Cartridge ideas on 30/06 rebarrel options

[Floridave]

Looking to get some thoughts/critique/ideas from this group on a rifle rebarrel project. Going to share my plans and thoughts below , hoping to get any ideas or considerations I am missing before I ‘pull the trigger’ and order a barrel.

Re-barrel an old Remington 721 30/06. Has sentimental value and will never leave the family, but I don’t want a safe queen that won’t shoot. Over the last few years accuracy has deteriorated more and more to the point I left it at home last couple hunting seasons. All remedies have been tried off and on over the last couple years, I’m assuming shot out barrel. Not wasting any more ammo on it at this point. I want to turn it back into one of my primary hunting weapons.

Going to use a remage barrel to a lighter caliber. Will be reloading for whatever cartridge, will likely never see a factory round. No suppressor or muzzle device. Hunting and for fun paper punching, but not high round competition shooting. I’m happy with barrel length 20-24 inches, but lately like shorter when possible, but best for cartridge will determine that.

Use for this rifle is primarily deer/antelope to say 500 yards, up to elk for a few trips. Would like to reduce recoil and currently looking in the 6mm range of calibers. (I used my 223 this deer season with great success, and honestly, that and this rifle will be two I pick from for most hunts). It won’t be a competition or high round count rifle, a couple hundred rounds a year, but I do want an easy to shoot, accurate gun.

My current thoughts on cartridge possibilities…

Stay with 30/06. I have a lifetime supply of brass, reloading dies, bullets. From practical standpoint does everything I could ever want, It’s just more rifle than I need.

25/06 – 1 in 10 twist barrel. In some ways the logical choice, with the Remington long action I have. The round will do all I need. My brass can be sized so only need dies and bullets. Cons… seems the 25 is a dying or neglected caliber. Very little bullet development or match bullet options and I still like the idea of even less recoil than this for enjoyable range shooting. Possible but I think I’m leaning to a below option.

243 – 1/7-8 twist barrel. I have access to/will be given dies and pretty much lifetime supply of 243 brass for the asking from a family member. I kind of hate going with a short action cartridge in a long action rifle, but with the fast twist and long action rifle, could use heavy/long bullets (even seated longer than standard 243 if need be). This is currently what I plan to go with, with a 22 inch barrel.

6mm creedmoor – Was leaning towards this, but I’ll have to buy dies and brass vs the 243, and don’t see any advantage to it over the fast twist/long action 243. And with the 243's long history, it'll be a caliber around for a long time.

Don’t really want to go to a wildcat like 6mm/06 or anything that requires lots of brass forming. With the current heavy for caliber bullet options in 6mm/22 calibers, I think they are a sweet spot that make more sense for what I want and I don’t believe I need anything in the 6.5/270/7mm/30 cal range. The only reason I’m not even considering a 22 for this particular rifle is I want something caliber legal in Colorado (and I already do have 223.)

In all honestly, ANY of these calibers will work for what I want, but before I go with a fast twist 243, thought I would see if anyone sees flaws in my logic or fills in some gaps I may not be aware of.

 

[elkguide]

Before you begin, from what I've seen around here, the 721, was a great rifle, but if you ever need any part for it you will have to have it made as there are no factory parts available.
That being said, great action in my view and if I were building one that was mostly for deer/antelope, I would build one in 6.5 PRC. I have an older Ruger 77 tang safety, long action rifle that was built in 6.5 PRC and it is a sweet rifle that makes me smile every time that I shoot something with it.

 

[Taudisio]

It sounds like you have already talked yourself into an 06 or 243. My only concern with the 6.5prc mentioned above, is the bolt face and magazine change. I was thinking of the 280ai until you said you don’t want to hassle with lots of brass changes. I have zero experience/knowledge with that Remington model. If you are getting a fast twist barrel for a 243, you shouldn’t see much of a difference between the 6creed. I too would be concerned with the functionality of a short action cartridge in a standard action.

 

[Floridave]

Before you begin, from what I've seen around here, the 721, was a great rifle, but if you ever need any part for it you will have to have it made as there are no factory parts available.
That being said, great action in my view and if I were building one that was mostly for deer/antelope, I would build one in 6.5 PRC. I have an older Ruger 77 tang safety, long action rifle that was built in 6.5 PRC and it is a sweet rifle that makes me smile every time that I shoot something with it.

Yea, I know I probably would be smarter to go buy a 6 Creedmoor or 243 in the $500-$1000 range and be done with it, but I hate to just stick this 721 in the closet and it never be used again.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[FLATHEAD]

Nothing wrong with the '06 or a .280/AI.

 

[Mojave]

Long action calibers, I'd choose for a non-reloader.

25-06
7x57
6.5x55 Swede
280 Ackley Remington
280 Remington
270

For the reloader:
6.5x65 RWS non wildcat version of the 6.5-06
6x63 Freres non-wildcat 6mm-06
400 Whelen
35 Whelen
9.3x62


I would not choose short action:
6.5 Creed
243
308
7mm-08

Not sure how it would feed from a long action.

 

[gerry35]

Fast twist 25-06 or maybe a fast twist 270 on the big end. The 6.5x55 is another that should work well in that action

 

[280ack]

I would also support the 280AI, lower weight bullets 140's might give you less recoil ? However I have started to use a 257wby recently and think that a unique and very usable round such as the 25-06 would be effiicent on game and less recoil. Take a look at the 257 Roverts or 257 Roberts Ackly Improved, they are also great rounds and should be fine on a LA.

 

[Ikmclean]

Have you considered having it rebored to a 35 whelen, this way you keep the original patina on the barrel but also getting it shooting again.

 

[Formidilosus]

In all honestly, ANY of these calibers will work for what I want, but before I go with a fast twist 243, thought I would see if anyone sees flaws in my logic or fills in some gaps I may not be aware of.

My initial thought was 6mm-06 as that is very easy to neck down 30-06 or 25-06 brass for. However, 243 win will work just fine on a LA- every M24 sniper rifle was a LA chambered in 308win, and if you don’t need the speed of the larger chambering, it’s a draw.

 

[Steve O]

Old classic rifle like that begs for a 100 year old hot sexy .270 Winchester. Get a fast twist on the new barrel so you can shoot the new heavier .277 bullets. I’d not give at any further thought. 270 Win is better now than ever.

 

[49ereric]

Use a Bore scope first. Remington 721-722 barrels are 2nd to none for a factory barrel. Rebore is an option 8mm/06 338/06 35 whelen.

 

[sndmn11]

6mm Remington, 240wby, but I would have a hand time not trying 6-06.

25-06 with a custom throat, 25-284, 25creed, 25sherman, 257roberts.

 

[Balderdash]

If you're looking for a mild recoiler with solid performance near and far, you could make use of the action length and go 257 Roberts. Twist it for the new Hornady offering.

My two favorite '06 based cartridges are the 280 and 35 Whelen. I consider the 280 one of the better all around cartridges, very efficient. Of course a 270 set up to make use of the more recent .277 bullet offerings is just more of the same good thing. The 35 Whelen is a classic round that would fit your vintage rifle very well. It is a comparatively mild recoiling way to have a mid bore, if you might someday or currently have use for a larger bullet. I own a couple of 35 Whelens; it is, of course, much more bullet than I need most of the time, but I very much enjoy shooting and carrying them. Standard cup and core bullets from a 35 W have given me a lot of DRT kills on a good number of various game animals.

 

[wildwilderness]

25-06. There are plenty of new bullets for it. can always load a cartridge down for recoil, but you can't load a smaller case up! Especially if you mentioned elk.

I see no reason to go with a 243 in this rifle....

 

[nobody]

I'm inclined to point you towards 6mm creed. Neat little cartridge, low recoil and great accuracy. Plenty on all flavors of big game as evidenced in the thread regarding 6/6.5mm bullet performance on game.

That said, a 25-06 in an old gun is just sexy. I've always wanted a 25-06, and an old 721 would probably be just the ticket.

 

[Floridave]

Fast twist 25-06 or maybe a fast twist 270 on the big end. The 6.5x55 is another that should work well in that action

Now I'm starting to think a fast twist 25/06 might make most sense just to stick with the same length dimensions. 6mm/06 is something I really haven't looked at but it has many more bullet options. Then again, how many options does one need? Once I find a load and bullet that works, I typically load up on them and set myself up for a while.

 

[Balderdash]

Hornady's 134 grn .257 certainly makes quarter bores more interesting.

 

[wind gypsy]

25/06 or 6.5x55 (improved perhaps) would be cool. I like 284 based cartridges more but not sure how the fatter case would feed in the factory mag?

I'd have a hard time putting a barrel nut on a sentimental rifle like that though. Wouldn't you have to butcher the stock to do that? Pass.

 

[mrolen]

I recently did the same to an old 721 3006 I had the extractor broke and couldn’t get a replacement. I can confirm some 700 parts work. I replaced the bolt, trigger, and bottom metal to 700 parts and put an ultralight 270 win barrel on shoots very well!

I wouldn’t say the 25 is dying I would say the opposite I think it has gained popularity not sure on quality hunting bullets but match there are great bullets.

I wouldn’t go with a short action caliber in my opinion a short cartridge on a long action is weird unless bolt stop and magazine are changed to short action configuration. Personal preference doubt you would have any feeding issues if let long action.

25-06 is what I would pick from what you have said just put a faster twist in it.