Need your opinions on my 30-06

[double duel]

Hello gentlemen my dad passed me down a Winchester 30-06, and I want to make it into a extreme long range rifle. As I am still in high school and have a part time job till the summer I kinda need to keep the cost down. What would you guys suggest for a extreme longe range rifle? Thanks guys.




Favorite quote " their are people that try and get a head start for the train of life, then their are people that pull up a chair pop a squat and crack open a beer and watch it come" gun)

 

[HARPERC]

With long range shooting the Devil is in the details, your post does not provide many. What do you consider long range, what game, what range is available to you right now, your experience do you reload. If you're in high school what does your schedule permit in terms of hunting season time off. Unless you've done a lot of shooting my recomendation might be get associated with a local junior smallbore group (22 rimfire) and get your time in there. Our club provides everything but ammo to interested juniors. There is not a substitute for trigger time.
Sorry to hear about your dad. However, without details, telling you how far it's good for is idle speculation. I respect sentimental to a point, but my first 30-06, well sucked is the best word for it. I replaced everything on it before I considered it a medium range rifle. I have in my safe an old handed down Colt revolver in 41 Colt, family history says it served very well once in a fight, it's not what I pack today. Verify what your current set up is capable of.
Truly, welcome to the sport, I wouldn't discourage you for the world, just trying to help you find the best way forward.

 

[double duel]

My dad is fine but because he is getting older now he gave up shooting the 30-06, he can't handle the recoil. It's a Winchester m70 post 64 rifle. I have a good base of experience of shooting fire arms. I shoot my pellet guns almost every day to make sure I don't lose the basic fundamentals. I have shot my dads ak, mini 14, 22, and 30-06 with some pretty good groups. As of now I have no experience in hunting but I want to go hunting very soon. As of now I am limited to 300 yards but upstate I know a range for 600 and 1000 yard shooting. That is my goal right now. I understand that it is going to take a lot of time devotion and ammo to do it but Its a goal I want to reach. I go to the shooting range about ever 2 months or so. Also at 1000 yards I don't care for incredible tight groups just to hit a steel plate. I also have no experience in reloading but my father does and he will help me learn and 30-06 is kinda simple because it's not belted. Basically I want to make it my starter gun for long range shooting which I guess is 600 to 1000 yards. I also appreciate the welcome to the web site.

 

[rscott5028]

Get a good quality scope with decent glass and repeatable turrets. A 20MOA picatinny rail such as EGW and good rings such as Burris Extreme Tactical will prove beneficial for the near and long term.

Develop a load that consistently shoots 5 shot groups under an inch at 100yds with a bullet that's at least a .450 BC.

If this proves difficult, there are lots of threads here about steps you can perform in your garage to accurize your rifle and tune loads.

Then, start practicing at increasingly longer ranges.

You don't have to have the highest BC to get good practice and learn to read the wind. In fact, some argue that the slightly lower BC is better for learning since you can more easily see the effects of wind. As you extend your reach, the wind will become more challenging and you will appreciate accurate handloads and bullets with the highest BC that will stabilize and shoot well in your rifle.

As time and money permit, you may want to consider aftermarket upgrades such as stock, pillar bedding, trigger, action truing, and barrel replacement. You may even want to consider chambering in a more popular long range cartridge when you rebarrel.

But, don't kid yourself. A basic M70 30-06 is very capable of some fun shooting all the way to 1,000yds.

Have fun and be safe.
-- richard

 

[double duel]

What would you guys consider a good scope like a super sniper or a vortex viper scope? Cant aford a nightforce scope just yet.thanks for the opinions keep the coming

 

[Tikkamike]

Both the guys above gave very good advice. I completely agree with them. First and formost you need to be sure your rifle is up to the task. I have found winchesters to be quite accurate so if yours isnt it may need a new stock or just bedded. Give it a trigger job and a good cleaning. Cleaning technique is very important so do not over look that. Make sure you have a good mounting system for your scope and a good scope. Leupold is my preference, vortex seems to make a good product also, dont be afraid to spend a little extra if you can on the scope. Then Pick a bullet that suite what you want to do with the rifle ( I dont believe BC should be a factor here unless you are truly only shooting paper, then it has some pull. (BC has its merits no doubt but this early in the game its basically irrelevant) Build a load with the bullet you choose and see how it matches up to your expectations. Most say a 1 moa gun is good enough for 1k yards, I tend to think its a little loose... Once you get that figured out its basically a matter of gathering drops and doing calculations You will then learn that you have a lot to learn but thats ok because we all do. once you start hitting at 1k yards you will be hooked and you will start aquiring things like wind meters, and levels and stuff to help make that 1k hit more repeatable. To say you dont care abut groups at 1k and that you just want to hit the target is a mistake. you want tight groups at all ranges this is where your BC and your tight groups work together to give you a larger margin of error for wind miscalculations and other variables. Also make sure you have FUN.

 

[double duel]

You guys have great advise, I know it is going to be very challenging but I am up for it. Would you guys suggest going to a long range shooting course, I am sure my fundamentals can be improved , and it will help me improve reading winds, understanding built drop and many other aspects of long range shooting or should I try learning it own my own? Thanks guys

 

[Tikkamike]

A school would be very cool if you can afford it. I learned myself and through the guys on this site. It's all about practice

 

[double duel]

I think I will a little later on. Thanks guys

 

[HARPERC]

First I'm very glad to have misunderstood about your dad, tickled he is OK. I'm in the beginning stages of helping a 10 year old friend get started so this is how I plan to proceed. We'll work the .22's and .223 a bit, but I've got a 30-06 I plan to have him in before summer ends. 1) Make sure it's clean for real, every one on this site has probably got a good deal on a rifle that wouldn't shoot and did nothing but clean it to have a good shooter. 2) Verify all screws scope, and stock are tight. Stripping the heads or knuckles not necessary. 3) This particular rifles crown needs to be freshened a bit, and I'm going to put a muzzle brake on, something with no ports out the bottom a little more prone friendly. 4) Reloading, it's best to start with quality components, but there are differences of opinion what that means. The Lapua brass I ordered got here today, bullets will be 168 grain match hybrids. I have no experience with the brass or bullet, but it will help keep it interesting for me, and those 2 companies maintain a presence on this site. I'll start bottom of the chart and strive for good 100 yard groups, when that's good we'll move to 200, and so on, as well increase charge as we go. Chronograph helpful but not absolutely necessary. Anyway thats pretty much it.

 

[double duel]

I like that idea, I don't think my dad really cleaned it the proper way the very few times he did with a rod guide and a strong rod I think he used aluminum. I want to do that and make loads and go to the range.I also need to practice with the 30-06 as practice makes almost perfect. Is jb bore cleaning supplement good in rifles I use it in my air rifles.thanks guys for your wisdom!

 

[roninflag]

i like a variable [power scope. the votec at 279 is a great buy. i use jb's in a lot of my rifles . a 30-06 is a great round. if you do not reload i would start with that and a good scope. and i would load 168 bergers 030 of the lands. either varget or I4064.