30-06 Rifle Dilemma

Lever30

Lever30

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OK. So. On one hand I love old M98 Mausers (especially Husky) and P17 style rifles. Very sturdy, extremely well made, absolutely irreplaceable (in the modern context), usually decently accurate and always reliable. I would go so far as to call them masterpieces.

The only downside is that these awesome rifles for the most part only come in 30-06. 30-06 is stout. Bearable, but for target shooting it's stout if you want to shoot for over 1 hour. 308 is much easier to shoot accurately, at least for myself.

On the other hand, the latest and greatest 6.5CM, 6mm ARC, 6.5 Gr, etc are versatile and much easier to sit behind.

What would make more sense....invest in the more modern cartridges and rifles? Or shoot reduced recoil 30-06 loads from an older rifle? Can you get reasonable accuracy out of reduced recoil 30-06 loads? From experience, what is a good velocity range for decent accuracy out of light 130, 150, 168, 180 grain 30-06 loads? For the most part I only shoot out to 300 yd. I've done plenty of reloading, but not with reduced recoil or cast bullet type loads.

Comments or recommendations?
 
Sounds like you need to experience the joy of a fast twist, heavy barreled 223 Rem with a higher magnification scope and good trigger. And keep the 30/06’s for hunting.
 
That's the other option, of course. I've had M96s in 6.5x55 and they were great. That cartridge is really amazing, one of my favorites. And the 1600's in 6.5x55 are fantastic, and not too many of them are heavily used and abused. But again, a decent condition 1600 in 6.5 SE is now about $600. A new Tikka in 6.5 SE is about $1K. So there's that too. AAAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!
 
Dang it. Another good idea. I do have a regular twist Savage 11 in 223 which is a joy to shoot too. But not a fast twist one. 75gr 223 would be a fun toy.....
 
H4895 and whatever bullet that will suit the throat. Accurate enough? Recoil low enough?

if not, you can rebarrel to any cartridge with the same case dimension.. single feed and enjoy.

If you already have a Savage SA, test some Hrn, Sierra and Berger 68 to 70gr match bullets.. I suspect one of these will shoot very well over H4895 or similar. consistent sub MOA at 300yds and just enjoy the rifle for many rds of fun.

300yds is not that far so any of your current rigs can be made to offer tons of fun.

Now, if you WANT a new toy, then lots of other options with a prefit match barrel for your Savage top of the list.

Jerry
 
Buckmastr said:
Sounds like you need to experience the joy of a fast twist, heavy barreled 223 Rem with a higher magnification scope and good trigger. And keep the 30/06’s for hunting.
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^^ This ^^ .... Even a cheapo Axis in 223 with a decent scope makes a good range blaster. Cheap to buy and cheap to shoot.

I own two Savages in 223 and like them for what they are.
 
SuperCub said:
^^ This ^^ .... Even a cheapo Axis in 223 with a decent scope makes a good range blaster. Cheap to buy and cheap to shoot.

I own two Savages in 223 and like them for what they are.
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^^^this^^^ I recently passed the 3,000 round mark out of my Axis still wearing the original stock it came with
 
Lever30 said:
OK. So. On one hand I love old M98 Mausers (especially Husky) and P17 style rifles. Very sturdy, extremely well made, absolutely irreplaceable (in the modern context), usually decently accurate and always reliable. I would go so far as to call them masterpieces.

The only downside is that these awesome rifles for the most part only come in 30-06. 30-06 is stout. Bearable, but for target shooting it's stout if you want to shoot for over 1 hour. 308 is much easier to shoot accurately, at least for myself.

On the other hand, the latest and greatest 6.5CM, 6mm ARC, 6.5 Gr, etc are versatile and much easier to sit behind.

What would make more sense....invest in the more modern cartridges and rifles? Or shoot reduced recoil 30-06 loads from an older rifle? Can you get reasonable accuracy out of reduced recoil 30-06 loads? From experience, what is a good velocity range for decent accuracy out of light 130, 150, 168, 180 grain 30-06 loads? For the most part I only shoot out to 300 yd. I've done plenty of reloading, but not with reduced recoil or cast bullet type loads.

Comments or recommendations?
Click to expand...

DGY said:
Just buy a husky in 6.5x55 Swede and call it a day!
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Best and only answer!
 
I will echo the call for a .223 for the bulk of your range shooting... MUCH cheaper to shoot and virtually no recoil, as recoil seems to be a concern of yours... if the issue is strictly recoil, you can always borrow a .375 or .458 to shoot for an afternoon... after that, you will have no problem shooting your .30/06 all day.
 
hoytcanon said:
I will echo the call for a .223 for the bulk of your range shooting... MUCH cheaper to shoot and virtually no recoil, as recoil seems to be a concern of yours... if the issue is strictly recoil, you can always borrow a .375 or .458 to shoot for an afternoon... after that, you will have no problem shooting your .30/06 all day.
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A Winchester 70 Safari Express in 375 is really no worse than a 12 ga with birdshot and I'm not a big fan of recoil. Found it pretty pleasant!

On the lighter side...I like to be comfortable with my hunting rifle, not shoot smaller guns and hope that translates into comfort with my hunting rifle. Better a hit with a 6.5 Creedmoor than a miss with a 30-06 cause you put 3000 rounds through a 223 and now you're shooting a rifle you know is not that one again! lol.

Just my personal shooting habit.
 
Thanks for the ideas gents, some interesting takes.

Just FYI, I have had a M96 6.5x55 husky sporter, which was very nice, just have to respect loading maximums for the 6.5 SE with those actions supposedly. Currently do have 2 Savage 11s (223 and 308HB), a Savage Scout in 7.62x39, amongst other toys. And I do reload for all my centerfires, once you start down that path it's just too much fun and rewarding. And yes IvoB, the Axis in 223 is something special. I don't know why or how, but it is. The 11 is as accurate but much smoother.

Anyone have experience with a Husky 1600 series in 6.5 Swede? They're probably a bit overpriced these days, and I think most have aluminum base metal rather than steel, but I'm guessing they were pretty decent?
 
I was at the range a few weeks before the hunting season. A fellow had his new 6.5 Wonder Whatever. The ammo boxes were really pretty, and I noticed the price for 20. It was $90! Besides having classy feeding habits, it barked! Not as bad as a .338 LM, but sharp on the ears.

If you are going to replace your .30-06 for target shooting, you cannot beat a .308. Millions upon millions of aimed shots at measured distances prove it over and over. The 155-gr Palma bullets do very well at 1000. Avoid the 168-gr bullet beyond 400-yds. Go for 180-gr and heavier if you want to have super accuracy at the long ranges.

If you feel especially sporting, go to 5.56 and experiment with bullets and throats. At short range, you cannot ask for better recoil and predictability.
 
As a target round doesn't 6.5 CM beat the 308 in every way except barrel life?
 
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For the range, all you have to do is add weight to the rifle. Do any of them have a cleaning kit, or other hole in the stock, fill it with tungsten or some lead.

A small step would just be to go to a 308 cartridge firearm. There really isn't any great reason to be shooting an 06 with medium weight bullets. I feel the 06 leans towards being a beltless magnum, when one considers the average cartridges most nations fielded for the same purposes. And it really shows when you see how hot the 25-06, and the 270 are as one necks cartridges down. Or how powerful the 338-06, and the Whelens are as one opens the case up. One could even throw in the 9.3x62 as the ultimate "improved" big bore with a similar base diameter (1905, of course).

Obviously you can put some lead shot on your shoulder, or a lead sled, but it stops feeling like shooting.

Another thing that makes a huge difference is a proper shooting jacket. Maybe a PAST thing, though I haven't tried one.
 
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I shoot 110 grain cheap armscor bullets out of my 30 06 with 28 grains 4227. You can also shoot cheap berrys 150 grain plated bullets with 20 grains vihtavouri n110. Both are accurate plinkers for me at 100 metres but the berrys won't land close to your full power loads like the armscor will, at least in my rifle. I use magnum primers. I tried magnum pistol primers with the 4227 to save my rifle primers but I got some hangfires. Regular large rifle would probably work too. Low recoil!
 
110g loads in a 06 have substantially less felt recoil then 180g. In my experience.

They would be flat to 300yrds with a starting load of moose powders.


I have loaded 150g with H4895 @ 2500fps In my old parkerhale. It kicked a lot like a 30-30.
 
OP - I find it interesting that you think 30-06 is "stout", but a 308 Win would be okay. - especially in the case of your M1917 - original loads used for it were designated as 1906 loads - so 150 grain flat base spitzer bullets at 2,700 fps - from the 26" barrel on an M1917. I am not sure if your M1917 has the original sights, but that is the load that the makings were calibrated for. Not a "modern" loading at all - not "modern" 30-06 performance, at all. As per some advice on CGN, I will be using Hornady 150 grain SP Interlocks, which apparently fly similar to those WWI FMJ projectiles, and IMR 3031, which has similar heat and pressure rise to the original powders used - earlier powders apparently all "hot" and "fast burning". The original primers no longer available, so I suspect they are a wash.

https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/for...8605-Duplicate-WWI-30-06-loads?highlight=1906
 
I have several hunting rifles but do not shoot them on thd range too much , even my main gun.
However, I send thousands of rounds downrange every year with my.223 match rifles and really love shooting them, especially in the wind!
Nothing is better for learning how to shoot at ranges out to 1,000 meters than a fast twist 223 IMO.
They are relatively cheap to load for as well, thing about half the powder of a 308.

Cat
 
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