A few years back I bought a gunsmith student project, a 1909 Arg. Mauser. It's barrel had been turned and cut. It was in the white and had a thumb tank safety. The chambering was 7.65x53. It has a push button floor plate release in the trigger guard and a thumb tang safety. The stock had inlays and was very nice but it didn't fit the barrel correctly. I have an internet friend who's a good hobbyist gunsmith so I decided since I was visiting him I'd take the Arg.
Next I had to pick a caliber. I have a Savage 99f in 308 as a general carry gun and it serves me well. A Rem 700 in 280 Rem is my distance rifle. It's a little heavy and the stock is scratched and rough making it a great general use rifle. A Rem model 7 in 7TCU with a kevlar stock is the most acurate 200 yrd deer/coyote gun I've ever seen and at less than six pounds it's a joy to carry. A lever action 30-30 and 450 Marlin round out the battery. I considered 260 Rem, and 6.5x55 both are similar cartridges but both perform in between My 308 and 280. 30 RCM was interesting but once again didn't give me much more than the 308. The one thing missing in my battery was a bean field gun. I chose 6.5-06. This cartridge is fast and flat shooting. It will handle both varmint and medium/large game. The 6.5's sectional density and balisitcco-efficent make it's light bullets perform and penatrate well.
The barrel will be a Shilen lite varmint contour twenty six inches long with a target crown. The beautful stock was cracked and will be replace with a walnut stock with a hand rubed oil finish. It had machine checkering that Teach recut by hand. It will have two aluminum pillars and glass bedding two inches up the chamber.
Now I need a scope. Leupold will get the nodd and price will be my greatest concern. A 4x12 VXII will be fine but a VL would be my first choice.
