Help me choose a caliber for Remington 700 BDL

D

Dogger

New member
Can't make my mind up between the 25-06, 270 Winchester, 280 Remington, or 7mm-08 Remington. In order of priority uses will be:

shooting for fun; e.g. how small can the groups go (shooting on a monthly basis...)
eastern deer hunting (definately, every year)
eastern varmint hunting (once in a blue moon)
maybe a hunt out West someday (10% chance at most, for antelope, mulies, or elk).

I like to shoot a lot, and don't want something that beats me to death, hence I am staying away from the .30 caliber boomers.

Thanks!
 
FWIW.........

The only cartridge I have experience with from those you mentio is the 7mm-08 so I am probably not the best person to voice an opinion; however, from what I do know about the 7mm-08, it is a flat shooting round with good ballistics. Plus, the recoil is fairly mild and I found it very comfortable to shoot. Seems to me that it would meet most, if not all, of your needs.


kgs.
 
If I was going to have one rifle to do it all, then there is NO question about it! I would choose the .25-06. It's easy to handload for, and accuracy is outstanding. Factory ammo is common. It will reach out there and pop varmints with the lighter bullets at impressive velocities, and with a good big game bullet, will take down deer with authority. All without beating you to death with excessive recoil.
 
I have both .25-06 and the 308. .25-06 is excellent out to about 600 yards and then you lose the BC. The 308 carries better and bucks the wind better at ranges beyond 600. For fun- can't beat the 25-06 with a good trigger job. Depends on what you want to do with it.
 
Did a little looking in the data book. A .270 is about the same as a .280 Rem is about the same as a .25-'06 insofar as bullet performance and recoil. I'd call them about 5% to 10% less kick than an '06, and I'd guesstimate that the 7mm-08 will be another 5% or 10% less, depending on bullet weight. Regardless, you have a wider selection of bullet weights and styles with any 7mm.

If you're a handloader, or would get into "rolling your own", I think I'd recommend the 7mm-08. Now, this may be because I "sorta want one", myownself...:) I've given thought to that cartridge in a lightweight rifle as a walking-hunting rifle.

For those who don't load their own ammo: It's not that you "save money"; it's that you have many more choices of what sort of ammo you shoot, and you get to shoot a heckuva lot more for the money.

:), Art
 
Well I hate to tell you this! I would get 30-06! That was my First High power rifle. You can load it anyway you want.110grHP or all the way 220grSP. Plus! if you ever want to sell it? 06 will always sell it self! :D
 
Either of the 7's will do all you want. That's the reason they are so popular. If you really want a good one look at the 260Rem. It'd be my choice. It is picking up some favor with the Hi-Power shooters, because of low recoil, accuracy, and the ballistic co-efficient of the bullets making long range accuracy easy. A young lady took the Leech cup at Camp Perry with a 260. A 1000yd match with peep sights.:)
 
I'm partial to 7mm in general, and 7mm-08 in particular! My rifle in 7-08 is an A-bolt stainless stalker which has a synthetic stock and weighs almost nothing. The recoil from this little sweetie, even with 140 grain bullets, is mild both from the shoulder and the bench. I really enjoy shooting it.

We have a 260Rem in the house and it is fun to shoot, also. It is a Remington 700 Mtn Stainless. Of course, the 260 is actually a 6.5mm round which is a little smaller than you seem to be looking for. But you might want to check it out.

I wouldn't hesitate to choose either the 7-08 or the 260 for any of the applications that you list, with the one exception of the elk hunt. If it came to that, I would want something more potent than any of the calibers that you list.

Let us know what you decide.

Good luck.
jbgood
 
Nope,nope,nope. get the 270. It will do anything the 25-06 will and better. Forget about using it for varmints. You will enjoy a 243.A-imp or a 243 PPC better for varmints and paper. I have the 700 in 270 and 220swift. They are great shooters but for pure pleasue of shooting and reloading, I love my Ruger#1 in 6mm. My shooting partner is the same way. What ever he brings to the bench to shoot, he will always end up shooting is 243 Ack and 243 PPC. Some of my friends in the 1000yd. club shoot 243 Ack imp. If you can read the wind, you can shoot varmints at a 1000yds all day. Get your 270 or 280 in the 700 and then find a 243Ack. imp/ 243PPC. You can hunt anything from mice to moose with these two calibers. Don't scrimp on the scopes either.JMHO
 
Hey, PDshooter!

Leave him alone! I've already learned most of what I'll ever need to know about the '06, but I gotta find out more about the 7mm-08. I figure if he gets one, shoots it and reports back, I can get it all fingered out without having to invest in one and THEN find out!

You just lay off when I'm hustlin', okay?

:), Art
 
Well, if it was ME, and I wanted ONE RIFLE that would do everything you want to do with yours, I'd go with the .308 Winchester!!! Widely used for SERIOUS match shooting, so you KNOW its got the accuracy potential, ammo is widely available, as is load data...not as much recoil as the .280 or .270, pleasant to shoot...yeah, I'd go with a .308...AND HAVE!!!....mikey357
 
River Rider: Us? Opinionated? Nahhhhh.....

Mikey357: C'mon now. We all know a .308 is just a .30-'06 after a Lorena Bobbit attack...However, gettin' all hung up on .308s doesn't reflect as badly on you as driving a Dodge truck.

:), Art
 
Geez! You guys have added to the dilemma! :)
Time now to do research on the 6mm Rem, .243 Win, 260 Rem, assorted Ackleys... maybe even the .308

Heck, should also include the 6.5x55 and the 7x57 to keep things fair!

My wife is gonna flip like Cheetah...
 
Dogger, I went back and read your first post. Have you ever noticed how it helps the thread if folks do that?

Anyway, if you leave elk out of the equation, the .243 would easily meet your parameters from the standpoint of accuracy and effectiveness on the game you mention. But again, it's most cost-effective for a handloader.

From a cost per shot for store-bought ammo, the .308 wins hands down over everything else.

I believe it was the British navy which coined the toast, "Confusion to the enemy!". Here, we believe in, "Confusion to everybody!", including our friends...

:), Art
 
If you are gonna send him towards a 244/6mm Art send him to the 6mm Rem. More case capacity and, as I know you know, it will run circles roud those stock Winchester "wanna be" 243's.

LOL buddy..... Art gets this way about this time of year.... He's been lookin at those Tejas rock piles too long.
 
If you want to hunt elk, go for the .30-06... and I have two .280 Remingtons, and have killed a nice bull with one of them.

.30-06.

FWIW. J.B.
 
RiverRider, don't worry about it; neither do I. :)

HuntSchool, if a 6mm Remington was good enough for Charley Whitman...However, Mr. Speer, Mr. Hodgdon and Mr. Sierra say that for the 100-grain bullet, they're equal. Well, okay, the Remington will get 50 ft/sec more, in the 3,000 ft/sec vicinity...

By the way, my rockpiles got all covered up, yesterday: By snow, by golly!!! Gone by late afternoon, though. The Chisos stayed white until late this PM.

Jay, you know and I know that the '06 is the world's best cartridge. But why let the rest of the world know? Besides, this is Dogger's deal, right?

:), Art
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top