Input on building a 30-06 needed

[TheBigCountry]

I decided to build myself a precision 30-06. I was leaning towards a FN SPR in 308, but after doing some researching, the 30-06 will do everything I want and then some. This is the plan as I have come up with as now.

Use; Primarily will be a hunting rig, but would also use it to punch paper and ring steel.

Action: M70 CRF LA or Montana 1999

Barrel: Bartlein 5R 1 in 10" finished at 26 inches. What do you all recommend as a contour? I was thinking of a light palma or a #3B from their catalog...

Stock: Leaning towards a Manners MCS-TA, but also like the McMillan HTG. Thoughts?

If I want to push 180 grain bullets and up, I will have to throated as such correct? Would this be something to talk to the gunsmith about?

On the fence with either running a DBM or a floorplate; Thoughts?

Once I have all the pieces, I will be in need of a good smith to put it together. Thinking GA Precision, but if anyone else has any good GS recommendations let me know.

 

[Tank]

I just recently took delivery of a similar rifle built by Chad Dixon at Longrifles. I went with a Remington 700 LA , Bartlein #3 1/11.25 at 24 inches, Manners MCS-T and Williams bottom metal (bdl type, no mag). This will be my primary everythng hunting rig. I had Chad flute the barrel and bolt as well. Its a bit heavier then I expected but recoil is a non issue with the 150 grainers Ive shot so far. Andthe weight is my fault since I provided all the parts. Havnt had a chance to make up some tailored loads or shoot match ammo out of it yet. But I expect great things.

I love the McMillan HTG stock , but with the larger objective scopes sitting relatively high , cheek hight is and always has been an issue with that stock. The Manners has a higher comb/cheek piece. No Issue at all with the Leupold 4x14x50mm scope thats on it at the moment.

 

[Walsh]

There is great talk of a Serengitti reamer from PT&G that is supposed to be great for 190 - 210 grain bullets in a .30 caliber rifle. Read up on German Slazar (spelling?), he goes over a lot of great 06' information. Also, look at the 30-06 reloading thread if you have not, it has valuable insight.

I would pick a bdl style bottom metal.

 

[TheBigCountry]

There is great talk of a Serengitti reamer from PT&G that is supposed to be great for 190 - 210 grain bullets in a .30 caliber rifle. Read up on German Slazar (spelling?), he goes over a lot of great 06' information. Also, look at the 30-06 reloading thread if you have not, it has valuable insight.

I would pick a bdl style bottom metal.

Mr. Salazars article's have been bookmarked, and have been another reason to go with the '06. I cannot find anything about that reamer though, and I have searched Google about it but all I can come up with are articles in relation to it.

 

[WB300]

What type of hunting are you talking about? Long hikes up and down mountains or couple hundred yards to a stand?

I had a .300WM built a few years ago with the same concept in mind. I went with a 26" Light Palma contour and have to admit that I won't be carrying this thing around all day. Great for stands, but it gets heavy real fast for any kind of distance or hills. I went with a Ken Ferrell aluminum base, NF ultralight rings, and Swaro Z5 to save weight, and still came in at just over 11 lbs. I finally just turned it into a range hammer and stand hunting rig. So now I'm back to square 1 on building a 30-06, but this one will be lighter to carry all day. I'd love to build it on a model 70 CRF. Good luck.

Bill

If you wind up going with the light palma and need a brake, I had mine built with a Vais. Awesome brake, but I eventually got a suppressor so I could be talked out of the Vais.

 

[TheBigCountry]

What type of hunting are you talking about? Long hikes up and down mountains or couple hundred yards to a stand?

I had a .300WM built a few years ago with the same concept in mind. I went with a 26" Light Palma contour and have to admit that I won't be carrying this thing around all day. Great for stands, but it gets heavy real fast for any kind of distance or hills. I went with a Ken Ferrell aluminum base, NF ultralight rings, and Swaro Z5 to save weight, and still came in at just over 11 lbs. I finally just turned it into a range hammer and stand hunting rig. So now I'm back to square 1 on building a 30-06, but this one will be lighter to carry all day. I'd love to build it on a model 70 CRF. Good luck.

Bill

If you wind up going with the light palma and need a brake, I had mine built with a Vais. Awesome brake, but I eventually got a suppressor so I could be talked out of the Vais.

More then likely stand hunting, some spot and stalk.

I like the light palma contour, and I do think I will add a brake to the rig.

Can anyone chip in on an ideal barrel contour for my rig?

 

[Martin Taylor]

If you like the light palma contour then I think that's the ideal contour for your rig.

Light palma looks like the next step lighter than the varmint barrel I ordered for my baby and I'm two months into the wait-time smacking myself wishing I'd ordered a lighter contour.

Go with the BDL style floorplate, you and I are building 06s for the same purpose of use right now and that's what I went with, seems like bdm is expensive unless you have a special reason for it, and just adds weight if you don't have a special reason.

I think, the only thing that you are doing that I decided against is the 26" barrel, especially if you're going to add a brake. I'm going with a 25" because I hunted with a rifle with a 26" barrel once and it was just too much swinging around to really work for me in the woods, and if you add a brake you could be looking at 28" of length, stalking with that should be fun. I mean if you were 80% paper and 20% hunting 26" is fine, or if it's a Montana rifle, then you're probably better than fine, but this sounds like a 60% hunting, 40% steel and paper and you might be a lot happier with a 24" barrel with a brake.

I too have found articles on that reamer, I saw on the forum that I think the user "18Echo" has or had one. Maybe send him a pm?

No experience with either of those stocks, but for the money if you're not ecstatic with either of them I don't know what else you could want. Go for whoever offers shorter wait time I guess, or flip a coin and go for the one who charges less for your favourite colour.

The determining factor for gunsmiths in my build was the largest one to whom I could personally drive for delivery and pick up of the rifle as well as to personally meet the person I was entrusting my rifle to for 1-2 months of my life. If GAP is within driving distance I would have chosen them in a heartbeat, I have no personal experience but their widespread support leaves quite an impression.

 

[rockn30809]

I have 2 heavy barreled rifles in the safe that were built to be hunting rigs. But my go to hunting rifle is a SPS in .30-06. Had the lugs lapped, barrel recrowned, Timney trigger, B&C Alaskan stock, topped with a steel base and rings holding a Leupold vx2 3-9x50. The rifle is a tack driver, light weight and the 24" barrel is very easy to maneuver in the woods.

 

[KYpatriot]

I think it is a mistake to build all purpose rifles. They are like adjustable wrenches...yeah they will work in a pinch but you will never be totally satisfied with using a tool not purpose built for the job...you get tired of rounding off nuts.

Figure out what kind of hunting you do...if you hunt locally in ga then my guess is no shots over 150 with the majority less than a hundred, so almost any rifle will do. Keep hunting with what you have or buy a 700 from walmart and you are done there. Long range steel out to a thousand or more is a much more demanding business, and needs a purpose built tool unless you have a lot of patience. If you travel to hunt really long range, then that is yet another tool and the most demanding of all.

Bottom line, get specific on your mission before you get specific on specs for the rifle.

 

[WB300]

I think it is a mistake to build all purpose rifles. They are like adjustable wrenches...yeah they will work in a pinch but you will never be totally satisfied with using a tool not purpose built for the job...you get tired of rounding off nuts.

Figure out what kind of hunting you do...if you hunt locally in ga then my guess is no shots over 150 with the majority less than a hundred, so almost any rifle will do. Keep hunting with what you have or buy a 700 from walmart and you are done there. Long range steel out to a thousand or more is a much more demanding business, and needs a purpose built tool unless you have a lot of patience. If you travel to hunt really long range, then that is yet another tool and the most demanding of all.

Bottom line, get specific on your mission before you get specific on specs for the rifle.

This. KY said it better than me.

AJV, if you are in South West GA any time soon, you are more than welcome to see my rig. It may help answer some questions.

Bill

 

[KYpatriot]

Unless you hunt with earplugs forget the brake.