RPRNY
Member
Bought a NIB 30-06 S&W I-Bolt in a boozy Gun Broker foray two years ago as a wet weather don't care rifle. Came with $100 of Williams sights on it and was $320 out the door of my FFL, so I wasn't too regretful.
Never could get it to shoot in the cold. Light primer strikes.
Sent it in to S&W last week and got a call this morning. Irreparable and obsolete. They are offering an S&W M&P AR in 22 LR (in which I have no interest)or a TC Venture in any caliber. I am in no way displeased by this response. It seems perfectly fair and reasonable.
So, trying to decide what caliber. I bought the Ibolt in 30-06 when we lived in NY and most of my hunting was in New England as a do-all wet weather rifle. I have a very nice Howa Golden Bear (Sako Finnbear license infringement) in 30-06 so see no need to replace the Ibolt with 30-06 in any event.
We moved to CO last Fall and antelope, mulies, and possibly elk are now on the cards. I am leaning towards 7mm Remington Magnum. I don't have a magnum and have never felt the urge, but WY antelope are a long way off. I suppose I have a gap in my portfolio between 222 Remington and 6.5x55, but it's a fairly small gap.
Options I am considering:
25-06
280 Remington
7mm Rem Mag
The 25-06 makes for a very good antelope rifle and does fill the gap between .224 and .264 I suppose, but there's a gap for a reason. I'm just not very interested in 24-25 calibers.
The 280 Remington has always interested me but ballistically, a 7mm-06 seems redundant. The BC improvement of the 28 cal bullets don't seem worth assuming a new caliber, brass, dies etc.,
The 7mm Rem Mag is a popular caliber out here. Factory ammo is readily available if needed and it seems like a versatile cartridge with the ability to reach out for antelope, do well for mulies, and even serve for elk. That TC only offers a 24" barrel is not ideal but hardly a deal breaker.
The Venture is also offered in 300 WSM, 300 WinMag and 338 WinMag, but they are all above my recoil tolerance with the 7mm Rem Mag right at the top.
I am clearly leaning towards the 7mm Rem Mag but I have no magnum experience so I am open to ideas and the experience of others.
Thanks very much.
Never could get it to shoot in the cold. Light primer strikes.
Sent it in to S&W last week and got a call this morning. Irreparable and obsolete. They are offering an S&W M&P AR in 22 LR (in which I have no interest)or a TC Venture in any caliber. I am in no way displeased by this response. It seems perfectly fair and reasonable.
So, trying to decide what caliber. I bought the Ibolt in 30-06 when we lived in NY and most of my hunting was in New England as a do-all wet weather rifle. I have a very nice Howa Golden Bear (Sako Finnbear license infringement) in 30-06 so see no need to replace the Ibolt with 30-06 in any event.
We moved to CO last Fall and antelope, mulies, and possibly elk are now on the cards. I am leaning towards 7mm Remington Magnum. I don't have a magnum and have never felt the urge, but WY antelope are a long way off. I suppose I have a gap in my portfolio between 222 Remington and 6.5x55, but it's a fairly small gap.
Options I am considering:
25-06
280 Remington
7mm Rem Mag
The 25-06 makes for a very good antelope rifle and does fill the gap between .224 and .264 I suppose, but there's a gap for a reason. I'm just not very interested in 24-25 calibers.
The 280 Remington has always interested me but ballistically, a 7mm-06 seems redundant. The BC improvement of the 28 cal bullets don't seem worth assuming a new caliber, brass, dies etc.,
The 7mm Rem Mag is a popular caliber out here. Factory ammo is readily available if needed and it seems like a versatile cartridge with the ability to reach out for antelope, do well for mulies, and even serve for elk. That TC only offers a 24" barrel is not ideal but hardly a deal breaker.
The Venture is also offered in 300 WSM, 300 WinMag and 338 WinMag, but they are all above my recoil tolerance with the 7mm Rem Mag right at the top.
I am clearly leaning towards the 7mm Rem Mag but I have no magnum experience so I am open to ideas and the experience of others.
Thanks very much.