30-06 for range

[D.A.T.]

im curious,i like the 30-06 for its veristality and cheaper to shoot than a magnum.im looking to build a remington 721.im wanting to know if a 1 in 9 twist is going to benefit me or stick with 1 in 10.also i talked to mcgowen and i can get the barrel in 26in.im just wanting a little more performance maybe out to 600 yds.

 

[winmag]

If your gonna shoot the long monometal bullets you may bennifit some, but all in all a 10twist will work great for anything an -06 can shove down the pipe with relitive efficiency.

As far as the 26'' pipe, its plenty long, and may help increase muzzle velocity a bit, but the bennifit to the long bbl is the extra room for a break if you choose to use one.
Barrels tend to be a personal preferance thing in combination with intended use. I personally think your on the right track, but Id go with a 10 twist. JMO, and others may dissagree. I look forward to seeing where this thread leads as far as opinions go. Heck we may both learn something.

Hey on another note, I saw on a post of yours that your from around Burns country. How's the cougar problemb around Delintment lake? I was up there a couple summers ago and I was dissapointed in the lack of critters. I hered the cats were gettin pretty thick up around that country.
Also do you know any of the Browns, McKays, or Stanfords down around Burns and Jordan Valley?
Well good luck on the barrel choice.

 

[Skimbleshanks]

I'd stick with the 1in10 twist. It is kinda the standard and would require less experimentation to find a perfect load I would imagine. Also 1in10 is even a bit fast for the more standard 30-06 weight bullets, those from 150-180grains.

 

[D.A.T.]

xxxxx

 

[Chas1]

+1 w/winmag. a 1:10 is fine with most 30 caliber bullets.

 

[TOM H]

I used a Bartlein 25.5" long 5r 1/11 twist barrel for my 30-06 I've only shot 165/180gr bullets in that rifle. On my back up 30-06 I used a 1/13 twist barrel shoots the 165 and 150gr bullets and it's a great rifle to just to practice with and I used it on a late cow hunt with 150gr E-tips.

Well good luck

 

[3006savage]

1/10 twist will easily stabilize the 208 grain amax .648BC, 200 grain accubond .588BC, and 180 grain ETIP .523BC.

Unless you are looking at something beyond those bullets length I would stick with the 1/10. I think there are some 240 grain sierra match bullets that could present a problem in a 1/10 twist but they do not seem like a good fit from an 06 anyway.

 

[nfhjr62]

Out too 600 yards 30/06 and 308 are ballistically the same past that the o6 will have the advantage

 

[winmag]

Out too 600 yards 30/06 and 308 are ballistically the same past that the o6 will have the advantage

Ballistically similar maybe, but the -06 is potentially faster, wich equates to less drop and more energy with same wt bulltes. Even if by just a small fps margine.

I dont wanna start a ****in' match, and I do appreciate both cartriges, and Im a 30 cal lover. Each cartrige has its lovers and haters for each shooters personal needs etc. Im not saying one is better than the other either. I keep personal opinions personal after having been in an arguement/discussion or two here on this very forum. Theres never a winner, it ends in a tie, and people just get thier feathers ruffled, and get upset. It doesnt seem worth the arguement that it will inevidably cause.
So in short, They are similar, but not the same.

 

[roninflag]

winmag- someone on long range said " the 30-30 is similar to the 300 savage and the 300 savage is similar to the 308 and the 308 is similar to the 30-06 " or something to that affect.

 

[winmag]

winmag- someone on long range said " the 30-30 is similar to the 300 savage and the 300 savage is similar to the 308 and the 308 is similar to the 30-06 " or something to that affect.

I didnt say that.
I guess that would depend on your idea of simmilar, but ya sounds ''close-ish''
as long as you go in that order.

 

[LouBoyd]

winmag- someone on long range said " the 30-30 is similar to the 300 savage and the 300 savage is similar to the 308 and the 308 is similar to the 30-06 " or something to that affect.

In the same way my 300 Whisper is similar to my 30-378 Weatherby. They both shoot 210 grain Berger VLDs nicely. The Weatherby just has an additional 1900 yards range before it assumes same flight characteristics and terminal ballistics as the 300 Whisper for the next 500+ yards. (I'm not saying the 30-378 Wby will give the accuracy of the 300 Whisper at that range).

In my opinion the biggest difference in the 308 and 30-06 is that rifles like the Rem 700 with it's 3.6" magazine which can comfortably handle heavy low drag bullets are readily available for the 30-06 but not for the 308 Win. It's hard to find a factory 308 Win with a magazine which can handle much over a 2.8" OAL cartridge. That gives a huge advantage for long range shooting to 30-06 where low drag bullets have much improved retained energy and reduced wind deflection. The 308 is fine for several hundred yards, but Id pick a 30-06 for longer ranges, certainly for over 500 yards. The 30-06's extra case capacity is only a small part of the difference. The 308 Win may be a little more accurate for target shooting to 1000 yards in service rifles where both have limited magazines, but hunting requires both accuracy and energy for clean kills.

An additional advantage of a 30-06 is that most are fitted with 10" twist barrels which combined with a little higher muzzle velocity makes the bullets much more stable. That's very important when shooting heavy VLD bullets, shooting at transonic range and beyond, and shooting in very cold weather with high air density. Some factory 308 Win rifles are equipped with 10" twist barrels too. The DPMS LR-308 is an example. It may help cold weather and transonic performance but that rifle is still limited by a 2.825" magazine and can't shoot heavy VLD bullets.

Like the 30-06 the 300 Win Mag and 300 Dakota are better for long range shooting in a 3.6" magazine over a 3.34" "mid length" magazine. Factory rifles for those may be mid or long actions depending on the manufacturer. The 300 SAUM and 300 WSM are usually put in short action factory rifles. . The 300 H&H, 300 Ultra, 300 Wby and 30-378 Wby often have 3.6" magazines but even those are short for heavy low drag bullets. They still achieve fairly long range by brute force but give up a lot of energy and wind deflection performance by not shooting low drag bullets.

 

[Chas1]

Good points Lou, thanks for commenting.

 

[TOM H]

Here something from Beger site on rec twist for 30cal hunting VLD bullets

30 CALIBER
30 cal 155 Grain Match Hunting VLD 0.308 this is the twist 1/14
30 cal 168 Grain Match Hunting VLD 0.308 1/13
30 cal 175 Grain Match Hunting VLD 0.308 1/13
30 cal 185 Grain Match Hunting VLD 0.308 1/12
30 cal 210 Grain Match Hunting VLD 0.308 1/11


Here Shilen
308
- 8" for bullets heavier than 220gr.
- 10" for bullets up to 220gr.
- 12" for bullets up to 170gr.
- 13"* Ratchet rifled 4 groove
- 14"* for bullets up to 168gr.
- 15"* for bullets up to 150gr.
- 17"* for bullets up to 125 gr.


I think with todays type of barrels offered some research as to type rifling,twist etc is as important as finding a good gunsmith. Never hurt to call the bullet or barrel guys also talk to your gunsmith and see what they think.