tough problem to have right...

Anyway, I have 2 other .308's that I hunt with....a cheapie mossberg ATR that I bedded and handload with 125 nosler BT (5/8" at 100 if you believe it) for coyotes, and a rem 7600 for deer. I have the woodchucks covered with a model 12 varminter low profile in .204.

I've never built a rifle and I recently got into handloading, but only .308 up to this point.

I want to start shooting long range, so I bought the 12FV as a 40th birthday present to me so I could build a 600-1000 yard 6.5x55(single shot obviously) The only reason is because I have mausers and always wanted a sporterized something in that cartridge. I also have a couple hundred factory rounds, and just love the round i guess. But now I'm having second thoughts and think the .308 would be fine and i'm already handloading for that cartridge. Then I got thinking 6.5 creed, 6.5x47, etc. I have hundreds of .25-06 cases (from dad's rifle which he currently has) so i even thought 6.5-06. I haven't shot this rifle at all yet because i'm in limbo.

Then found a deal on the axis hb and bought myself a post-birthday present. I went with .243 because my father in law has one and he said we could handload. I'm not a big fan of .243 only because i'm a .25-06 fanboy. But, admittedly, I've been reading up on the .243 and the idea of 55 grain loads over 4000 is exciting. Plus, I've been watching 1000 yard coyote shots with them out west, so, ya know. Then I started thinking I could build my 6.5x55 repeater off the axis long action and save the 12FV for a short action 6.5 or something else or keep it .308 and have 2 long range rifles in the end.

I'm currently thinking of getting another 12FV or Axis HB as a mid-life crisis present and to help make decisions. Perhaps I should leave everything as is and invest in stocks, bipods, and triggers. I have thought about turning that .243 into a bonafide coyote gun with snow camo stock/boyds pepper laminate and bipod etc. Right now, the mossberg has the basic walnut stock and nothing else but it works I guess.

I will say I've always wanted a good .25-06 of my own and I have the dies already. Had one but sold it because it wouldn't shoot. My dad's is ridiculously accurate and I shoot it/hunt with it from time to time, so i haven't gotten another.

One thing I'm set on is that I won't take apart the .204!!...or should I??

lots of info i realize, but any ideas?
Thanks