new to me Sendero what should I do with it?

N

nitis

Handloader
Dec 20, 2008
658
0
First post thanks for having me


O k I just acquired a older all black 700 sendero in 25.06 for a song

actually my bro in law got it on a trade and I bought it cheap

I always had a desire for a fast quarter bore but do not own any wildcats or custom guns as of yet this will be my first I have a 700 classic in 25.06 so I wan tto bump it up a little with this one. First thought was hell yeah 257 stw then I thought I am still a little green to loading and custom stuff so no need to go crzy but I dont have a whole lot of options. I next thought of the 25.06 AI but how much do I gain over my other rifle? And I dont shoot 10k rounds a year so I really dont want to spend the time to fireform my brass. Before I stumbled onto this I was considering bulding a 25wsm. I guess I could do a wby

So I guess what I am saying is I want a signifigant increase over the 25.06 but something somewhat basic. I am righ now leaning towrds the AI so I dont have to spend mony on the bolt but am I stepping over a dollar to pick up a dime? ( or however that old saying goes) I am not sure if this will be the varmint or the the deer rifle of the 2 yet as I am considering having the barrel turned down and wrapped by chritensen arms if I like the results
 
nitis

Welcome to the forum.

Congratulations on your new rifle. The 25-06 is a great round. Going AI will get you close to 257 Weatherby levels.

Before you invest, make sure she shoots. If the barrel is getting worn, it may be a good time to invest in a new barrel and start out fresh.

JD338
 
The Sendero has a long barrel. I would leave it a 25-06, you can handload to around 3400fps and you are talking about having a fine killer. It will be fast enough, do a good job, accurate and not cost you a arm and a leg and it will not be a problem to load for. Leave it a lone and realize you have quit a fine cartidge there that will really reach out.
 
Leave it alone. Remington does not make the Sendero anymore in 25-06 which I think was a foolish move. It is hard to really improve the 25-06. 100 or 200 fps is really not worth the cost and effort of going to AI IMO. I have never see a Sendero in 25-06 that would not shoot lights out. Then again, you could just send me the rifle and I will give you what you gave for it. :)
 
nitis,

First of all, welcome to the forum :grin:
It sounds like you've got a fine rifle at a great price. The Sendero I had was super accurate. If you're concerned about velocity you can bump it up a little with handloads custom to your rifle. Hornady makes "Light Magnum" ammo at about $30 a box from Midway USA. If you don't shoot much that would give you the velocity without altering a fine rifle untill you've had a chance to really check it out.
Good Hunting and Merry Christmas
Elkhunt :grin:
 
I have the exact same rifle which is now in 25-06AI. I used the rifle for several years in std. form with great results. Me & my older brother have used various 25-06 rifles off & on for the past 30 years & I feel the round is underestimated for Deer sized game & windy day Varmits.
I used this rifle on 3 Western trips before the AI treatment & believe me with proper loads you would be happy with the results. Others in the group used various rounds, all bigger caliber but none with any faster kills on Antelope & Deer. Still, the 257 Wea. bug bit me a little & a few years ago the Vanguard was introduced. This excited me until I found out it had a 24" barrel. I called Wea & asked why & they admitted that the round should have a 26" tube but they said the Japs would not do it. I did not want to pay the money for an 26" Accumark & frankly feel the Sendero & the heavy Lam. Savage are easier platforms to build accurate guns, so I turned my attention back to the Sendero. I knew that with the 26" tube the AI would be very close to the Vanguard & within 100fps or so of the Accumark.
I contacted Kirby Allen, a very fine gunsmith in MT & he said send the rifle.
He trued the receiver, lapped the lugs, recrowned the barrel & skim bedded the stock. Also, because he used a top notch reamer, I now have a more precise/trued chamber. Not related to accuracy, he installed a Sako extracter. Since you are into this rifle at a low price, doing the same could mean that for the final investment in this weapon you could have a "match grade" rifle for the price of a new reg. Sendero or less.
My Sendero was a good shooter before, but it is a butt kicker now!!!!
Plus I get about 125fps over the std. round. Basically, the 257 Wea. beats the 25-06 a good 250fps in the same barrel length & with equal pressure loads. Now if you don't reload the diff. can be more because Wea. loads
to higher pressures than most 25-06 factory loads. The AI is roughly
dead center between the 2, so again with the 26" vs a Van., very close.
If you were starting from scratch the wea. would make more sense or if you don't reload, but if you are a SERIOUS reloader, the AI conversion in this rifle will not disapoint, plus you have access to better & much cheaper brass & can shoot much cheaper fact. ammo if you don't have time to load
& your shots are under 300 yards like alot of hunts close to home.
I studied the STW alot & to me the barrel life just isn't good enough. If you want a mag, go with the Wea or the 300WM necked down to 25, it beats the Wea a little & the brass is easy to work with & the life would be only a little less.
 
nitis

Welcome to the forum.


Been looking for one of those forever!!!!


Lucky man
 
The AI conversion is cheap.
If you plan on keeping the rifle build it the way you want it.
It's your rifle, there are many like it, but that one is yours.
If you bought it for an investment leave it alone.
 
so is this gun that hard to come by?

what would it be worth to the right person?
 
They still making them but it is the Sendero II. Not to crazy about it. I like the Sendero I.
 
nomosendero":21zefdwu said:
I have the exact same rifle which is now in 25-06AI. I used the rifle for several years in std. form with great results. Me & my older brother have used various 25-06 rifles off & on for the past 30 years & I feel the round is underestimated for Deer sized game & windy day Varmits.
I used this rifle on 3 Western trips before the AI treatment & believe me with proper loads you would be happy with the results. Others in the group used various rounds, all bigger caliber but none with any faster kills on Antelope & Deer. Still, the 257 Wea. bug bit me a little & a few years ago the Vanguard was introduced. This excited me until I found out it had a 24" barrel. I called Wea & asked why & they admitted that the round should have a 26" tube but they said the Japs would not do it. I did not want to pay the money for an 26" Accumark & frankly feel the Sendero & the heavy Lam. Savage are easier platforms to build accurate guns, so I turned my attention back to the Sendero. I knew that with the 26" tube the AI would be very close to the Vanguard & within 100fps or so of the Accumark.
I contacted Kirby Allen, a very fine gunsmith in MT & he said send the rifle.
He trued the receiver, lapped the lugs, recrowned the barrel & skim bedded the stock. Also, because he used a top notch reamer, I now have a more precise/trued chamber. Not related to accuracy, he installed a Sako extracter. Since you are into this rifle at a low price, doing the same could mean that for the final investment in this weapon you could have a "match grade" rifle for the price of a new reg. Sendero or less.
My Sendero was a good shooter before, but it is a butt kicker now!!!!
Plus I get about 125fps over the std. round. Basically, the 257 Wea. beats the 25-06 a good 250fps in the same barrel length & with equal pressure loads. Now if you don't reload the diff. can be more because Wea. loads
to higher pressures than most 25-06 factory loads. The AI is roughly
dead center between the 2, so again with the 26" vs a Van., very close.
If you were starting from scratch the wea. would make more sense or if you don't reload, but if you are a SERIOUS reloader, the AI conversion in this rifle will not disapoint, plus you have access to better & much cheaper brass & can shoot much cheaper fact. ammo if you don't have time to load
& your shots are under 300 yards like alot of hunts close to home.
I studied the STW alot & to me the barrel life just isn't good enough. If you want a mag, go with the Wea or the 300WM necked down to 25, it beats the Wea a little & the brass is easy to work with & the life would be only a little less.
Click to expand...

EXCELLENT POST, very good, with lots of sound facts and realities. Thanks, I enjoyed reading it. :grin:
 
POP Remington does not make the Sendero SFII in 25-06 Remington. They make it in 264 Win mag, 7mm Rem. mag, 7mm Ultra mag, 300 Win mag, 300 ultra mag only. The only mod 700 rifles that Remington makes in 25-06 now is the CDL and the SPS and they have sporter weight 24" barrels.
 
looks like I got you guys all worked up over nothing

I decided I dont really have the money now to do it right so I am going to pass on the rifle and he is going to use it to build his custom off of since it already has a nice stock he is going to have Christensen arms barrel it and the stock is almost a perfec tfit
 
Remington says they had a "special production run" of Sendero II in
25-06. The calibber is not a standard offering, and not listed on their web page but, as stated above, there are a bunch of them around since late last summer.
 
My mistake. I did not know about the special run of 25-06's I just knew that they did not list any on their web-site or any of the catalogs. I have basicly the same thing as a Sendero that I had made up a few years before Remington came out with the Sendero. It is a Rem. Sportsman 78 action (poor man's 700 Rem.) with a Shilen SS #6 26" barrel in an H&S Precision stock. It has been a tack drive and deer stacker for a long time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

300WSM
Been away for a bit...what's new?
Replies
5
Views
206
wvbuckbuster
wvbuckbuster
cloverleaf
Saving my 250-Savage- is it worth it? Talk me out of it.
2
Replies
34
Views
2K
wvbuckbuster
wvbuckbuster
T
What to do in a difficult situation?
Replies
5
Views
295
sako2
S
R
Help me choose?
2
Replies
30
Views
3K
SJB358
S
J
2024 Spring Brown Bear Hunt Report
2
Replies
21
Views
861
IdahoCTD
I
AMMUNITIONAmmunition BULLETSBullets BRASSBrass FirearmsFirearms GearGear
Back
Top