Bored with my .30/06, what to do? - Becoming a Super .30

CoryTheCowboy

CoryTheCowboy

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A decrepit duck blind in Atikokan, ON
I have an older Sako L61R in .30/06. It's deadly accurate and I've put a lot of work into refinishing the stock...but it's a .30/06, so it's boring. Real boring. The bluing is pretty ugly (more grey than blue) and the stock is Bubba'd enough that selling it wouldn't really be worth it.

Sako001_zps8817eb92.jpg


I don't want to get into rebarreling, so I'm wondering what my (somewhat reasonable) options would be for rechambering. I've heard of a lot of .30/06s being reamed out to .308 Norma and that interests me (increased performance and let's be honest, some cool factor). It sounds like it would be a rechamber job and likely feed rails and extractor work. Any other ideas?

I'm sure the best idea is to just leave it alone, but I haven't carried it at all in the past 2 1/2 years because it's a .30/06...and it's boring.

Thanks guys,

Cory
 
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We all enjoy shooting sports for different reasons. 30.06 is my go to round for hunting no matter how many rifles or other calibers I own. If your shooting has evolved away from that caliber, then give a young guy a break on the rifle and help get him/her into hunting and shooting. Often a hunters first rifle is treated as much as a first love, regardless of the babba's, scratches , and dents along the way.
 
fiddler said:
We all enjoy shooting sports for different reasons. 30.06 is my go to round for hunting no matter how many rifles or other calibers I own. If your shooting has evolved away from that caliber, then give a young guy a break on the rifle and help get him/her into hunting and shooting. Often a hunters first rifle is treated as much as a first love, regardless of the babba's, scratches , and dents along the way.
Click to expand...

I second that motion.
 
I am not a 30-06 fan in any way and never will be, but I do like the things a guy can make from a 30-06. If you turn it into a 308 norma you would also have to machine the bolt face. I think a 308 norma is a great way to go. I know you said you don't want to rebarrel it, but a 35 whelen would be cool. Another option is to rechamber it into a 30-06 AI. It will give u a little more velocity and its not as boaring
 
Cheapest & easiest route would be a relatively simple rechambering to 30-06 Ackley Improved.

Better yet, rebarrel to another caliber. Something in 338-06, 35 Whelen, or 9.3x63 would be really cool.
 
Buy something here that you want and sell the rifle. The spread in price might surprise you and save you money on the conversion
 
"...it's boring..." Commercial hunting rifles are like that. Fiddler has a good point though.
"...a 308 Norma..." Would require a major re-work to use a belted magnum in a non-magnum action.
"...bluing is pretty ugly..." Phosphate it. Only issue would be finding a smithy who does it. No more sending the parts to any metal finisher like we could before the FA.
 
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