.30-06 in Heavy Barrel Form?

[chuckhammer]

A little background:
I've been shooting a .30-06 Model 70 Super Grade for a few years. Tried many hand load recipes and it consistently prefers MVs in the 2800-2850 range, especially with bullet weights 165-168 gr. Tried about eight different bullets between 155 and 208 gr, all with various powders and OALs, but it apparently only really "likes" the mid-160s. Will print 5 into 1/2" @ 100 yds with its favorite load using 167 Scenars. Nothing nothing else will go < 1" with most of it > 1.5". I'm thinking this is a barrel harmonics issue due to the relatively thin barrel. A BOSS-type system would help but those things are hideous, IMO. Moving to a heavy target barrel is more desirable to me.

Doesn't look like anyone makes a factory heavy-barreled rifle in .30-06? It appears I'd have to put one together myself. Looked into a Rem 700 build but obtaining the required tools to assemble a single rifle seems like overkill. Sans glass and rings, I want to keep the cost below $1300 so a custom build is pretty much out. Maybe a Savage? Any special tools needed to build one? I'm open to ideas before I pull the lazy man's ripcord and go for a .300 WSM or Win Mag. Maybe a 6.5mm or a 7mm of some type? Goal is to launch .530+ BC bullets > 3000 fps.

Please keep in mind I already have a variety of .308" bullets and a few different powders (IMR4350, H4350, RL22, Varget) plus .30-06 dies, LR primers, and a bunch of Lapua .30-06 brass. I want re-use as many of these components and tools as possible. Figure an extra $200-300 to start over with a completely different chambering which would have to come out of my $1300 budget.

Doing one in .30-06 Ackley Improved would be cool. Unique and interesting, plus I can re-use everything but my FL and body-only re-sizing dies, which I don't use very often, anyway. But it would absolutely require a custom barrel.

Please share your thoughts.

 

[ArmyJerry]

Get a Savage 110 and order a barrel from NSS install it yourself, you will be right at 1300 with a decent floated stock. I have a featherweight, its a smooth action and shoots under 1 moa at a 100 with any ammo. I think the 06 is an under appreciated cartridge in today's long range shooting world. You plan is very logical. Or you can send the gun out to get re barreled for under 600 and buy a better stock.

check this guy out

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...y-win-model70-7mag-phoenix-custom-rifles.html

 

[Mackay Sagebrush]

Personally I would opt for a Tikka T3 in 30-06, then have it rebarreled with a tube brand of your choice. Savages are good rifles and I have owned numerous, but in the last decade or so, I have opted for Tikkas in this price range and have been extremely pleased with the results.

BTW,Ref -06, nice choice on cartridge. It is often overlooked. Brass is easy to get and much cheaper than 300Win. Accurate loads abound and it is easy to shoot well. There is a little bit of "Old School Cool" that goes with it. A classic Micky HTG in Woodland pattern would be slick for an -06 build.

 

[chuckhammer]

If I go the Tikka T3 route, since I would be yanking the barrel, can I buy any caliber that shares the .30-06 bolt face (.270 Win, .280 Rem, .25-06, etc)? I'm not familiar with the T3 design. Does the bolt lock into a barrel extension that gets replaced as part of the barrel assembly or does it lock into the action itself? The chamber is integral with the barrel, right?

 

[Mackay Sagebrush]

CH,

T3s are all long action. You can buy an 30-06, 270, whatever and have a smith unscrew the tube and screw on a new tube. Obviously there is a bit more to it than that, such a truing the face of the receiver, but in my experience, modern Tikkas/Sakos need very little if any truing. This experience has been very different than my experience with Rem 700s for example. FYI, I am an M24 SWS armorer and my experiences with Remington QC has been hit and miss, so to speak.

Yes the chamber is part of the barrel. Find a smith who has numerous good references and tell him what your realistic uses are going to be. They should suggest a proper twist rate for you. Screwing on a tube is not exactly rocket science, but if done wrong you can tweak an action or trash threads pretty quick.

I normally will pick up a short chambered barrel and have it finish reamed (chambered) to my specs. Normally a standard chamber (such as your -06) will do exactly what you want/need. Unless you are doing a bunch of tight neck, benchrest OCD type stuff (which is not a bad thing, just time consuming, load building wise) I would suggest a standard chamber.

Hope that helps a bit

 

[chuckhammer]

Mackay,
Thanks for the feedback. I was hoping to keep a gunsmith out of the loop to save cost. I'm pretty handy with tools and fitting of parts. Done some work on 1911s and ARs. Maybe a Savage is a better fit for my situation due to the ease of barrel replacement and zero headspace adjustment. I like the specs on the Model 12 VLP DBM in .300 WSM but no one has them in stock. Maybe I'll just buy a plain-jane Model 110 and put together a .30-06 heavy barrel gun from there.

 

[cruizer]

I recently pieced together a cheap rifle in 30-06 ackley
All the parts were second hand or used
-remington 700 long action
-new takeoff 308 varmint contour barrel
- used trigger
- used remington HS precision 700p take off stock

Once I figured out that the rifle was a shooter it went to PCR for cerakoted, bedding and a bolt knob

A standard 30-06 reamer will not clean up a 308 chamber so I used a 30-06 ackley reamer to clean the chamber. I also threaded the muzzle 5/8x24 so I could use my AAC cyclone.

Made a cheap rifle that shoots extremely well.
There is a new take off 308 barrel in the for sale forum.

 

[ArmyJerry]

Jim at NSS also sells actions for Savage 300+, I would price out a barrel change on the Win before going with the new rifle.

Mackay,
Thanks for the feedback. I was hoping to keep a gunsmith out of the loop to save cost. I'm pretty handy with tools and fitting of parts. Done some work on 1911s and ARs. Maybe a Savage is a better fit for my situation due to the ease of barrel replacement and zero headspace adjustment. I like the specs on the Model 12 VLP DBM in .300 WSM but no one has them in stock. Maybe I'll just buy a plain-jane Model 110 and put together a .30-06 heavy barrel gun from there.

 

[rdinak]

Remington 700 LA 6 digit reciever-less than $300 at gunshow, Long rifles group buy for receiver and barrel, Shilen varmint contour barrel on sale at Brownells for 219, through in used stock..and you are there.

Many ways to solve this problem and come in under budget.

Chad works on Winchesters-buy the Shilen barrel and have it mounted on your action..

 

[AK Sgt Maj]

I bought a Model 70 target rifle, from 83, in .308 and had it rechambered to 06. It leaves a little line on the cases, but doesn't affect it at all and it shoots good. It is a long action that was chambered in .308, like most were before 84-85. I just got a new magazine, follower and spring from Winchester and cut back the bolt stop to match a M70 .30-06 hunting rifle that I have. The M70 in a heavy target rifle is still a rifleman's rifle. HS Precision has a Varmint stock and a "M24 series" stock for long action M70's, that drop right in. I don't have a long action one, but a friend of mine has 2, and I have a short action one that works well.