Need opinions - mod. 70 vs 700

**RyanB** · 03-18-13, 23:41

Sell both, buy an FN SPR in .308. Shoot the barrel out then reevaluate.

**AR15barrels** · 03-19-13, 04:27

Originally Posted by saddlerocker

The 700 Varmint has a 26" barrel I think. I wouldnt want that personally

So you prefer your bullets to drift more in the wind?
Personally, I like them to drift less in the wind.

I know that shorter barrels are important when you are jumping out of a helo and fast roping into your firing position...
I wish I had such a cool job.

**ICANHITHIMMAN** · 03-19-13, 05:51

Originally Posted by RyanB

Sell both, buy an FN SPR in .308. Shoot the barrel out then reevaluate.

LOL ya right

**skullworks** · 03-19-13, 05:55

I'll be the voice of dissent. For long-range shooting take good hard look at the 6.5x55 Swede or the 6.5x55 Ackley Improved - preferably out of a Tikka T3 Sporter. Those are absolute tack drivers that out of the box will put most 308 Remmys to shame (including quite a few to most custom barreled ones as well).

The exterior ballistics of the 6.5 is very close to the .338 Lapua etc. but without the kick.

The 6.5x55 is having a resurgence as a long range caliber over here and unless someone is issued a .308 most will bring something else to shooting matches where the range extends past 600 meters. Norma makes very good ammo and loading components that should be quite inexpensive even in the U.S. (maybe not as cheap as 308 win, but the small difference in ammo cost will show itself on 600 meter target).

Tapatapatapatalk

**orkan** · 03-19-13, 08:22

Sorry skullworks... but 6.5 swede will never catch on here... and for good reason.

We already have two cartridges that do everything it does, and likely more.

260 rem, and 6.5 creedmoor. Either of them will comfortably run a 140gr bullet at 2800fps. No reason to have yet another 6.5 when those two do the job so well.

**skullworks** · 03-19-13, 08:46

Greg, I disagree. It already caught on - looong before the .260 Remington or the Creedmoor.

If anything the 6.5 Swede has fallen out of the collective memory because it's not new and it's too intimately connected to the Swedish Mauser rifles. Put it in a Tikka T3 (or in a Rem 700 or Win 70 - but the T3 is by far the best out-of-the-box rifle out there) and take it out for a 1000-yard match and you'll see that it still has plenty to offer.

Both the .260 and the Creedmoor are great if you're "stuck" with a short action rifle (or an AR), but if you do not have that limitation the 6.5x55 is better than both of them.

Regardless, my main point is not to go with the .308 Win for long range shooting; the OP will do himself a disservice by going down that route.

**Jeepman1320** · 03-19-13, 08:51

Originally Posted by AR15barrels

So you prefer your bullets to drift more in the wind?
Personally, I like them to drift less in the wind.

I know that shorter barrels are important when you are jumping out of a helo and fast roping into your firing position...
I wish I had such a cool job.

I may be a little new to this game, but for all intensive purposes a shorter barrel will be more accurate due to less barrel whip and better barrel harmonics. I have only see about 150fps difference between my 20" barrel and my old 26" barrel. So how does a shorter barrel cause any real negligible difference in wind drift? As long as you can tailor your loads to reach a full burn at you barrel length it shouldn't make any real difference... Correct?

**orkan** · 03-19-13, 09:51

Originally Posted by skullworks

Both the .260 and the Creedmoor are great if you're "stuck" with a short action rifle (or an AR), but if you do not have that limitation the 6.5x55 is better than both of them.

Please explain why.

**T2C** · 03-19-13, 09:58

Originally Posted by orkan

Sorry skullworks... but 6.5 swede will never catch on here... and for good reason.

We already have two cartridges that do everything it does, and likely more.

260 rem, and 6.5 creedmoor. Either of them will comfortably run a 140gr bullet at 2800fps. No reason to have yet another 6.5 when those two do the job so well.

I am seeing a few more .260 Remingtons in our area. A friend of mine converted his .308 to .260 and he loves it. He shoots steel with his .260 out to 1400 yards and he told me hits come easier with the .260 than it did when he was shooting .308.

Once the accuracy of my .308 barrel drops off, I am going to replace the barrel with a .260 Rem.