I am considering building a new custom off a savage action. I know it may not be the most popular action but I like them. I have a long action to start so mag length will be no issue.
I want to build this for my wife to shoot along with a neice and nephew. I plan to put an adjustable lop stock on it for that reason. It will be a heavy gun as it will be only used in shoot house or beanfields.
Now for the question, what caliber would you build this in? I have pondered the idea of a 7/08 or 7/08ai. The gunsmith recommended a 22/243 but Im not sure that's what I'm after.
The gun will not have a break on it because a lot of kids don't like the sound so I don't want to large of a caliber.
I ask that in your recommendation you give me reasons for the chooses you pick.
Thanks

.260 Rem. Less recoil. Accomplishes the same down range.

Holy bejeebus! I'm agreeing with Ringman.

Plus, the 260 has Lapua brass. You'll be able to do similar things with a 260 as you can with a 7-08 at about 20gr less bullet weight. Plus, there's more light and decent high BC bullets if you need to rachet the recoil down some.

If you don't like that, I'd also consider a 243 or its AI cousin.

NM, it becomes easy to over think these kind of decisions. Because you already have the long action I would say just go with a 270. A heavy gun with today's lighter for caliber bullets the old warhorse will fill your ticket indeed.

With a long action I would go with a 6.5-284 (if you reload). Otherwise 270 or 25-06.

I like the 284 or the 6.5 version for your build, since you've got the right action.

A while back, I started thinking about what I considered to be the ideal dimensions of a case for a LR hunting cartridge. I came up with a set, and then later noticed that the 284 case is the shortened version of my ideal case design. I think it would be ideal for you.

The bottom line is pick a cartridge with High BC bullets available.

From there, it doesn't matter a fuggin' bit which one; good shooters hit targets with whatever they're shooting.

I would go 30-06. Plenty of good components available and recoil on a heavy rifle won't be bad at all. Barrel will last long as well.

Pieter

Thanks for all the responses and hope more to follow.
The reason I have thought about the 7/08 is the 162 or 168gr bullets and the high bc. Would the 140s in the 6.5 be about the same for whitetail in comparison to yardage and energy.

280 AI or a 6.5-06 or the AI version of either.

There are 7's with great BC. 6.5's are popular for a reason.



Travis

6.5/284 if wanting good BC, reasonable speed, moderate recoil, loads of data, good existing components/dies, and working with a long action.

I don't mind having a short case on the long action as weight is not an issue with this gun.
What would be to heavy of a gun in y'all's opinion for a moderate recoil round such as a 7/08 or 260? Or what weight should I shoot for to recoil recoil to a minimal without a break?

Do a 260, 6.5 Creedmoor, or 6.5x47 Lapua and shoot lighter weight bullets in it if you want to keep the recoil down. If I were building off a long action I'd pick the 260 or 6.5 creedmoor with a preference for the creedmoor, short action the 6.5x47L. Too heavy depends upon how much you want to carry, more weight in the rifle means less recoil so there's really no such thing as too heavy from a recoil perspective. Light bullets kick less but have a lower BC also so it's a trade off. It depends upon how far you want to shoot with it. Energy isn't really a problem for whitetails, hit them right and they're done. The nosler 120 ballistic tip has a good reputation on deer and a reasonable BC for it's weight. It would make for a flat shooting, light kicking deer round. If I really wanted to keep the recoil to a minimum I'd use a 100 gr barnes ttsx, but the BC of it isn't the greatest if you're wanting to shoot long.

Stick with your instincts and do the 7-08. On that long action you can run anything from 120-162 amaxes with the right throat. Eddybo talked me into doing that exact same thing and I'm glad he did every time I shoot it. It and a muzzleloader are the only 2 hunting guns I own because I don't need anything else.

Before

After
I have built only one Sav 110 and that was in 2013:
Material cost:
$240 1972 Savage 110 .223 action and scope bases
$109 Boyd's tactical stock
$114 Lothar Walther .224" 14" twist CM barrel blank bought on sale in 2002
$26 SSS recoil lug
$11 paint
$67 cheek rest Karsten's Custom Cheek Rest A-Model
$55 tactical bolt handle
--------------------------
$622 + scope, rings, rear bag, bi pod, pod-loc, sling, and scope level


It's first group at 100 yards was good enough with my prairie dog /ground squirrel load [I have thousands of rounds lying around of mixed brass 15 gr Blue Dot 35 gr Vmax loaded long, 2.17"].

I shot some prairie dogs with it.

For 2015 hunting I have new 25-06 and 6.5-06 reamers, and half finished Mosin Nagant with a Kriger 300 Win Mag barrel on it.

I have an old Sav 110E series K 30-06 that I may convert.
The first 110 I did not use a barrel nut, and I will not on the next, either.

What does that rig weigh clark

You seem hung up on using a short cartridge in a long action. If that is indeed the case (pun intended) then why ask?

You will never beat the BC of the 180 7mm bullets but can match the 168s with the 6.5 140s.

With a long action, I would suggest a 6.5-284 or 6.5-06[AI] etc.

If you are stuck on 7mm bullets they a 280. As you go bigger and faster, recoil will increase.

I love the 7mm-08 but am trying to give you an option for the long action

16 pounds as shown.
16 pounds is acceptable to me for rodents, but for ruminants, I keep the gun, scope, and bipod at 10 pounds or less.
To make weight for a big game rifle, I use a #3 taper barrel.

No doubt, if I were to suffer a long action I'd certainly fill it up.

6.5-284.

280 or 280 AI.

Go long my son......

6.5x284 I'm building a long action on a 721 now list goes.
721 rem action PTG bolt with M16 extractor bolt OD .702
Douglas # 4 ss select match
Holland lug pinned.
PTG BDL bottom metal.
Tuned factory trigger.
Stock is still up in the air was thinking a manners t with the folder but not sure yet.

I've never shot a 6.5-284 so how does recoil and sound compare to the 7/08?

First thing I would consider is availability of components

Selection of dies...IE..Forster or Redding

How far you gonna shoot...sounds like a no carry very far gun

Barrel builder...? Or off the shelf from Jim Briggs or Gun Shack

You have a long action....6.5x284 or just the straight 284 Win

Use Lapua 6.5x284 brass...neck up to 7mm....or use as is 6.5

Twist ? 7mm/ 9 twist for 180s..6.5mm use 8 twist for 140s

Stuck on the 6.5mm....don't overlook the 6.5x55...OR

280 Ack Imp for another 7mm...

Similar with comparable bullet weights my 7-08 is AI So that's my comparable.