What to do? 25-06, 7mm-08, 308, 338-06, or 458 win mag

**n10sivern** · 07-28-2016, 12:57 PM

What's your opinion

Backstory:
Currently I already have hunting savages in 243 (2 of them), 6.5x55 (2 of them), and 300wsm. I also have an LR308 in 7mm-08 with a 24" barrel I built. I also have multiple 223 and 300 blackout AR's. My hunting property is open hard woods with a field that is 1100 yards long and 150 yards wide. We have plenty of hogs up to about 250# and deer up to 190#. I have an old flat back savage 30-06 barreled action sitting here that I picked up for $60. I'm already covered from short range to long range so whatever I build is just overkill. I also have a wife (243), 10yo son (243) and 17yo daughter (6.5x55) that hunt too. I reload so commercial ammo cost is a nonissue.

Goal:
Cheap rifle for $600. Cheap action $60, Boyd's stock $150, barrel <$200, AICS DBM bottom metal $180

Problem:
I've always been intrigued by quarter bores. However, the 25-06 doesn't really offer me anything my other rifles can't do. It will be a bonus on bullets if I build an AR in 25-45 sharps. Cheap to load for. Cheaper barrels are too skinny to thread for suppressor

I already have a 7mm-08 AR, but it is heavy!!! Shoots **** good though. I love the caliber and I'm already set up to load for it. Cheaper barrels are too skinny to thread for suppressor

I'm not a 308 fan, never have been as the ballistics don't impress me. 7mm-08 can do everything the 308 can. But... everybody has one, it's a common caliber, and if SHTF it would be a plus to have. Could find a heavy take off barrel to thread for suppressor.

338-06. Interesting caliber. Easy to neck size up 30-06 brass. Bullets are expensive. Unique but what does it really offer me other than something different. I'd shoot this with a suppressor

458 win mag. Beast. Expensive to load for. Overkill for anything I hunt but there is a definite smile factor to launching 500gr bullets. I'd shoot this with a suppressor

**darkker** · 07-28-2016, 06:05 PM

Honestly you have about everything covered in any case, so short of something that really interests you; nothing you build would offer you anything you don't already have.

Getting a good barrel that is already threaded isn't hard to find. Shaw, EABCO, both are about a $150-200 and will out-shoot most people. The 308 does offer component attraction, and unless you really want to get beyond 1100, the trajectory isn't an issue unless you can't judge distance/dial a FFP scope.

My vote, simply because I'm enamored with mine:

Shaw heavy barrel in 6.5 Creedmoor - $200
Action - $60
Boyds stock - $150
PA 4-14 FFP - $230
GT - $640 package.

**gbflyer** · 07-28-2016, 07:04 PM

35 Whelen?

**n10sivern** · 07-28-2016, 07:30 PM

I thought about 35 whelen but it's about the same as 338-06

**gbflyer** · 07-28-2016, 07:37 PM

Same as 338/06? How dare you insult the Colonel!

Kidding of course.

**yobuck** · 07-28-2016, 07:43 PM

Id suggest you use one of your present guns to shoot a 190# whitetail or a 200# hog at 1100 yds, which you've indicated is a possibility.
For sure it would be a learning experience.
None of those you've mentioned would be a good choice for that.
Building a new poor choice wouldn't improve upon the poor choices you already have for that type situation.

**Robinhood** · 07-28-2016, 07:48 PM

280 or 280 AI

**n10sivern** · 07-28-2016, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by yobuck

Id suggest you use one of your present guns to shoot a 190# whitetail or a 200# hog at 1100 yds, which you've indicated is a possibility.
For sure it would be a learning experience.
None of those you've mentioned would be a good choice for that.
Building a new poor choice wouldn't improve upon the poor choices you already have for that type situation.

I built my 300wsm to do that

**n10sivern** · 07-28-2016, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by Robinhood

280 or 280 AI

The 280AI is definitely a consideration. Hate I left that one out.

**handirifle** · 07-28-2016, 08:17 PM

My vote, is get a better barrel for the '06 KEEPING it an '06. Load that up with a 200gr Accubond (or similar) and it will flat hammer any of those animals you mentioned, as far away as YOU can hit them. The '06 will fill the bill just below your WSM and won't break the bank in component cost or reloading costs.

**olddav** · 07-28-2016, 08:27 PM

I have a 338-06 and love it, but I haven't shoot it past 600 yards. Bullets from 160 to 250 grains.

**yobuck** · 07-28-2016, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by n10sivern

I built my 300wsm to do that

And you built a very good gun for that distance.

**yobuck** · 07-28-2016, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by Robinhood

280 or 280 AI

Great cartridge no doubt.
But shoot one at a few whitetails past 1000 yds, and you will be owning another gun.

**Robinhood** · 07-28-2016, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by yobuck

Great cartridge no doubt.
But shoot one at a few whitetails past 1000 yds, and you will be owning another gun.

That would be true for 98 percent of all rifle calibers ever made.

**n10sivern** · 07-28-2016, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by yobuck

Great cartridge no doubt.
But shoot one at a few whitetails past 1000 yds, and you will be owning another gun.

The way the stands are set up on our property, most shots will be 600 yards or less.

**n10sivern** · 07-28-2016, 09:34 PM

I'm leaning toward another 6.5x55 (favorite caliber ever), 25-06, 7mm-08, 308, and 280ai. I think I wanna stay with something cheap to load for. I wanna stick with a 20-24" barrel so no magnums.

**yobuck** · 07-29-2016, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by n10sivern

I'm leaning toward another 6.5x55 (favorite caliber ever), 25-06, 7mm-08, 308, and 280ai. I think I wanna stay with something cheap to load for. I wanna stick with a 20-24" barrel so no magnums.

The 280 especially in a i version would be the best choice of those you listed.
But the barrel would best be longer than 24" in order to see the gain over the standard 280.
You can pretty much equal 7 rem mag performance with it if set up properly.
As for loading cost, its not like your going to be shooting lots of rounds hunting. So that argument
dosent hold much water. I still say stick with what you have, and stick with the closer shots.

**n10sivern** · 07-29-2016, 10:01 AM

I like long shots. I like close shots. I have rifles for short, intermediate, and long. I shoot all my rifles quite a bit. Even my kids hunting rifles get 250 rounds a year. Practice makes perfect so they say. Stick with what I have? What I have is a barreled receiver begging for a new barrel.

**yobuck** · 07-29-2016, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by n10sivern

I like long shots. I like close shots. I have rifles for short, intermediate, and long. I shoot all my rifles quite a bit. Even my kids hunting rifles get 250 rounds a year. Practice makes perfect so they say. Stick with what I have? What I have is a barreled receiver begging for a new barrel.

You can go to say a Ford dealer and look at new pickups. There will be half ton models, 3/4 ton models,
and 1 ton models. Yet they will all appear to be about the same truck. You could buy the half ton because its
cheaper, rides better, gets better gas milage, and will suffice for 95% of your needs.
You could even hook it to a 4 horse trailer and drive away with it.
But none of my horses would be in it. What you do with yours would be your business.
Think of sending your kids off to school in a 50 seat bus that should only be a 40 seat bus.
What would be wrong with an overkill size bus for hauling 50 kids?
Why should guns we shoot at live things with be considered any different?

**n10sivern** · 07-29-2016, 11:41 AM

Yobuck, you lost me bro. Your first reply #17 made it sound like I should just stick with what I got and not take long shots. Your second response #19 sounds like I should get a 458 magnum lol. Or maybe I'm just retarded, overworked, and lacking sleep.

**yobuck** · 07-29-2016, 01:22 PM

Well I'm sorry I lost you. So ill ask why you just don't use your current 300 wsm for the longest shot?
And use the 7/08 or even a 243 on the up to 600 yarders?
Id frankly be using the wsm for everything, and if I were hell bent on building another, it would be bigger not smaller than that one.

**rjtfroggy** · 07-29-2016, 05:22 PM

If you want a 1/4 bore why not the 250-3000 savage or a AI version both usually shoot like a laser.

**n10sivern** · 07-29-2016, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by yobuck

Well I'm sorry I lost you. So ill ask why you just don't use your current 300 wsm for the longest shot?
And use the 7/08 or even a 243 on the up to 600 yarders?
Id frankly be using the wsm for everything, and if I were hell bent on building another, it would be bigger not smaller than that one.

I typically use the 7mm-08 for 100-500 yards and 300wsm for 500+ yards. My wife and kids shoot the 243's and 6.5x55's although I hunt with the 6.5x55 occasionally and would easily shoot to 500 with it.