yellowfin Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 (edited) OK folks, I need to borrow some brains here. I tripped across a steal of a deal in my local shop this week. I was looking to buy a used 700 to build on for a precision gun, the less expensive the better, and in left handed. What I ended up finding was one someone had already built, though with some different preferences (had 3 sight bases on the barrel, I guess for irons, and internal mag instead of detachable box), and less desirable to many people because it's chambered in .30-06 instead of something more fashionable like .300 Win Mag, .308, or 6.5-284. However, I'm not going to change the barrel because it's a Hart stainless 26" (or 28"...didn't measure yet) heavy contour 1 in 10" which is exactly what I would have picked. It would cost me almost twice as much to swap out as I paid for the whole thing. Yes, that's right, I got the whole rifle lacking only a scope base for $350 out the door. (Oh yeah, minus optic...but that's a given.) So, currently lacking another 600+ yard gun right now, I'm looking to go with this as it gets me up and running cheaply in F-class and possibly other stuff, and definitely teaching myself to do more. I'm going to thread the muzzle to be able to run my can on it because I VASTLY prefer suppressed when shooting anything with a substantial blast to it. Now what I need to figure out is what kind of loads I'm going to feed this thing. As I look at Hodgdon's data and Sierra, Hornady, Berger, and Nosler's bullets I see a lot of potential here, but not much really to go on other than just pick a powder, pick some bullets, burn some, and see how it goes. Researching other sites yields a lot of "yeah, but .308 and .300 Win are more accurate because 06 is a long skinny case...", but I don't think I currently have the skill level to outshoot its theoretical capabilities, and by the time I will it'll be time to swap the barrels anyway, right? I'm definitely thinking 180-210 grain stuff to take advantage of higher BC's and maybe to crowd some of that powder space to lessen that whole theoretical shortcoming of a long powder column. I know a lot of guys run 175's in .308 but that's said to be because longer bullets wouldn't have the case capacity which with this I have. Whatcha think, guys? Any concerns about powder burn rate with the can on it, or at that length should I be good with everything? Also, I will probably put it in a chassis at some point--will that significantly change what loads it likes, negating load tuning done prior to the change, or just POI shift? Edited February 2, 2015 by yellowfin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee blackman Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 (edited) If I had the case capacity of a 30-06 with a 1 in 10 twist barrel, I wouldn't hesitate just going straight to the berger 230gr match hybrids. I wouldn't bother trying to push them hard for velocity, just tune the load for accuracy. They have such a high BC, even at weak 2500fps start you'll be supersonic to 1375 yards at sea level.... push it to 2650 and your looking about 1500 yards. Edited February 1, 2015 by lee blackman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dauntedfuture Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 So the sight bases on the barrel are for a front iron sight and a unertel/ lyman old time target scope. I suspect that this is an old rifle. I would see how it shoots before you do much of anything to it. Chances are....wait for it.... the barrel is shot out. Does it have a stripper clip slot milled into the action? You are going to have a hard time getting VLD bullets to shoot compared to a 190 SMK etc. Not saying it cant be done, it just takes more work. 4064 is the go to powder for .30-06 and 190 SMKs. See what kind of groups you can get and have someone look at the bore with a bore scope. If the barrel is shot out your still into an action for 350.00 post a picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowfin Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 Upon just a couple minutes looking at it tonight, I observed a few things about it. One, the rifling seems very good as far as I can tell. I looked down the bores of rifles I know to have very few rounds through and can tell little if any difference between them and this one. No wear at the crown and no visible erosion/wear at the chamber and throat. It's quite interesting you asked about the stripper clip guide, as it appears it does have that cut into it. What it all adds up to is what the shop guys told me: an older guy with old school tastes had it made and either never shot it as much as he thought he would and/or had to quit and this was his 3rd rifle of the same, maybe the 2nd barrel on this one gun itself. I'll definitely see what I can get out of it with some 190, 195, and 210's with 4064 and 4350, maybe Superformance too. Zero at 300 yards I guess, as the sources I read say long range loads don't settle into stable accuracy until that--or is that wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dauntedfuture Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 (edited) I have had some 210 bergers shoot impressively small groups in a palma gun at 100 yds. Most of the time if the bullets will shoot they will shoot. Occasionally you will get a 1 MOA load at 100 yds that's still 1 MOA at 600 yds, most of the time groups open up with range. I have witnessed bullets corkscrew down range from the 600 yd line....all the way into the x ring time and time again. Provided you have the ability conducting load development at longer ranges is better and the "spread" from a ladder test on target will be more telling. Edited February 6, 2015 by dauntedfuture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooting Coach Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I second the 190 SMK. Do the precision case prep, weight, primer pocket, flash hole de burr, good brass and primer. I used Alliant RL-22 in mine when I shot long range using a 40-X in this wonderful caliber, but Alliant 4000-MR will work well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowfin Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share Posted February 18, 2015 Anyone used the 195 Hornady match? I got a good price on them at my local spot today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dauntedfuture Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I would suggest that you start with 190 SMKs and IMR 4064 and see what happens. Do some research and you can find some old NM loads out there. Alternatively, buy one box of federal GM with 190s and shoot that box to see what kind of groups you get. Those combinations are proven winners and if the rifle does not group well with either one of them its time for a new barrel plain and simple. I should think the Hornady bullets will work but they are not the KNOWN quantity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheelie Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Look at this this page for .30-06 long range loading information: http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/p/articles-index.html Salazar knows what he's talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soflarick Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I've been told numerous times by milsurp shooters that 4350 is a very good powder for a bolt action 06. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowfin Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 (edited) Now that I finally will have an optic ready it will be time to put stuff on the paper. I must say that loading these 06 rounds looks like artillery next to all my 5.56. Got some 4064 and 4831 to start w/ the 195's, might pick up some 190 Noslers to add. BTW, I forgot to ask, when laddering for stuff like this, is a half grain apart on test loads the right amount to space between, or 1/3rd grain? Edited June 9, 2015 by yellowfin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dauntedfuture Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 1/2 grain is fine. The sierras will shoot better then the Hornady or Nosler bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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