Hunting & Fishing Use handed down 700, or buy new T3X for CO elk hunt?

[324matt]

I have booked a elk hunt in CO this fall, and im asking your advice on my choice of weaponry. I have a Rem 700 adl chambered in .30-06 from the 1980's that is bone stock, that my grandfather gave me. I have been contemplating using this rifle for the cool nostalgic factor. But I really dont want to alter it and install a bunch of new parts, to make it more pleasurable to shoot.

I like my tikka varmint rifles. Should I keep the 700 stock and buy a new t3x in .30-06 or .300WM to pack in the backcountry?
Or just use the 700?

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Cleanmiss]

Nostalgia is always cool! BUT so is getting a new rifle and setting it up exactly how you want without guilt of altering grandad's gun. Is budget a factor at all? If not, I'd say get a another tikka in whatever clambering you'd think you could use the most and you can practice with. That way you'll always have the 700 the way he left it and you can have your hunting rifle that you enjoy. Don't forget about the unforseen damage to your rifle out in the field. I hurt my grandad's 3030 he left me and it didn't feel good at all. Hope that sheds a little light

 

[Jarrodb1975]

Got to keep it sentimental.

 

[stello1001]

I actually see the situation different. Grandpa handed down that rifle to you but do you want to honor it by letting it sit in a closet and collect dust? I think the best way to honor that is by taking it on great hunts, taking down some game with it, enjoying new huntint experiences, and building memories with it. I would say that so long as you are not drilling new holes in the receiver or stock you'll be good. Any mods you do to it such as add a scope are not permanent. The scope could be taken off. You can add a clamp on muzzle brake without having to cut and thread the muzzle, etc.
This way, on any hunt that you go on, and any game you bring down, you'll feel a part of your grandpa was right there with ya.

 

[324matt]

All great points of view!

 

[denton424]

i agree with stello take gramps' gun with for the experience

 

[324matt]

Gramps rifle for the win! The adl stock with the blind mag is a p.i.t.a. Ive been looking at the magpul hunter all day. I have a krg bravo on my varmint gun and love it, gonna be a toss up

 

[davsco]

30-06 is def enough juice. if the rifle is reasonably accurate, stick with gramp's gun.

 

[Wiscat]

I don't see a reason not to use it. That said I do love a 300 Win T3.

 

[jgsh1375]

I don't get many opportunities to discuss this classic rifle of which I have personally used for nearly 50 years. I bought mine new as I turned 18 yrs old and still use it to this day for deer and hog. Mine is an ADL 30-06 as well with a 4-12 scope, of which today most care not to use as it's a basic no-frills rifle shooting a cartridge many don't care for. But the rifle and cartridge are more than capable of taking down an elk. I've had excellent accuracy resulting in all one-shot kills with Winchester Super-X, 165 gr ammo. This is why I have not changed rifle or cartridge in almost 50 years of hunting. The rifle and cartridge work. This is by no means to imply other rifle brands and/or calibers are not as capable. There are many new, excellent rifles and calibers on the market today capable of doing the same job. But this was your grandfather's rifle and using it on your hunt, I'm sure, will be an honor to him.

 

[Dta1]

I will definitely be handing down my guns— I hope that one day, both my kids and grandkids will honor me by taking them on amazing adventures.

Make sure you’re comfortable with the way it shoots and then go show gramps how much you appreciate him.

I took a stock 700 ADL on my first trip to Africa and had a great experience.

 

[Simonsza1]

Gramps rifle for the win! The adl stock with the blind mag is a p.i.t.a. Ive been looking at the magpul hunter all day. I have a krg bravo on my varmint gun and love it, gonna be a toss up

Take it as is that’s what will be cool. If your wanting to buy a chassis for it then buy the tika but I think taking grandpas gun is pretty special

 

[Yerman]

Not only should you take gramps rifle, you should get a nice picture of your Elk and hang it next to a pic of grandpa with the same rifle.

And if it were me, I wouldn’t modify a thing.

You can always get a new gun as well for next year or another hunt but you gotta at least get one kill with it. Unaltered.

Oh, and this thread is worthless without pics ;-)

 

[RTH1800]

Why would you modify the 700? Put a good 4X scope on it, adjust the trigger and go hunting.

 

[jgsh1375]

All good advice. Seems the majority agree, use grandpa's iconic Rem 700. I especially like the suggestion by Yerman to memorialize the elk hunt with a photo. My personal thought - you will remember and cherish this hunt more using your grandfather's rifle. Whatever you decide, enjoy yourself and good luck.

 

[324matt]

I have decided I am going to use his rifle. I am going to pillar/glass bed the original stock, and keep the blind magazine. (I like it's simplicity and reliability.)
I have a nightforce rail, rings, and 3-10shv on the way to top it off. Should be pretty a good set up.
Now to find a used set of swaro's 8x42 or 10x42 SLC's...

 

[RTH1800]

My above recommendation was only based on what will best serve your elk rifle needs. Not nostalgic in any way.

 

[Simonsza1]

Happy to hear your decision I think it will be super cool. Anyone can go buy a rifle but using grandpas is to cool. I have a nostalgia shotgun and this thread has motivated me to bust it out and shoot some clays at least.

 

[JMGlasgow]

You made a good choice

 

[athanasios23]

I think you did the right thing. I was going to say to have it glass bedded, make sure the barrel is still free floated and have original trigger tuned. Then buy another tikka just in case you need it. (Always fun to buy a new rifle)

Then I'd hunt with grandpa's rifle and feel good knowing you have a backup rifle on what I assume is an expensive hunt.

 

[300 grainpill]

If had had Pops rifle it would stay as he had it... forever!

 

[jgsh1375]

Glad to hear your decision. You won't regret it. The Nightforce scope will compliment the rifle well. Good luck on your hunt.

 

[thejeep]

if I handed down a rifle I’d want who ever to mod it how they saw fit.

 

[wrightjr]

I vote to shoot it and enjoy it. I received the same rifle/caliber from my uncle due to one of my other uncles passing away when I was a teen. I hunted with the rifle exclusively until becoming an adult and purchasing something else to "preserve" the 700 and it sat in the safe. Then one day about a year ago I was talking to the same uncle that gave me the rifle and he was like "dude you have lost your mind worrying about hurting the rifle, Tommy wouldn't have babied it or treated it gingerly." "He'd look at you like you were crazy for saying that you didn't wanna hurt it." Needless to say it came out the safe and got a trigger job and new glass with some load development. Long winded way of saying honor him by using it.

 

[OG10]

Let us know when and how it shoots.

 

[jgsh1375]

Wrightjr, if I didn't know any better and my rifle wasn't in the safe, I would say you stole it. LOL. I have the exact same one - light/medium colored wood, gloss finish, Monte Carlo stock. It's been a great rifle. Enjoy it.

 

[wrightjr]

Wrightjr, if I didn't know any better and my rifle wasn't in the safe, I would say you stole it. LOL. I have the exact same one - light/medium colored wood, gloss finish, Monte Carlo stock. It's been a great rifle. Enjoy it.

Thanks, and the same to you.

 

[diggler1833]

Very few places in life where the saying: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" fits better than in hunting.

Modern glass is going to increase your shooting light times, and modern stocks are less prone to the effects of the weather...but you had better have that new combo out soon to wring out and build confidence in.

I still have my 700 BDL in .30-06 that I got as a young teenager almost 30 years ago. Kicked my 120lb ass all over the place, and I never put good ammo through it...25 years later I glass bedded the action and the pressure pad, as well as adjusted the trigger. Wouldn't you know it, but the damn thing shoots sub-MOA with an easy charge of IMR-4064 under a 178gr AMAX.

I shot four rounds through it last month (five really, but the first was at a rock to foul the barrel) still wearing the original Redfield Golden Five Star that I bought with it...those four shots went into less than an inch at 160 yards..
It's a fluke, but I'll take it.