Which caliber for Remington 700 long action (3006 bolt face) rebarrel?

[7070yshot]

I have a Remington 700 long action with a bolt face for a 3006 and it is the drop floorplate type action for the internal magazine. What are some other cartridge options for this rifle with no modification other than the barrel swap of course? This would be hunting out to 400 yards (deer with a very occasional black bear) and target shooting out to 600 yards. I wish to keep relatively light weight so the barrel will be a sporter or magnum sporter type contour. I would like to keep the barrel to 24 inches max. I will put a brake on it if it is anything more than say a 7mm08 haha as I do not care for recoil lol. Open to all suggestions! As an FYI I do reload so outside the norm cartridges are ok. I currently shoot a 6.5creed, 6.5 prc (my love at the moment haha), 7mm08, 7mm rem mag and a 28nosler. I am trying to avoid hyper barrel burners like the 28nosler but I am ok with slight barrel burners like the traditional 300 win mag or 7mm rem mag. Thanks!

Not a complete list but just check for .470 bolt face

6mm Remington
240 Weatherby Mag
257 Roberts
25-06 Remington
6.5x55 Swedish
270 Winchester
7x57 Mauser
7x64 Brenneke
280 Remington
30/06 Springfield
8mm Mauser
338/06 A Square
35 Whelen

 

[GSP814]

Another vote for the 280 AI!

 

[Will Gray]

I would choose the 35 Whelen: powerful, good range an accurate. It exploits the power available from the 30-06 case much like the 358 Winchester does from the 308 case. You need to hand load to make these two grand old cartridges sing.

 

[Starlite]

Call me old fashioned. Wouldn't a 20" fluted barrel in 270win be the perfect start. Was the king for over 95years.

 

[Pauleye]

280 AI. Easy to reload. Nosler makes ammo. By brass or fire form. I'm waiting for my barrel to make one. Two month wait.

 

[GunsnFitness]

Ringing the 280 AI bell again as well as the 6.5-284 Norma. Both would be excellent long action standard bolt face cartridges.

 

[George Koch]

I have a Remington 700 long action with a bolt face for a 3006 and it is the drop floorplate type action for the internal magazine. What are some other cartridge options for this rifle with no modification other than the barrel swap of course? This would be hunting out to 400 yards (deer with a very occasional black bear) and target shooting out to 600 yards. I wish to keep relatively light weight so the barrel will be a sporter or magnum sporter type contour. I would like to keep the barrel to 24 inches max. I will put a brake on it if it is anything more than say a 7mm08 haha as I do not care for recoil lol. Open to all suggestions! As an FYI I do reload so outside the norm cartridges are ok. I currently shoot a 6.5creed, 6.5 prc (my love at the moment haha), 7mm08, 7mm rem mag and a 28nosler. I am trying to avoid hyper barrel burners like the 28nosler but I am ok with slight barrel burners like the traditional 300 win mag or 7mm rem mag. Thanks!

I hate to say it but the current gun you have should do that now I have a 270 that will. The shot on the bear is a little long considering you can get considerably closer then that

 

[DirectDrive]

I would say 280AI as well but you already have 7mm thoroughly covered.
And 6.5 is covered well.
Why not take a look at your 6.5PRC's big brother, 300PRC ?

That one has piqued my interest.

 

[wonderman4]

Since you want to shoot targets @600 and game at 400, don't enjoy recoil, then the obvious choice is to build a long action 308 Win. Same bolt face.

The 308 Win was used extensively at 1000 yds in its run at match shooting.

 

[73driver]

KISS 270 win or 280 rem. Both will work nicely on black bear or deer. Excellent for deer out to 500. If you want to complicate it a bit 6.5-06.

 

[112Savage]

With the cartridges you have and the boltface you have currently I would lean toward a 30 caliber such as the 30-06 with one of the specialty reamers or toward a 25 caliber. The problem with 25 caliber is that without specialty bullets it won't do anything that your other rifles won't do better. If I were in your situation I would look at the following.

280AI
30-06 (specialty reamer or AI/Sherman)
6.5 Sherman or 6.5 RPM
25-06 or 257 RPM

Depending on your other rifle/cartridge configurations you could build this one to fill a different niche with barrel diameter/length, scope type and stock type. By doing this you could avoid ballistic redundancy by having a more purpose built rifle.
If you're open to opening the bolt face of changing the bolt and barrel together, then there are endless possibilities.

 

[Quintus]

Be the first kid on your block with a 6.5RPM. More potential than the PRC on a standard bolt face and Cool as the other side of the pillow.

 

[jkwright]

280 ai is cool but you kinda have that covered. Could do a fast twist 6mm remington ai. Launch some higher bc 6mm bullets fairly fast.

 

[usmc45]

Of course with your set of requirements i would say 280AI........but you already have stuff in that realm so why not have some fun and go big.
I say 35 Whelen or 9.3x62. I know that 370 Sako never took off but that sure looks like fun as well.