Lurking no longer! Questions from a learner!

[Joe Hendrix]

Hello all, my sons and I hunt everything we can and have been reloading for over a year for our pistols and rifles. We really enjoy it but, I have become obsessed with it. We have successfully loaded rounds for our 30-06's , 30-30's, and my wifes .308 and I am now out of rifles to reload for. A local smith has offered to build a Remington 700, .308 for me at a good price. He is asking me a lot of questions about the barrel which I am hesitant to answer.

I plan on trying to hunt as many things with it as possible and want to start learning long distance shooting with it. I live in an area where I am lucky in that I can hunt everything from squirrels to elk with pretty much everything in between. I would like to be able to load rounds all the way up to 200ish grains and would like the weapon to be able to shoot around a grand also. I don't know if that is possible to have such versatility but that is what I am looking for.

Suggestions on barrel length, profile, rifling twist, crown, etc etc are what I am looking for. I guess I am not too good at using the search engine on this forum and apologies in advance if anyone wants to flame me. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[gohring3006]

I don't know what the situation is with your action if you want a short action or if its available at a good price but if you have a choice and don't want to go magnum I personally would go with 3006 but the 308 is definitely capable but it was easier to get the heavies out there with the extra case capacity....

 

[MudRunner2005]

Hello all, my sons and I hunt everything we can and have been reloading for over a year for our pistols and rifles. We really enjoy it but, I have become obsessed with it. We have successfully loaded rounds for our 30-06's , 30-30's, and my wifes .308 and I am now out of rifles to reload for. A local smith has offered to build a Remington 700, .308 for me at a good price. He is asking me a lot of questions about the barrel which I am hesitant to answer.

I plan on trying to hunt as many things with it as possible and want to start learning long distance shooting with it. I live in an area where I am lucky in that I can hunt everything from squirrels to elk with pretty much everything in between. I would like to be able to load rounds all the way up to 200ish grains and would like the weapon to be able to shoot around a grand also. I don't know if that is possible to have such versatility but that is what I am looking for.

Suggestions on barrel length, profile, rifling twist, crown, etc etc are what I am looking for. I guess I am not too good at using the search engine on this forum and apologies in advance if anyone wants to flame me. Thanks in advance for your help.

You will enjoy the .308...But have the smith build it on a Rem 700 long action instead of the short action. If you plan on shooting long and heavy, high BC bullets for LR shooting and hunting, then you will be glad I suggested this. Because the magazine length in a 700 short action is so short, you can barely load .308 rounds in there, that are barely longer than SAAMI specs of 2.810" OAL. The long action will allow you to use the long heavy bullets, and still have the rifle as a "repeater" where you can load them into the mag with no issues and cycle them perfectly.

Also, I recommend the Berger 210 VLD's and seating them right up near the lands. I also recommend Lapua brass (best there is, IMO). And Varget powder.

As for barrel length, I recommend a 24-26" barrel. With 11.25" 5R rifling. Recessed target crown works just fine.

As for barrel brands, I like Bartlein, Krieger, Rock Creek, Obermeyer, Lilja, and Mullerworks. They all appear to be very quality brands, and I haven't heard anything negative about any of them.

 

[FEENIX]

Hello all, my sons and I hunt everything we can and have been reloading for over a year for our pistols and rifles. We really enjoy it but, I have become obsessed with it. We have successfully loaded rounds for our 30-06's , 30-30's, and my wifes .308 and I am now out of rifles to reload for. A local smith has offered to build a Remington 700, .308 for me at a good price. He is asking me a lot of questions about the barrel which I am hesitant to answer.

I plan on trying to hunt as many things with it as possible and want to start learning long distance shooting with it. I live in an area where I am lucky in that I can hunt everything from squirrels to elk with pretty much everything in between. I would like to be able to load rounds all the way up to 200ish grains and would like the weapon to be able to shoot around a grand also. I don't know if that is possible to have such versatility but that is what I am looking for.

Suggestions on barrel length, profile, rifling twist, crown, etc etc are what I am looking for. I guess I am not too good at using the search engine on this forum and apologies in advance if anyone wants to flame me. Thanks in advance for your help.

Welcome to LRH and enjoy!

Ask your gunsmith on what his recommendations are and then post here if you want LRH members' recommendations

 

[roninflag]

Joe- just get a remington long range in 30-06 . no wait. you already have dies. lapua brass, berger bullets , 210m primers. and start shooting. if you go the custom route. i would get a 1-10 or 11 inch ,26-28 inch barrel. the fatter the barrel the bettter . bartlein, brux krieger others.

 

[Joe Hendrix]

Thanks everyone for the information. I am intrigued by a couple of the posts wherein the 30-06 has been mentioned as an alternative for a custom built gun. I should have thought of that. Stupid. Haha I reload for our 30-06's now. I own a browning a bolt medallion and it is shooting pretty well but the thought of a new custom gun has got me hooked. Whatever it is that I have built, it is going to get hauled around all over the place. I am not into magnum rifles. I have shot a lot of my my friends magnum ' rifles and the comps are ridiculously loud. The recoil is not something I enjoy either. Ankhs for the welcome posts. Thanks to LRH.

 

[roninflag]

i have several remingtons with krieger barrels, one hart. once i shot those i was a believer.

 

[trebark]

Here are some good examples you can use as the basis for your build....

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f53/my-7saum-hawk-hill-custom-135561/

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f53/my-260-mcr-59628/

Alternatively, if you want to go the semi-custom, here's a good example:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f53/nephews-transformed-rifle-53634/

As for cartridge choice, there are many. Generally speaking, you need to make your choice based on the largest game you want to hunt and the distance you expect to engage that target. If your plan is to hunt elk at longrange, I would recommend the 300win mag (or bigger) (and a nice muzzle brake if you're recoil averse)

 

[J E Custom]

Thanks everyone for the information. I am intrigued by a couple of the posts wherein the 30-06 has been mentioned as an alternative for a custom built gun. I should have thought of that. Stupid. Haha I reload for our 30-06's now. I own a browning a bolt medallion and it is shooting pretty well but the thought of a new custom gun has got me hooked. Whatever it is that I have built, it is going to get hauled around all over the place. I am not into magnum rifles. I have shot a lot of my my friends magnum ' rifles and the comps are ridiculously loud. The recoil is not something I enjoy either. Ankhs for the welcome posts. Thanks to LRH.

Lots of good recommendations to think about.

If you are not into magnums then the 30/06 would be a fine choice.

The Long action Remington is a natural to build on because of so many after market parts
and its ability to respond to precision work. (If done correct, they will shoot with anything)

If you intend to shoot a wide range of bullets I would recommend a 1 in 10 twist.

If you don't like muzzle brakes I would recommend one of the premium barrels, 24'' to 26'' long
with a muzzle diameter somewhere around .750 to .800 to help manage the recoil when you are shooting the heavy bullets.

There is nothing like owning a custom rifle and it should be exactly what "YOU" want and like.

Have fun and good luck with your build.

J E CUSTOM