Shootinshyster
Well-Known Member
I'm old and grumpy and I have no patience for dealing with young whippersnappers. But I have lots of experience and you should listen to me. Unless you are young enough to know everything.
So if you are just starting out and you want to hunt here's what you need to do:
1. Get a quality used .30-06 and
2. Get a simple handloading set up.
The reason why you should get a used .30-06 is because there are many thousands of unloved used rifles in this calibre. The .30-06 is unloved by stupid people who don't understand history or ballistics. But the ignorance of the vast unwashed herd can benefit you. Take advantage of the situation.
I own over 70 rifles in 30-06 calibre alone. I'm telling you this because I've handloaded for more .30-06 rifles than most people will ever see. And you need to start handloading because you need to know about only two loads. With the 150 grain bullet use 48 grains of IMR-4895. This will duplicate the ballistics of the .308. This load is easy to shoot and it is what you should shoot as you learn. You will learn the "feel" of your rifle and you will learn to shoot. I will get back to this load shortly, but on the subject of feel, your rifle must feel right.
So go into your local gunshop and ask to see the used .30-06 guns. Pick them up and see how they feel. A proper rifle feels warm, smooth and alluring to the touch. Do you remember how it felt to hold your wife back when she still loved you? Well now you get the idea. When you find a fine rifle you will feel happy and young at heart. And you will feel bright and joyful.
What works for me may not work for you. But look at Voere, Parker Hale and the older Tikkas. The Tikka M-65/LSA-65 series are some of the finest rifles ever made. I love those rifles and my M-65 battue feels so good that it is on my bed next to me as I type this. You should not tell anyone this, but the M-65/LSA-65 is far superior to the Tikka T3. ( I was given a T3 in a trade and I hated it so much that I gave it away to someone who needed a rifle)
Once you have your rifle you will need a scope. Now pay attention to me. A scope is not a piece of optics. A scope is first and foremost a gun sight and it MUST do two things. The scope must be faithful. It cannot betray you by shifting zero. The point of impact must never waiver. Secondly your scope's adjustment must be true. If you adjust the elevation by one minute, it must shift your point of impact by exactly one minute. Nothing more and nothing less.
I have a .30-06 Husqvarna 640 that was made in 1951. This rifle wears an old Leupold scope from 1995. It is a compact 3-9 scope and it is not an impressive optic. It has the old friction adjustments and somehow this scope never shifts zero. I have not adjusted it in 15 years and it is a very serious gunsight.
When you buy a scope you do not want a heavy boat anchor that will ruin the balance of your rifle. If your rifle is unbalanced, it is messed up. You can spend many thousands of dollars getting a fine piece of glass that will only ruin your shooting experience and make you miserable. For a hunting scope I really like the Swarovski Z3 3-10x42. This scope is lightweight and it will balance nicely on your gun. It will also hold zero and adjust properly.
30mm scope tubes are all the rage nowadays and you should keep in mind that as your scope gets bigger it gets heavier. 30 mm scopes are great for long range target shooting, but for hunting they are not necessary.
With a proper scope properly mounted load up some 150 grain bullets with 48 grains of IMR-4895. I will take a break now and return in a few minutes
So if you are just starting out and you want to hunt here's what you need to do:
1. Get a quality used .30-06 and
2. Get a simple handloading set up.
The reason why you should get a used .30-06 is because there are many thousands of unloved used rifles in this calibre. The .30-06 is unloved by stupid people who don't understand history or ballistics. But the ignorance of the vast unwashed herd can benefit you. Take advantage of the situation.
I own over 70 rifles in 30-06 calibre alone. I'm telling you this because I've handloaded for more .30-06 rifles than most people will ever see. And you need to start handloading because you need to know about only two loads. With the 150 grain bullet use 48 grains of IMR-4895. This will duplicate the ballistics of the .308. This load is easy to shoot and it is what you should shoot as you learn. You will learn the "feel" of your rifle and you will learn to shoot. I will get back to this load shortly, but on the subject of feel, your rifle must feel right.
So go into your local gunshop and ask to see the used .30-06 guns. Pick them up and see how they feel. A proper rifle feels warm, smooth and alluring to the touch. Do you remember how it felt to hold your wife back when she still loved you? Well now you get the idea. When you find a fine rifle you will feel happy and young at heart. And you will feel bright and joyful.
What works for me may not work for you. But look at Voere, Parker Hale and the older Tikkas. The Tikka M-65/LSA-65 series are some of the finest rifles ever made. I love those rifles and my M-65 battue feels so good that it is on my bed next to me as I type this. You should not tell anyone this, but the M-65/LSA-65 is far superior to the Tikka T3. ( I was given a T3 in a trade and I hated it so much that I gave it away to someone who needed a rifle)
Once you have your rifle you will need a scope. Now pay attention to me. A scope is not a piece of optics. A scope is first and foremost a gun sight and it MUST do two things. The scope must be faithful. It cannot betray you by shifting zero. The point of impact must never waiver. Secondly your scope's adjustment must be true. If you adjust the elevation by one minute, it must shift your point of impact by exactly one minute. Nothing more and nothing less.
I have a .30-06 Husqvarna 640 that was made in 1951. This rifle wears an old Leupold scope from 1995. It is a compact 3-9 scope and it is not an impressive optic. It has the old friction adjustments and somehow this scope never shifts zero. I have not adjusted it in 15 years and it is a very serious gunsight.
When you buy a scope you do not want a heavy boat anchor that will ruin the balance of your rifle. If your rifle is unbalanced, it is messed up. You can spend many thousands of dollars getting a fine piece of glass that will only ruin your shooting experience and make you miserable. For a hunting scope I really like the Swarovski Z3 3-10x42. This scope is lightweight and it will balance nicely on your gun. It will also hold zero and adjust properly.
30mm scope tubes are all the rage nowadays and you should keep in mind that as your scope gets bigger it gets heavier. 30 mm scopes are great for long range target shooting, but for hunting they are not necessary.
With a proper scope properly mounted load up some 150 grain bullets with 48 grains of IMR-4895. I will take a break now and return in a few minutes
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