Well now you just need a S & B scope, Leupold rings and bases, Harris Bipod......

This is turning into a great thread....just to try and help on some points...Mac mentioned he was considering saving up for another Rem 700 in .308...what is useful to know is that the Bolt Face for the .270 is the same size as for a .308 so what you can do is simply get a custom barrel done for the .270 in .308 and save yourself the money on a whole new rifle. The .270 is on a long action and one of the benefits here is that a long action can always be used for short action bullets but not the other way round. You will need a few other tools...an action wrench and barrel clamp but the gunsmith you choose to re-barrel the rifle will show you how to swap out the barrels if that is the way you choose to go. However there is nothing wrong with the .270 and before buying other barrels or rifles I would go more for a learning curve with the .270. I would certainly try and learn re-loading so you can shoot cheaper than using factory ammo and with that skill base you can develop loads specifically for your rifle which will be much more accurate and satisfying.

Recon was thinking about a 7mm Rem Magnum....my advice is avoid belted magnum cases...if you start to learn reloading you will learn about the benefits of fire forming your cases so they perfectly fit the chamber on your rifle and the ability to re-load by using a neck sizing die with the further improvement in accurate load development for your specific rifle. When fireformed a normal none belted case will be able to be seated in the chamber using the shoulder of the case and you will get a very consistant seating of your rounds....a belted magnum case seats off the belt and is quite tricky to get them to seat on the shoulder. These are small points but they are relevant to getting the rifle to perform at it's very best.

Learning these skills saves money on ammo and enables you to shoot more and with much better ammo. Hunting rifles have light barrels which with the heat created by multiple rounds will open up in group when the barrel is "hot"...but they will deliver good 3 shot groups. The secret is to let the barrel cool if load developing and wanting to shoot a number of rounds at one sitting.

Scopes and rings and bases are expensive and for this reason alone I would master one rifle before buying another....a 30-06 or a .270 both have high round counts on barrels before they are "shot out"...so you will have a good ability to develop skill without worrying that the barrel might not last.

One of the best things in my view when looking at a telescopic sight is to look at one with external sniper or "target" turrets which encourage you to dial in corrective changes on the scope rather than aim off because you have a hunting scope with dust covers which restrict your ability to correct for distance and wind conditions. As a "first" scope this may seem an unusual suggestion...but it makes all the difference on developing skill...people who say you might have the knobs move forget that if you are trained properly you can check for this when taking the rifle out of the case...it is totally easy to do. Before buying a scope consider reading a bit...the best book for my money is "ultimate sniper" by Maj Plaster...a great reference book for basic skills through to advanced skills...it covers it all.

Value for money on scopes Leupold do some nice ones with their Mk IV turrets which are good target/sniper turrets...their warranty is good as well...my favourite though is NightForce...either their Benchrest Models or the NXS...although I probably spend crazy money on scopes...as I have US Optics custom scopes and custom Zeiss, S&B and March scopes which I now use for my competition shooting...but I have won more comps with Night Force scopes than anything else. After trying them all...NF is for me the best money/performance mix. Do not be put off spending more on your scope than your rifle...but at the same time...go with what makes sense for you...I am probably too much into this sort of thing for most people's needs/wants and am possibly suggesting equipment far too expensive for what most would consider spending.

I am sticking with the .270 right now as its what I got.
I brought rebarreling the action up with my "gun guys" down at camp and they didn't think it was worth it, although they are more about acquiring rifles then shooting them.
I like the idea of building my own gun but I think having a separate hunting gun and long range shooting gun would be nice.
I plan on saving and buying top notch rings, scope, and bases along with a more suitable rifle in a year or so all at the same time.
A Mark 4 is actually the scope I have been looking at but I will probly ask you a boat load of questions be for I take the plunge.
My local eyeglass store sells Zeiss scopes believe it or not, discovered that when I was in there one day.
I don't need glasses BTW, I'm 20/15.

The way I am shooting now is rather spartan, but I am learning alot being that my rifle is actually mine and I don't have to borrow someone's gun just to go shoot.
No doubt my rifle in a hunting gun, and that I am making it do things no other hunter would have it do if they had bought it.
My rings and base are cheap, the rings are nice and have nothing that will shake lose but the base it a two piece which I don't like.
My scope is a Nikon hunting scope with the dust covers and a duplex reticle and horribly thick crosshairs, 1/4 click.
I didn't get to pick my stuff out, my dad basiclly said get this or get none even though it was my own money.
He is all about pretty guns and I am all about function, it leads to some friction at gun shows and stores. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
I am not afraid to adjust my scope because I can always sight it in later, although I do usually just eyeball it which I geuss is a bad habit.
I havent tried windage because I shoot in a valley which is dead still, something to learn though.
I don't know if there is a way to slap a pair of turrets on my scope but I would be interested if there was.
A plus with my rifle is its trigger, which is fantastic. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Reloading is another mountain I have to climb.
Something I will have to learn though.

Anyways, I keep on learning and soaking up info and trying to not be a total fng.

I'll check out that book.

i myself prefer the .270, it dosint kill your shoulder after four shots, just my 2 cents

That really depends on the weight of the rifle and if there is a pad on the stock.

Hi Mac,

Well a nice old Rem 700 is worth keeping....as they say...they don't make them like they used to...as for re-barreling....forget that for now. Your .270 as a calibre is plenty accurate...all we need to do is check the rifle over.

The first thing is to check out the scope...there are accessories you can buy to transform hunting turrets to target turrets but before doing so and spending money you need to ensure that the scope works properly.

You need to check the reticle movement both for sticking and for accuracy of the quarter minute clicks. To do so immobilise the rifle so you can turn the turrets and get them to come back to a fixed point. You also want to check it for parallax error. The handy thing with that book I suggested is that this covers how to do all these things and has targets/charts in the appendix which assist in checking these things off. The book is published by Paladin and I will post a link to it. I will also post some links for the relevant bits and pieces you might benefit from.

Here is a link to the book and where to buy it...

http://www.ultimatesniper.com/catalog_pa...p;ProductCode=2

The book is'nt cheap but the knowledge is priceless...

Plaster does'nt cover reloading...so here is another good book...Lymans 49th Edition Reloading Manual...they have good guides at the beginning as to basic techniques...and some good load info for the .270....a book like this is always useful.

https://www.midwayusa.com/Lyman

One tip for reloading...never keep all your powder bottles on the reloading bench...only the one that is in the powder dispenser...so you always know which powder you are using...especially if you reload for pistols and rifles....pistol powder in a rifle case loaded in error can be a fatal error...and this system has worked well for me. Pistol powder is much faster than rifle powder and can cause a rifle to blow up if loaded in a rifle case. Like anything to do with shooting...if you are careful...there are no problems.

Think of it like the danger of loading a 20 guage shotgun shell into a 12 guage gun...the case will drop down the barrel and get stuck...load another 12 guage shell in and shoot and the barrel will blow up...for this reason I stick with 12 guage shotguns...I don't own a 20 guage and 12 guage at the same time and I never borrow another mans cartridge bag if I run out. This last one is more common as a mistake and it nearly happened to me ....on a pheasant drive...I borrowed some cases as my peg was very busy...and a 20 guage had got in with the other shooters 12 guage cases...thankfully I noticed it drop into the barrel.

Anyway...those two tips are good ones...but don't let them put you off...

Edited to further add...Mac here is a link to the type of accessory target turrets which used to be available....

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=899510

However from doing a bit of searching it seems Stoney Point no longer do them and that most manufacturers have altered their coin slot adjustment rings on hunting scopes to possibly prevent these accessories costing them sales on people upgrading to a target turret model??

Midway USA though do have some less helpful accessories which enable faster turning of scope turrets...like a ratchet handle affair but I did'nt see them for Nikon.

i guess

Man you speak gun. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Looks like I have some homework to do.

My scope doesn't have parallax compensation, I'm going to go out on a limb and geuss that Nikon set the parallax at 100yds.
I'll have to wait on checking the clicks since I need something with a grid to aim at(right?).
I haven't had any problems zeroing it though.

I'll buy both books, hopefully they will help me.
The second one looks like a good thing for me to jump into reloading with.

I found what I was looking for thanks to your link.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=139903
Hopefully that will fit the bill.

Incedentally I had a eye check today with my mom.
I asked the optician about the scopes I notice he had before and it turns out he is a long range shootist with some very nice rifles.
He carries not only Zeiss but S & B and Nightforce.
Looks like I might be able to get a floor model or lightly used scope for big bucks off. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />
Wonder if he can teach me to reload.

Thanks SteelFan, the knowledge is much needed and appreciated.

Another advantage of the 06 is the availability and cost savings on the military ammo.
I used to often buy the bulk lots and grind the tips down until they were starting to show lead.

There was no significant loss of accuracy and gave them the ability to work well on soft skinned game, instead of punching through and loosing them.

They were also dynamite on pigs as well. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

i bought the remington 700 XCR in 30.06 and i know i made the best choice. thanks for all the help guys and im glad mac and steelfan got some good in depth talk going <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Nahh, lets keep the shooting talk going.

This is fun and good practice for dialing in dope.
http://www.shooterready.com/lrsdemohi.html

Congrats RCS on your new rifle!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Hopefully what I have suggested for Mac will be of interest for you as well. Those books are good for anyone shooting a rifle...I got my Plaster book in 1993 and I still refer to it now some 16 years later....it is a great book...he was way ahead of his time. In 1993 he gave good info on the .338 Lapua Magnum and it was just introduced as our new Sniping rifle last year. I might well get the new updated version myself just to see what's new.

I have just got a .375 Chey Tac barrel put on a custom BAT action by Barney Lawton...one of your better long range custom gunsmiths...I need to get this pillar bedded to my McMillan stock and get some custom work done for a special bi-pod. This is just a "project" for me....but the cartridge has the longest range shooting ability of any on the market at present. It is capable of sustaining supersonic flight on the bullets for 2200 to 2500 yards...more at higher altitude....speaking to Lutz Moeller who has designed a new monolithic solid bullet for it. Lutz is the best long range bullet designer we have over here in Europe...but it will be interesting to see how this works out. It may be the next "future" calibre....improving the .50 Cal ability....we will see...but it is a fascinating "project" whichever way it goes.

Enjoy the 30-06 and let us know how you get on. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />