'Need' a classy 30/06

freddyfour said:
That is one rifle I know nothing about. When did Browning stop making CRF?
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The Safaris were made by FN as most are aware. They are a beautiful rifle. Watch for "salt" wood in the later production. Some genius conceived of a method for drying furniture wood at an accelerated rate. Buried all the wood in salt and salt brine. Certainly dried it but also loaded the wood with salt which attacked the blued steel. If you can't tear a prospective rifle down to look for corrosion just unscrew a buttplate screw, if it's rusted, stay away.
They stopped making them in the 1970's, not sure exactly. I have a 1972 catalogue which still lists them.
 
Original Oberndorf Mauser 98 Sporters in 30-06 come up for sale every now and again.
Much better basis for a sporter than anything built on a sloppy wartime M-98 action.

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Rob said:
Original Oberndorf Mauser 98 Sporters in 30-06 come up for sale every now and again.
Much better basis for a sporter than anything built on a sloppy wartime M-98 action.

roml2Vg.jpg
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Yes please, gorgeous!

I see you have a Brno ZKK for sale as well Rob. You seem to have some nice rifles always for sale. I often find myself looking at your EE adds, never seem to disappoint

Edit: did have for sale
 
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Rob said:
Original Oberndorf Mauser 98 Sporters in 30-06 come up for sale every now and again.
Much better basis for a sporter than anything built on a sloppy wartime M-98 action.

roml2Vg.jpg
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Talking Oberndorf! Not listed by OP... But I concur! There you go.
 
I like the Husqvarna m98commercial actions ,nothing wrong with the war time 98 actions either ,i have one of those Danish rifles built on the 98 action it is accurate to say the least.
 
The Brownings were made from 58 to 74. Salt wood showed up in the late 60’s. I personally have not seen one out of the 20 rifles I’ve had but definitely double check because they are out there. I believe the salt issue was a little more common on the Medallions and Olympian’s as the wood that was effected by the salt curing came from California and was a really nice walnut.
 
freddyfour said:
I have looked at those a few times, they certainly are beautiful rifles.
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I owned one, a fullstock carbine in 6.5x55 Swedish. However, I thought it was way too heavy and bulky. No comparison to a real Mannlicher-Schoenauer model 1903, but okay for a stand rifle. It was accurate with the single-set trigger.
 
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Hitzy said:
Yeah they are terrible actions, so bad the Danes used them to make 6.5x55 target rifles out of them to beat the piss out of Europe in ISSF competition for 2 decades lol.
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I am sure the 98 actions were carefully hand selected by the Danes.

The best finished Mauser 98 action that I ever personally handled was a military M-98 action manufactured by Sauer in 1937. Beautifully machined and fitted...even better than the sporters from Oberndorf....really no toolmarks to speak of, above or below the stock line. I built a hunting rifle on it. But that Mauser 98 by Sauer was not wartime production...by 1941-42 Mauser receivers were already getting crude, depending on manufacturer of course. Unless nothing else was available, why anyone would deliberately choose a sloppy tool-marked wartime built Mauser receiver to build anything on is beyond me..
 
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..and, what about a pre-64 Winchester Model 70?...there are still plenty kicking around in 30-06...and if you can find one with some slight modification, like a recoil pad or a modified bolt handle, the price will come down to earth....a bit heavy though, even the "Featherweight."

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The Sako L61R is a push feed, mine certainly is. They use what looks to be an extractor as guide rib. For Mausers , a couple of the finest ones are '51 FN action. a classic large ring Mauser action made out of modern post war steel and the small ring Husqvarna 1600. It just needs a trigger . The Parker Hales you see around, are mostly made with the Spanish Santa Barbra actions. Spanish steel is very questionable. Those that have survived are likely safe. You can find FN actions on Husqvarnas, Sakos, J.C. Higgins, and even C.I.L. And of course Brownings . Zastava Mausers are OK. They were sold under various names too . Like a PH, not too classy.

My vote would be for a Brno, they are an improved Mauser. A pre'64 M-70 is an improved Springfield . So for class either would be good, but I would pick the Brno for it's action.

But when you see it, you will know. Love is like that.
 
I didn't prefer the thumb safety on the Browning Safari. Also I thought the factory iron rear sight could get in the way of a low mounted objective bell. So it got sold on. Other great rifles like the 9422 had attributes that didn't suit me(e.g. grooved receiver, drop at comb) also got sold, with trepidation and some regret, but the logic held. Not my bag, but maybe yours!

For a current production gun, I would look for a Winchester Alaskan in .30-06 with some nice grain in the stock. Iron sights and 25" bbl is only 1" longer than 24". A nice gloss scope on it, and one and done.
 
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