Got to thinking about how many folks pick the .30'06 Government cartridge as their preferred hunting round, or "old days" target chambering...

Remembered back to one time when I had nine or more .30-06s in the vault, and when I decided to cut back and just keep my "favourites".

Realized I didn't even know right offhand which of those fine rifles I decided to keep. So, made a list of mine, and thought I might ask which RIFLES you guys prefer YOUR .30-'06s in?

I'll go first, here's my list, at least one of each of which is in the vault as we write:

1. Pre-war (1938) M70 Winchester standard weight...action slick as glass, has stripper-clip "ears"; stock as dense and hard as iron. Has a B&L BalVar 8 in a Stith Master Mount and a 50-year old Redfield long-slide receiver sight. I've killed 4 BIG Canadian bull moose with it as well as a semi-truck load of other game.

2. Schultz & Larsen Model 54 single-shot "free rifle". Loading port dead center on top of action. Double set triggers. Retracting the bolt doesn't eject the empty case, just stands it straight up, on its base. Has the original S&L micrometer receiver sight and Globe front. Weighs about 13 pounds with schuetzen butt-plate and palm rest, both of which are original. Will shoot Lake City white box well under an inch, sometimes under half an inch for 5 shots, iron sights, at 100 yards. Certain handloads will do much better.

3. Remington Custom Shop 700-C. No iron sights, but nice fancy wood. a decent shooter, but only about a 1-1/4 MOA "grouper" with most factory ammo.

4. Thompson-Center "TCR" single shot. Amazingly accurate for such a light actioned rifle. Nice double-set triggers, iron sights and scope. The 24" barrel makes it actually about the same overall length as a bolt rifle with a 20" barrel, plus with its scope it weighs less than a Ruger Mini-14 with iron sights! As it takes down easily and goes right back to its Zero when re-assembled, it is a real dandy back-packer's rifle.

5. Brno ZKK-600, with single-set trigger. Another very accurate bolt rifle, and I like the original Brno scope mount system. This is an early one from the '60s, with the pop-up rear peep and very nice metal finish from the factory. Just a class act.

6. M-1 Garand by International Harvester. Gun looks almost new, and shoots exceptionally well for a Garand. Regular, round, 1.5 MOA groups are no big trick for it, and sometimes it will do somewhat better! To my knowledge, the only work ever done on it was to re-crown the barrel, and I did that myself with a piloted hand-tool from Brownells.

7. Pre-'64 Model 70 FW. Kollmorgan scope in Stith Master Mount. Nothing special here, just a good working gun that always HAS worked. Never a bobble in the field. Just point it at the meat, pull the trigger, then cut & clean things up for the freezer.

8. Valmet 412 O/U double rifle. I keep this one because it is another set of barrels for my 9.3x74-R Valmet. Really too clumsy to use with the .30-06 cartridge for longer shooting in the field.

9. 1903-A3 "sporter" Has very fancy wood, cartridge-trap butt-plate, skeleton pistol grip cap, etc. Unfortunately, doesn't feed worth poop, but Duane is looking at that to see if he or his partner can fix it.

I may have forgotten one or two, but I think that's my total still on hand.

Darn, looks like I haven't cut down as much as I thought!! I KNOW I have sold a bunch......

So, what are YOUR favourite .30-06 rifles?

favorite??? 1) springfield garand, 1945.... 2) winchester m70, circa 1968... shoots patterns with milsurp, 1" with 180 gr... ive got 2 springfield 03's and several m1917's... don't shoot them, they're donor actions...

Late 1970's/1980's era Push Feed Mod 70.

It's like an extension of my right hand.

I have a couple of others including a newer featherweight
but the first one mentioned is by far my favourite.

Springfield 1903

I currently have four:

1. Pre-'64 (1948 "transition") Model 70 Std.

2. Remington "M 1903 Modified", sporterized.

3. Smith Corona 03A3, sporterized.

4. M-1 Garand, Blue Sky Korean buy back.

Also had a couple Mausers in '06 over the years, but they were either sold/traded or rebarreled to different calibers.

My favorite (right now) is a winchester 1895 carbine 100 year anniversary model. A close second is the tang safety ruger 77R. Then there is a Remington 7400 and my dads 1950's model 760 and then I have a Remington 700 and another winchester 1895, this one a case finished takedown model-- still unfired in box.

Favourite would be my Remington 7600 carbine in synthetic.

Thats an easy one. My old FN Mauser. Its the only 06 I have.

My favorite is an old Mauser sporter made in Ferlach. It has an octagon barrel, double triggers, tang safety and is engraved. Best part is it belonged to a gentleman who has passed many years ago who taught me hunting 50 years ago. The gun was absorbed into his family and sold and resold. Only recently did I track it down, and after acquiring it have it spruced up. It is once again going hunting. I plan to use it this fall to get a big Michigan buck. I have several nice 06s but this is my favorite and since I'm closing in on 70 I'll make sure it passes on to a hunter who will appreciate it when the time comes.

quote:

Favourite 30-'06 rifles?

This one....a blind magazine mannlicher stocked Interarms Mark X with 18 1/2" barrel and three pos swing safety.

Only owned 8ea. 30-06s in my life.

an 1895.

an Enfield 1917 sporter.

a Rem. 700.

An 03-A3, 4 groove barrel that was absolutely new ( one shot through the barrel) That was than sporterized. (mistake).

2ea mod. 760s

A Montgomery Ward Mod. 98.

An an off brand I can't remember.
They're all gone now. These were all hunting rifles and my fovorite for that purpose was the second 760. roger

I have but one 30/06 and I've had it since 1986 or 7 when I ordered it new from an ad in Shotgun news. It is a Win M70 "Lightweight" with a laminated "Win-Tuff" stock (brown laminate) push feed weighs 8 pounds 2 oz. scoped. Barrel is same contour as a modern Featherweight. It sports a Leupold Vari-X II 3-9x40. I had a tough time getting a load figured out that it likes but it settled in on WW brass, CCI primers, 180 grain Sierra SPBT's and 56 grains of IMR-4350.
With this rifle and load I've taken Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goat, a bunch of Elk, I can't remember all the Deer and several Antelope, a Coyote here an there, a few Ravens and a Marmot, not to mention logged many many hours on the range just laying down the lead. Action is smoother than oiled glass and this thing has ridden on my back for about a million miles all over some rough country.
Its missed a lot of needed cleanings and taken some bad falls but the rifle has accounted for more game than any other rifle I own.
In the last several years I've been "taken" with a lovely little .257 Roberts but when that affair wears off my '06 will be waiting for me like a true lover. At times I've felt like it was too much gun for what I was hunting and I've never felt like it was not enough gun for any hunt I've taken it on. I took a .375 H&H on a Moose hunt to Alaska and missed my 30/06 the whole time, wish I would have taken it.
Anyway thats my story, I love my rifle, I'd never get rid of it but I'd be the first to point out to you its dings, problems or shortcomings.
Thats my 30/06

It has a home until I die

I have a couple 30-06's that I really like.

a Sako AV Hunter that's in pretty nice condition...and a 1959 M70 Featherweight.....

Two '06's at once, The Browning Continental, claws and a Leupold 3X

I have a few but dad's M670 carbine is up there.

Growing up in Alaska I always stayed with 300s of all persuasions.
This year has been the year of the 06.

1) SC FN Winchester 30/06 Deluxe edition. Jack would be proud. Old school 4X leupold Alaskan with target dot. My date for sheep season.
2) Husqavarna Hipower model 640 30/06 with Weaver K4. The FN Model 98 is a classic. It was a great deal. It says pickup.
3) Cooper Model 52 Classic 30/06. I am putting a Kx 3.5X10X50 on it. It says caribou. Let it rock.

It should be fun ironing them all out.

Sincerely,
Thomas

Sauer 202 with bbls. in .30-06 and 7x64. Both shoot 5 in <.75 MOA.

Sorry, I don't presently have a 30-06, but I see there are enough of you with several to help make for those of us that don't. However, I have plenty of others.

There isnt much more that makes me happy than the sound of the metal clip releasing when the Garand is empty...Bang! Bang! Bang! CLANG!!!!

To not to own a 30/06 is spiteful and un - American!

Absolutely! I question the patriotism and wisdom of anyone who doesn't own an -06.
1. Rem 700 custom syn stock with Lupe 2-7 compact
2. Grandpa's Mod 54
3. DCM Garand

Mine is a Remington 700 ADL
Leupold VariX II 3x9x40
It's a killer!!

i only have one 06. it is mdle 1956 M-S. it is a kicker, for sure. got it as a gift when i was 14. i ended up saving some money to buy a ruger mini-30 for fooling around about a year later. the M-S is not a target rifle, but is sure is a fine hunter.

Just like most here I have a variety of calibers to choose from but I always grab my interarms markX in 30-06. never fails. Accurate as hell and the action is slicker than butter.

Just about anyone can pick it up and shoot accurately with it.

Winchester Model 70, Super Grade, with a Leupold 3.5X10 VX7 scope.

Favorite is 1951 M70 S/G,3-9X40 Leupold in Redfield Jr mounts.have a.35 5shot group with Berger168s in LC62NM cases.shot 4 munties&a Fallow at Baldock AR Stalking Weekend in08.Back up is a pre-war S/G#6XXX,Zeiss Zielvier in Redfield STANDARD(the ones with the HUGE dovetail front ring) mounts.Lots of "custom"rifles should be made this well!

I started when I was 16 medium game hunting with hopes of one day being able to hunt big game. I read all they hype on the 270 winchester, knew next to nothing about big game hunting or rifles, only had a shotgun and a 22 pistol. I saved enough up and went to a gun store and the guy behind the counter sold me a 30.06 Savage 110. Never liked the rifle and finally sold it for a Remington 700 ADL with a Leupold 3x9-40 in 30.06. I had the trigger adjusted down and fired many rounds down range. My buddy got me into reloading and learned to reload for it with a 165 BTSP and H414. It does nothing but take game. I love the round and the rifle. I want a Tikka T3 in this caliber as well next. Good Hunting. Esox357.

My first centerfire rifle a Rem. Mod. 721 in 30/06. It is still the rifle that I have taken the most game with except for Sako 222 Mag.
There there is the Husky in '06, Ruger 1B in '06, post 64 Win. 70 in '06, pre 72 Sako in '06 AI.
I have a Springfield 03 that a buddy left me when he died, and I bought son a Ruger 77 in '06 when he was a young boy.
Then I have take offs on the '06 case like 35 Whelen pump and Husky 9.3x62.
If you don't have now or have not had an '06 it could be said you don't like Willy Nelson and long neck beers either. If that is the case your picante sauce is made in New York City too so...'git a rope!'.

Here is mine. An FN Mauser with stainless steel barrel by Danny Peterson with all integral components, Jerry Fisher rounded bottom metal and stock by Lon Paul

Phil, how does it shoot? I've been looking real hard at having him do a couple of barrels for me in the future.

Hello guys,
I also love so much 30'06... In our mountais there are many calibers that can do a good job, but over all I trust my Rem 700 BDL cal 30'06.
The only rifle that I probably would prefer is the Kongsberg 393, but here in Italy can not be found.
Here a pic from my Rem 700 BDL with Swarovski Z6 scope.


Faina

quote:

Originally posted by 458Win:


Here is mine. An FN Mauser with stainless steel barrel by Danny Peterson with all integral components, Jerry Fisher rounded bottom metal and stock by Lon Paul

I like that rifle more every time I see it. Is that barrel 22"?

1958 M70 Fwt, Brno ZG-47, 03 Springfield, FN Deluxe Sporter.

quote:

Originally posted by Chuck Nelson:

I like that rifle more every time I see it. Is that barrel 22"?

So Do I. yes it is a 22 inch barrel

Mine is a pre-64 model 70 featherweight. Redfield rings and bases, Leupold 3x9x40, and for hunting it sits in a Bell and Carlson stock. This rifle does not let me down, it is my "go to" rifle when the chips are down.

This rifle was my grandfathers, it went to me upon his death when I was 20 years old. I have had it for at least that many now and it will not leave my company untill my death. It will stay in the family and go to a hunter who appreciates it.

Being a rifle loony for about 40 years now, I've always had at least one '06 on hand. Currently there is a custom Mauser done in a pre-war style (DST's, G&H QD Sidemount, Lyman 48, kidney cheekpiece, schnaubel forend, etc.), an original high # 1903 w/star gauged barrel, and a pre-64 M70. Other interesting rifle/caliber combinations have (and will) come and go, but the .30/06 has been a constant in my life. I can't decide which one I want to have buried with me when the time comes!

Well sadly or not, I am down to three. A pre Garcia finnbear that will shoot only flat based bullets, accurately anyway, a pre 64 fwt in a Mickey and a pre 64 std which is original each of which shoot sub MOA. Had two other pre 64 '06's that have been bored to 338-06 over the past couple of years.

seems like I get rid of every one I own...my last I handed over a pre-64 to my wife. It is in a micky as well..80% O.D. 20% black that I just bought and is now over at riflestockpainting being done up in OD cerakote. Has a rear Redfield peep and a Williams bottom metal. It is a sacriledge to not own one! I'll get another soon...got to love em..they work!

In 2006 with all the hoopla about 100 year anniversary and all, I decided I should have one being a gun nut and all. So I picked up a Steyr Forester and with absolutely nothing done to it (no bedding, trigger work, stock work etc) it shoots



Why would I need another?

Some neat rifles posted....

That's a nice load , Woods. Have you been working with RL17 very much?

Here's my 30-06. 1940 prewar Win. 70 action. Full metal work by Mark Penrod, Blackburn bottom metal, 24" Krieger #2 barrel, Echols stock
Weighs 7 1/2# (without scope)
Khales 3X9
2830FPS w/180Nosler
2900FPS w/165's