30-06...Which Rifle?

[TallGrassHunter]

The 06 sure doesn't look like a G & H, and I'd question the 375. From the 375 pictures, I can see no gold oval for initials, no grip cap, and scope is mounted very high for G & H work.

 

[Bren7X64]

Even better than a CZ try and track down a Brno 600 in 30/06 Load her up with 220gr round nose projectiles ( or Woodleigh 240gr PP) and you will have something similar to the 318 Westley Richards.

Now there's an idea to toy with.

Have you done that, personally?

 

[sestoppelman]

I even have a box of 250 gr Barnes bullets in .30 cal! Bout a half mile long!

 

[stug]

Now there's an idea to toy with.

Have you done that, personally?

I had a Rem 700 in 30/06 but never shot anything heavier than 165gr. I now have a BRNO 600 in 7x57 shooting 175gr hornady RN and a Mauser 9.3x62 shooting 286gr. If I didn't have those then a 30/06 with 240gr Woodleighs would be very tempting.

 

[raimanparoni]

I just bought Tikka T3 Stainless lite in 30-06. I will replace my old workhorse Tikka M65 Sporter 30-06 because it's so f****ing heavy to carry. ( about 6 kg with 3-12x 56 Zeiss) My eyes opened when we walk 8 hours for mountain reedbucks before shooting

I have use 30-06 from racoon dog to moose and my opinion is that its good for all kind of hunting except big dangerous game. Just pick to right bullet

 

[boldo 42]

Winchester extreme weather

 

[Ryan]

So many good choices...

If you're right-handed, and wanted a bolt action (seems to be the case) I would go with the Winchester M70 Featherweight. Well built classy rifle right out of the box. I saw one in Cabelas recently and the right-handed part is the only thing that kept me from buying it right there. Winchester has a couple M70's in 375 H&H too if you want the same action and such for both.
Good luck

 

[rookhawk]

The question you asked answered: Go get a 30-06 pre-64 winchester. An excellent rifle and when you're sick of it you'll get most or all of your money back.

The question you didn't ask, answered: Don't get a 30-06, get a pre-64 winchester in 300 H&H. The recoil is the same, the bullet choices are slightly increased, (220gr-240gr) the minimum energy is the minimum for lion, eland and giraffe but the 06 does not qualify. It has less recoil energy and speed than a 300WM and brass can be formed from 375HH brass you'll have eventually if you don't want to buy correct ammo/brass.

 

[Shootist43]

Lots of good advice in all of the preceding posts. The rifle you choose not only needs to feel comfortable when you handle it but when you shoot it as well. If available I'd ask a bunch of buddies to bring their favorite 0-6 to the range so you could try them out. I own a lot of 0-6s Rem., Win., Sako all shoot great. I prefer controlled feed actions over push feeds but that is a personal preference. I've heard that some CZs have feeding problems although they were generally correctable by a good gunsmith. I think if you were to ask the question what brand of 30-06 would you never buy again, the answers would be the same as those named in the aforementioned posts. My 375 H&H is a Mauser. Would I go out a purchase another 0-6 to match it? Probably not.

 

[Velo Dog]

I have a two of the " new" model 70 in 3006 and 375 and there awesome. I just wish the people and winchester would build a 404 jeffery or a 416 rigby on this action!

If you want a rifle to tinker with go the CZ if you want a well built rifle with no tinkering go the Model 70

cheers
TW

Hello The_Wanderer,

I'm +1 with you on your Model-70 ideas.

How many nights have I cried myself to sleep, wishing that Winchester would make a true magnum proportioned Model 70 CRF.
For our non rifle-nut readers, "CRF" = Controlled Round Feeding / full claw extractor model.
And likewise, they should bend that jolly bolt handle straight down, so it's not pointing at the first knuckle on my trigger finger.

An appropriately sized Model-70 with turned down bolt, a deeper "drop box" magazine, in calibers including .375 H&H, 10,75x68 Mauser , .404 Jeffery, .416 Rigby, .425 WR, .458 Lott, .450 Rigby Rimless, .500 Jeffery and .505 Gibbs, (did I miss any? - LOL) seems like it would be very much in vogue, with today's significant surge of interest in large bore rifles.
CZ sure is "making bank" on the above concept (I own several of their Model 550's and love them).

Winchester could be doing the same but, for whatever reason, seem to have brushed this large bore mania off, as if only a cracker crumb from their sleeve.
Oh well, what do I know, (some folks say I don't know very much).

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[The_Wanderer]

Velo Dog I couldn't agree more

 

[Cervus elaphus]

My vote for an 06 would go to the Ruger Guide Gun. It may not be the prettiest gun in the world but it will do the job and last for several lifetimes. With it's 20" barrel and it's adjustable length of pull stock it will handle great and will fit anyone. The stainless steel construction makes field maintenance a breeze. It come with the barrel threaded and a muzzle brake for the recoil sensitive shooter, I chose to go with a suppresser, to save what little hearing I have left. Good luck with your decision making, that's a big part of the fun.View attachment 58059

That's a badass rifle that looks like me !. At 8.1 lbs bare. I don't like muzzle brakes either, but as they screw on and off, the suppressor is a given.

 

[mark-hunter]

I'm pretty confident I'm wanting a CZ550 for the 375 based on everything I've read so with that said, should I also get a 30-06 CZ so the feel/action/operation/balance/etc are the same across both rifles??? I don't mind paying a little more and have even considered the AHR Big Game version of the CZ as I'm really eyeing their Dangerous Game version of the 375.

Your vision is perfect. Go for it!

 

[Professor Mawla]

I would highly recommend a Winchester Model 70 Super Grade in .30-06 Springfield .

 

[DG870]

Isn’t it great to have so many GOOD choices. I like the Tikka T3 and I have an old Remington 725 in 06 but the with all the recommendations listed in this thread you could pick any of them and have a fine rifle that will do everything that you need it to. I see the OP was in 2016 so the hunt is long over but still lots of fine hunting rifles to choose from. Wish we could say the same for ammo today, shelves are bare where I live.

 

[BigSteve57]

If you are into several calibers in the future, also you could consider system rifles like Blaser R8/R93, Mauser M03, Merkel Helix or Sauer.
And practice and practice and practice at the range

Thanks for mentioning Blaser.

I went the Blaser R8 route (.375 H&H and .300 WM) and as folks on this forum know I am a Blaser fan boy. I have several bolt action rifles. One is a very fine 30-06 Browning Bolt action Rifle (the one with the 9 lug action they quit making) which is light, accurate, reliable and I love it. However it is a primitive relic when compared to my Blaser R8. When you compare the quality, convenience of take-down when traveling and the fact that you can buy and interchange barrels the Blaser system can't be beat. IMHO.

 

[IvW]

Brno ZKK600...but I guess by this time the hunt is over and we are awaiting hunting report.....

 

[xausa]

My go-to rifle in .30-'06, a Griffin & Howe creation from the '30's with the usual combination of a scope in a G&H side mount and a Lyman 48 receiver sight.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

My go-to rifle in .30-'06, a Griffin & Howe creation from the '30's with the usual combination of a scope in a G&H side mount and a Lyman 48 receiver sight.

Luverly rifle from that era.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Browning X Bolt. I'm currently looking for one in .270 Win, and have a .338WM A Bolt. I think the X Bolt has a better detachable magazine system. I love my CZs, but I also enjoy the lighter weight of the Browning for carrying in the mountains all day. The .30-06 cartridge may be better for PG in Africa, but don't know for sure as I've never been there.