I recently downsized the armory - cool, but I was lying to myself when I thought that would "stick." The good news is there's a lot of room in the quiver for more turn bolts. The problem is my creativity.
I've got a M70 that's become a project rifle. It's still wearing its .30-06 factory barrel and has the "heavy" stuff covered as well as "cheap" plinking since I can feed it M1 spec new production ammo at about $.60 a shot. I've got a KRG SOTIC in 6.5 CM that I enjoy as a sort of dedicated range/target rig. There's the K31 for when I want something classic, with irons (and is also a project gun as I try to re-zero the damn thing...should have left well enough alone!). I've got a handful of AR-15s that cover the "small" end of center fire stuff fairly well.
I figured it might be nice to get a GP "in-between" thing going, but I'm having trouble convincing myself I can put together a rifle that isn't doing a job already covered by another gun. I feel like if I could nail the caliber down, the rest of it would come together pretty easily. I've kicked around .280 (or .280 AI), 6.5 PRC, 6 CM, even another 6.5 CM. Hell, I've even thought about 6.5-06, .270 WSM, .243 AI and a few others besides. At the moment I'm leaning towards another 6.5 CM (simply because I already shoot it and will eventually get around to reloading for it) or a 6mm of some variety. I've never been a 6mm guy, but it seems like I might get some genuine utility out of it (even if the performance overlaps my ARs somewhat in a practical sense) compared to cartridges that compete more directly with the .30-06. From a purely "on paper" standpoint, I like the .280 and the 6.5 PRC a lot.
What's it for? Well - it'd be nice if I had a sort of "goto" rifle - something that's competent for targets/plinking, able to stretch its legs a bit when I get the chance to shoot out to 1000 (yes, not long in this group, I know), and useful for hunting hogs/deer. I suppose I might be doomed to just admit that I want a rifle and don't need a reason, but it sure would be swell if I could sort of halfway justify it to myself.
I've got a M70 that's become a project rifle. It's still wearing its .30-06 factory barrel and has the "heavy" stuff covered as well as "cheap" plinking since I can feed it M1 spec new production ammo at about $.60 a shot. I've got a KRG SOTIC in 6.5 CM that I enjoy as a sort of dedicated range/target rig. There's the K31 for when I want something classic, with irons (and is also a project gun as I try to re-zero the damn thing...should have left well enough alone!). I've got a handful of AR-15s that cover the "small" end of center fire stuff fairly well.
I figured it might be nice to get a GP "in-between" thing going, but I'm having trouble convincing myself I can put together a rifle that isn't doing a job already covered by another gun. I feel like if I could nail the caliber down, the rest of it would come together pretty easily. I've kicked around .280 (or .280 AI), 6.5 PRC, 6 CM, even another 6.5 CM. Hell, I've even thought about 6.5-06, .270 WSM, .243 AI and a few others besides. At the moment I'm leaning towards another 6.5 CM (simply because I already shoot it and will eventually get around to reloading for it) or a 6mm of some variety. I've never been a 6mm guy, but it seems like I might get some genuine utility out of it (even if the performance overlaps my ARs somewhat in a practical sense) compared to cartridges that compete more directly with the .30-06. From a purely "on paper" standpoint, I like the .280 and the 6.5 PRC a lot.
What's it for? Well - it'd be nice if I had a sort of "goto" rifle - something that's competent for targets/plinking, able to stretch its legs a bit when I get the chance to shoot out to 1000 (yes, not long in this group, I know), and useful for hunting hogs/deer. I suppose I might be doomed to just admit that I want a rifle and don't need a reason, but it sure would be swell if I could sort of halfway justify it to myself.
