Re-barrel dilemma

[MerlinMc]

The 26 Nosler and 375 H&H are my two main "big game" hunting cartridges. The 375 is mainly DG and the 26 Nosler gets used for most everything else. The 26 Nosler has been very accurate, very comfortable to shoot with no muzzle break and very effective across a wide range of game.

Barrels are a consumable -- get another 26 Nosler barrel. It's an excellent hunting round. Even though its barrel life is short, that's still a lot of hunting.

Last weekend, a friend and I hunted for management/meat whitetail bucks. I took 3 deer with 3 shots -- all immediate, clean and humane dispatches around 200 yards. Here is an image of the damage from the inside shoulder on one of the deer. This is the side of the animal where the bullet entered. None of the shots were pass throughs.

 

[freddiej]

Howdy Folks,

I'm looking for a little input on which direction to go. I have a Nosler M48 Liberty chambered in 26 Nosler. I have it in a McMillan game hunter stock. I am sentimentally attached to the rifle for several reasons so a new gun isn't an option. I would like to rebarrel it with a proof carbon fiber sendero lite at around 22 inches. The trouble I'm having is which cartridge to go with. The 26 slams mulies and does horrible things to pronghorn. I like it as a hunting cartridge, and now days with things crazy it's one of the only things on the shelf consistantly. My concern is I don't want another rebarrel in the near future. Once I work up a good load and get good dope on the rifle out to 1200 yards the throat is going to be half gone again. I'm thinking something like the 6.5 PRC, 7mm WSM or SAUM. I do have some brass and dies for the SAUM already, but I'm not opposed to buying more ammo or dies. I also have several boxes of 26 Nosler still. Should I just go with the Nosler again or should I go one of my other choices? I'm spinning my tires at this point. No the 7mm Rem mag is not an option. I don't want any belted cartridges. Not looking for anything bigger either as I have a full custom 300 PRC. What do you folks think?

Thanks
SShultz

SSchultz, since you have all gear and the alike for the 26 Nosler, rebarrel back to the Nosler. I have done this to a few of my own rifles. I love the 300 win mag, 270 win and 270 WSM, 25-06 and 338 Win Mag. if it is not broke; you do not have to "fix" it. returning a gun to a trusted caliber is A-OK to a lot of people. I am rebuilding a lost gun in a belted wildcat cartridge. I am not even thinking twice about the rebuild. the gun was so wonderful, until stolen, that finding the right donor action to replicate the rifle was the hardest part so far.. well brass has been a bit tough, the dies are a special order but I know whom to ask for them, then the only thing now is the reamer which was easy, PTG had it on the shelf.
Personally I would just rebarrel the rifle to 27 nosler but that is a personal thing. have a great one.

 

[skipglo]

Howdy Folks,

I'm looking for a little input on which direction to go. I have a Nosler M48 Liberty chambered in 26 Nosler. I have it in a McMillan game hunter stock. I am sentimentally attached to the rifle for several reasons so a new gun isn't an option. I would like to rebarrel it with a proof carbon fiber sendero lite at around 22 inches. The trouble I'm having is which cartridge to go with. The 26 slams mulies and does horrible things to pronghorn. I like it as a hunting cartridge, and now days with things crazy it's one of the only things on the shelf consistantly. My concern is I don't want another rebarrel in the near future. Once I work up a good load and get good dope on the rifle out to 1200 yards the throat is going to be half gone again. I'm thinking something like the 6.5 PRC, 7mm WSM or SAUM. I do have some brass and dies for the SAUM already, but I'm not opposed to buying more ammo or dies. I also have several boxes of 26 Nosler still. Should I just go with the Nosler again or should I go one of my other choices? I'm spinning my tires at this point. No the 7mm Rem mag is not an option. I don't want any belted cartridges. Not looking for anything bigger either as I have a full custom 300 PRC. What do you folks think?

Thanks
SShultz

Stay with what you have! One vote

 

[FEENIX]

This is why "I" never ask what rifle to build or buy.

 

[howco]

Nobody has given bad advice, but I'd stick with the 26 nosler. You are familiar with it ,have ammo and you shouldn't have to worry about the barrel if you shoot the 300 prc too. I went to stretch my legs yesterday at Sportsman's, only say that because I knew the store would be empty. However, there was no shortage of 26 nosler or 28 nosler ammo.

 

[Wilderness Blacktail]

Not sure if this matters to you but capacity was one of the deciding factors when I decided what to change calibers to on my 6.5-300wby.
The short mags of winchester and Remington have 2 down capacity, the Ruger RCM & PRC have 3 down capacity as do the belted mags.

So i have 22", 7.5 twist, 7mm rem mag coming in a month.

 

[mrultramag]

Given the OP requirements of 22" bbl and factory ammo options, 7 saum or 6.5prc

 

[manitou]

Since you have dies, I vote the 7SAUM. Roll your own. A great cartridge. Or, like stated above, go back to the 26. My personal preference is a cartridge that doesn't fry barrels in 1000 rds as re-barreling is expensive and mostly, inconvenient.
Ultimately, the 7mm WSM is the one that tugs at my heart strings the most, just because I have always wanted one.

 

[im338]

I would go with the 28 nosler, but I like 7mm and 338 bullets. You might look into bartleins new steel barrels 400modbb last alot longer. Its a little more thorough. Go with your gut on what you want. Let us know what you go with.

 

[Wilderness Blacktail]

Given the OP requirements of 22" bbl and factory ammo options, 7 saum or 6.5prc

I have the Ruger Hawkeye Hunter in 6.5PRC. 22" handy rifle spitting a 124HH or 127LRX at right about 3200 is not a bad place to be at all! It hits hard!

 

[jarnold37]

Howdy Folks,

I'm looking for a little input on which direction to go. I have a Nosler M48 Liberty chambered in 26 Nosler. I have it in a McMillan game hunter stock. I am sentimentally attached to the rifle for several reasons so a new gun isn't an option. I would like to rebarrel it with a proof carbon fiber sendero lite at around 22 inches. The trouble I'm having is which cartridge to go with. The 26 slams mulies and does horrible things to pronghorn. I like it as a hunting cartridge, and now days with things crazy it's one of the only things on the shelf consistantly. My concern is I don't want another rebarrel in the near future. Once I work up a good load and get good dope on the rifle out to 1200 yards the throat is going to be half gone again. I'm thinking something like the 6.5 PRC, 7mm WSM or SAUM. I do have some brass and dies for the SAUM already, but I'm not opposed to buying more ammo or dies. I also have several boxes of 26 Nosler still. Should I just go with the Nosler again or should I go one of my other choices? I'm spinning my tires at this point. No the 7mm Rem mag is not an option. I don't want any belted cartridges. Not looking for anything bigger either as I have a full custom 300 PRC. What do you folks think?

Thanks
SShultz

Howdy Folks,

I'm looking for a little input on which direction to go. I have a Nosler M48 Liberty chambered in 26 Nosler. I have it in a McMillan game hunter stock. I am sentimentally attached to the rifle for several reasons so a new gun isn't an option. I would like to rebarrel it with a proof carbon fiber sendero lite at around 22 inches. The trouble I'm having is which cartridge to go with. The 26 slams mulies and does horrible things to pronghorn. I like it as a hunting cartridge, and now days with things crazy it's one of the only things on the shelf consistantly. My concern is I don't want another rebarrel in the near future. Once I work up a good load and get good dope on the rifle out to 1200 yards the throat is going to be half gone again. I'm thinking something like the 6.5 PRC, 7mm WSM or SAUM. I do have some brass and dies for the SAUM already, but I'm not opposed to buying more ammo or dies. I also have several boxes of 26 Nosler still. Should I just go with the Nosler again or should I go one of my other choices? I'm spinning my tires at this point. No the 7mm Rem mag is not an option. I don't want any belted cartridges. Not looking for anything bigger either as I have a full custom 300 PRC. What do you folks think?

Thanks
SShultz

Sounds a little like my dilema several years ago. But I found a way to relieve the stress and frustration of which chambering to go with. I just took a leap and bought a lathe. An article in Precision Shooting magazine was entitled " If I can do it you can too" and I fell for it. That started the enjoyable learning curve. Actually, it didnt make my decisions on chamberings and choices any more clear cut, but it certainly took my mind off of those choices. Now, at this point, I had other decisions that took over. Tooling, chucks, fixtures, procedures etc. What did essentially eliminate worry about what caliber, cartridge, chambering to go with, due to the fact I could do it much easier and quicker with my own lathe, was substituted by another more involved concern. Maybe I was better off before with just a couple or three decisions instead of a never ending lists of decisions not to mention a never ending list of wants. lol

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I really am a fan of the 6.5. Very versatile. There are plenty of bullets and cartridges out there and keeping it in a SA you can shoot 85gr to 150gr. So Varmint, predator, Large game (deer, prong). In Europe 6.5 is the main bullet for Elk/Moose.

 

[Rooks]

Howdy Folks,

I'm looking for a little input on which direction to go. I have a Nosler M48 Liberty chambered in 26 Nosler. I have it in a McMillan game hunter stock. I am sentimentally attached to the rifle for several reasons so a new gun isn't an option. I would like to rebarrel it with a proof carbon fiber sendero lite at around 22 inches. The trouble I'm having is which cartridge to go with. The 26 slams mulies and does horrible things to pronghorn. I like it as a hunting cartridge, and now days with things crazy it's one of the only things on the shelf consistantly. My concern is I don't want another rebarrel in the near future. Once I work up a good load and get good dope on the rifle out to 1200 yards the throat is going to be half gone again. I'm thinking something like the 6.5 PRC, 7mm WSM or SAUM. I do have some brass and dies for the SAUM already, but I'm not opposed to buying more ammo or dies. I also have several boxes of 26 Nosler still. Should I just go with the Nosler again or should I go one of my other choices? I'm spinning my tires at this point. No the 7mm Rem mag is not an option. I don't want any belted cartridges. Not looking for anything bigger either as I have a full custom 300 PRC. What do you folks think?

Thanks
SShultz

I've never loaded for 26 Nosler but 22" barrel seems short for such a large case. If that finish length is something you're set on I would think that a short mag of some kind would suit that barrel length better.

 

[Treeslug]

Saums are awesome cartridges and will hammer both deer and pronghorn no problem

Anything with "Ultra Mag" in the name is awesome.