What should I build?
 

I have a spare Rem 700 long action standard bolt face. It's already been blueprinted and .010 over. I'm thinking a fluted #3 Benchmark at 22" chambered in a good ol .270 Win and a BC Wby style stock.

Or maybe a 25-06? Or maybe open up the bolt face and make a mag??

Any opinions?!?

either a fast twist 22/6mm AI or a 6.5/06 AI
RR

What he said. Especially the 6.5mm/06 AI suggestion. Been thinking about that build myself with a Brux or Shilen barrel, McM stock, Tim Trig. Just something to putter around at 600-800 yards with :D

.280 Remington AI-40 degree shoulder-24-26" barrel.(Shilen) 9 or 9 1/4 twist.

Ohhhhhhhh the 22/6mm ack might be a good one! 6mm brass is getting tough to find tho.

257 Roberts or 7x57 is the same. about the only 22 centerfire that is a 1k hunting rifle. I'm partial to the 6.5gibbs but it is kinda a pain to form till you do it a bit.
RR

This action was a 6.5x284. It was good. We are doing a whole line of wildcats and a .264 is included so if I do another 6.5 it'll be based on our cartridge.

I'm kinda wanting to stay with something I can use factory ammo with because I'll probably give the rifle to my nephew in a few years.

Ahh, you didn't mention that. I'd go with the .270 then. The .26/06 would probably be "okay" for Elk but not really one I would choose over the .270. The main problem I am seeing is your wanting to cut the barrel to 22" which will hinder the performance of any factory ammo for either choice you have listed. Handloading would be a different story but still not that much different. That's a good bit of case capacity for a medium to quarter bore and just 22" of length to burn it. Were it me, I would see about trading that action for a short action and go with either a .260 , or a 7mm.08 for that short barrel. Or, you can go really sporty and go with a .338fed for the big bore rockum sockum hello Dolly stuff :D Or you can do as you suggested, switch bolt faces to a 0.534 and go with 6.5 Remington Mag, 7mm WSM, 270 WSM, 300 WSM, 350 Remington Mag, 338-300 WSM, 450 Marlin, 325 WSM. The list is fairly long but that is shortened by your wanting a shorter barreled rifle.

Edit to add: I just went through this same thought process myself in making the decision for an AR build. NoMercy had me switch my brain on about short barrel performance. It's the main reason I went with .338fed because of the performance levels I could reach with a shorter barrel length (went with 22" Black Hole barrel)

I'm not set on a 22" barrel. Just seems about everything I have right now has a pretty long tube on it so a bit shorter won't hurt much. I'm not too worried about a few FPS loss.

I don't want to trade out the action because my Brother in Law gave me the donor rifle that I built into the 6.5x284. But it's time for something new with it and eventually give it to my Nephew. I have short actions already anyway...243 Ack, 270 WSM, soon to be a 6mm wildcat based on the .350 Rem Mag, just traded a 22-243, etc.

I'm now thinking maybe a .240 Weatherby...could be a sweet low recoil deer gun...

I would seriously consider a .280 Rem (not AI) chambering.