30/06 to 300WM, 300RUM, 308NM, or...

[azsugarbear]

I'm with Mudrunner on this one. The least expensive route to make your current rifle into a decent LR rig would be the 280 AI. I know you want something bigger, but the 7mm bullet has a long and respected history in LR shooting. Ballistically, it gives up very little to the 7mm Rem Mag.

If you feel you need a big 300 or 338 magnum, I wouldn't try to convert your current action. Just sell it as is and buy a used long action with a magnum bolt head. It will run you about $25 to $50 more, but that is still a lot less than what you would pay a smith to convert your current action.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

One of the virtues of the Remington 700 long action is that it is long enough to accommodate full length magnums with a COAL of around 3.6". If you have your rifle fitted with a Wyatt's magazine box, you can go even longer. That gives you a lot of flexibility in cartridge choice.

You haven't said what your intended use for your rifle is, so it is difficult to narrow down the choices.

If you intend to stay with the standard .473 bolt face and/or within the 30-06 case family, you may wish to contact forum member elkaholic. He has developed improved versions of most of the 30-06 based cartridges and wildcats that are similar in performance to the old Gibbs cartridges, but with a more user friendly design.

If you want to step up to magnum cartridges, you will either need to have your bolt (and possibly the feed rails on your action) modified for the .532 case head. You can also buy an aftermarket magnum bolt, which will offer a number of other improvements as well.

The .532 case head will accommodate the standard length Win Mags (or .308 Norma), cartridges based on the .375 Ruger case, Weatherby Mags (except for the .378 based Weatherbys), H&H Mags, and RUM cartridges.

Be advised that, although Remington offers rifles chambered in .338 Lapua, most custom gunsmiths don't view the 700 action as suitable for the larger case diameter of the .416 Rigby based cartridges such a .338 Lapua, .338 Norma, and .300 Norma.

Within these parameters, you can pick the bullet diameter and case family that most interests you and best fits your goals and purposes for your rifle. From there, it is possible to make a better determination of what parts will be best suited for your application. Your cartridge choice will heavily influence things like barrel length and profile, desired stock features, desired finished rifle weight, and whether or not you would want/need a muzzle brake. All of those things will also be influenced by your level of recoil tolerance.

When making your cartridge selection, don't forget to seriously and realistically consider whether or not availability of factory ammo is important to you and how much interest you have in hand loading. Even if you choose a cartridge with good factory ammo availability, realize that proper hand loading is still a necessity if true long range shooting is among your goals.

If you just want to accurize your rifle, you may be best served by staying with the 30-06 and going with an aftermarket stock, barrel, and trigger. Have it all trued up and properly bedded, and you might be surprised at how much performance you can actually squeeze out of the old '06 with the latest powders and bullets.

I agree with the above.

You haven't stated your needs or purpose for the rifle so it's hard to make a recommendation. The only reason I have a 300 RUM is for LR hunting to past 1K and elk is on the menu. A 338 WM is going to come up short of 1K hunting. The 308 Norma is almost identical to the 300 WM and capable of 1K hunting.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

I would like to convert to a .338WM or a .300WM if for no other reason that brass and ammunition is readily available. My main uses would be for CO elk/deer, and some day when I inherit a 20K or win the lottery I want to do a self guided Moose/Caribou hunt in AK. It sound as though I can change the bolt, barrel, stock and get to this fairly easy correct? Or am I just a knucklehead for even thinking about this? Since McMillan is here in AZ I was going to visit them.

Didn't get a chance to read this prior to my previous post. Since deer AND elk are on the menu, I recommend a 30 or 338 cal. Distance you want to would determine case size. If you want to hunt to 1K or more, go with the 300 RUM or 338 RUM or EDGE.

 

[hawk4974]

I realize just buying a new rifle would be a better route to take but there's a little man on my shoulder that says "custom rifle...." and it puts a smile on my face.

With regard to barrel length, I would definitely upgrade in quality and length plus add a muzzle break. The furthest I generally shoot is 500-600 yards so the 1k mark is not really there. However I wouldn't mind joining a LR club a Rio Salado or Ben Avery.

There was ONE time where I wish I had the 1k capability but the monster bull was walking AWAY from me in a valley with a couple of cows in front of him and I was on the ridge so I wouldn't have taken the shot anyway.

I've owned a .338 with a KDF on it and I absolutely LOVED shooting that rifle. That's why I keep thinking about that round. I want to look at the Ackley a little more and see what the ballistics are. I really like the sound of the 7mm STW but I'll probably start a firestorm with that comment. Either way I go, I want it to be very accurate, spray and pray isn't my style.

 

[hawk4974]

Didn't get a chance to read this prior to my previous post. Since deer AND elk are on the menu, I recommend a 30 or 338 cal. Distance you want to would determine case size. If you want to hunt to 1K or more, go with the 300 RUM or 338 RUM or EDGE.

Will the action accept a 300 RUM? It was suggested earlier that the case would be too long to extract.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Will the action accept a 300 RUM? It was suggested earlier that the case would be too long to extract.

If it is a 700 action, yes it will work. You will want to get the Wyatt's 4" extedended mag box with center feed box and follower. I am running the 300 Ultra on a 700 action.

That said, I would recommend selling your rifle if you can get a good price for it and putting the $$$ to a custom action.

 

[hawk4974]

So I've been looking at the 280 AI and it seems as though I may as well leave it as a 30/06. When you look at the ballistics they are almost identical. The only benefit would be the BC of the narrower bullet. I also looked at the 30/06 AI and it sounds like it's marginally better than the original.

Does anyone know any good custom builders in AZ?

 

[MontanaRifleman]

So I've been looking at the 280 AI and it seems as though I may as well leave it as a 30/06. When you look at the ballistics they are almost identical. The only benefit would be the BC of the narrower bullet. I also looked at the 30/06 AI and it sounds like it's marginally better than the original.

Does anyone know any good custom builders in AZ?

If you're going to do an AI, you might want to check this out...

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/300-sherman-vs-06-a-130533/

Something else to consider is necking down and improving the 8x68S It will get you in between the 300 WM and RUM, like a 300 Dakota. Without improving it, it is the same capacity as the 300 WM. Good Norma brass is availble at a reasonable price.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1311173142/norma-usa-reloading-brass-8x68s?cm_vc=ProductFinding


Or just go with a Dakota. No fussing with forming, etc

 

[Jud96]

So I've been looking at the 280 AI and it seems as though I may as well leave it as a 30/06. When you look at the ballistics they are almost identical. The only benefit would be the BC of the narrower bullet. I also looked at the 30/06 AI and it sounds like it's marginally better than the original.

Does anyone know any good custom builders in AZ?

You could sell your rifle you have now and buy a Remington 700 Long Range. They run around $650-700 and are chambered in .25-06, 7mm Remington Mag, .30-06, .300 WIN Mag, and .300 RUM. They come from the factory with B&C stocks and a 26" varmint contour barrel. I know its not a custom, but a great place to start into long range hunting.

 

[azsugarbear]

Hey hawk,

Since we both live and hunt in AZ, let's be honest with each other. Nobody ever actually draws out for elk and deer. We just accumulate preference points, right?

All the good smiths are backlogged right now, but here is one I can recommend:

Home Page

See you in the hills!

 

[hawk4974]

Hey hawk,

Since we both live and hunt in AZ, let's be honest with each other. Nobody ever actually draws out for elk and deer. We just accumulate preference points, right?

All the good smiths are backlogged right now, but here is one I can recommend:

Home Page

See you in the hills!

I know it's impolite to use the word hate, but I HATE big game hunting in AZ!! That's why I pay extra and go for Elk and deer in CO! You shouldn't have to wait 20 years to shoot one animal. At least the point system in CO makes sense. Every preference point you earn puts you ahead of everyone so eventually you're guaranteed a tag. The longest I've ever had to wait though has been 1 year.

 

[azsugarbear]

CO has an elk herd of roughly 300,000+ animals. AZ has just over 30,000 elk. It's simple math. Let everyone go every two years and there will be no elk left in ten years. I think AZGFD has done a great job in managing the limited elk resources we do have. It's tough getting drawn for a good hunt, but when you do - it is a quality experience.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

CO has an elk herd of roughly 300,000+ animals. AZ has just over 30,000 elk. It's simple math. Let everyone go every two years and there will be no elk left in ten years. I think AZGFD has done a great job in managing the limited elk resources we do have. It's tough getting drawn for a good hunt, but when you do - it is a quality experience.

The math is gonna get a lot tougher when the wolves get there.

 

[azsugarbear]

They are already here. The Mexican grey wolf was reintroduced some 8-9 years ago into the Blue River Wilderness area in far eastern AZ. It's a long time to be holding your breath. More have been released into NM. So far, they haven't really taken hold. Still less than 100 in AZ, but most have left the wilderness area and migrated west into more 'productive' area.