30.06 build it or buy it?

[1manarmy]

Hello all,

I am looking at getting my first rifle and I'm set on an 06. I did some searching around and I can't decide if I should buy one complete or build a custom one. My limit is $1000 not including scope. It will be used for hunting so I think a synthetic stock and possibly all stainless if the funds allow. I am leaning towards a Savage if I buy new but am open to anything if I build it myself. I like the tactical look of some custom rifles (I know it doesn't make it shoot better but looks are well...looks). Any input from the experts out there would be greatly appreciated. I currently hunt only with shotguns and have no rifle experience so go easy on me.

Thanks

 

[azredhawk44]

No point to building a custom rifle unless you know what custom options you want/need before you begin.

A hunting .30-06 is served up with great quality from just about every bolt action rifle manufacturer out there.

I've personally had my eye on a Browning A-Bolt Stalker for quite a while, but haven't pulled the trigger on the purchase yet. All my current rifles are semiautomatic or lever actions, so this would be my first bolt action. I like the three-lug locking surfaces and the fact that the action is mostly covered by a flat top-strap, unlike a Savage/Remington/Ruger where the top half of the action and bolt are exposed. For a rough use rifle hiking in and around canyons, it should help keep the guts of the rifle cleaner with the dust, dirt and muck.

 

[Scorch]

For your first rifle, I would recommend buying a good-quality rifle. 30-06 is a fine cartridge, and will serve you well for many years. A rifle from any of the big name makers will last you many years and be a great learning tool. I typically recommend Ruger, Remington, or Browning as a first rifle, but there are other great options. Get out to some gun shops and handle a few of each kind of rifle before making a choice.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Buy it!!!

1 Man Army--Have to agree w/Azredhawk: There are any number of dandy hunting rifles in .30-'06 on the market, everywhere in the USA, with enough variations to satisfy any but the most outre' taste.

And you are new to rifles. IMHO, you need to get a rifle (A rifle??? Heck, get several!!) and shoot it/them a lot before deciding to build one. Then you'll know much better what you want that can't be had directly from the store, or retro-fitted.

BTW, you will never buy, or for that matter make, the all-around BEST rifle. No matter what, there will be some sort of compromise to deal with. It's a matter of finding the best, or least worst, compromise. And the more experience you have, the more you will know where to look for that.

So, buy yrself a quality rifle and get shooting. Savage? Remington? Winchester? Tikka? Weatherby? NEF? Sisk? Heck, any quality rifle is a dandy place to start. Yr local gun shop should be able to help in the choosing, or take an experienced rifleman friend on the shopping trip.

You also want quality optics, a bunch of ammo, and a place to shoot. Then get out there and shoot it. A lot.

BTW, welcome to TFL! Pls keep us posted on your progress in yr search!

Good searching. And, as always, the journey is part of the destination.

 

[T. O'Heir]

You won't build a custom rifle for a grand. A 'custom' rifle generally means an aftermarket barrel, trigger, stock, and sights. Plus having it put together. The aftermarket barrel alone will eat nearly $300 plus installation and finishing.
Go buy a factory rifle. Be advised that the felt recoil of a synthetic stocked .30-06 will be stout. Not insurmountable though. There are lots of recoil absorbing products out there.

 

[davlandrum]

recoil of a synthetic stocked .30-06 will be stout

I have an -06 Rem 700 SPS (which gets bad-mouthed around here for reasons I do not understand - It is still a Rem 700) that has a factory recoil pad that is awesome. I think it is a limb-saver, but could be wrong.

Bottom line, some of the new generation recoil pads make even a light gun very shootable.

a grand would get that same rifle and good glass. Mine is topped by a Leupold VX-II 3-9 x 40 that does just fine. Came as a package deal. I had a VXIII 3-10 x 50 and really don't notice enough difference to make the extra $$ count.

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I agree with buy the basic rifle, & switch out components as you know what you want... one rifle is never enough, so you may choose to build your next one, if you see a specific need... I myself, am switching all of my "hunting rifles" to stainless... so I can save my blued wood rifles for sunny range days...

if you were willing to go to .308, there are any number of "good" tacical rifles that would make great hunting rigs... the Savage included, also the Remington 700 gets mentioned alot... you still find them in '06 but the .308 is a popular long range round in the tactical style rifle you sound like you are prefering...

my all weather rifles include

Ruger 10-22 in 22 LR & M-77 in .243
Browning Stainless Stalkers in 338 Win Mag, & 375 H&H Magnum
Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70

I have many many other blued / wood rifles, including 5 - 30-06's but could stand to buy a couple more stainless ones myself...maybe even in '06...

 

[elkman06]

06 choices

While I would be one of the first people to suggest a Tikka, you set your budget a little higher. W/ that amount of money, I would look real hard at the Thompson Center Icon. I really like the feel of them and they have some great features.
elkman06

 

[crowbeaner]

If I had your $1000 to spend, there is no doubt in my feeble mind what I would buy; the prettiest Model 700 CDL I could find. Add some Weaver bases and rings and a 3x9 Leupold or Burris scope if I couldn't find a decent Redfield used. That Browning A-Bolt is pretty too. I just love wood and steel guns.

 

[drmiller100]

hmmmm.
1000 bucks.

well, buy a remy. then a custom stock. glass bed it with aluminum recoil lug.
some rings.
custom trigger.
spend time adjusting the trigger.
modify safety so the bolt won't open when safety on.
new barrel if it doesn't shoot 1 moa.
spend a few hundred hours lapping the bolt to move like glass........

oops. waaaaaaaaaaaay over 1000 bucks.

or, buy a tikka and about 47 cases of cheap beer with the left over money.

 

[Shuman47]

With $1000 to spend, I would opt for a sako. Of course if you take that route, you're going to have to put some really expensive glass on top of it

 

[Firepower!]

a tangent question

How versatile is 06 compared to 54R, 300WM, 7mag and the likes in standard calibers?

I guess i am asking this becuase I have been facinated by 06 yet always ended buying a different rifle.

 

[WeedWacker]

54r is hard to find, '06 can be half the price of most other centerfire magnums, and the only rifles in 54r are mosins and dragunovs and their clones (tigr and romanian stuff). be better to get somthing in the 6-7mm range over the '06 if you plan on competitions or a .308 win (7.62x51). The 7mm magnum STW is a fine round, but the 7mm rem mag is very close in terms of accuracy if not power. Get a .300 win mag over 7mm rem mag for elk at looooooong range, or a .300 wsm. either way these magnum and long range calibers can be pretty punishing on the shoulder.


My recommendation:

Magnum-
Savage in .300 WSM then get a Choate ultimate Sniper Stock

Lower deer caliber-
Remington 700 VTR or Remington 700 SPS in .308 win

Again get the Choate stock if the grouping is anything over 1 inch at 100 yds

 

[1manarmy]

Ok so you guys have talked me out of building one, it might be a bigger project than I expected.

I'm not worried about the recoil I currently hunt deer with my smoothbore 12ga Browning A5 with no recoil pad and in WI we can't use buckshot so I'm not afraid of recoil from a slug. I don't see an 06 being worse than that and if it is I just might like it

I guess I may be leaning towards a Savage in stainless and buying a decent scope with the leftover $ or buying a Browining BAR or A-bolt and using rifled sites for a year or two.

Someone mentioned bedding the barrel. Is that something one could do to a factory stock to help accuracy or is that only done on new aftermarket stocks? What other simple cheap mods would you guys suggest on a factory rifle? If I have any money left over.

Thanks for all the replys.

 

[azredhawk44]

Someone mentioned bedding the barrel.

Almost, not quite.

You don't bed the barrel, you bed the receiver.

Many European rifles have or had long stocks that encased the receiver and the barrel, all the way to the end. These are called Mannlicher (sp?) stocks. They're pretty, but unless done extremely well, they will be less accurate than a more modern stock that leaves the barrel alone and only supports the receiver.

The barrel expands, contracts and vibrates during the shot. If it is bumped by the stock during vibration, this bump can be inconsistent and send the shot in different directions than intended.

The receiver, on the other hand, should be firmly in place in the stock. It should not have any play at all. If it isn't properly bedded, it will twist or rock slightly during recoil and send the shot in unpredictable directions.

I've never bedded a stock myself, I've had gunsmiths do it for me. I've got a Mosin-Nagant (cheap surplus rifle) that I may try as my own first bedding project, but I've never done one yet. Any stock can be properly bedded as long as it's not broken or chipped away at the inletting.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Can be done, BUT...

1 Man Army--

Someone mentioned bedding the barrel. Is that something one could do to a factory stock to help accuracy or is that only done on new aftermarket stocks? What other simple cheap mods would you guys suggest on a factory rifle?

You can bed the ACTION--don't bed the bbl; you free-float that--and add a retro trigger pretty easily. However (there is always that darn "however!") with a Savage, especially if you get a heavy bbl, I'd try shooting it bone stock before trying mods. Savages are pretty out-of-the-box accurate; you might feel that nothing else needs doing.

Other quickie mods involve changing the recoil pad, adding bipod--again, I'd wait until you see what the stock Savage can do.

Do I like Savage rifles?? You bet!!

 

[1manarmy]

Thanks for all of the replies so far guys.

This site seems really great. A few others I posted on seemed full of arrogant posters who told me things over my head and ridiculed me for asking questions.

Accuracy wise what do you think I will have better luck with out of the box a Savage or Browing A-bolt.?

One last thing, post some pics of your 06s, maybe that will help sway me to my decision. I'm sure they are all accurate enough for me maybe a certain look will do it for me. I am going to go to the gun shop tonight to try some on.

 

[Wild Bill Bucks]

If I had the $1000.00 to spend, and wanted tack driving accuracy, I would by a good bolt action Savage, and take the rest of the money and buy a RCBS loading kit.
Most Savages I have owned will shoot great right out of the box, but if you load your own ammunition, you can play with your loads enough to make it drive tacks. Plus you get to shoot a lot more, because you are loading your own.

 

[ginshun]

Rem and Savage are both good options. Don't forget about the Howa 1500 / Weatherby Vanguard (same rifle different name on them) though.

The Howa is actually available to purchace new as the barrelled action only. I thnk they are around $400-$500. That leaves you with another $500 to buy a nice stock and have the action bedded.

Or just buy a Sub-MOA Vanguard, I am pretty sure those are less than a $1000.

 

[shooter_john]

I built this one to scratch my itch for a heavy barrelled 06... There is just not a lot of those out there to buy-

Savage 116SS Action- $360
McGowen SS Match Varmint Barrel- $269
B&C Duramaxx- $120
Karsten Cheekpiece- $55
Nikon BM 4.5-14x40 SFMD- $188 (got a special deal on that one)

That's $992 for a 'custom' (it's exactly what I wanted) rifle WITH OPTICS!!!

And this is a little of what she'll do (5 shot group):