would probably chamber both short actions and the long action and 300 win short mag.

 

[BEEMAN]

7SS and a 6SST or 25SST. I'd also keep the Howa in 300 Win Mag. Could put a new barrel on it and shoot 215 Bergers. But if it's a 10 twist and shoots good I'd leave it the way it is. Could also do a 6.5SS if you need a 6.5 in your lineup.

 

[mrjashu]

Lots of love for the Sherman cartridges, this is great feedback.

 

[Chamberman]

1) 7mm SS!!
2) 300 PRC S.I.
3) 6.5mm PRC or 6.5 SS

 

[65WSM]

I have rebarreled #2 and #3 actions. I also had little faith and wasted a lot of good components on factory barrels. I like custom barrels. I chose to rebarrel my .300 WSM to the same cartridge.

I like the 6.5 WSM for the Howa. The advantages of the longer magazine would allow throating for long bullets and still feed. The Nosler WSM cases are better than the Hornady brass of the 6.5 PRC. Another brass maker may pick up the 6.5 PRC, but not this minute. Rock Creek makes a lighter weight (smaller diameter) fluted barrel for the short mags that they finish to 26 or 24 inches. I have three of those. One rifle is a 6.5 WSM and 7.1 pounds with steel Conetrol rings and bases and a 2.5-10X36 Sightron with a 26inch length.

I talked to Travis at R-Bros in September before "deer" season. He and his brothers are having fun with 24inch barreled 6.5 WSMs shooting 140gr Bergers at 3300 fps. Travis makes a thousand custom rifles a year in the $5K range. He shoots all of them, off a bipod, prone, before he delivers. Reloader 26 is the powder. Travis and I agree.