30-06 shooters, in here...

[18Echo]

I'm putting together a build in 30-06 and am trying to determine what bullet to have my reamer cut for by PT&G.

So far I have a BAT tactical on order with Jaime and ordered my A5 yesterday. On hand I have a Bartlein 1-10 M24 profile for a 24" finish, Surgeon DBM, Jewell Trigger, Badger thruster, NF ATACR w/MOAR reticle and Badger Rings.

I'm not going to be shooting comps or BR stuff, just some precision plinking and possible using it for a hunt at a later date.

I was thinking of either 190gr Nosler CC's, 190gr Berger VLD's, or 208 AMAX. I know the VLD's and AMAX will probably be more efficient or accurate but will it be enough for me to really notice with my shooting...? Should I rule out the VLD's and just stick with CC's or AMAX as they aren't as finicky with seating depth?

I was also thinking Norma brass as it's about 60 cheaper for 200 cases than Lapua.

 

[broylz]

i have always tried to get a reliable hunting bullet with good accuracy and so far it seems one or the other. I have been looking at the 180gr NBT as it has pretty good numbers.

that said, the 208 a-max seems very popular but I don't have any real experience with precision 30-06 yet. my 30-06 experience has always just been 180gr SP. the precision stuff has been 308. im interested to see what come of this as I plan on building a precision 30-06 in the near future

 

[Sharpsman]

Whatever you do...make damn certain Dave Kiff at PT&G understands about the length of freebore you'll need because they cut a reamer for me and I think they were 'asleep at the stick' out there because they sure cut mine way too short! I had my reamer cut with a .3365" neck diameter and I turn all brass to a neck wall thickness of .0125". Works fine and the rifle is accurate but I'm having to seat the bullet too deeply into the case for my likes!! I sent them two dummy rounds which should have been sufficient for them to get things right....but that ain't the way things went!! I'm slightly pizzed!!

 

[Huckleberry75]

Look at the Berger 185 classic hunter. Good BC and not picky on seating depth like the vld. Should serve you well for both target and hunting applications with one round.

 

[cypriss32]

Im planning on shooting 195gr Hornady and 185gr Bergers with H4350.

 

[18Echo]

Whatever you do...make damn certain Dave Kiff at PT&G understands about the length of freebore you'll need because they cut a reamer for me and I think they were 'asleep at the stick' out there because they sure cut mine way too short! I had my reamer cut with a .3365" neck diameter and I turn all brass to a neck wall thickness of .0125". Works fine and the rifle is accurate but I'm having to seat the bullet too deeply into the case for my likes!! I sent them two dummy rounds which should have been sufficient for them to get things right....but that ain't the way things went!! I'm slightly pizzed!!

I just ordered the .30-06 Serengeti match reamer and go gauge from PT&G today. Salazar writes that this is perfect for the 190's and will work for up to the 210's.

 

[Travis224]

Now this is what I have in mind for a future build! For years I always thought that a full out precision rifle in 30/06 would be ideal. Post pics when you get around to it!

 

[18Echo]

Look at the Berger 185 classic hunter. Good BC and not picky on seating depth like the vld. Should serve you well for both target and hunting applications with one round.

Thanks, didn't even know these existed. I will definitely try these as well as the 190 CC's when I get it all said and done and start load development.

 

[pawprint2]

This is 100% good info, and worth reading everything Salazar writes about the 06 (and the rest of what he writes).

 

[ArmyJerry]

I am looking to rebarrel my Win 70 featherweight with a Bartlien #13 contour 5r barrel, will restock it in a medalist. As far as hunting bullets go I use 180 grain silver tips, have shot the Amaxes up to 208 but with the light gun and skinny barrel it beats the hell out of my old body. The Amaxes shot well though, very well, under MOA easily.

 

[Sniper Uncle]

Why not get the chamber reamed for the 208's, and then you can play seating depth for the other two....(I haven't studied the length or ogive specs for them, and assume the 208 needs the longest throat...)
I am in the planning stages for my 30.06 make-over also. I am going with a 32 or 34 inch barrel, with twist rate for the 190's and up to 220, so I am interested in thoughts on this subject too.

 

[broylz]

Nosler has a new Accubond Long Range bullet that's supposedly coming out anytime now. im liking the looks of the 190gr.

 

[Toast]

Go with the Uzi.

 

[Marksman]

Nosler has a new Accubond Long Range bullet that's supposedly coming out anytime now. im liking the looks of the 190gr.

Should be a great hunting bullet, but maybe a bit expensive for punching paper. Hopefully they can apply that technology to a cheaper match bullet to get those high BC numbers.

 

[JGorski]

My 30-06 shoots 180s very well, that being said, Id like to see how those 195 Hornadys shoot.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

I just ordered the .30-06 Serengeti match reamer and go gauge from PT&G today. Salazar writes that this is perfect for the 190's and will work for up to the 210's.

You have made a wise choice and should be supremely pleased if your smith is worth his salt. I have used the H4350 and 190SMK combo exclusively so far. I have reached a mile accurately with the combo. The only heavier bullet I have trid is the 208AMax but decided pretty quick it is not needed, a mile is good enough for me and better than I could have imagined. Though 1300yds and under is really the sweet spot for my rig.

I will be working soon on a 155gr load for this rifle for a little less recoil in the shorter range competitions. I will let you know how that goes. I will of course be trying German's tried and true recipes first.

Edit: On a side note, I took a doe at ~175yds with the 190SMK last fall. The bullet did not appear to open but only made a slight tumble coming out sideways on the off side. She ran 50yds leaving blood Stevie Wonder could find. I think a high shoulder shot with this bullet would be plenty sufficient.

 

[Sniper Uncle]

Thanks, chikin, I have watching this thread for a while, as I plan to rebarrel my 30.06 soon.
What barrel length are you using?

 

[armorpl8chikn]

27 inch krieger 1-10 twist number18 contou

 

[Sniper Uncle]

27 inch krieger 1-10 twist number18 contou

Thank you for the info, sir.

 

[broylz]

what kind of velocity are you getting from the 190s? any idea what distance they go transonic?

 

[armorpl8chikn]

I know some don't believe it but my consistent dope numbers don't lie. I get 2880fps with a very safe load IN MY GUN, of 55.5gr H4350, .015-.025" off the lands (really isn't finicky about that with the SMK). My primers have nice round margins, nice round firing pin dimples. Actually pushed this load to 56.5 with no signs of pressure, but my sweet spot was 54.5-55.5. My 300yd group fell off a bit at 56gr so I backed it up a bit and stayed there.

 

[Winny]

Tagged.....good info here.

 

[broylz]

finally ordering my barrel next week when my tax return comes back. going with a 1:10 twist m24 contour bartlien. does anyone know of a good smith that stocks the seregeti reamer?

 

[asbestosglove]

Ray at PRT built three for himself and my group throated for the 208 Amax. I'm getting 2725 (magnetospeed) with the 208 in my 22" Brux. 60.0grs. RL22/Win case/Win Magnum primer. No pressure signs, easy extract with easy bolt lift. Rem LA RH/MTU/PRI Brake/McM A5/Badger knob & M4 bottom.

AG in NC

 

[kctgb]

I have been shooting the 3006 for over 15 years for long range work. I have two heavy barrel 3006 rifles that will keep five rounds at 3/8 inch at 100 meters. My problem is neither will shoot 190 or 178 grain match bullets worth the damn.

Here's the rest of the story.... If I use my hand load with 180 grain Sierra game king flat base bullets they both will keep them at 3/8 inch. The problem is the bullet only has a ballistic coefficient of 408 so for really long range the flat base game king isn't the best. It's good out to 6 or 8 hundred meters ( max ) but after that the low BC really shows it's ugly face.

One gun is a heavy barrel savage I bought 20 years ago and the other is a heavy barrel 06 on a 03 Springfield action I built myself.

 

[RHunter]

finally ordering my barrel next week when my tax return comes back. going with a 1:10 twist m24 contour bartlien. does anyone know of a good smith that stocks the seregeti reamer?

X ring accuracy in Parrish Florida has one, its mine but I don't care if you have him do the build and he uses it. He has done 2 for me so the reamer is still in perfect shape. It will save you $157

Here is his website X Ring Accuracy

I shoot 190 VLD's out of the Serengeti and it does a great job with them. It also performs well with 208 Amax, 190 SMK, 178 Amax... all of which I load just off the lands but the best bullet for me has been the 190 VLD's.. I get 2950 fps with 62 grains of RL22 in fire formed winchester brass... hot but accurate. My pet load is 57 grains of H4350 using the 190 VLD's and they push about 2880. Factory 300 Win Mag ammo velocities.....

Both my 30-06's have 28 inch barrels so my velocities are a bit higher than you would get in a 24. I would suggest to use as much of that barrel as possible, you will not regret the extra length.

 

[DRAGON64]

I have been shooting the 3006 for over 15 years for long range work. I have two heavy barrel 3006 rifles that will keep five rounds at 3/8 inch at 100 meters. My problem is neither will shoot 190 or 178 grain match bullets worth the damn.

Here's the rest of the story.... If I use my hand load with 180 grain Sierra game king flat base bullets they both will keep them at 3/8 inch. The problem is the bullet only has a ballistic coefficient of 408 so for really long range the flat base game king isn't the best. It's good out to 6 or 8 hundred meters ( max ) but after that the low BC really shows it's ugly face.

One gun is a heavy barrel savage I bought 20 years ago and the other is a heavy barrel 06 on a 03 Springfield action I built myself.

Do you have any images of your 30-06 rifles? Especially the Springfield...(?)

 

[kctgb]

Sorry no images, I have a hard enough time operating the computer.

 

[Sniper Uncle]

X ring accuracy in Parrish Florida has one, its mine but I don't care if you have him do the build and he uses it. He has done 2 for me so the reamer is still in perfect shape. It will save you $157

Here is his website X Ring Accuracy

I shoot 190 VLD's out of the Serengeti and it does a great job with them. It also performs well with 208 Amax, 190 SMK, 178 Amax... all of which I load just off the lands but the best bullet for me has been the 190 VLD's.. I get 2950 fps with 62 grains of RL22 in fire formed winchester brass... hot but accurate. My pet load is 57 grains of H4350 using the 190 VLD's and they push about 2880. Factory 300 Win Mag ammo velocities.....

Both my 30-06's have 28 inch barrels so my velocities are a bit higher than you would get in a 24. I would suggest to use as much of that barrel as possible, you will not regret the extra length.

Stupid ME, but what is a Serengetti reamer? Is it just a brand, or is it a special shape?
I am having a 30.06 AI built, with a 32" barrel, and have high hopes for some results like you are talking.


Cheers,
Tim
The Right to Keep and Bear Arms Shall NOT be Infringed

 

[RHunter]

Stupid ME, but what is a Serengetti reamer? Is it just a brand, or is it a special shape?

It is a custom 30-06 Springfield match profile finish reamer made by PTG that has proven to be extremely accurate for the 190 grain bullet weight range. It has a shorter throat so longer bullets wont like it, but Accurate Mag length will usually put you on the lands. This is really important for shooting VLD's as they typically do not like any jump. I have the best accuracy with 178's to 210's with this reamer.

It is also a good match for Redding dies. Having dies that closely match the chamber keeps you from over-working your brass. When I do full length size my brass, the effort is rather minimal.

 

[Sniper Uncle]

Thanks, RHunter for the reply. I am going with 30.06 AI, and intend to use 208's+. I just wondered what the Serengeti meant. I will keep in mind the tid-bit about VLD's liking to touch versus jump.

 

[Walsh]

What reamer would ya'll recommend for all weights? Needing a very versatile chamber, is there a reamer best designed for this ultility application?

 

[RHunter]

What reamer would ya'll recommend for all weights? Needing a very versatile chamber, is there a reamer best designed for this ultility application?

There is no such thing as a one size fits all in a 30 caliber.

You simply can not have the best of both worlds if you are wanting good accuracy because of the throat length, if you get a reamer with a longer throat for longer heavier bullets your accuracy with lighter bullets will suffer from too much jump, if you get a reamer with a shorter throat then you have to seat heavier bullets deeper and loose much needed case capacity.

Then you have barrel twist issues, you need a 1-9 twist for 220's and above, 1-10 for 178's to 208's, and 1-12 for 150's and 168's. Fire a 150 grain bullet 3100 fps in a 1-9 twist barrel and the spin drift puts you off in right field.

Trust me, 208 grain bullets for a 30-06 is heavy enough to get you to 1200 yards supersonic, if you want to shoot 220's and 240's buy a 300 win mag. If you want to shoot 150 grain bullets buy a 308 Winchester. I am probably one of the most experienced 30-06 shooters on here and I can speak from that experience, a 220 or 240 (pretty much anything over 208 grains) in a 30-06 is a serious mismatch of powder capacity and bullet weight for optimal results from the cartridge. You will constantly need to re-zero your scope if you zero for 150's and then decide the next time to shoot 208's. 190's are ideal in a 30-06. It is a good match of case capacity and bullet weight.

A 100 yard zero for a 190 is pretty damn close to a zero for a 178 and a 208 Amax but a 150 grain to a 220 grain zero is off the paper.

 

[Walsh]

Off paper? Dang I didn't think it would he that much difference between 70 grains. I am sure many on here are far more qualified in looking at the 30-06. I will probably just go with a vanilla chamber, maybe favoring heavier bullets. I am not going to be doing any super long range stuff, probably less than 300 99% of the time, and ~95% of that under a 100.

Just a cheap plinker am I. Thanks for your valuble response, I was always had it know that the .30 cals were not as finicky when it came to bullet weight and their respective twist rates.

 

[DRAGON64]

Before the holidays I was looking for a 30-06 action to build from. I mainly hit a few local gun stores, even considering an Remington 700 ADL from Academy Sports when they had them for a little over $350. Ultimately I ended up on Gunbroker searching everything from mil surp thru hunting rifles, and even looked at some actions to work/build from. I ended up picking up this Remington 700 with a custom walnut stock and new Shilen Barrel... from the pics posted on the ad, the rifle looked like it had a heavier barrel than it actually was... it would have paid to ask the seller a question or two. Nevertheless, the barrel is a #4 contour of the Magnum Sporter variety. Since receiving the rifle it has sat in the safe, as I was disappointed that it was not a heavier contour. But once I got the rifle outdoors, and I spent a little time looking her over real good, I have really grown to like it. I don't hunt, so a sporter barrel kind of takes on new meaning for me. I believe I will build from here:

The wood grain really pops in natural light...

No realistic goals yet, I just know that I want to shoot 30-06 for long range. I may change the stock, as the wrist is a little small for grub hands. Maybe preserve the English Walnut on this stock by making the stock a safe queen. Also saving a little scratch to pick up a nice scope... once I know what I want to achieve, I'll know more about what scope to select. I will probably install a 'sighter scope' on the rifle in the interim, as I have not shot the rilfe yet. It was my understanding the rifle had not been fired since the armorer test fired after barrel installation.

Did I do right with this purchase?

 

[MarkCO]

Dragon64, don't know what you paid, but that is a very nice looking rifle. Simple elegance style.

 

[RHunter]

Did I do right with this purchase?

If you go by looks, yes.

But that is a hard question to answer based on looks.

How well it shoots, what it likes to shoot, that will answer the question. By the looks of that last picture, the action has not been squared and that recoil lug look looks like factory so you may discover some slight accuracy issues. There is a big gap between the action and the recoil lug. It should fit as square as the barrel does to the lug.

If you want to build a good rifle you really need to start with the action and work your way up.

I have two standard Remington 700 actions that I pulled from guns I purchased from Wall-mart. One came off a .270, the other came off a 30-06, one was $395, the other was $414.

Add to the cost of a factory action about $300 worth of precision machine work, add a threaded knob to the bolt and side bolt release and you have an action that will compete with a Stiller all day long.

Then you need a good barrel and nice square recoil lug and a good Timney trigger. When you get the barrel machined you have to decide on a chamber reamer. You can't beat a Serengeti from Pacific Tool and Gauge . It has to be the best profile for a 30-06 made and an almost perfect match to Redding 30-06 dies so that saves you having custom dies made for reloading.

Then you need to find a good stock and consider bedding the receiver and barrel so it has a perfect fit in the stock or go with a tactical free float system like I did. Problem with something like an Asbury or Cadex free-float chassis is the price, you are looking at a couple grand for the chassis. I went with Ashbuy- biggest mistake I ever made, product was decent, the company sucks for service, will never do business with them again. Went with CADEX for my 338, so far so good.

Then you need a good optic. I like Schmidt & Bender the best but I could not justify the price so I went with Nightforce NXS on both of mine. For 1000 yard shooting I like the 8x32x56

When it was all said and done, I have about $7,000 in each of my two 30-06 LR guns. So there is the most expensive way to build a LR 30-06, you can build a really good shooter for a lot less. I shoot better than most rifles do so for me to spend $7,000 on a rifle was a necessity. You may not want to pay the extra price required to get a .25 MOA shooter. It costs a lot of money to build a 30-06 that will hit a 10" piece of steel at 1000 yard consistently versus onethat will hit it most of the time.

Bit of advice if you plan to use that rifle you purchased a lot, have the barrel threaded for a brake, After 50 rounds with 200 grain bullets, your shoulder is going to suffer more than it needs to. A good day shooting is more enjoyable when you are not getting the shit kicked out of you every time you pull the trigger.

I will say this though, after looking at those photos again, that rifle you purchased looks so good, I would turn it into a safe queen and save it for ???? rather than shoot the barrel out of it shooting paper. If you shoot the barrel out, you will have a hard time putting a new blued barrel on it and have it look as good as it does now. That is a very good looking rifle.

 

[broylz]

I like the classic looks of it. I also debated going with a walnut stock if I could find one very similar to the 700P palm swell and forend with a cm barrel and a nice deep blue to the barreled action similar to what my classic 700 currently looks like but crossed with an m24...

 

[DRAGON64]

Dragon64, don't know what you paid, but that is a very nice looking rifle. Simple elegance style.

I paid more than I would have given for a Remington ADL from Academy Sports, but less if I had to put that Shilen barrel on that same ADL at an amorer. Thanks for the nice comment... like I said, until I got it outdoors, I really did not know what I had.

If you go by looks, yes.

But that is a hard question to answer based on looks.

How well it shoots, what it likes to shoot, that will answer the question. By the looks of that last picture, the action has not been squared and that recoil lug look looks like factory so you may discover some slight accuracy issues. There is a big gap between the action and the recoil lug. It should fit as square as the barrel does to the lug.

If you want to build a good rifle you really need to start with the action and work your way up.

I have two standard Remington 700 actions that I pulled from guns I purchased from Wall-mart. One came off a .270, the other came off a 30-06, one was $395, the other was $414.

Add to the cost of a factory action about $300 worth of precision machine work, add a threaded knob to the bolt and side bolt release and you have an action that will compete with a Stiller all day long.

Then you need a good barrel and nice square recoil lug and a good Timney trigger. When you get the barrel machined you have to decide on a chamber reamer. You can't beat a Serengeti from Pacific Tool and Gauge . It has to be the best profile for a 30-06 made and an almost perfect match to Redding 30-06 dies so that saves you having custom dies made for reloading.

Then you need to find a good stock and consider bedding the receiver and barrel so it has a perfect fit in the stock or go with a tactical free float system like I did. Problem with something like an Asbury or Cadex free-float chassis is the price, you are looking at a couple grand for the chassis. I went with Ashbuy- biggest mistake I ever made, product was decent, the company sucks for service, will never do business with them again. Went with CADEX for my 338, so far so good.

Then you need a good optic. I like Schmidt & Bender the best but I could not justify the price so I went with Nightforce NXS on both of mine. For 1000 yard shooting I like the 8x32x56

When it was all said and done, I have about $7,000 in each of my two 30-06 LR guns. So there is the most expensive way to build a LR 30-06, you can build a really good shooter for a lot less. I shoot better than most rifles do so for me to spend $7,000 on a rifle was a necessity. You may not want to pay the extra price required to get a .25 MOA shooter. It costs a lot of money to build a 30-06 that will hit a 10" piece of steel at 1000 yard consistently versus onethat will hit it most of the time.

Bit of advice if you plan to use that rifle you purchased a lot, have the barrel threaded for a brake, After 50 rounds with 200 grain bullets, your shoulder is going to suffer more than it needs to. A good day shooting is more enjoyable when you are not getting the shit kicked out of you every time you pull the trigger.

I will say this though, after looking at those photos again, that rifle you purchased looks so good, I would turn it into a safe queen and save it for ???? rather than shoot the barrel out of it shooting paper. If you shoot the barrel out, you will have a hard time putting a new blued barrel on it and have it look as good as it does now. That is a very good looking rifle.

Wow! Everytime someone breaks down a precision rifle build to real-world numbers, I always seem to get sticker shock. I wish I could spend the money to do it exactly right, but honestly, I am not that ambitious, as I do not have the time it takes to shoot accurately at such ranges, especially at a 10" plate. I would have to definitely scale back what you have listed to fit my needs... albeit paper, silhouettes or steel plate etc.

Regarding the recoil lug... The original gunbroker ad stated the rifle had a full bed, including the barrel. But when I pulled the action, which it was in tight, only the lug was bedded. It did feel as though the wood was inlet to seat the action snuggly, otherwise there is no other bedding material in the stock. I wondered when I received the rifle,as to why the stock recoil lug was used again with the new barrel... seemed like a prime time to add an aftermarket lug at the time of the re-install. Because of this I porbably will not shoot much above 180+ grains, unless I am not able to develope an accurate load from the lighter bullets. I'm thinking first order of business is to pull the stock and safe it, replacing it with an aluminum bedded stock that has the sporter channel cut.

I cannot in all good conscience, make a safe queen out of a rifle... If I ever manage to shoot the barrel out, then I will replace the lug and barrel with a more precise blank... maybe even make a 30-06 M24 clone...

Thank you very much for the feedback. Even though I could not match your build or shooting skill, you have given me a base with which to downsacle in order to fit my goals (once I determine them). Do you have any pics of your 30-06 precision builds? I would love to see them.

I like the classic looks of it. I also debated going with a walnut stock if I could find one very similar to the 700P palm swell and forend with a cm barrel and a nice deep blue to the barreled action similar to what my classic 700 currently looks like but crossed with an m24...

Richard's Microfit might have what you are looking for: Standard Styles

Reviews around the net are mixed about the quality of the porduct and timeliness of your order... but there are some designs that he offers that could be had in a walnut grade (selectable), rather than any of the 'eye-candy' laminate stocks. I would not mind getting one as a project stock, and finishing it out myself over time... like you, I have a soft spot for high power wood grain & steel.

 

[ArmyJerry]

DRagon that is a beautiful rifle, if you want a custom LR build, get an action and a barrel send it off to LRI, then have them do a stock for you, you can get it done and have a 3/8ths MOA LR rifle for $2500, its only $7 k if you want that extra 1/8th of an inch to get it down to 1/4 MOA. I wouldn't touch that rifle you bought its just too pretty.

 

[RHunter]

DRagon that is a beautiful rifle, if you want a custom LR build, get an action and a barrel send it off to LRI, then have them do a stock for you, you can get it done and have a 3/8ths MOA LR rifle for $2500, its only $7 k if you want that extra 1/8th of an inch to get it down to 1/4 MOA. I wouldn't touch that rifle you bought its just too pretty.

Definitely

$2k of my build cost is in the optics so you would still spend about $4500 for a 3/8 MOA rifle.

 

[RHunter]

Do you have any pics of your 30-06 precision builds? I would love to see them.

I have about $6500 in this build



This one I have a bit over $8000



This shows the bolt release mod to the 700 action on the gun in photo 2

 

[ArmyJerry]

Crazy nice R hunter, I went the savage route, CBI barrel, it shoots very well, right at 3/8th MOA, but its butt fugly compared to those masterpieces you have. I am using loads in winchester brass, 190 smk's and Hor 208 JHPBT's.

 

[DRAGON64]

DRagon that is a beautiful rifle, if you want a custom LR build, get an action and a barrel send it off to LRI, then have them do a stock for you, you can get it done and have a 3/8ths MOA LR rifle for $2500, its only $7 k if you want that extra 1/8th of an inch to get it down to 1/4 MOA. I wouldn't touch that rifle you bought its just too pretty.

Definitely

$2k of my build cost is in the optics so you would still spend about $4500 for a 3/8 MOA rifle.

I have about $6500 in this build

View attachment 29460

This one I have a bit over $8000

View attachment 29461

This shows the bolt release mod to the 700 action on the gun in photo 2

View attachment 29462

*sigh*

I had to do a little work-from-home this past weekend, and after reading these posts I pulled the rifle from the safe and set it in front of my laptop so I could look it over while I worked... When I needed a break I would mull over what I wanted to acheive in a 30-06 build. After some 4-hours of "working for the man" and staring at my rifle, I decided that maybe you guys are right... maybe I do not need to mess with or shoot this rifle. Maybe an avid hunter would rather have it, and then that way the rifle would only get shot a handfull of times through any given year... I could maybe sell the rifle and use the money to start my 30-06 project up, but going in a different direction than this rifle was taking me. She is good looking, so maybe...

Hey RHunter, those are some very nice rifles, love the chassis... Helped me decide that I would like to get an XLR chassis for my 30-06... thank you for sharing, you and everyone else have been very helpful.

 

[SWThomas]

Question: I currently have a Serengeti reamer on order with PTG. I just told them I wanted a .30-06 Serengeti reamer print # 9685, and did not specify throat depth. According to German's article, I will be able to shoot bullets up to 200g with that reamer. Should I call them back and specify throat depth? I'll be shooting 168-190g bullets.

I was planning to have my rifle set-up with a 300 Win Mag detatchable magazine so I could load rounds longer if I wanted to. Is this going to be necessary with this chamber? Or can I go with an internal magazine and still have the ability to load to the lands?

Also, do I need to order a go gauge with this reamer? Or will a regular .30-06 gauge work when reaming the chamber?

 

[SWThomas]

ttt for answers.

 

[bohem]

Question: I currently have a Serengeti reamer on order with PTG. I just told them I wanted a .30-06 Serengeti reamer print # 9685, and did not specify throat depth. According to German's article, I will be able to shoot bullets up to 200g with that reamer. Should I call them back and specify throat depth? I'll be shooting 168-190g bullets.

I was planning to have my rifle set-up with a 300 Win Mag detatchable magazine so I could load rounds longer if I wanted to. Is this going to be necessary with this chamber? Or can I go with an internal magazine and still have the ability to load to the lands?

Also, do I need to order a go gauge with this reamer? Or will a regular .30-06 gauge work when reaming the chamber?

The standard gauge set will work.

I do not know about the lead questions without looking at the specific print.

I have a SAAMI-spec reamer in one of my 30-06's and the 208 Amax loads to 3.440 OAL, it's a little shorter than "optimal" but it does shoot very well and I get plenty of speed out of it for a 30-06.

 

[lw8]

I just ordered the .30-06 Serengeti match reamer and go gauge from PT&G today. Salazar writes that this is perfect for the 190's and will work for up to the 210's.

PTG has prints for both a Serengeti and a Serengeti 2 reamer...

Anybody have experience with the Gen 2 and know what the difference would be?

 

[NotoriousAPP]

Whatever you do...make damn certain Dave Kiff at PT&G understands about the length of freebore you'll need because they cut a reamer for me and I think they were 'asleep at the stick' out there because they sure cut mine way too short! I had my reamer cut with a .3365" neck diameter and I turn all brass to a neck wall thickness of .0125". Works fine and the rifle is accurate but I'm having to seat the bullet too deeply into the case for my likes!! I sent them two dummy rounds which should have been sufficient for them to get things right....but that ain't the way things went!! I'm slightly pizzed!!

What bullet are you having to seat too deep?

 

[JohnnyAuto]

Thank God I found this thread.

I have been on a few other forums, and the thread always turns into "why do you want an '06? You should get a bla bla bla."

I just ordered a Krieger CM, 28" #14 Heavy Palma, 1/11 twist. I also ordered the Obermeyer chamber. I think that after reading Salazar and what has been written on this post, that I want to go with the Serengeti chamber. A gunsmith friend of mine on the other side of the country said all the same things on this thread about the Redding dies and everything else.

A couple questions I have are: 1) where to get the reamer; I checked PTG, and I guess I just do not know how to do a search, because I could not find it on their web site. 2) How much is it? 3) When ordering the reamer, do I have to indicate a throat or freebore dimension, or will they know if I state the the projectiles I want to use? I plan on shooting 168-200 grain bullets. I've shot moly-coated Berger VLDs before with amazing results (1/2 to 3/4 min) out of the regular pencil-thin sporter barrel that is currently installed on my left-handed M700 BDL.

Thanks guys!