I'm wondering if you folks think I'll get any kind of premium on a R700 (223,  basic varmint model but with a Hunter 700 stock and bottom metal and a few mags) and heavy barrel Savage Model 10 in 308, again, couple mags, in a Choate heavy stock. I have the factory stocks for both.
I'm considering trading the pair in toward a 6.5 that is in stock at Hoff, but I'm not in a rush. If I'm going to get anything extra over a month or two from now I'd do it sooner rather than later but otherwise I'll just wait. Just trying to simplify my selections and while I like both rifles I'm not in love with them and would prefer a 6.5 to either of them in terms of caliber.

My annoyance and why I'd be perfectly happy to delay unless I'm going to get a decent bit extra due to the demand right now, is that I have a few hundred handloads for the 308 that will basically be useless once I trade it in. I don't have another 308. So if I wait a few months I'll just take that thing to the range regularly and enjoy the ammo and rifle rather than taking something else on those trips. I just don't think the demand these days is for heavy bolt action rifles intended for target or varmint work.

I figured maybe the hive mind could confirm that thought or inform me if the panic buying has reached sufficient silliness to make this worth moving faster on.

If you are trading them in at Hoffmans I would be shocked if it made any difference in price if you wait or not.  You might be better off consigning them at NGX instead but the panic buying going on is for pistols and what people would consider HD guns.  

You might as well shoot your handloads for now since they are pretty much worthless after you get rid of your rifles.

Pretty much what I thought. I'd do consignment but honestly don't want to sit around and wait once I've handed them off. I accept that in doing so I cost myself a chunk of cash, such is life.
I guess it's "shoot now, trade later" and I have friends who will enjoy the brass at a good price, along with the dies and extra FMJ bullets I never bothered using.

It's awesome how much lower 6.5CM has gotten for general range ammo. It's low enough I'll probably buy a 500 pack of S&B to get started, plus some good brass for real load development.

Have you given thought to rebarreling the savage to 6.5 creedmoor? The bolt and mag should work as 308 win is the parent case.

I did, and actually I think the current plan is to redo the R700 instead. Nothing against the Savage, but mine takes proprietary mags and the factory ones are 4 rounders so they fit flush. In theory you can get 10's that people have made, but again, expensive and kind of iffy in my opinion. I'd prefer a more industry standard option.

I had basically brain farted for a bit and not even thought of the fact that both rifles can be rebarreled to 6.5. I'd need a new bolt on the Remington but by the time I buy a good barrel and pay a gunsmith to fit it... Heck, fitting a new bolt nice and right will probably be worthwhile anyway.

I may look at options for the savage, bottom metal changes to fit the appropriate PMAGS would solve a lot of that complaint and may be more cost effective than changing the Remington over. Functionally I prefer the Remington though. In their current barrels the Savage is more precise but FEELS more sloppy mechanically. The precision is where it is needed but the rest is only ok. The R700, while a lower end model than many, feels nicer and just doesn't have a particularly good barrel. Not BAD, but the Savage is a tack driver and the R700 is just decent. Long story short, if I'm keeping one, I'd prefer to keep the R700 even though I could probably change out the Savage barrel myself.

There's always option 3, which is probably more likely because despite all intentions right now to reduce the herd, I hate selling guns. I shoot up my 308 ammo, change the barrel on the Savage and keep both. Maybe changing bottom metal to allow use of PMAGS on the Savage. I built the R700 as a lower cost practice tool, 223, even good factory 223, is a heck of a lot more affordable than 308 usually, and easier to teach newbies with as well. So there's incentive to keep that rifle intact.

ETA: Soooo, after looking at the current state of Savage DBM options, that isn't happening. I may keep it and just suffer with the factory mags, but I'm not getting into that mess. I had figured that someone had come up with a good solution by now but apparently even CDI decided the short action version wasn't worth the hassle of making anymore, much less updating. Don't get me wrong, I actually don't mind the Savage factory mags for mine, they're just fairly scarce and compared to large PMAGS they are expensive. Compared to normal AICS mags they're free, but you notice that I wasn't listing those as a purchase option. lol

Seriously, the more I think about this the more I think it's just time for the Savage to shoot it's last batch of ammo with me and move on to someone else. It's a good rifle, it's just not the right one for me. Whether I include the R700 in that transaction or not is less sure.

I hear ya, i have two rem 700's one in 223 and the other in 308. I have handled some savages and you are right, they just feel sloppy / janky with their bolt design.

I grew up shooting mostly Sako and one Mauser action for bolt actions. The Sakos were Swiss watches, and the one I now own is still that way despite being over 60 years old. The Mauser is on a prewar civilian sporting rifle that was a bring back and is an excellent fit and very smooth, but has the usual sloppiness while unlocked. But it feels solid as a bank vault when closed. I know, in my head, that the lugs on the Savage are properly engaged and the bolt face is set in place and all that. The rifle shoots GREAT. But it's hard for me to really love a rifle that feels like what it really is. A mass produced, low/mid priced cookie cutter build. No matter how accurate, it doesn't feel as good. For what I paid I consider it a remarkable feat of engineering. But that doesn't keep me from feeling like I want something nicer if I'm putting time and money into a change anyway.

Completely understand. I have found unless the stars align you likely wont get what you want out of selling or trading a precision bolt gun - at least around my neck of the woods.

Is the 6.5 going to do anything for you that the 308 cant handle at the range(s) you currently shoot at?

I got lucky with my 20 inch sps tactical .223 in that it groups 68gr hornady match or 69gr sierra bullets extremely well. The 308 700 not so much with the 168 hornady or sierra offerings so I had to go the aftermarket barrel route.

Absolutely 0 gain between the two calibers in terms of ballistic results. If anything, at the short ranges involved 308 may be superior. There's 0 rational or logical reason for me to change anything caliber wise even if I still wanted to trade out the Savage. BUT, if I'm trading my only 308 I may as well make the switch. It's not a "I don't want 308" so much as "I don't care about 308 either way, and if I'm getting rid of that rifle I don't need the ammo." I fully accept that I'll take a huge hit on value for the rifle, but since I don't have that much into the Savage itself I'm ok with that. The money was the stuff I'm keeping or have sent downrange. If a nicely setup R700 or Ruger that would take PMAGs fell into my lap in 308 I'd have to think real hard about the 6.5 part of things. But if I'm buying new...

The only reason I can express beyond "because I want to" for the caliber change is recoil. Bench and prone, often with newbies... Less recoil isn't a bad thing. I could load lighter but I have yet to find a light load that was particularly accurate in that rifle. When the cost to shoot 6.5 was significantly higher than 308 I held off. It wasn't that big a deal. But I'm well past the stage in my life where recoil made me feel like a man. The only reason I don't just stick to using my 223 R700 all the time is that it's hard to hear the plates at the range, particularly the ones further out. The plates my range has take a pretty good hit to make more than a "tink"

Conclusion: I ordered a 24" barreled Bergara B-14 HMR. I've got a base for the existing scope/rings on the way along with a VG6 Gamma muzzle brake to try. I've got ammo and a few cleaning items on the way. I got some 62cents/round delivered ammo for ringing steel and some Hornady Match 140 ELD's for groups. I was considering not reloading for it, at least not if some reasonable factory ammo would do well, but the prepper and long time reloader in me couldn't do it. I made it one night and then broke down and ordered dies, powder and some additional bullets. I'll shoot the Hornady initially and use those cases. I'll save the Magtech cases for plinking loads or oh shit loading rather than precision stuff. I plan to build up a stock of the Hornady as my backup ammo if the gun likes it well enough.

The Savage will get its factory stock put back on and go up for sale once things get mostly back to normal. I'm still debating about the R700 in 223. I'm inclined to keep it, my reasons for getting it haven't changed, 223 is just that much cheaper to practice fundamentals with or introduce a new shooter to things. Even 62 cents per round 6.5CM doesn't change that.

So, thanks for helping me talk my way through this convoluted silliness.

Sure thing. One thing I will add although Im sure you are aware. Shoot the rifle for groups before you throw on a brake. I had a 308 that wouldnt group for crap with a surefire brake, but would do great without it. Then I tried a gemtech brake and it was grouping as close if not equal to no brake at all.

If you want some 6.5 creed brass I have once fired hornady. Shoot me a pm.

Yup, definitely plan to test before and after. I'm hoping the VG6 works well, but I'm also considering putting a can on it, which would be a different MD and then obviously the can. That would be down the road, my only can is pretty much permanently on the 300blk SBR. This may be the motivation I needed to do another though.

I'd be interested in the brass except I'm not planning to do full length sizing. I didn't even order a full length die, just neck. Thanks though. I appreciate it.