What cartridge for first rifle build?

[JPeters218]

Im in a similar spot. Going to chop the kimber 3006 bbl to 21" for handiness and build a 6.8 western for more range. Later add a 7mm08 and I'd feel good about my situation.

Just out of curiosity what length is the barrel right now? Seems like most ‘06’s come in either 20 or 22”

 

[Brightside]

Just out of curiosity what length is the barrel right now? Seems like most ‘06’s come in either 20 or 22”

Kimber MA 06s are 24".

 

[AntlerFever]

280 AI if you want something in between. It’s the ideal in between. 6.5 prc or 6.5 SAUM would be the next choice.

280 AI factory ammo might be hard to come by. Brass is around. I’ve seen it stocked at multiple cabelas. Sometimes having something that most don’t comes in handy.

multiple cool options if you want to go smaller or larger as well. Larger the worlds your oyster with all the magnum 300 and short mag 300s offered. Smaller something like the 220 swift or 22 creedmore. Gets you about 600 FPS more than the .223

 

[JPeters218]

If I go magnum it will be 300 wsm. But that won’t be this build. I think briefly about 35 whelen but it’s not easy to find a prefit barrel chambered in it

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

I’m already good to go out to 500 w/ my current guns should I choose to shoot that far. Just want a new gun/ fun project. 280 seems to do pretty well with factory ammo, but also has a lot more to offer if I do decide to handload down the road.
(I shot a lot of .270 growing up. Great cartridge. Just want something different

Yeah I get wanting something different but with your current cartridge selection the 280 won't be that different..

Why not expand your horizons beyond 3006 based cartridges, the 280AI is a beast if you want to stick with a 7mm though.
The plain 280 leaves a lot to be desired in a short tikka mag, handloading won't buy you much with that setup

I would advise giving the 6.5x284 a serious look, its a great cartridge design with an excellent 35 degree shoulder and effortless accuracy.
140s at 3000 + with mild recoil is pure awesome, or zing some 127 Barnes LRXs over 3100 fps
Its also a match made in heaven with a tikka.

Just a few thoughts
Have fun with your build

 

[Cant hit em]

Dont worry about all the tough guys talking shit and just go for the 6.5 Creedmoor. You can get ammo almost everywhere and in a range of quality and grns and shoot all day enjoyably. It will nock down all you’ve mentioned easily. Your kids will even love it and your wife will want one of her own so its a 2 for 1 honestly.

 

[JPeters218]

Dont worry about all the tough guys talking shit and just go for the 6.5 Creedmoor. You can get ammo almost everywhere and in a range of quality and grns and shoot all day enjoyably. It will nock down all you’ve mentioned easily. Your kids will even love it and your wife will want one of her own so its a 2 for 1 honestly.

If I was ever going to get a creed, it would’ve been when I got my 25-06 as my antelope/ white tail gun. But I’ve just never been impressed with its ballistics. I don’t shoot past 450ish yds, and the 25-06 is a lot faster and flatter than the 6.5 at those ranges.

 

[JPeters218]

140s at 3000 + with mild recoil is pure awesome, or zing some 127 Barnes LRXs over 3100 fps
Its also a match made in heaven with a tikka.

Those are the exact numbers I’m seeing with the .280 factory ammo. 140’s out of the 6.5-284 seem to be closer to 2700. I can’t personally speak to the accuracy of either tho. I really like the idea of a 150 partition in the 280.
As for as mag lengths go, I’m not totally set on tikka and would be open to other options

 

[SomeJackassOnAForum]

If I was ever going to get a creed, it would’ve been when I got my 25-06 as my antelope/ white tail gun. But I’ve just never been impressed with its ballistics. I don’t shoot past 450ish yds, and the 25-06 is a lot faster and flatter than the 6.5 at those ranges.

You don't shoot past 500 yds, the gun is purely for hunting, and you have a 30-06 and 25-06? Put the money into improving your existing rifles. Do you have suppressors? Quality optics? I like a new gun as much as the next guy but I also usually build a gun to fit a use profile that I don't already have covered.

 

[tdot]

I'd personally recommend using those funds to get into handloading vs building a new rifle. While I understand the fun of building a new rifle, (I'm certainly guilty of that) I wish I'd gotten into reloading earlier. Reloading will increase the versatility of your existing rifles more then adding a middle ground cartridge will.

 

[Northpark]

I just had a 7mm-08ai built on a Rem 700 short action with a 24” proof CF barrel. I’m loving that little round so far.

Could always shoot factory 7-08 ammo until you get to Thebes point where you want to handload.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

Those are the exact numbers I’m seeing with the .280 factory ammo. 140’s out of the 6.5-284 seem to be closer to 2700. I can’t personally speak to the accuracy of either tho. I really like the idea of a 150 partition in the 280.
As for as mag lengths go, I’m not totally set on tikka and would be open to other options

Those are 6.5 creedmoor velocities, I've owned a 6.5x284 and 3000 with 140s is the norm.
I'm a big fan of heavier bullets though but it sounded like your 06 had that covered.
Tikkas are about the best factory action to build off of, the only other option I'd consider is a custom like the defiance tenacity or anTi

 

[Lawnboi]

What’s your budget? There’s a big cost increase when going with something like a budget custom vs sprucing up a tikka.
That said I agree with more ammo, a suppressor, better glass and a nice tripod. New guns are nice but your not covering any extra bases with anything between what you have.

Now a fast twist 223, for more trigger time would make some more sense.

I know probably not what you want to hear but take it for what it’s worth.

 

[JPeters218]

(Edit) Some of you did mention .270. I just wrote it off bc I wanted something different. I didn’t even look at the numbers first. It’s pretty much exactly what I was looking for
Idk why it took me this long to think of it, but is there any reason not to go .270, rather than .280rem? Almost identical ballistics with 150’s between the two. And ammo is half the price.

 

[AntlerFever]

Just bullet selection. If building custom 270 can go with a faster twist that will stabilize the new 6.8 western designed bullets which will be heavier and longer. Until recently these didn’t really exist for .277.

 

[JPeters218]

Just bullet selection. If building custom 270 can go with a faster twist that will stabilize the new 6.8 western designed bullets which will be heavier and longer. Until recently these didn’t really exist for .277.

What twist do you think? 9? Is 8 getting to be too fast for 150’s?

 

[AntlerFever]

145 ELDX will stabilize with 1 in 10, above 150 probably 1 in 8 (hammer lists their 156 as 8 twist) the 165 range will be 8 or 7 twist.

most factory ammo is going to be 130-140 range. If you want to push the heavy stuff…. Your going to need to buy a 6.8 western since they are designing them this way from factory with fast twists or hand load.

If going to hand load …. go 280 AI though….. and in a pinch can always push 280 rem factory out of it

 

[rootacres]

Down the rabbit hole you go. . lol

I didn't read all of them but I'm sure there are a lot of great options on here. Most of them will work just fine I'm sure. Id vote 7mm-08 based on the criteria you mentioned. A 308 wouldn't be bad except its a little redundant with the 30-06.

I know you ruled out magnums but a 7mm SAUM would be awesome for your application. Or a 300 WSM would be great given you don't reload. I have come to appreciate these "mild" magnums.

Buy the Proof Barrel, I was told Carbon Six barrels are wrapped McGowen barrels. Not to say they cant shoot great. I sold my McGowen and bought a Proof. Shooting 1/2 MOA on 2 of my first 4 loads. I never saw 1/2 MOA with my McGowen.

 

[JPeters218]

I think I’m going to end up buying another Savage Ultralite in .270 and shoot 140 Accubonds. I spent the last few days deciding between .270 and .270wsm. .270wsm definitely has better ballistics, but not by enough to justify a 2x more expensive build.
I started thinking rather than tikka I wanted to keep it in the same family as my other guns to keep the familiarity up.
I thought about trying to build off of a savage and make it .270wsm, but I would either have to buy an ultralite in 300wsm and sell the barrel. None of their other lightweight offerings come in magnums, and I don’t know if I’d even be able to sell that barrel. I haven’t been able to sell my lightweight storm barrel.
If I’m totally missing something about the building process let me know. Like could I just buy a magnum bolt and build a .270wsm off of a short action Lightweight storm?

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

I think I’m going to end up buying another Savage Ultralite in .270 and shoot 140 Accubonds. I spent the last few days deciding between .270 and .270wsm. .270wsm definitely has better ballistics, but not by enough to justify a 2x more expensive build.
I started thinking rather than tikka I wanted to keep it in the same family as my other guns to keep the familiarity up.
I thought about trying to build off of a savage and make it .270wsm, but I would either have to buy an ultralite in 300wsm and sell the barrel. None of their other lightweight offerings come in magnums, and I don’t know if I’d even be able to sell that barrel. I haven’t been able to sell my lightweight storm barrel.
If I’m totally missing something about the building process let me know. Like could I just buy a magnum bolt and build a .270wsm off of a short action Lightweight storm?

I like your choice but here's what I'd do if you're even remotely considering the 270 wsm, buy a Tikka!
I had one in 270 wsm and it was a hammer, I took it to 1000 yards regularly in the factory configuration. Selling it was a huge mistake but I told myself I needed a 7mm..
You can pick one up for $600 ish and put another $600 into a Mesa Altitude carbon fiber stock and you're set.