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Off the shelf .30-06 Precision Rifle? Where and Which one?

lash

lash

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Sep 28, 2012
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Like the title says.

Some back story:

My brother is in Michigan and has been long distance watching (pun intended) my involvement with long distance precision shooting. He's a practical guy and wants to keep his number of calibers owned to a minimum (silly gun owner...as if...). His rifle calibers owned are currently .30-40 Krag, .223 and .30-06 (Garand) and he would like to keep it that way but still get into the precision long range game as he sees how much fun I am having and wants in...lol.

In a perfect world where we all get what we want without needing to have the money and all, he'd get a custom rifle all set up and reload as needed. Reality is that he's not yet hooked and does not yet know that he NEEDS to spend whatever it takes to get what he wants... :)

So my long-winded question to all of you is - (OK, caveat here, it's a two part question)

Who makes a precision rifle in .30-06?

Where can one buy such rifle?

Dammit, third question: Does it even exist?

Thanks
 
There's a nice 30-06 mcmillan in the for sale section if you want a smokin deal on a used rifle
Otherwise any of the quality smiths on here can build you a good shooting 06.
 
Oldcoast said:
There's a nice 30-06 mcmillan in the for sale section if you want a smokin deal on a used rifle
Otherwise any of the quality smiths on here can build you a good shooting 06.
Click to expand...
OK, I looked through 4 pages of "For Sale..." items and did not see a .30-06 at all. Do you have a link for that one? It is possible I missed it.

Plus, there's the caveat that he doesn't yet realize what it takes to get a precision rifle. Add to that the number of people I've personally seen who shoot pretty darn well with only lightly modified off-the-shelf rifles and maybe you see what I'm talking about.

In any case, include a link to the above-mentioned McMillan stocked 30-06 if you will.

Thanks
 
George63 said:
problem is getting a nice long action savage stock
Click to expand...

True. And from what I've seen, all the chassis systems are in the $1000 range. $650-700 for a target action if you can find one, add a custom barrel for $400-450, $250 for bottom metal inletted into stock, and you are almost into custom range already. Not quite off-the-shelf and probably more than the beginner wants to get involved in.

As per the OP, his issue is spending that first amount to get into the LRP game. It's not that he couldn't afford to spend for a custom, it's just that he doesn't yet know that he will likely end up doing so.

Thanks for answering though. I'm up for any answers, as I'll pass on the best to him.
 
I did see on Arfcom Remington did have a model something along the lines of a SPS in .30-06. The guy showed a label with a product code and everything. The McM in the for sale section is a very good deal though...
 
Do a little research...you can build a savage that SHOOTS for a G or less. That's exactly what I'm doing. I'll have right at 1000 with a stock....215, complete cheaper model 10 used...300, aftermarket barrel...300, bottom metal w mag...little over 200
 
Best bet IMO is gonna be a Savage. The McMillan would be a very nice one. I bet you could have an old Mauser built fairly cheaply with a Criterion barrel.
 
While I agree with you all that suggest that a person could likely build a fine shooter for a decent price, don't forget that he hasn't even started shooting rifles very much outside of hunting, so is not yet at the point where he's willing to do tons of homework and building to get into it. Maybe you remember the first time you got into shooting? Were you ready to start building it by yourself without having any idea what it was you were even getting into?

I'll also take a look into the SPS .30-06 angle. Might be something to it.

I'm more than willing to do the research and homework for my brother. He's done as much and more for me before and that is the relationship that we have. He and my Dad once built a Hawken style black powder .50 for me with a stock from a beautiful piece of heartwood walnut my Dad had on hand. Not everyone has a brother like that.
 
We have built a few 30-06's hunting and tactical, even did a 06 AI. So they can be had. I know one local customer had us build a 8lb hunting rig that shoots 1/2MOA or better but that was a full custom. May be hard to find a used custom tactical version, shouldnt be a big deal to find a factory or custom hunting style rig tho
 
Remind the gentleman that reloading for the garand and for the long range 06 are completely different, and largely incompatible.

Brass prep different.
Heavies in garand = bad.
Powder choices different.
Like two different rifles. So limiting himself to 06 might be pointless.
 
Op, sent you a pm... I have two custom .30-06 tactical rigs your brother may be interested in..
 
Another route would be to take a Tikka T3 and screw a heavy tube on it. I have multiple T3s,custom and factory and they are all great shooters.

I have savages and Tikkas and will take the rifle from Finland every time.
 
SWRichmond said:
Remind the gentleman that reloading for the garand and for the long range 06 are completely different, and largely incompatible.

Brass prep different.
Heavies in garand = bad.
Powder choices different.
Like two different rifles. So limiting himself to 06 might be pointless.
Click to expand...

Great point - it can (and most likely will) lead to the bent op-rod sooner or later.
 
Graham said:
'Best' and 'Savage' are rarely combined in the same sentence.
Click to expand...

'Best accuracy' and 'best money spent' are indeed rare qualities. Thanks for pointing it out.

'Best to send it to a gunsmith', 'best to have your wallet ready' and 'best to wait for six months' are much more common phrases - you just don't hear them with "Savage" in the sentence.
Thanks again.
 
shoots100 said:
Use the Google and you'll find plenty of stocks for a savage build, like this one ;
E. Arthur Brown Company, Inc.
Click to expand...

yeah, I am familiar with google - you may want to become more familiar with what works well in a prone stock - the main reasonably priced alternative for long action savage is stockade, and while they have a good product the business/ service end leaves some to be desired

for short action, once the PTG DBM is actually available, the savage platform will be an unbeatable value for the home gunsmith

for long action all the pieces are not in place for the savage platform, and may never be - after extensive research for 30-06 I went with a remage platform
 
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Graham said:
'Best' and 'Savage' are rarely combined in the same sentence.
Click to expand...

no doubt about that, but in a short action barrel burning chambering being able to rebarrel right on the range for under 400 from a wide variety of vendors can tilt the scales toward savage
 
If it were ME and I was wanting to get my brother up and shooting I'd find a USED Savage LA, an older flat back 110 in 270, 30-06 with the correct bolt face .473" as a donor, probably in the $350 range, sell the barrel, scope and the stock, add a SSS trued Recoil Lug and Barrel Nut for $57.00, a varmint profile 30-06 SHILEN barrel in match or Super match Stainless for $299-339 from Northland Shooters Supply (in stock), a Rifle basics SAV 2 trigger adjustable from 4oz to 3lbs for $155 and throw into a Choate Tactical LA stock from Midway for $209...pick up a nice 16X or 20X SWFA scope and rings for $250-$300 used and an EGW 20MOA mount for $35...THAT GETS HIM SHOOTING 30-06 LONG RANGE with very good accuracy potential for about $1141 bucks if you get the action for $200 net after the sale of the old barrel, scope and stock off the donor rifle...

Its a good entry level, easily put together package that gets him shooting his caliber sub MOA to get him into long range shooting...and I'm gonna go ahead and say that a dozen people will come out and shit on my idea..so be it...if its on YOUR dime as a gift to your brother and you don't know if he is truly serious about it then limit your initial investment...if you and he see that he indeed has been bitten by the LR bug then upgrades are in order... Truing the receiver and timing the action or scrapping and moving to a different platform altogether. If he stayed with the Savage a custom Manners or McMillan stock is certainly an upgrade as is a USO or other high end scope and rings...
 
I'd go buy a Winchester model 70 Ultimate Shadow (the cheap one)....and then make that rifle into what I wanted via the custom shop of my choice.



Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk
 
Weatherby offers their "Range Certified" model in .30-06. Worth a look and about a grand. I looked hard at one for hunting/all around. Went with a custom R700 in an A5 but would still like one of the Weatherbys one day.
 
You also might cruise armslist or some of the other arms auction sites...Savage made the 110FP heavy barrel police rifle in 30-06 for a couple of years...chances are you could find one fairly cheap, like $400-$500, swap out the stock for a McMillan or a Manners and your in like flint...
 
If one were to build an 06, what would the optimal bullet and reamer be?
 
Remington is making a new model! I believe it is called the long range hunter. I almost left Cabelas with one on Friday just because it was chambered in 30-06. It looked like it was a 26" varmint profile barrel in a bell and Carlson M40 style stock. I wish I knew if it was a 1/10 twist.
 
I've never seen or heard of a "production" 30-06 in anything but 1-10 twist....that's been the standard twist for the 30-06 its entire life, even before...the 30-03 used 1-10 twist....so did the 30-40 Krag.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk
 
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I am glad I did not know that at the time or I would be a thousand dollars poorer. I noticed that Remington lacks in the 1/10 twist department on the .308 so I figured that would carry over to the 06.
 
The 308 was originally designed around 147 grain bullets, that's why it often has the slower twist.

The 30-03 (the first version of the 30-06) was designed around 220 grain round nose bullets, the same bullets used in the old 30-40 Krag....when the 30-06 came along, they switched to lighter bullets, but kept the 10 twist.


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Kimber also offered a heavy barreled 30-06 at one point...I saw one a couple years ago....I think they called it "Longmaster" or something like that....very nice rifle, fluted SS barrel, CRF...I almost bought it.

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Ridgerunner665 said:
I've never seen or heard of a "production" 30-06 in anything but 1-10 twist....that's been the standard twist for the 30-06 its entire life, even before...the 30-03 used 1-10 twist....so did the 30-40 Krag.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


Last time I looked, Tikka was going with 1/11.
 
Thanks for pointing it out...

Its a good day when you can say you learned something today that you didn't know yesterday, lol.

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Tagged for good info! 3006 is such an under used caliber in my opinion.
 
If this is where his commitment level is, then I'd get him a factory sporter 700 and let him try it for a while.
 
[MENTION=75240]lash[/MENTION] There was a used R700 with a custom SS heavy barrel 30-06 in the used sale rack at cabelas (near grand rapids) a month ago... It may still be there. IIRC it even had a 10x SWFA SS on it.
 
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If anyone's making one, I have yet to see it in person. This scarcity is a warning flag.

And that's where I stop looking, right then and there. Shooting 190's out of an '06, round after round, either bench or prone, is a very punishing experience. Not at all the same thing as shooting the Garand with a mil-spec-ish load.

I watched my buddy STP build one exactly like what you're looking for and campaign it one year in 1000yd F-Open competition. He's one the smaller side, and the recoil simply beat him up unmercifully. I (very) briefly considered taking it off his hands, but decided instead to stick with the .260 Rem, which renders essentially the same precision ballistic performance with a whole loot less kerboomenwhackin'. Insisting on staying with the .30-'06 simply because he has no love for an additional chambering is not my favored brand of logic. If factory loads are mandatory, I'm pretty sure the 6.5CM would be a better choice than the .30-'06.

Greg
 
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Capt Beach said:
You also might cruise armslist or some of the other arms auction sites...Savage made the 110FP heavy barrel police rifle in 30-06 for a couple of years...chances are you could find one fairly cheap, like $400-$500, swap out the stock for a McMillan or a Manners and your in like flint...
Click to expand...

I know where one of those is for sale locally. $500 non accutrigger with a Tupperware stock. Could probably get it for $400 if you had cash.
 
R.A. Rifleman said:
I know where one of those is for sale locally. $500 non accutrigger with a Tupperware stock. Could probably get it for $400 if you had cash.
Click to expand...

THAT IS A HELLOVA DEAL...I owned the 110FP in .223 and 300WM...always wanted a 30-06 but now I am settled into my 308 Savage and a 243AI Savage, both heavy barreled tacticals, soon I am building a SBR 14.5" with a welded suppressor mount 308 M40 stocked based on a Savage action, well..just because I can and I want a handy small gun for the truck and hunting ...I get to use the same primers, powder...I scored 1500 FGMM 1 X brass and 600 Lapua 243 a while back...I think I am set...I like the 308 well because its a 308...and the 243AI is such a fast ass flat shooting high BC shooter with 107 SMK and 115 DTACS I just caint help but love it...
 
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Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread. I knew that this was a fishing expedition when I started it, but didn't realize how much good information and how many good choices there really are. While I use Google often with good success, when searching out this type of information, there's just way too many things you have to sort through to even get close to the amount of information already in this thread.

I'd like to respond to some of the general statements made, as I feel some good points have been made that need to be considered.
[MENTION=43612]SWRichmond[/MENTION] mentioned that the rounds required for LRP are much different than the mil-spec fodder out of a Garand and that's a good point that has to be considered. For the most part these rounds will not be interchangeable in any way. On the other hand, they will still use the same loading dies in most cases.
[MENTION=79378]greg[/MENTION] Langelius brought up the punishing recoil of the 30-06 heavies and that should be given serious consideration also. I know that I personally settled on the .260 as it's a joy to shoot, actually has readily available ammo to purchase if wanted (in my experience), and is an easy one to reload accurately.

Plus, it turns out that there are a number of options available if one wanted to just buy something already put together.

It seems like I need to have a couple good discussions with my brother and maybe point him to this thread for some informational reading.

Thanks again guys!
 
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