As one newly fascinated with the LR sport, I want to thank all of the "regulars" on this site. I am an avid reader of your posts and am learning a lot (hopefully [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] ).
I have a Savage 30-06 with 26in barrel. I am considering having it rechambered to the AI version. I would appreciate any thoughts on that and secondly on good LR gunsmiths to do the work. I am hoping for one in the TX / OK area if possible.
There are two real good 'smiths here in San Antonio (actually New Braunfels), Howard Dietz and Hill Country Rifles. I have used both and the work is exceptional.
Howard has been in business for a LONG time and does great benchrest work.
Jim
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Learn from others mistakes, you won't live long enough to make them all yourself
if you load 30.06 at the pressure level of the 308 Win with good powder you are close to the 30.06 AI without any need of reload dies and forming case .
from 175 to 190 bullet match weight all bullet stay supersonic at 1000 yards in 30.06 and better in 30.06 with 308 Win pressure .
best for me is
to send the rifle to the gunsmith
make the receiver face square ( not a dream on factory Savage )
put a Holland recoil lug ( thick and falt ) factory recoil lug is not flat at all
set the headspace to the minimum on the GO gauge
make a bedding on recoil lug aera
and that all to shoot far with a Savage
after you can save the money of the AI die and rechamber job to purchase a ready to fit barrel ( from PAC NOR for example ) with 28 inch lenght with a good chamber cut with tight tolerance and match throat .
Why not contact Savage and get a new heavy barrel in 300 win mag or 300 wsm? cheaper in long run. You can rechamber but not a lot of gain for $. With good load workup you can still be well under 1 MOA at 100 and around 1 MOA at 1000 for lot less money. Savages are good guns out of the box, one of the best. However due to being savage you will never recoup the money paid to true action and custom barrel ($500 chambered) and honestly unless you have a lot of experience you will not outshoot the savage for several years. Waste of a good barrel and $ to custom barrel unless you are up to the capabilities of the barrel now. If you are go ahead, if learning stay with factory barrel and learn to do what makes it shoot. By that time you will know how to take a custom barrel and trued action gun, make it shoot right of the bat. Barrels chambered in these overcapacity cartidges are not going to last over 800-1000 rds in most cases. Some are lasting even less than that.
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