More weight on a .30-06 rifle

Cervus elaphus

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If I was to renege on my vow never to ever again buy or custom make a 30-06, I wouldn't go back to the lightweight one I owned, loved, and kicked like an angry punda mama. The Barrel would be heavy rather than light, with a wooden stock. I would NOT be climbing any hills or mountains with it so I could afford the luxury of a bit more weight. I haven't found a commercial one yet, so suggestions would be welcome. Additional weight could be made up by adding a scope, Harris bipod, sling, bullets in mag etc. For a custom build, would the venerable M17 action and a semi-hardwood stock supply that needed heft?. I thought about 7-8lbs and this from Chuck Hawks on the subject of rifle weights:
“Rifles for cartridges such as the 6.5mm Remington Magnum, 6.5x68S, .270 Winchester, .270 WSM, 7mm-08, 7x57, 7x64, .280 Remington, 7mm SAUM, 7mm WSM, .308 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, .303 British, 8x57JS, .338-57 O'Connor, .356 Winchester, .358 Winchester, and .45-70 (with standard pressure loads) should weigh no less than 8 pounds and probably no more than 9 pounds to keep recoil energy at or below 20 ft. lbs. while still remaining conveniently portable.”
So how does 7.5lbs all up sound?
 
For 7 1/2 all in, perhaps consider the 308. I dont believe the 06 in that weight class is too much but it will get your attention a bit. The 308 could shoot all day long and get supercharged ammo from hornady or buffalo bore if you want the full 06 performance
 
For 7 1/2 all in, perhaps consider the 308. I dont believe the 06 in that weight class is too much but it will get your attention a bit. The 308 could shoot all day long and get supercharged ammo from hornady or buffalo bore if you want the full 06 performance
I've been around the .308 for many years and seen what it does to deer and I used that cal in the military - an enduring workhorse. One thing I do like about the .308 is the short action. I also used a .243 based on the .308 case. Compared to my ex BSA featherweight 30-06, 7.5lbs is a mooring block !. cheers
 
Lets see. 7.5lb target.

Tikka T3 lite stainless synthetic 22" - 6.25lb
S&B 6x42 1" tube - 0.96lb
Sako Low Optilocks - 0.28lb
3rounds 30-06 - call it 0.05lb
TOTAL - 7.54lb.

If you wanted a wood stock you could add another 0.25-0.75lb. A harris bipod is another 13oz. Sling is another 5oz or so.

Call it 9lb in the specification you describe, maybe a touch over.

I think a lot of people seriousy underestimate the weight of most 'typical' rifles. Someone on another thread said the 10lb weight of my .270 was ridiculous. It's a bog standard Tikka M695 deluxe. Walnut and blue with the same Harris / optilock / fixed power scope / sling combo as here.

Most standard rifles are easily 8lb+ when kitted out with a bipod, especially if they're wood stocked. 7.5lb all up is actually more towards the 'superlite' category of off the shelf rifles in my experience.
 
I’m dubious that there is a wood stock bolt action .30-06 rifle that can be had with a scope and rings for 7.5 lbs. I agree with @Alistair that most folks aren’t accurate about rifle weight.

Please post a photo and prove me wrong.
 
Lets see. 7.5lb target.

Tikka T3 lite stainless synthetic 22" - 6.25lb
S&B 6x42 1" tube - 0.96lb
Sako Low Optilocks - 0.28lb
3rounds 30-06 - call it 0.05lb
TOTAL - 7.54lb.

If you wanted a wood stock you could add another 0.25-0.75lb. A harris bipod is another 13oz. Sling is another 5oz or so.

Call it 9lb in the specification you describe, maybe a touch over.

I think a lot of people seriousy underestimate the weight of most 'typical' rifles. Someone on another thread said the 10lb weight of my .270 was ridiculous. It's a bog standard Tikka M695 deluxe. Walnut and blue with the same Harris / optilock / fixed power scope / sling combo as here.

Most standard rifles are easily 8lb+ when kitted out with a bipod, especially if they're wood stocked. 7.5lb all up is actually more towards the 'superlite' category of off the shelf rifles in my experience.
Thanks Alistair. I believe the saying goes that weight is only useful in a steamroller and a hunting rifle, unless you are climbing up the side of a waterfall etc. My BSA Majestic 30-06 weighed 6lbs out of the box with open sights which is what I used in the bush.
 
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Cervus elaphus, your question / thread has me somewhat confused. A good M -17 Sporter with a "Boyd's" laminated stock on it will be above 8 lbs. probably without a scope let alone with it.
 
My Pre 64 model 70 weighs 8 pounds with a leupold 3x9 scope installed. That’s pretty close to your target, but of course no bipod.
I see the the utility in a bipod, but personally, I don’t care for them. I can’t seem to shoot free handed if I need to.
 
With a drill, some lead shot, and epoxy you can make any wood-stocked rifle weigh as heavy as you want. And make it balance how you want also.

That said, check the stock fit and ensure a decent recoil pad before making the rifle too heavy. I’ve taken shooting classes no problem with a Christensen carbon fiber barreled, lightweight synthetic stocked 30-06 and that is one hell of a lot more shooting than any reasonable hunt or day at the range. And I’ve had a heavier factory 270 kick the crap out of me.
 
Cervus elaphus, your question / thread has me somewhat confused. A good M -17 Sporter with a "Boyd's" laminated stock on it will be above 8 lbs. probably without a scope let alone with it.
I was basing the post on my experience of a very lightweight rifle in a punchy caliber, that's why I was asking, and taking note of what Chuck Hawks wrote about rifle weights. In the close quarters bush hunting that I did, I used open sights with a white dot foresight so out of the box weight is what I'm going by.
(extra text removed as not relevant to subject)
 
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My Pre 64 model 70 weighs 8 pounds with a leupold 3x9 scope installed. That’s pretty close to your target, but of course no bipod.
I see the the utility in a bipod, but personally, I don’t care for them. I can’t seem to shoot free handed if I need to.
I have a Harris bipod on my .22mag bunny gun which is easily removed so a bipod on a larger rifle would be an optional extra. They are excellent for prone shooting.
 
Lets see. 7.5lb target.

Tikka T3 lite stainless synthetic 22" - 6.25lb
S&B 6x42 1" tube - 0.96lb
Sako Low Optilocks - 0.28lb
3rounds 30-06 - call it 0.05lb
TOTAL - 7.54lb.

If you wanted a wood stock you could add another 0.25-0.75lb. A harris bipod is another 13oz. Sling is another 5oz or so.

Call it 9lb in the specification you describe, maybe a touch over.

I think a lot of people seriousy underestimate the weight of most 'typical' rifles. Someone on another thread said the 10lb weight of my .270 was ridiculous. It's a bog standard Tikka M695 deluxe. Walnut and blue with the same Harris / optilock / fixed power scope / sling combo as here.

Most standard rifles are easily 8lb+ when kitted out with a bipod, especially if they're wood stocked. 7.5lb all up is actually more towards the 'superlite' category of off the shelf rifles in my experience.

I went with a T3X Lite for my modern era 30-06. Already had one Tikka in 6.5 CM and like it A Lot. I knew it would need to be heavier than the Creedmoor.

Mine (in '06) comes in at 8.25 Lbs (sans sling).
I went with the Hunter version (wood stock) and being a huge fan of Nightforce scopes, went with the SHV 3-10x42 (22 oz).

With my 180 grain load at 2,730 fps it generates 22 foot pounds of recoil.
I shoot 150s for practice as a result.

A half pound less weight (to 7.75 pounds) bumps up the recoil by 6.4%, btw.
 
You can also have your rifle stock drilled to install one of these recoil reducers. Adds weight, and reduces felt recoil. Up to 14oz.
standard14.jpg
 
I’m dubious that there is a wood stock bolt action .30-06 rifle that can be had with a scope and rings for 7.5 lbs. I agree with @Alistair that most folks aren’t accurate about rifle weight.

Please post a photo and prove me wrong.
My rifle needs a diet.
Seems C19 didn't just mess with my waistline.
Yep, that's 6043 grams (13.3#) ready to hunt.
Although, this isn't a 30-06 but a 416RM.
1614458431358.png
 
If I was to renege on my vow never to ever again buy or custom make a 30-06, I wouldn't go back to the lightweight one I owned, loved, and kicked like an angry punda mama. The Barrel would be heavy rather than light, with a wooden stock. I would NOT be climbing any hills or mountains with it so I could afford the luxury of a bit more weight. I haven't found a commercial one yet, so suggestions would be welcome. Additional weight could be made up by adding a scope, Harris bipod, sling, bullets in mag etc. For a custom build, would the venerable M17 action and a semi-hardwood stock supply that needed heft?. I thought about 7-8lbs and this from Chuck Hawks on the subject of rifle weights:
“Rifles for cartridges such as the 6.5mm Remington Magnum, 6.5x68S, .270 Winchester, .270 WSM, 7mm-08, 7x57, 7x64, .280 Remington, 7mm SAUM, 7mm WSM, .308 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, .303 British, 8x57JS, .338-57 O'Connor, .356 Winchester, .358 Winchester, and .45-70 (with standard pressure loads) should weigh no less than 8 pounds and probably no more than 9 pounds to keep recoil energy at or below 20 ft. lbs. while still remaining conveniently portable.”
So how does 7.5lbs all up sound?
@ Cervus elaphus
Unless you find a good gunsmith that knows how to lighten an M17 action your idea of using one with a woodleigh stock would pot y ou up around 8 and a half pounds for a bare rifle.
In Australia a good value rifle that would fill your needs and be accurate out of the box is the Howa 30/06 with a fluted barrel and timber or hogue stock weighs in a 7.5 pounds. With a light weight scope and mounts it comes in field dead at around 8.5 pounds. I have 2 friends that have one and love them. Try Rebel gunworks or cleaners in your home state for good prices on them.
Bob
 
My rifle needs a diet.
Seems C19 didn't just mess with my waistline.
Yep, that's 6043 grams (13.3#) ready to hunt.
Although, this isn't a 30-06 but a 416RM.
View attachment 390984
That's not a rifle, that's a beast !. 13lbs 5oz. I would need a sturdy wheelbarrow to take that on a hunt, or just put wider wheels on my golf trolley?.
 
I went with a T3X Lite for my modern era 30-06. Already had one Tikka in 6.5 CM and like it A Lot. I knew it would need to be heavier than the Creedmoor.

Mine (in '06) comes in at 8.25 Lbs (sans sling).
I went with the Hunter version (wood stock) and being a huge fan of Nightforce scopes, went with the SHV 3-10x42 (22 oz).

With my 180 grain load at 2,730 fps it generates 22 foot pounds of recoil.
I shoot 150s for practice as a result.

A half pound less weight (to 7.75 pounds) bumps up the recoil by 6.4%, btw.
I wasn't far out at 7.5lbs stripped but at best it was a guess and I admit I underestimated today's rifle weight variations. I loved shooting a .243 Monarch and killed more deer chamois goats and pigs with it than the bigger rifle I think one reason was because after the shot the sight stayed on the target. It's been an interesting and rewarding thread this one and I've learned a lot. cheers
 
With a drill, some lead shot, and epoxy you can make any wood-stocked rifle weigh as heavy as you want. And make it balance how you want also.

That said, check the stock fit and ensure a decent recoil pad before making the rifle too heavy. I’ve taken shooting classes no problem with a Christensen carbon fiber barreled, lightweight synthetic stocked 30-06 and that is one hell of a lot more shooting than any reasonable hunt or day at the range. And I’ve had a heavier factory 270 kick the crap out of me.
Around my early days, the .270 and.308 were kings
 
it;s very difficult to defeat physics. The heavier and faster the bullet, the more the recoil you will experience. I think an 8 lb. 30-'06 is about right. If you want it lighter you will pay in additional recoil. Everyone's recoil tolerance is different, but even if you THINK you can deal with recoil, note how many trap shooters end up with a flinch. I had it happen to me when I shot clay targets competitively. One day you find out that you have a serious flinch problem. Then you have to recondition yourself, go to a release trigger, or a smaller payload, or recoil reducers.

There are no free lunches.
 

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