Bolt Action Build Advice

[MK20]

I am planning on building a bolt gun from the ground up in the next few months. Here is what I am considering.
Rem 700 LA donor action
Northland Shooters Supply Remage barrel in either 30-06 or 280 Rem
McMillan A5 or Krg stock. Maybe a manners. Would like it to take AICS mags.
Probably top it off with a Nightforce.

The gun will be used mostly for target shooting but may be used for hunting. Barrel length is not a major mobility concern where I would go hunting. As long as it doesn't require wheels.

Any advice on which caliber to choose? I am really torn. The 7mm heavies have unbelievable BCs but there is something nice about being able to get a box of 30-06 right off the shelf if I need it. I reload by the way so it makes things a lot easier. If anyone here has experience with either caliber in a long range application please chime in.

Barrel length? Any other stock options that are relatively light without tons of exposed aluminum. It gets cold here in the winter.
Any advice on prepping the action? I know not to true the threads when using a Remage prefit.

Any other advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks

 

[whiskeysierra762]

If you cannot push the heavy 7mms to the right speeds (like a magnum) you might be served just as well with a 6.5x284 shooting a 147ELD or a 150SMK.
Im a McMillan A5 fan, I have 3 of them, 2 with the carbon fill for light weight.

 

[Robert Gradous]

280 Nosler

 

[MK20]

I will have to check out the carbon filled ones then. Lighter weight is a nice thing.

 

[flatland1]

I built myself a nice 30-'06 a few years ago on a trued LA M700, 26" Krieger sendero contour bbl, Timney trigger, in a McMillan A3-5 stock. I used a Serengeti reamer from PTG, and the finished rifle shot pretty well. After a few months of shooting with it, I pulled the bbl & rebarreled it in 6.5x55 AI. It came down to not enjoying the recoil with Berger 185 Juggernauts, especially compared to what I was seeing on target from 600-1000yds with two other LA M700s in 284 Win & 280 AI. Recoil out of either of the 7mm rifles was more tolerable with 175-180gr bullets, and the 7s have considerably higher BCs. Aside from the nostalgic draw of the '06 - the 1st CF rifle I ever shot was Dad's old '03-A3 in '06 - I satisfied my curiosity of how the old 30-'06 performs with modern bullets, and moved on. Both my 284 & 280 AI are in McM adj A5 stocks, both weigh in excess of 15lbs, and both are set up with brakes, as was the '06 bbl.

 

[MK20]

Thanks for the first hand experience related here. So the 280 has noticeably less recoil while maintaining a higher BC with bullets still heavy enough to kill any north American game. Am I understanding this right? BTW, I have a 1899 Oberndorf made Swedish M96 and I love it.

 

[flatland1]

There are excellent 7mm hunting bullets available, in no small part due to the huge success Remington enjoyed with the introduction of their 7 Rem Mag back in '62. And the 7 Rem Mag has an excellent reputation for accuracy. However, I look at rifle & cartridge use from the perspective of a LR prone hi power shooter, and have found that my recoil tolerance is pretty well maxed-out by shooting 75+rds of 284/180gr loads in the course of a 3x1000 match. Even when sling shooting with a heavy shooting coat, I've had about enough by the end of the day. Of course, the NRA doesn't allow brakes nor suppressors in prone HP matches...which would make a difference. I shot my straight 284s (have a 284 Bartlein bbl for my DTA SRS also) for a couple of years in local PRS-style matches with a brake, and never had to deal with a flinch - but the guys in my relays didn't much appreciate the muzzle blast either.

 

[MK20]

I appreciate the info

 

[wadebrown]

I have a bunch of 30-06 rifles of various creeds but I would go with the 280 and since you reload go with the 280 AI,. I competed a few years at 1,000 yards in F-class with 180 g pills in my 280 AI and I was always happy with its performance, sometimes not so with my performance, If you need off the shelf ammo straight 280 works fine and usually extremely accurate, if your gunsmith sets up the ackley like it is meant to, ie a 2-3 thousands crush on straight 280 brass.

But on the other hand the 30-06 is no slouch either, but if I was going downrange the 280 is the way I would go.

 

[Massoud]

I don't have a recommendation between those two calibers, I will say that it sure is handy to be able to buy factory match ammo even if you reload. At any rate thank you for considering our chassis.
Justin

 

[300ATT]

Depends if you are shooting targets more or hunting more. If you are shooting targets more then the 280 AI - it will make you smile at distance. If you are mostly hunting then maybe .30-06 for the availability of just about any kind of ammo anywhere in the world - but you reload so hmmmm ...

For the stock. Some like the solid feel of a McMillan A5 (great stock). Some like the adjustability of a chassis. It boils down to personal preference and what “feels right”.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I like the .30-'06, but reserve it for limited applications (Garand, and a cheapest hunting bolt gun, an Axis II with completely transforming Boyd's stock) due to some personal structural deficiencies (Surgeries, etc.).

I did some partial load development with the .280 rem, and it has better ballistics with lighter weight bullets than the '06, for a reduction in recoil as well. I had to return the 280's but I loved them. The AKA for the 280 is the 7mm Express. Think of it as a 7mm Mag (-Lite...).

Another 7mm that should fit into a short action is the 284, which I have always considered as the first S/A Mag. The 280 and 284 are not chart toppers, but they do have a few desirable traits anyway.

I have an adjustable McM A3 stock and it's a great stock; I ordered some extra LOP spacers and it now provides my needed 16" LOP (I also needed to use longer butt pad screws). I recently reconfigured my scope mounting to get the objective bell down to about 1/8" from the barrel, and now my A3's cheek support is at the bottom if its adjustment.

Better yet, the A3-5.

Greg

 

[MK20]

@Massoud , I have an x-ray and I will say that it is one of the few chassis in a decent price range without tons of bare aluminum. That stuff is too damn cold up here in winter. You guys are producing good stuff at the right price point. The real world experience at KRG shows pretty clearly, too.

Thanks for all the advice guys. I have a short action that will eventually get built up as well and I think I am going to go KRG bravo for this LA build and try a bell and Carlson tactical/competition with DBM that I have been itching to give a whirl whenever I get around to putting the short action together.
Doesn’t hurt that KRG is a company with folks in Idaho creating jobs in this state. I have a feeling that the caliber thing will be something that I debate down to the wire. So many good points in favor of each.

Merry Christmas all.
Will be waiting to see if Santa drops that 30mm Vulcan that I have been asking for down the chimney this year. So far he has been a slouch.