Light, flat & fast...What round should I choose?

odonata said:
117gr bullets grouping at less than half an inch. 109gr Barnes at 3,400 fps. This is precisely what I envisioned when I originally posted my question. Rebarreling my Remington 700 with its Timney trigger to a 25-06 has just moved really high up on the option list. The big benefits are it's the most affordable option & it doesn't add another rifle to my already crowded safe.

ah_700-jpg.721983


The bad part about this option is that since I'm "saving" money, it allows me to rationalize very dubious financial logic that I can indulge myself in another desire: A LH bolt action 6.5x55 Swede.

One of the reasons I posted my original question was my smallest left-handed bolt action was a 22-250. My next left-handed bolt action was a 30-06. So I was hoping to identify a nice rifle / cartridge combo to put between them. This has been a big success as everyone has provided some great feedback. Earlier in 2024, I had gotten a quote on a LH Sako 90 in 6.5x55 but because I had a lot of things going on as I transition into retirement, I put that purchase on pause. This discussion has rekindled my interest in pursuing that goal again.

With the upcoming Winter Olympics starting next month, I've been streaming biathlon competitions to get ready. As I was watching the shooting I decided to wander over to the global Anschutz site & look at some of the rifles they were using. While I was on the site, I was surprised to see that Anschutz makes their 1782 centerfire rifle in a left-handed configuration. I have never seen one for sale in the USA before. There was a configurator that allowed the buyer to pick specific options including upgrading the wood. So just out of curiosity, I sent them an email asking if this was an option for American buyers. This question was a double-edged sword: On one hand I'm always excited to find another LH option but on the other hand, I didn't really need this particular temptation eroding my notoriously weak will power.

Unfortunately, the answer came back "Yes" so I found myself on the phone with Anschutz USA yesterday talking to a salesperson named Matt about rifle options. I've put myself back at square one trying to make another tough decision again. A Swede with a 580mm / 22.8" barrel would be nice! A 9.3x62 doesn't fit into this particular discussion but it doesn't mean I don't want one of those too. :D

View attachment 737271

View attachment 737270
There's four levels of wood that can be specified.

View attachment 737272
Click to expand...
@odonata
I'm going to throw a spanner in your works.
Forget the Swede and 9.3.
You lives in Ah-merry- icka.
Go that route
A nice 25-06 for flat and fast
And
A nice Whelen loaded properly for them thar big critters. Works well in Africa but not quite legal for DG unfortunately.
Bob
 
OK, I’ve decided. Since we’re spending your money, you should definitely get one of those Anshutz with top grade wood in 6.5 x 55.

Rebarreling in 25/06 is a brilliant and practical choice, but I really want to hear a rifle report on one of those 6.5x55. Hurry up and buy one and report back would you?
 
375Ruger416 said:
...I really want to hear a rifle report on one of those 6.5x55. Hurry up and buy one and report back would you?
Click to expand...

We'll have to see how much my GoFundMe campaign raises first... ;)

If I ordered one now, it probably wouldn't arrive until November according to the Anschutz guy. But I don't retire until September & I've got a lot of spinning plates at the moment. It might be a few minutes before a new rifle does actually appear since my list of obligations is already quite long. :D

Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:
Forget the Swede and 9.3.
Click to expand...

Love my Swede. Love my 9.3x74r. So I can't forget either of them. Would it help if I just referred to the 9.3x62 as a "Metric Whelen"?

Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:
A nice 25-06 for flat and fast
And
A nice Whelen loaded properly for them thar big critters.
Click to expand...

A long time ago when I was thinner & had more hair, I seriously considered getting a 25-06, 30-06 & a 35 Whelen and calling it quits. I could have hunted everything I was planning to shoot with those three rifles. I would have saved a LOT of money. But no one ever made a left-handed Whelen so I wound up buying a bunch of other things instead.

Having said that, ever since I saw a blog post years ago where a guy took a Browning 1895 and converted it from a 30-06 to a 35 Whelen, I always kind of had a desire to do the same thing. There's a couple of places I hunt where a rifle like that would be really useful. Years ago I wrote a letter to Winchester asking them to build a 1885 in 35 Whelen because it would be the perfect gun for the hunting regulations of primitive season in Louisiana & Mississippi. I got a nice reply back thanking me for my suggestion but I did not hold my breath. They released a low-wall 350 Legend instead (which actually makes sense for straight-wall states).

35-whelen-1895-winchester-providence-pattern-21-lyman-17.jpg


I guess I just derailed my own thread onto a tangent that isn't about "light, fast & flat" but since we've been discussing this for 15 pages, I think we've covered the topic pretty well at this point.
 
odonata said:
We'll have to see how much my GoFundMe campaign raises first... ;)

If I ordered one now, it probably wouldn't arrive until November according to the Anschutz guy. But I don't retire until September & I've got a lot of spinning plates at the moment. It might be a few minutes before a new rifle does actually appear since my list of obligations is already quite long. :D



Love my Swede. Love my 9.3x74r. So I can't forget either of them. Would it help if I just referred to the 9.3x62 as a "Metric Whelen"?



A long time ago when I was thinner & had more hair, I seriously considered getting a 25-06, 30-06 & a 35 Whelen and calling it quits. I could have hunted everything I was planning to shoot with those three rifles. I would have saved a LOT of money. But no one ever made a left-handed Whelen so I wound up buying a bunch of other things instead.

Having said that, ever since I saw a blog post years ago where a guy took a Browning 1895 and converted it from a 30-06 to a 35 Whelen, I always kind of had a desire to do the same thing. There's a couple of places I hunt where a rifle like that would be really useful. Years ago I wrote a letter to Winchester asking them to build a 1885 in 35 Whelen because it would be the perfect gun for the hunting regulations of primitive season in Louisiana & Mississippi. I got a nice reply back thanking me for my suggestion but I did not hold my breath. They released a low-wall 350 Legend instead (which actually makes sense for straight-wall states).

View attachment 737481

I guess I just derailed my own thread onto a tangent that isn't about "light, fast & flat" but since we've been discussing this for 15 pages, I think we've covered the topic pretty well at this point.
Click to expand...
Well if you really need help on spending and want something real fast
Wonder what a 6.5-378 wbm would do?
 
DaddyFlip said:
So after 15 pages, a well-covered topic and a tangent, what's the final answer?
Click to expand...

We would need a crystal ball for that. While I've narrowed it down to a really short list of good choices, I never know what spectacular deal will appear at an auction or on a place like GunBroker in the next few months. While I have a couple of choices that are heavily favored right now, if I wake up tomorrow and someone is selling a LH Cooper in 257 Roberts for $1k, then factors other than the cartridge it shoots might influence my decision. The rifle model, rifle style, chambering, price & availability all combine to produce a winner. Availability is the most unknown of all those items. I never know when some LH rifles are going to magically pop up.

Besides I like to mull over things & overthink them. Being annoyingly indecisive is one of my more charming features. The lack of urgency in this particular situation amplifies that a bit. Now that I have a short list of cartridges, I get to think about what rifle I might want to have it fired out of.
 
odonata said:
@DaddyFlip

...but ignoring my long-winded ambivalent answer above, amongst the main contenders, for a variety of reasons, the 25-06 is in first place.
Click to expand...
I wasn't trying to rush you; I thought you might have had some real live contenders waiting in the wings. I'm the same way as the thrill of the hunt (for equipment- GAS=gear acquisition syndrome) is what I like the most.
 
If you rebarrel it would make building a 25-06 modernized easy. Go 7 or 7.5 twist and throat it for the new 25 cal "heavies". If you are doing that may as well go AI. Mine is a 24" barrel. The 133 Bergers on top of 62.8gr of Retumbo yields 3,250. However I am at .025 OTL which gives me a 3.43 COAL. Which may give you a mag length problem with a straight rebarrel.

If you want to go short action a 25 Souper would fun. When I need a rebarrel on one of my short actions I think that will be what I do.
 
odonata said:
We'll have to see how much my GoFundMe campaign raises first... ;)

If I ordered one now, it probably wouldn't arrive until November according to the Anschutz guy. But I don't retire until September & I've got a lot of spinning plates at the moment. It might be a few minutes before a new rifle does actually appear since my list of obligations is already quite long. :D



Love my Swede. Love my 9.3x74r. So I can't forget either of them. Would it help if I just referred to the 9.3x62 as a "Metric Whelen"?



A long time ago when I was thinner & had more hair, I seriously considered getting a 25-06, 30-06 & a 35 Whelen and calling it quits. I could have hunted everything I was planning to shoot with those three rifles. I would have saved a LOT of money. But no one ever made a left-handed Whelen so I wound up buying a bunch of other things instead.

Having said that, ever since I saw a blog post years ago where a guy took a Browning 1895 and converted it from a 30-06 to a 35 Whelen, I always kind of had a desire to do the same thing. There's a couple of places I hunt where a rifle like that would be really useful. Years ago I wrote a letter to Winchester asking them to build a 1885 in 35 Whelen because it would be the perfect gun for the hunting regulations of primitive season in Louisiana & Mississippi. I got a nice reply back thanking me for my suggestion but I did not hold my breath. They released a low-wall 350 Legend instead (which actually makes sense for straight-wall states).

View attachment 737481

I guess I just derailed my own thread onto a tangent that isn't about "light, fast & flat" but since we've been discussing this for 15 pages, I think we've covered the topic pretty well at this point.
Click to expand...
@odonata
Since you already have a 9.3x74 you don't need the 62 version of it so you can still have a Whelen.
If'n my memory serves me there was a nice Browning B78 in a gun shop in Texas for a good price that could easily be rebarrel to Whelen from 22-250.
See I'm a thinking man for you helping with your dilemma.
Bob
 
odonata said:
@DaddyFlip

...but ignoring my long-winded ambivalent answer above, amongst the main contenders, for a variety of reasons, the 25-06 is in first place.
Click to expand...
@odonata
Stop flapping around like a confused chook
You already have the solution.
A simple rebarrel of a REM 700 to 25-06 and jobs done and enjoyment starts before retiring.
Simples
Bob
 
quandary said:
If you rebarrel it would make building a 25-06 modernized easy. Go 7 or 7.5 twist and throat it for the new 25 cal "heavies". If you are doing that may as well go AI. Mine is a 24" barrel. The 133 Bergers on top of 62.8gr of Retumbo yields 3,250. However I am at .025 OTL which gives me a 3.43 COAL. Which may give you a mag length problem with a straight rebarrel.

If you want to go short action a 25 Souper would fun. When I need a rebarrel on one of my short actions I think that will be what I do.
Click to expand...
@quandary
You really know how to confuse poor @odonata.
Take something good and make it better.
Can still be done with a simple rebarrel.
Bob
 
Sideshow said:
15 pages phew……if I was left handed I could have gone out and taught myself to shoot right handed like any sain person by now…how are them Cowboys doing this year ;) :ROFLMAO:
Click to expand...

I am right-handed & I know how to shoot right-handed. The problem is a crappy defective right eye. So I'm an involuntary southpaw.

In college, my roommate was a rabid Cowboy's fan. So I always hated them just to be contrary. I'm happy to report they had a losing season & were eliminated from the playoffs. (y)

On another website, I'm an active participant in a 5-year-old thread that is currently 321 pages long that discusses the 458 Win Mag alone. We have a long way to go...

No discussion is complete until its been beaten to death. ;)
 
odonata said:
I am right-handed & I know how to shoot right-handed. The problem is a crappy defective right eye. So I'm an involuntary southpaw.

In college, my roommate was a rabid Cowboy's fan. So I always hated them just to be contrary. I'm happy to report they had a losing season & were eliminated from the playoffs. (y)

On another website, I'm an active participant in a 5-year-old thread that is currently 321 pages long that discusses the 458 Win Mag alone. We have a long way to go...

No discussion is complete until its been beaten to death. ;)
Click to expand...
Ill start looking for a dead horse.......sorry about the eye
 
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