Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Rebore or Rebarrel?

I bought a model 700 in .270Win from Cabelas for $275. I sold the scope for $120 and the wood stock for $100 and then bought a used Bell & Carlson for $100. I sent it to JES for a rebore to .35 Whelen and cut and crowned at 20”. I installed a Trigger Tech trigger ($100) set at 2.5#. I bedded a Murphy Precision 20MOA rail and mounted an illuminated Athlon BTR 2-12. I’ve only had the time to do some light barrel break in and case creation by firing and cleaning about 30 rounds.

JES was very timely and his work was excellent! His prices are reasonable and his communication is without peer in the world of gunsmithing. I’m sending at least 1 more to him but I’m not sure which Winchester 70 gets the nod but I’m relatively certain that the unfired 1965 7mag needs to be something other than a 7mag and since I like my 20” .338wm so much I might do that….I don’t want one more caliber to feed and I’ve tried to standardize all our rifles around commonality. The Whelen is an itch I’ve always wanted to scratch for sentimental reasons and I found enough ammo for a lifetime.

I have a 1953 (iirc) model 70 in 30-06 that has some pitting in the chamber. I traded my buddy for it since he isn’t into rifles as much as handguns and shotguns and was going to send it to JES for rebore to another 35 Whelen but then a month or so back Phil Shoemaker had mentioned that the Pre-64 model 70 in 30-06 is the official state rifle. I decided I better see how it shoots first and then I’ll decide what makes sense. If it’s accurate then I’ll keep it and work up a 154gr Hammer Hunter for everything and that’ll accompany the Whelen for its new home in SE AK. The 7mag is the one that won’t get used if it stays in that caliber so that one definitely needs to become a .338WM since I have a lifetime supply of ammo for that caliber as well.