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

[SJBPEP]

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!

280 AI !

 

[Tallest]

I'm just going to say 280AI one more time! Not because it's the right answer (it is), but because this dead horse is worth beating!

 

[Sanford338]

I had the same dilemma 2 years ago and I settled on a 284 win. I ordered a reamer (lapua based) from JGS, stock from AG composites, 143 Hammer bullets, and now I have my favorite deer/antelope rifle.

Been wanting to try the hammer line of bullets & the AG composites stock. How do you like'm? Thanks..

 

[WahooYahoo]

I don't see any 30cals on the list of what you have, and you said you'd be open to a 300WM... so I'd vote that or a 30-06AI. That keeps you able to use .308 components in two of the most-used calibers out there, so fewer bottlenecks on supplies.

This is assuming you don't buy enough to burn out the barrel up front, which isn't a bad idea either.

Maybe a 30-06 Ai with a throat that will accommodate longer heavies and a faster twist barrel. Could be a good setup for hammers or other monos AND you can dumbfound others who's 30-06 can't keep up. Although I prefer the 7s over 30's , I've often wondered why the 30-06 crowd doesn't update it and make it a competitive cartridge again.

 

[JAYgs8163]

280AI or 6.5-284

 

[Backcountry sports]

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!

280 al would fit fine

 

[Chamberman]

You can always have the bolt face opened up to a mag bolt face & have an M-16 extractor installed.
Then, obviously you could step up to magnum class cartridges.

 

[PatriotHenry]

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!

Bigeclipse,

If you are not modifying your bolt face the magnums you mentioned are off the table. My vote is for one of the Sherman line since you are OK with "Outside the Norm". Check out the 27 and 28 Sherman. That is my 2 cents. Have fun!

PH

 

[txsheepman]

280AI or 6.5-284

280 AI !

I just did what you are discussing. I had a 1st generation 700 in 30-06. I went with the 6.5 Weatherby RPM. Same length and bolt face as 30-06 and more case capacity that the 6.5-284. We put the 2 reamers side by side they are identical except that the RPM is longer case. Good luck with your build.

 

[Kaptoe]

280ai but I am very interested in the 6.5rpm. Like the case design and had good luck with 6.5x284

 

[dxlbaile]

Why not do a 270 Win with a 1:8 twist and shoot the 170 Berger... It sure has been a hammer for me... You can get components any day of the week with the ole 270.. Hammer makes a sweet little bullet for the 270 also for smaller stuff.. Or the Sherman line of stuff seems fun.. The only reason to do a 280 AI or a 6.5 is to be like everyone else... . Just kidding don't anyone lose their mind and get defensive..
You have lots of options have fun..

 

[Mike Matteson]

I have a few Mauser 98 action open up to take a belted Mag Base, and worked fine. Not sure about a 700 action will do the same. I would look at a faster twist rate, because of all the bullets that are being built now that require a faster twist to stabilize. The 280AI gives a lot, and doesn't require opening up the bolt face. I don't know what in the way of reloading manuals you have. I would get a Sierra latest reloading manual. It has the widest range of caliber, and case by far over all the rest. That will give you a wider insight as to different caliber, velocity, and what they will do. Berger on line you can find out what twist rates for bullets you are looking at to use. It took me 6 months to determine what case I was going to use for a 6mm build. I had set on 6mm-06AI case. Looking into post on LRS, and the talk about the 280AI case. You can get top of the line cases in the case size. So I moved to a 6mm-280AI case. It's about .1 of long to the shoulder. Get a little more powder in the case. I generally use slower H. powders for my stile of reloading, shooting, and thinking. I had hand load everything for my rifles except 5.56.

 

[nvbowhunter]

338 Sherman for barrel life and energy on target too. It's an efficient cartridge that's extremely versatile and doesn't require a long barrel to yield great peformance.

 

[epoletna]

9.3X62. It's not a new cartridge by any means, but you'd be the only one in your crowd to have one! Heck, you'd be the only one in your crowd who ever heard of it. And it's a surprisingly good big game cartridge.