Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Need suggestions - Kimber 84L - 30-06 needs to be something else

So, I got really lucky on a Kimber RMEF 84L. Bargain price, and great wood.

Only one problem . . . it is a 30-06, and I already have two 84L with nice wood in 270 and 30-06

This 30-06 needs to be something else.

I am thinking rebore to 338-06, 35 Whelen, or 9.3x62. Measuring the barrel at 20-21 inches, I think there is enough wall thickness forthese. But I am a little concerned about the balance.

I also considered rebarrel to 6.5-06, but it would be so close to the 270 I am not sure it makes sense.

Another thought was rechamber to 30 Gibbs. A significant gain, but a PITA to load for.

Last option - leave it alone and sally forth with two beautiful 30-06.

What would you do? (and WWJD?)

.280, 7x57, 7x64--all would be the berries.

Not being real familiar with the Kimber bolt (don't own one) - how feasible would it be to have it opened and rebarreled to 257 Wby?

Would look/be a rather classy rig IMO - love the grain on that thing.

BTW, the barrel at 20-21 would look like a hack job with the forend at that length. Just sayin'.

Bolt issue. Too nahry.

Oops, another fave - 6.5x55.

Am I helping any??

leave that bolt alone, fast twist 6.5-284, turn it into your long range deer whacker! I am having the same done to a commercial 98 now, and if i could get ahold of a kimber for 250 bucks (like i can a MK X) i would already own one.

THIS.

Sell it and buy a few cases of ammo for your other 84L's

How sweet would that be? 23" barrel, 1-8 twist, weigh about 7lbs all up and shoot like gangbusters.

Dibs when it sells. Ha!

Could wring out those new 100 grain AMAX on yotes/chucks to the 139 Scenars on deer/antlered game.

I could like that very much.

.338-06. i can't wait for an excuse to build another one

Bang flop in spades.

As I recall, the barrel mics .580 at the muzzle, so a rebore to 338-06 would seem to work pretty well even with the barrel at 24". I think a 35 Whelen or 9.3x62 probably would too.

But I don't have anything between 30-06 and 35 Whelen now, so a 338-06 probably makes sense.

I really like the 7x57, 6.5x55, and 6.5x284 (and 6.5-06)ideas, but it takes a new barrel, and doesn't do anything for me that the 270 won't do.

For me, the biggest problem with a rebore is the barrel marking. I hate some of the xxx'd out messes I have seen. I need to find somebody who will do it right, like on my 1895 Winchester in 35 Whelen. It was done by LaBounty precision, but I think they are out of business now.

Labounty sold its machinery to Clear Water Reboring/Delta Gun Shop, and they do excellent work.

http://www.deltagunshop.com/clearwater_reboring/index.html#

Thanks Oregon.

I'd go 338-06 or 35 Whelen,...all the smaller bores on the '06 case are covered by the factory, and you're right, the 6.5-06 is too close to the 270....

Really nice lookin rifle there! With that excellent CRF action, Ebony forend cap and really fine wood with straight for and aft grain it screams to me DGR. 9.3x62 all the way. Legal and capable for everything and anything on the planet with modest and easy to master recoil. Cool factor of 10+. Very easy conversion, could even be a re-bore and re chamber job with the existing barrel. If you go that way, I have some extra .366 Barnes bullets that I got for a project that never came to fruition.

Just sell it and work on something else.

To be frank I don't like the wood all that much and I like some streaks in walnut.

If you keep it I say so what if you have another 30-06. The cartridge is universal and flexible. Just keep it sighted with a different load or as a back up.

Thanks safariman

9.3x62 is what I was thinking when I bought it.