Hello campfire! Newer member here but long time lurker,

I have a Remington 700 Long Range 25-06 26" HB. I purchased this rifle new in 2015, I've put only a few rounds through it for barrel break in and sighting the scope on it. Outside of that it sits in the back of the safe unused.

I swapped the M40 medalist stock that came on it with the older small palm swell Remington/HS precision Sendero stock. I did not care for the feel of the large for-end of the medalist. It is essentially a 25-06 Sendero clone without the barrel stamp. I had the identical rifle growing up that was a true unfluted Sendero 25-06 that I took on varmint hunting trips.

My question to you guys would be, what would you do?

I would love to set it up as a dedicated varmint rifle but my opportunities to be in that environment are not as readily available as they used to be. I grew up in North Dakota and trips to the western side of the state and into eastern Montana for prairie dogs were quite common in the summers. I now reside in central Michigan and we dont have alot of great varminting outside of some coyotes and occasional ground hogs. I have also thought about a re-barrel into a lighter contour and setting it up for whitetail hunting. I just don't know if scavenging this complete rifle to make something else is the best option or if I would be better off selling it and starting with another sporter 25-06. I really like the caliber and how it performs. As it sits right now its just over 12lbs, no slouch in weight but it is far too heavy to be carrying around the woods on a whitetail hunt IMO.

I already have a few other calibers that cover pretty much anything in N.A. I have the desire to point at outside of a grizzly so this is kind of in the grey area realm. I'm at a loss, do I turn it into something that is more conducive to my area/terrain or keep it as is and "save it for a rainy day" on the off chance I will get back into varminting/critters.

Any and all thoughts are appreciated.

Seems to me you have a dedicated tree stand or antelope hunting style rifle. Basically not too much carrying and humping. Sitting and waiting or baiting where allowed.

Or if you like consult your gunsmith as to the feasibility of turning down the barrel into a sporter contour with a sporter stock. Should turn into a 7.5 lbs 24" barrel rifle.

Spending a bunch of money to turn it into something different - lighter— is probably not the best money decision, very unlikely you would end up recouping what you spend should you decide to sell.

If it were me, I’d keep it if it were a great shooter and buy something more suitable as a packing rifle. It’s a buyers market now, just look at all the good buys in the Classifieds, even for full customs…. Just my .02 cents.

i have two 6.5-284s, originally a 25-06 700

Sell it as is and get something that will better fit your needs.

Why do anything to it, buy another rifle instead of spending money on a perfectly good rifle??

You could always buy a Proof carbon barrel and have a smith rechamber to a cartridge to your liking, 270, 280 AI, 30-06, etc...

It shot very well with factory 100 grain corelokts, I haven't done any other load development with it. I agree about the resale with custom rifles, you likely wont get back what you put into them.




I like the way you think, that still leaves me with a pretty unused rifle though.




I appreciate the responses so far, it sounds like I'm overthinking it and should just leave it alone and enjoy it for what it is.


Currently in the stable with it are 22LR, .223, 6mm Rem, 280 and 30-06. I'm pretty well covered for most things I have access to hunt (I think). I had plans to make the 280 into my main hunting rifle, tang safety M77 sporter and was going to work up a nice handload for it when the weather gets a bit better.

It might be unused, but you still own it. I have a safe full. I don’t use them all, but can if I want to.

They don't eat unless you feed them..

Maybe a lighter stock and barrel trim could lighten it up to be more packable and usable. Im more in the camp of making what I have work for me than just holding onto something I’ll probably never use.

I would sell the 25-06 and buy another rifle. This rifle should be very easy to move in my opinion

I agree with Jericho. But I'd wait a few months to sell it when the market isn't so low. Or send it to JES and have it rebored to 280ai. That might lighten it up a little bit.

Take the money you were going to spend on changing the rifle on an antelope hunt. You match the gun to the perfect prey tell the story of that perfect 400 yard shot for years after you are done eating that tasty meat.

I'd sell it and put the money toward a hunt.

I’d sell it, hold onto the money. You’ll get the itch for something new or different, soon enough

Sell it.

Sell it. Buy what you want.

Thanks for all the responses guys!

It is just sitting for now, but likely will be on the chopping block in a few months if the market comes up a little.

This!

That rifle is pretty desirable by the stand hunting crowd. I'd take the money and put it toward a hunt and go make some memories.

The world is full of rifles. You only have a limited amount of time on this earth and you won't be strong and healthy for all of it. Decide what you want to hunt (or can hunt, as the case may be) then make those hunts with the rifles you have. Do the hardest ones first.

I've owned hundreds of rifles over the years. I don't remember the details of most of them, but I think about the hunts all the time.


Okie John

If it was me, I'd keep it as-is. Sounds like your niches are filled with other rifles, there's no unmet need, so no real need to change things up .. maybe other than boredom. I've made some stupid choices out of boredom.

You won't make enough from the rifle to do much hunting been there done that. Sounds good, but foolish. Keep it. One caliber I am never without.

You won't make enough from the rifle to do much hunting been there done that. Sounds good, but foolish. Keep it. One caliber I am never without.

Classic buy vs build. Cost 'em out while it sits in the safe. If something else floats yer boat then move it on down the road....

Keep it!

I have a basic battery. I've hunted in Northern California and now in Pa. A Savage f in 308 Win that wears a 2x7 Leupold, my go-to rifle. A Rem 700 in 280 Rem with a 4x12 Leupold will take me out to 450 yards and is heaver. A custom Mauser in 6.5-06 with a 26-inch match Shilin barrel, Leupold 4.5x16 VXL and Boyd's At-One stock as a distance/varmint rifle. It's too heavy to carry and spends more time in the safe than the other two, but it's there when I want it.

If you handload, load up some varmint rounds for the heavy barrel 25 with much lighter bullets. Then you still have your prairie antelope and deer cartridge, perhaps hogs as well, a rocking coyote rifle, and while it wouldn't be your only gun to reach for at a prairie dog town, it could still make the trip back to ND with you when you decide to come for a visit. Change up your ammo and you'll double the potential uses you do have with the rifle.