What coues caliber to build off a Remington 700 Long Action

[CouesPursuit]

Buy it then sell it for profit then buy 6.5-300 wby

 

lol - it's my brother, I would have a hard time selling it for profit and not just give him the money. Building something he gave me on a deal that we keep in the family forever sounds much more appealing, but thanks for the thought!!

[Hoss50]

If you want factory ammo available .25-06 would be my choice.

[Tac]

whats wrong with a 260?

nothing it is a 6.5

[Douglas-gun-guy]

Thanks, all!

 

Yes, I hand load.

 

I understand I left out a lot of great calibers such as the .280, but with a 7mm that is shooting -MOA and perfectly fine as is, I am reluctant to get into too big of a cartridge. I don't want to burn that much powder.

 

I also hesitate to get into the wildcats. I under the ballistic benefit, but I still want this to be a gun I can pick up some factory ammo for or find it on someone else's shelf in a pinch or SHTF situation.

hard to beat a good solid built 270win for that type of situation. I am a rifle builder and I would recommend to you 270, 280AI, or 25-06.

The 25-06 might be a good fit for you. I actually just rebarreled a 30-06 to my wildcat 6.5-270AI for a customer.

[azgutpile]

Whatever you decide, make sure Lapua makes brass for it.

[forepaw]

Using very similar criteria, I bought a Tikka T3 Hunter 6.5x55 SE. I was leaning toward more of a 1k target rifle, and considered the T3 Varmint, but it is only available in this country in .223 and .22-250. The Tikka CTR is known to be outstandingly accurate, but it is too bulky and heavy for a Coues or sheep rifle, though it could definitely handle the 600 yd. limit you imposed, and then some.

 

You could re-barrel your .30-06 to the Swede. The bolt face on your Rem. 700 is 0.473" and the Swede is 0.480", so depending on the brass and the bolt face tolerance, you might need to have it opened slightly. No big deal. No other changes would be needed. The magazine will work as is.

 

The Swede is about midway between the .257 Roberts and the .270. In other words, close to a .25-06, except you swap mv for better B.C. and choice of much heavier bullets if you ever want to shoot elk or moose. The max SAFE load (using H4350 and 140 match bullets) looks to be about 1.0 - 1.5 gr. less than the 6.5x284, but I will know more as I get some loads developed.

 

If you want a really high-performing wildcat, go to a 6.5x55 AI. No experience with one, but from what I have read it offers a significant improvement over the standard Swede (which is a good round in the standard form).

 

forepaw

[Hoss50]

I love 6.5x55 and think it is a great round too. They have developed alot of new rounds that don't do much if anything better than the Swedish 6.5 has been doing for over 100 years. They sell because they are new and trendy.

[DesertBull]

Whatever you decide, make sure Lapua makes brass for it.

 

I think the Nosler and Norma brass is just as good. Cost more though.

[forepaw]

Actually the Swede is 120 years old. I don't think they realized at the time what an ideal combination of inherent accuracy, light recoil, low muzzle blast, and bullet weight and shape they had. They were some pretty smart hombres, so maybe they did - they got rate of twist right.

 

A lot of modern calibers shoot heavier bullets, faster, and hit with more energy at long range. But as you get older, and get tired of lugging all that stuff around on long walks, then a lightweight, accurate, flat-shooting rifle like the Swede begins to have some appeal. You can use 100 or 120 gr. bullets for varmints, or 160 gr. for big stuff. Competition-quality match bullets are everywhere. That is the biggest drawback to the .25-06 in my opinion, but then it is more of a hunting caliber. The choices of factory ammo for the Swede tend to be a little thin, but most hunters, and virtually all target shooters, will no doubt want to handload for it..

 

forepaw

[Hoss50]

I am not even that old and I am tired of hard hitting magnums and am working toward lighter classic calibers. I have my dad's 6.5x55 mauser that was sporterized by Kimber in the 80's. Light, handy, and shoots well. I also just picked up a Ruger M77 in 7x57 Mauser to work on getting into hunt shape. Both are classic and great rounds that are efficient butt don't kill the shooter on recoil and in the right rifle they don't kill your back either.

 

I love my 257 weatherby, but I wish they would make a 130-140gr bullet for it. I don't hot load it though so it is more of a 25-06.

 

Harley

[Bobbyhcp]

I say 280AI I just had one built and I love it

[77man]

I love my 25-06 first rifle I ever owned. If I wanted something bigger I would do 280 AI.

[AxisWorks LLC]

Been a little side tracked getting the Cerakote station up and running the last few weeks. I'll be finishing up the muzzle end on the stiller/proof research 6.5 Sherman short build this week and get some pictures up. I'll be starting another 6.5 SS build on a Tikka action as soon as the barrel blank showed up. Should be another lite back country tac driver for the tikka guys.👍

[L Cazador]

A lot of interesting suggestions here! Long action Remy and you want to work the cartridge through the magazine I assume. Since you have a 7mm mag the 280AI is basically it's twin without a belt, so that's out(one of my favorites btw). I'd go 6.5/284 and if you reload I'd do a 6.5/285 Shehane, 100fps faster with the 140's and you don't have to stand on the brass. However you want to do factory, hmm custom rifle but still factory. But if factory is the way you want to go, then so be it and get a good custom barrel in an 8 twist that will shoot those 140-145 bullets perfectly. Be sure to get a custom reamer made with the proper freebore so you can shoot the factory stuff which has the bullets sunk down to zero freebore levels as well!