Building my 1st precision bolt rifle. Will be a Model 70 chambered in 30-06. Plan to shoot mostly 168, and 175 gr SMK's, possibly going up to their 190's (I've heard good things). Would I be better off to go with a 1:10 barrel twist rate or a 1:12. I highly dbout I'll do Anything over 200 gr, and will probably stick to the 168-175 grain SMK's. Also anyone reccomend a good length, I'm thinking 24 but open for suggestions. Thanks.
- Thread starter Speedgoat
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A 1:10 twist will accommodate everything up to 220 grains in a 30-06. If you are going to stick w/168-175 then a 1:11 or even a 12 twist would work out fine. I shoot a 308 bolt gun w/ an 11.25 twist and it handles 175s and 178 AMAX bullets quite well to 800 (the furthest i have ever shot my 308). FWIW, You may consider the Hornady 208 AMAX and 210 VLD Bergers - both are great bullets w/ G1 BCs over .600. An 11 twist barrel should stabilize them just fine due to their secant ogive.
24-26" is a good length for that round is in a hunting rifle...You may want to go shorter if building a heavy tac rifle...
What is the intended application?
24-26" is a good length for that round is in a hunting rifle...You may want to go shorter if building a heavy tac rifle...
What is the intended application?
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Definatley going to be a tactical style rifle. Plan to have it sitting in a McMillan A4 or A5. Basically what I'm after is a 1000 yard gun. May be tempted to go out farther than that eventually, but I'm new to the long range game, so I know that I've got a lot to lean and figure out just to get out to the 1K mark, letalone going further. But I want to start out with a good quality rifle that I can 'learn into' is the best term I can think of.
Defintely 1-10!
I'm planning on a similar build this summer. I'm going with a 1-10. I plan on shooting 190s and up with my 30-06.
go with the 10 twist if you planning on going up to 190's
I'd go with a 1:10" and a 20 to 22" barrel.
Read this article (available to read on Tactical Operation's website): http://www.tacticaloperations.com/swatdec2000/index.html
Since you're not shooting 300 WM's I think a 20" barrel would be acceptable if you favor the shorter side.
Read this article (available to read on Tactical Operation's website): http://www.tacticaloperations.com/swatdec2000/index.html
Since you're not shooting 300 WM's I think a 20" barrel would be acceptable if you favor the shorter side.
Sounds like you will be building a sick rifle...With all that being said, I agree with the others that a 10 twist is optimal....I would definitely try the 208 AMAX or 210 Berger VLD's with some RE 22 or H1000 if you can find some. As LeadSlinger585 said, keep the barrel between 20 and 22" and consider the M40/M24 Contour (1.20" shank + 4 inches then straight taper to .900" at muzzle)...Its a great balance between rigidity and weight savings. It also would look great in an A4 or A5 stock (USMC M40A3/A5 uses that contour w/a 25" barrel in 7.62mm)
Don't skimp on the optic!
Don't skimp on the optic!
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I had the same dilemma, and couldn't decide between 1-10 and 1-12, so I went with a 1-11. So far so good 
That's basically what I'm after. Thinking of going Douglas or Hart for a barrel manufacturer. I don't see the straight shank for 4" then the taper like you've described above. If I just call em up will they know what I'm talking about? If not it looks like a #7 or #8 contour's going to be my route. Pretty srue I'll go with an A4 McMillan. I like the adjustable saddle cheekpiece and buthook on the stock. Basically I want this gun to be a M40A3, only had the US kept the 30-06 as their main .30 caliber round, 1964 to have NOT happened at Winchester, and that the DOD had kept the Model 70 instead of going to the Rem 700.
Optics wise at this point I'm just waiting on my tax return and I'll pull the trigger on a Nightforce NXS 5.5-22x50 with the NPR1 reticle. If Fuhrer` Obama knew I was spending it on this, he probably wouldn't have let me have any back (I'm surprised he gave me any money back) but I got surprised and figured I may as well go with good glass to start with.
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Yea, keep this purchase below our dear leader's radar...Douglas and/or Hart both make great barrels. Just ask for the M24/M40 tactical contour when ordering; someone will point you in the right direction...I would also thread the barrel for a suppressor (M40A5s are threaded w/Surefire brakes and cans).
I'd go with a 10 twist and run a steady diet of 208 A-max or 215 Bergers... May as well make 1k shots as easy as you can.
Go with the 10, it leaves you wide open to shoot anything you want. You never know when you will want to change you load.
/\THIS./\
Why would you limit yourself to 175s with a 30-06? You don't start to gain anything over a .308 until you push 190s or heavier. So yes, go with a 1/10.
There's no point in limiting a 30-06 with a 12 twist.
At some point you will want to try heavier bullets than what you think you want now.
And you will lose velocity on the same load when shortening a barrel from 26" to 22".
At some point you will want to try heavier bullets than what you think you want now.
And you will lose velocity on the same load when shortening a barrel from 26" to 22".
I'm getting ready to do a similar build but want to try the heavys like 220 and above will a 10 twist work for that as well?
^This is an unavoidable truth.
My 30-06 has a 10twist @ 26"
Here is the list of bullets that I've put through it over the last couple of years.
150 FMJ - 3150fps
165 AP Surplus - 3025fps
168 SMK & 168 Amax- 3050 fps
175 SMK & 178 Amax - 2950fps
190 SMK - 2900fps
208 Amax - 2800fps
Some of these loads are hotter than others, none of them are "light" but they're all going to stomp the 308 Win performance with the same bullet.
I have a 26" 300WM on my magnum action now, courtesy of Short Action Customs, and it shoots 208 Amax's at 2900 and 190 SMK's at 3000fps; both are medium loads and the case has lots of capacity to still "romp on it" again.
I am planning a "rat rifle" build of an 18" 30-06 with a medium palma type barrel such that it's easy to hit things at a grand, suppress it, but I still have a lighter, handy rifle for hunting and throwing in a pack.
22" is a very nice length for the 30-06, my original is a 26" and I'm leaving it alone because it was the first rifle I built with my dad. I don't shoot it much anymore either.
Here is the list of bullets that I've put through it over the last couple of years.
150 FMJ - 3150fps
165 AP Surplus - 3025fps
168 SMK & 168 Amax- 3050 fps
175 SMK & 178 Amax - 2950fps
190 SMK - 2900fps
208 Amax - 2800fps
Some of these loads are hotter than others, none of them are "light" but they're all going to stomp the 308 Win performance with the same bullet.
I have a 26" 300WM on my magnum action now, courtesy of Short Action Customs, and it shoots 208 Amax's at 2900 and 190 SMK's at 3000fps; both are medium loads and the case has lots of capacity to still "romp on it" again.
I am planning a "rat rifle" build of an 18" 30-06 with a medium palma type barrel such that it's easy to hit things at a grand, suppress it, but I still have a lighter, handy rifle for hunting and throwing in a pack.
22" is a very nice length for the 30-06, my original is a 26" and I'm leaving it alone because it was the first rifle I built with my dad. I don't shoot it much anymore either.
1-11 twist = best of both worlds!!
I know it's a little off topic and probably belongs in a gunsmithing thread but i'm using my granddads 1940 m70 as my base. Will I be able to use a dbm with it being a crf? I have been doing some looking and can't find an answer that adds any clarification some say yes some say no do to extraction problems???
Assuming by dbm you mean a detachable box magazine I dont see why you cant. AFAIK there was no difference in magazines and not much if any at the mag opening. IIRC someone made a dbm setup for 1903 Sringfields that used BAR (?) mags.
The only disadvantage I can see with a crf action is you pretty much have to chamber the rounds from the magazine as opposed to other type actions you can feed the round in the chamber and close the bolt over it. You can do this with a crf but it makes closing the bolt difficult and puts undo strain on the extractor (and brass for that matter).
It is awesome to see people building the 30-06, it is one of my favorite rounds and will build another next year. Go 1-11 twist. I have to agree, best of both worlds.
Thanks for all the info!
Brushbuster I hope that pre 64 of yours is pretty well worn down. I wouldn't think of taking my grandpas 70 and tacticalizing it. That being said I know that I'll have a DBM setup on mine, supposedly the bottom of the receiver needs a bit of fitting. I would imagine one of the outfits making these box magazine floor plates will have something, if not I'm sure someone could re work it properly for a price $.
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