# Caliber for Next Custom Build



## archerben (Sep 14, 2007)

I'm starting to think about my next custom rifle build. I have a Remington 700 .30-06 for a donor action (read long action, standard bolt face) and a Manners EH1A waiting to be paired with a suitable barrel (most likely a Lilja). I'm looking for a good long range caliber in the 6.5mm or 7mm family. This will be an addition to my current family of long range rifles which include a 6.5x47 Lapua, 6.5x284, and 28 Nosler. What cartridge would you chamber the rifle in?


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

280AI would be cool... what about a 338-06 variant? That would be an interesting rifle as well


-DallanC


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

20 Practical. Varmint killing machine.


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## Oblivion5888 (Sep 12, 2011)

6.5 Creedmoor


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

An ultimate barrel burner, 6.5x300 Weatherby.


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

DallanC said:


> 280AI would be cool... what about a 338-06 variant? That would be an interesting rifle as well
> 
> -DallanC


I agree with DallanC - how about a 338-06 AI or similar?

I feel like the available options are so close in performance to many of the cartridges your current rifles are chambered in... I'd look at something that would provide a little separation from the pack.

There's a round known as the 338 Sherman that is similar to the 338 Gibbs, but has less taper and a longer neck. A guy on longrangehunting.com is getting great results out of his 338 Sherman and 250 grain bergers. He's clocking 2800 + FPS out of a 24" barrel. It's worth a look!

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/338-sherman-field-test-185002/


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

35 Whelen--------SS


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

270 Winchester


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Out of your choices I'd pick the 280AI. I have a reamer and gauge if you want to borrow them.

By the way, I had a guy bring me a pile of gun parts for a build. He brought a fluted Wilson barrel from Ragged Hole. He got it for $260! I had never heard of Wilson rifle barrels but if that's what he wanted I'd chamber it and fit it to his action. Well it turned out to be a real hummer! I ordered a .308 1-10 barrel and it turned out great! I now have another .308 and a 6.5 in the mail right now. My best barrel have been Lilja, Shillen and Bartliens but these barrels are close, so far.

https://raggedholebarrels.net/colle...ist-heavy-varmint-contour?variant=34284602950


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## archerben (Sep 14, 2007)

20 Practical - Sounds awesome, on the list, but not on a long action build.

6.5 Creedmoor - On the short list of future builds, but again, not on a long action.

6.5x300 Weatherby - Definitely intriguing, but not a standard bold face.

338-06 variant - I've never played with anything bigger than a .308 caliber bullet, but this one seems underbored and slow for my liking. It takes too much weight to get the BC up to my liking for long range.

338 Sherman - Definitely intriguing. I'm have a hard time find much info for this cartridge outside of that thread. Do you have any other links for cartridge specs and load data?

270 Winchester - No. Why? No.


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## archerben (Sep 14, 2007)

longbow said:


> Out of your choices I'd pick the 280AI. I have a reamer and gauge if you want to borrow them.
> 
> By the way, I had a guy bring me a pile of gun parts for a build. He brought a fluted Wilson barrel from Ragged Hole. He got it for $260! I had never heard of Wilson rifle barrels but if that's what he wanted I'd chamber it and fit it to his action. Well it turned out to be a real hummer! I ordered a .308 1-10 barrel and it turned out great! I now have another .308 and a 6.5 in the mail right now. My best barrel have been Lilja, Shillen and Bartliens but these barrels are close, so far.
> 
> https://raggedholebarrels.net/colle...ist-heavy-varmint-contour?variant=34284602950


I may just do the 280AI. I have a 280AI barrel for my Encore, but I'd like a 280AI in a bolt gun. In fact, that was actually the original intent when I bought the .30-06 for a donor action. I appreciate the offer to borrow the reamer and guages, but I imagine that I will likely just want to own those in the future anyway.

Good to know about the Wilson barrels. For this build, I want to go with a cut rifled barrel, but I'll keep them in mind in the future for a solid button rifled barrel.

This whole custom rifle building adventure has turned into a rather expensive addiction! I need to start building rifles for other people so somebody else can fund the addiction.


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

archerben said:


> 338 Sherman - Definitely intriguing. I'm have a hard time find much info for this cartridge outside of that thread. Do you have any other links for cartridge specs and load data?


Elkoholic (Rich Sherman) on LRH.com will be the best guy to contact. He has the reamer available to rent and has Whidden dies available. Shoot him a PM on the site and he will get back to you. He's a great guy to deal with. I had a 6.5 Sherman built and I've really enjoyed it so far. Haven't had the chance to stretch its legs out yet, but I'm sure it'll perform based on other's experience with the round.

For all the Sherman line, Rich starts with a 270 or 280 case rather than 30-06 (as with the Gibbs cartridges). For the 338 Sherman, he necked up a 280 to 30 cal, then from 30 to 338. Loaded a 338 pill well into the lands and had nice formed brass afterwards.


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## adamsoa (Oct 29, 2007)

6.5 Creedmoor


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## ZEKESMAN (Sep 14, 2007)

archerben said:


> 20 Practical - Sounds awesome, on the list, but not on a long action build.
> 
> 270 Winchester - No. Why? No.


Because it will do everything that the 280AI will do and you can buy a box of cartridges for it in any town you will be hunting by


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## archerben (Sep 14, 2007)

ZEKESMAN said:


> Because it will do everything that the 280AI will do and you can buy a box of cartridges for it in any town you will be hunting by


I've already got enough of the common cartridge guns to cover the buy it at any gas station in North America concern.


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## Jmgardner (Sep 17, 2014)

i absolutely loved my 280ai. I wish i still had it, but my dad passed down his old 280 so the ai funded my wifes new competition gun. anyways, i really liked what it had to offer. great speed, great BC bullets, negligible recoil with a muzzle break, and super easy to reload for. I was loading way light (like 53gr of 4831sc when i hear alot of people closer to 58 or higher) and i was still carrying 1000ft-lbs of energy to ~1100 yds. and its not a barrel burner. i will quite likely have another one in the future.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

ZEKESMAN said:


> Because it will do everything that the 280AI will do and you can buy a box of cartridges for it in any town you will be hunting by


People who build rifles don't usually buy cartridges and Loke owns the only 270 that will do everything that the 280AI will do. What I think you meant to say was that the 270 will do anything the 280AI can do only with 30 less grains of bullet weight and about .1 less BC. By those standards, the 25-06 can do anything the 270 can do too.-------SS


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## bugchuker (Dec 3, 2007)

Im waiting for my 6.5-280AI to get done, it can do anything a 270 can do.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

bugchuker said:


> Im waiting for my 6.5-280AI to get done, it can do anything a 270 can do.


Yea....a 270WSM.------SS


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## DUSTY NOGGIN (Feb 27, 2017)

http://www.reloadersnest.com/rifle.asp

lots to consider in the 284 range

i prefer the heavies ,


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## TheoCleaner (May 29, 2017)

I'd say .280 Ackley Improved


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

Springville Shooter said:


> What I think you meant to say was that the 270 will do anything the 280AI can do only with 30 less grains of bullet weight and about .1 less BC. -------SS


Lets look at this from a realistic perspective. The 270 Winchester will do anything that 99.9% of shooters are capable of doing.


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

yet when you factor in that some of us just aren't that realistic - (insert project rifle: 30-26 Nosler vs 300Wby or 30-378?) - then any of his choices become realistic just because then. lol :O•-:


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Loke said:


> Lets look at this from a realistic perspective. The 270 Winchester will do anything that 99.9% of shooters are capable of doing.


Dang it! A voice of reason on a "which caliber" thread. When he puts it like that, there's no argument. The 270 will do anything that any Hunter or shooter will ever need it to do.

My household is split 270/280 and we all still love each other.------SS


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

But life is too boring to only subject it to a few calibers. 

Once you have the basic ones such as the 06, 270, and 308 why not branch out and find something that is rare and unique. 

I did a few wildcats in my younger days and as I got older I decided that I didn't like forming brass, but I still have a couple of them that I'll pull out every now and then just because they are fun to shoot and find a load for. 

That reminds me I need to pick up some 30-30 brass to make some 357 Herrett with before hunting seasons starts again.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

I like swede's. The taller and blonder the better


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Anything with AAA walnut. And I'd go with a Mannlicher stock while yer at it.

.


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## Utmuddguy (Aug 25, 2013)

6.5x284 can do everything the rifles you mentioned can do and more with commercially available brass and no fireforminh


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