15 years ago, I bought my first new rifle. A Winchester M70 in .30-06. Since then, I've added a .22-250, .243, .30-.30, .308, and a .300 WSM to my rifle collection. After purchasing the .300 WSM. I seldom use the .30-06. The .243 and .308 are youth guns (my sons use). However, I slip on a sims limb saver pad and they fit me perfectly so I used them occasionally.
I love the .30-06, but I've shot thousands of rounds through it and it only groups about 1.5 - 2 inches (not all that accurate). The .300 WSM does everything the .30-06 does but does it faster, flatter,harder. and with more accuracy.
I'm trying to decide between the following:
1- Trade my current .30-06 in and purchase a newer model (samecaliber). I can't decide whichbrand rifle. I' thinking abouta light rifle like the Rem 700 Mountain rifle.
2- While I hate to think about my gun safe without the classic .30-06 caliberin it, I've considered trading it in and buying another caliber. I've got the .30 cal area covered with the.308 and .300WSM. But I can't decide which caliber. I want another rifle to hunt Moose and Elk with, but I don't want anything larger than my .300WSM.
3. I've also considered keeping my existing .06. But I've been trying that for the past year. I find myself thinking about options 1 and 2 constantly.
I want another rifle to hunt Moose and Elk with, but I don't want anything larger than my .300WSM.
I'm not to sound rude when I say thisbut if this is the case then aside from just wanting another rifle to have another rifle there really isn't any reason or point to doing either of 1 or 2.
Having said that I really think the .338 Federal would make an excelent elk and moose cartridge with about the same recoil as the 30-06. It is only about 80-90 yards shy of being a 338 Win mag with the same 210 grain partition as loaded by Federal. This would also be a great elk cartridge for your kids to use when they are old enough to go elk hunting with you.
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15 years ago, I bought my first new rifle. A Winchester M70 in .30-06. Since then, I've added a .22-250, .243, .30-.30, .308, and a .300 WSM to my rifle collection. After purchasing the .300 WSM. I seldom use the .30-06. The .243 and .308 are youth guns (my sons use). However, I slip on a sims limb saver pad and they fit me perfectly so I used them occasionally.
I love the .30-06, but I've shot thousands of rounds through it and it only groups about 1.5 - 2 inches (not all that accurate). The .300 WSM does everything the .30-06 does but does it faster, flatter,harder. and with more accuracy.
I'm trying to decide between the following:
1- Trade my current .30-06 in and purchase a newer model (samecaliber). I can't decide whichbrand rifle. I' thinking abouta light rifle like the Rem 700 Mountain rifle.
2- While I hate to think about my gun safe without the classic .30-06 caliberin it, I've considered trading it in and buying another caliber. I've got the .30 cal area covered with the.308 and .300WSM. But I can't decide which caliber. I want another rifle to hunt Moose and Elk with, but I don't want anything larger than my .300WSM.
3. I've also considered keeping my existing .06. But I've been trying that for the past year. I find myself thinking about options 1 and 2 constantly.
What would you do?
Keep your current guns and just add to them. I always regreted selling some of my guns to buy others when I should have just kept them in the first place. Ugh.
15 years ago, I bought my first new rifle. A Winchester M70 in .30-06. Since then, I've added a .22-250, .243, .30-.30, .308, and a .300 WSM to my rifle collection. After purchasing the .300 WSM. I seldom use the .30-06. The .243 and .308 are youth guns (my sons use). However, I slip on a sims limb saver pad and they fit me perfectly so I used them occasionally.
I love the .30-06, but I've shot thousands of rounds through it and it only groups about 1.5 - 2 inches (not all that accurate). The .300 WSM does everything the .30-06 does but does it faster, flatter,harder. and with more accuracy.
I'm trying to decide between the following:
1- Trade my current .30-06 in and purchase a newer model (samecaliber). I can't decide whichbrand rifle. I' thinking abouta light rifle like the Rem 700 Mountain rifle.
2- While I hate to think about my gun safe without the classic .30-06 caliberin it, I've considered trading it in and buying another caliber. I've got the .30 cal area covered with the.308 and .300WSM. But I can't decide which caliber. I want another rifle to hunt Moose and Elk with, but I don't want anything larger than my .300WSM.
3. I've also considered keeping my existing .06. But I've been trying that for the past year. I find myself thinking about options 1 and 2 constantly.
What would you do?
Keep your current guns and just add to them. I always regreted selling some of my guns to buy others when I should have just kept them in the first place. Ugh.
x2, I have always regretted selling or trading guns as well.Have you thoughtabout buying a new replacement barrel for the M70 30-06? You could stick with a 30-06 barrel or go for a .270 Winchester, .280 Remington, or a .25-06. Any of those would fit right in with what you currently have.
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You mention you were considering a lightweight rifle. If that is a primary consideration thenI think big bulls 338 federal suggestion is right on the money. The 308 action can help you shed weight without ending up with a noodle for a barrel, and the 338 federal is an underbore cartridge which will perform very well ballistically with shorter 20 and 22 inch barrels.
Check out the Kimber bolt actions especially the Montana if you look into the 338 federal.
I'd hang onto it, probably do some reloading to see if I couldn't squeeze a little more accuracy out of it, make sure the scope and mounts were still solid, before I considered taking it in for a new barrel. But, since my shooting is generally at ranges 150 yards or less on elk, deer, and antelope, I probably wouldn't be so concerned about it in the first place. When I can't get it to group under 3"?
I had a similar situation with one of my trusted old rifles in the same caliber. Culprit wasn't the barrel or ammunition, but the "cheep" scope and rings I'd put on it while on a budget in college. Once I put high quality bases, rings, and glass on it, it was back in business.
I doubt you'd get much "trade value" out of it, especially if the bore's in a condition that it's impacting accuracy (the dealer/gunsmith is likely to be looking for that right from the beginning). A new rifle isn't a guarantee it's going to group any better out of the box. I can't tell from your post whattroubleshooting you've put into it at this point, but I'd certainly exhaust all of those possibilities first, and if that's not working, consider rebarrelling.
I think if its that tough to make a decision then its probably one that doesn't matter all that much....if you really wanted a .300wsm, that would weighon your decision.
I have a .270win and a 300win mag, the 270 id prefer it were a bolt nowadays, but it shoots far too well to sell/trade for a bolt that I cant forsee shooting any better, its one of those guns I don't think I'll ever be able to part ways with. The 300 win mag abolt, as well, shoots very well, have a .340 now that I think has become the new elk rifle,
I think similar to myself, since nothing is really making you want one or the other, wait, give it time, you have what you need for the time being, maybe down the road something well come along that makes the decision much easier.
Decisions... Decisions.... Decisions
