Re: 30/06 for L/R shooting..... (1000 yards)
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Eagle_eye</div><div class="ubbcode-body">thats actually why i bought the 30/06 over the .308 in the first place, the ability to use a wider range of projectiles (110-220) effectively.
I did however think that the .308 had it over the '06' in accuracy but have never stacked them up in the field, so i wouldnt know.
BTW it's a Howa Model 1500 with crappy custom spray job.
Its a great mountain rifle as it is light, so im a little hesitant to pull it down just for the action.
Have to make some decisions
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Well, here's something to think about
Leave that 1500 as is and keep it as your go-to mountain rifle. It's light and does the job right? I say keep it as is.
Go get a Rem 700 stripped action or Savage 10 or if you want to spend the bucks, one of the many top grade customs. Build a rifle based solely for your goals with 1k in mind. That Howa isn't a precision rig, it could be turned into one, but at what cost and how's that compare to the money you'd fork over to have a whole second rifle that won't be pulling triple duty?
My k98 has a sister rifle in 308. My dad was getting into turning his hobby of gunsmithing into a business and we built 2 Mausers from $19 turkish k98 actions. I'm not the world's greatest shot, but I'm a fair shooter and out to 300 yards I can't tell a difference. I've shot the 30-06 out to 700 one time and once I figured out the drop and slight drift I was hitting grapefruits and rotten cantaloupe.
I think it would take something like a Surgeon or GAP in a $5000 custom build to figure out if there's an edge of the 308, because with 2 equally tweaked mauser actions, both shooting well under 1/2 MOA to 300y I haven't seen a difference whatsoever.
Back to the "what to do" (I think I have adult ADD...)
Go into the "For Sale" section here and pick up one of the many Rem 700 or Savage 10 or custom actions that are generally for sale. You can probably do it for less than what you'd go pay for a Howa (500 OTD) and might even be able to score a good trigger on it already. Pick your barrel of choice and build a rifle on that.
Here's a quick cost comparison in just steps necessary, not numbers
<span style="font-weight: bold">Cannibalizing the Howa</span>
Gunsmith pulls down the rifle to a bare action, tru's the whole thing up
New barrel, chamber, headspace, fitment, etc
New stock
Bed everything in place
New glass? Or keep of what's on it already?
Trigger
<span style="font-weight: bold">New build</span>
Gunsmith has bare action in hand, probably already tru'd depending on what you get from here
New barrel, chamber, headspace, fitment, etc
New stock
Bed everything
New glass
trigger
You're only saving the money on getting the action and whatever you'd choose with the glass. On the low side you can save 500 bucks, so ask yourself if that Howa you already have is worth 500 bucks to you to have a second rifle that you're not worried about beating on a little bit.
I'm somewhat in the same boat as you. I have a long action Parker and Hale in 308 that I just got and came to the sore realization that I can't shoot it. I'm a lefty, I bought it as a shooter that has the classic late 60's look, and it's setup for a right handed shooter. I bought the rifle for the classic look and feel of a wood monte carlo stock and light hunting rifle that's known to shoot 1/2 MOA inside 400 yards. I'm not sure what to do about it just yet, since I love how it looks, feels, and is reported to shoot. I don't want to separate the stock and put a new stock on it because it's an all original setup in wonderful condition.
