I'm looking for some input from anyone with more experience in the custom barrel field. I have some good shooting guns but everyone knows that productions rifles can be unpredictible from one day to the next. I haven't done much shooting the last few years due to no local range and little time to travel to the one an hour away. I'm looking for a gun that will be a competitive cast bullet shooter as well as a gun you can take hunting. That eliminates the heavy varmint style guns. I have a good shooting O3A3 but it is a pain changing scopes between hunting and target. Also, the safety is a little annoying when hunting. I have a pre-64 Model 70 that my gunsmith said the metal is in 90% condition. My problem with it is in .270 caliber. Am I crazy for wanting to rebarrel a classic gun to a 30 caliber custom barrel that won't waste time and money trying to come up with consistent loads? Or would a better solution be to buy a new factory gun that has a reputation for consistent accuracy? The new Savage guns seem to have the edge in accuracy but I'm not familiar with them at all as far as quality and endurance. I was looking at their 10FP which looks like it might fill the bill although a little on the heavy side for a hunting gun. At the other end of the weight spectrum I was looking at the stainless Ruger Compacts but I kind of remember them having not that great of a trigger and I don't recall any accuracy reports.
I'm hoping this will stir a lot of conversation with a variety of input. Money is a factor so I want to do as much research and get as much input as I can. The Model 70 was a gift from my wife so I would be honored using that as my choice but I'm still not sure if I want to damage the value of it by rebarrelling it. I always wanted a wildcat cartridge and this would give me that chance. Any opinions are well appreciated and any recommendations for a new production rifle would be concidered.
Robert Homan