What rifle shall I get in 30-06

New Avon Arms
J

J111

Well-Known Member
Hi all,

I've just put my variation in for a 30-06. I currently have a 243 which is a walnut and blued steel type with a fixed mag scope which is excellent on the woodland muntjac and roe that I mostly shoot. I'm getting the '06 because I want a rifle that's good for the larger deer species and boar. I also think I want an all weather type do-anything set up so am thinking probably stainless and synthetic/fibreglass. It's either that or I get another wood and blue steel type, but pillar bed it as I cannot be doing with having to re-zero after taking action out of stock for drying and cleaning. Also wondering what length barrel to go for?

Any thoughts or advice?

Cheers
 
Handle the following to see what floats yer boat:-

Sako 75 (without the stupid bolt lock) or a new 85 stainless synthetic - these have a nice stock with good feel. Or for a bit less money a Tikka (M55 or M595 if you can find one) or T3 Stainless synthetic tupperware stock, - not as nice as wood & blue but a great working tool.
The good thing is that 308 / 30-06 cal rifles have good barrel lives & are not very prone to being shot out. Nice old school wood'n blue classics turn up quite often. As with any rifle though the way a rifle is cleaned can have more effect on barrel life than shot count. Of that type, the old model Steyer Mannlicher Luxus rifles do shoot very well & are nice to handle. - The modern stuff is nowhere near as nice IMHO.

Ian
 
Tikka T-3 Lite Stainless. My buddy has one and it is a super accurate, hard hunting rifle. Tupperware stock? Damned durable, I say. You can beat it and scratch it and not give a hoot. I have the same rifle in 308. I can drag that rifle along the ground, pick it up, dust it off, and shoot half minute.~Muir
 
Muir said:
Tikka T-3 Lite Stainless. My buddy has one and it is a super accurate, hard hunting rifle. Tupperware stock? Damned durable, I say. You can beat it and scratch it and not give a hoot. I have the same rifle in 308. I can drag that rifle along the ground, pick it up, dust it off, and shoot half minute.~Muir
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+1 You won't go wrong with a Tikka T3 Lite Stainless synthetic. Very well designed and accurate.
 
T3 is a very good rifle, in any calibre.

But! in the UK, they only come with a 20 inch barrel, which really isn't enough to get the best out of a .30-06.

I'd very strongly recommend looking for something with at least a 22" but preferably a 24" barrel.

If you can find one, a Heym SR20 would be THE rifle to get.
 
Yorric said:
Handle the following to see what floats yer boat:-

Sako 75 (without the stupid bolt lock) or a new 85 stainless synthetic - these have a nice stock with good feel. Or for a bit less money a Tikka (M55 or M595 if you can find one) or T3 Stainless synthetic tupperware stock, - not as nice as wood & blue but a great working tool.
The good thing is that 308 / 30-06 cal rifles have good barrel lives & are not very prone to being shot out. Nice old school wood'n blue classics turn up quite often. As with any rifle though the way a rifle is cleaned can have more effect on barrel life than shot count. Of that type, the old model Steyer Mannlicher Luxus rifles do shoot very well & are nice to handle. - The modern stuff is nowhere near as nice IMHO.

Ian
Click to expand...

yes good choice. all though it will need to be a m690 or m695 for 30/06 as the m595 action is short calibre actions.
 
J111 said:
I'm getting the '06 because I want a rifle that's good for the larger deer species and boar.............Also wondering what length barrel to go for?
Click to expand...

What shooting discipline are you mainly hoping to use it for - UK type stalking/ highseat or driven game in Europe? A shorter barrelled, straight-pull of one kind or another will work for both, (with possible 'scope swaps), whereas you might be struggling with a longer barrel and narrow FOV high mag 'scope on driven.
 
Any rifle you can buy at a UK gun shop new whether it be Savage, Ruger, CZ, Browning, Merkel, Blaser, Sauer etc will shoot just fine. Any barrel length will be appropriate for any shot you are ever likely to take. Handle a few, see what you like and buy within your budget. Get a nice S&B, Zeiss or Swar and Bob is the proverbial. Honest, people spend more time debating than what it is worth. The difference between a Blaser and a Savage in real terms is ....money, both will do fine..marketing aside
 
I have owned a few .30-06s, and currently own a dozen or so. For an all-weather go anywhere and hunt anytime rifle, here are a few I have owned or own now.

T3 Lite SS - Loved mine, but sold it to a friend who was killing more deer and elk with it than I was. It shot everything I put in it way under an inch groups. I would not have sold it had I not owned the next rifle.
7.0 lbs all up, unloaded. I replaced it with a T3 Lite in 7mm-08. Love it, too.

Remington M700 BDL SS - 24 inch barrel, also shoots all good loads under 3/4" groups in its factory synthetic stock. 8.25 lbs. They still make the SPS and the XCR replaced this.

Stery M Professional with iron sights and a 3-9x40 Burris FFII BDC scope in Warne bases and rings. The Mannox finish and Cycolac stock, very weatherproof ( same as military SSG-69). 8.5 lbs ready to hunt. But you would have to find a used one. I did, and it was like new.

Stery SBS with iron sights, Warne bases and QD rings, 3-9x40. Nearly weatherproof. 9 lbs. Very accurate.

Sigarms SHR 970. Synthetic stock ( I have walnut, too). 22-inch barrel, Teflon coated, stainless bolt and trigger works, Warne QD mounts, 1.5-6x42 scope with 4A reticle. 8 lbs. As accurate as the Tikka. I have one in .280 Rem and .308 Win, too.
 
Ok, T3 lite sounds ideal. Although how about the A7 roughtech pro which sounds like it has the 24 inch barrel (may be unwieldy with a moderator?) and aly bedding..
 
Orion said:
What shooting discipline are you mainly hoping to use it for - UK type stalking/ highseat or driven game in Europe? A shorter barrelled, straight-pull of one kind or another will work for both, (with possible 'scope swaps), whereas you might be struggling with a longer barrel and narrow FOV high mag 'scope on driven.
Click to expand...

To be honest it will be almost entirely UK type stalking with once a year hill stalking and the odd trip to europe for driven game (I've not done this yet but would be good to have a rifle which I could use for it). Also there has been a sighting of boar in my area and so need a rifle for the job.. With this is mind would a weaver/picattiny rail be a good bet for switching scopes?
 
J111 said:
To be honest it will be almost entirely UK type stalking with once a year hill stalking and the odd trip to europe for driven game (I've not done this yet but would be good to have a rifle which I could use for it). Also there has been a sighting of boar in my area and so need a rifle for the job.. With this is mind would a weaver/picattiny rail be a good bet for switching scopes?
Click to expand...
Or Warne bases and QD rings. Warne makes QD rings which fit the integral bases of the Tikka, CZ and Ruger. I do exactly that: remove the scope and use iron sights. A small red dot will fit on one slot / front base.

If you are going to run a moderator and a 20-inch barrel, just go with the T3 in .308 Win. But if you have a 24, 26, or 28 inch barrel .30-06, you can really exploit the potential extra power.
 
Firstly I would just like to say quality choice in round, the 30-06 IMHO is the best. Rifle wise it has to be either a Heym SR20 or 21 or a Sako with 22" barrel. I currently own an 85 but have in the past owned SR20 (should never ever have sold) and Sako 75 again another good one. In the end what ever make you go for I think you will see the benefit of the 30-06.
 
J111 said:
Ok, T3 lite sounds ideal. Although how about the A7 roughtech pro which sounds like it has the 24 inch barrel (may be unwieldy with a moderator?) and aly bedding..
Click to expand...

You'll be fine with a 20" barrel - IMO you'll maybe lose 150fps or so compared with a 24" barrel - with minor effect on the trajectory. It's much handier to have a rifle that isn't unwieldy with a moderator attached. You definitely wont benefit from having a longer barrel for most UK stalking and for driven shooting.

Read some of Bruce Potts' articles online on barrel shortening and the resultant velocity losses - I know he's done tests on the .223, .270 & .308
 
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Having just gone shooting in New Zealand with a Browning X Bolt in 308 I would thoroughly recommend The X Bolt in the Stainless Hunter model. Accurate, great trigger, reasonable smooth action, very practical and good weight. Again I felt the trigger was one of the best I've used. It had been adjusted down to about 2lbs and set off a shot crisply. At first I thought the bolt release feature was a bit of **** but after using it for a week I found it agreat safety feature. 035202229.webp
 
Yep i agree.
I have a Sako 75 .243, my first rifle, but my next rifle was a 30-06, i couldn't afford another Sako so got a Browning X Bolt SS, it will do all you want and not break the bank.
Cheers
Richard
hybridfiat said:
Having just gone shooting in New Zealand with a Browning X Bolt in 308 I would thoroughly recommend The X Bolt in the Stainless Hunter model. Accurate, great trigger, reasonable smooth action, very practical and good weight. Again I felt the trigger was one of the best I've used. It had been adjusted down to about 2lbs and set off a shot crisply. At first I thought the bolt release feature was a bit of **** but after using it for a week I found it agreat safety feature. View attachment 58006
Click to expand...
 
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