Looking to buy 30-06

[MoGas]

I am trying to hunt out West here for the first time and my Pennsylvania deer hunting firearm choices at my disposal are too light for elk at any range.

My office partner has a 30-06 Remington 700 he will sell me. I think it is a "B" model as it has the hinged magazine door and the black piece at the top of the fore stock. It has no fancy etching or engraving other than the standard checkering. It has a Simmons optic on it and a soft case too. He doesn't know what to price it at and told me to make an offer. I'm thinking 450-500 but I don't know if that is fair to both of us. It is in 85% condition with use wear of the bluing rubbed off at the first 1/2 inch of the barrel and the wood has marks and nicks. It shoots fine and without the scope fine tuned and using a sandbag rest in the prone position, I had 10 rounds in a 12 inch radius at 100 meters. I have never shot a 30-06 before and they pack some punch. My buddy won't use it anymore as he had a shoulder injury a few years ago and he can't take it.


Thanks,
Dave

[XL Bar]

The 700 is a serviceable arm. The .30-06 with good 180 grain bullets will work for anything in North America. Simmons scopes range from adequate to junk. $350 is a good price for the condition you described. Consider purchasing a better scope such as a Leupold and having it properly mounted. A 700 in good condition should be able to put at least one brand of factory ammo into 1" at 100 yards.

Brian

[Jonathan Hanson]

Dave, I'm assuming you meant "diameter" when you wrote "radius." A 12-inch radius would translate to a 24-inch group, which would be, um, not very good.

I agree with Brian - buy the rifle and get a better scope. I shot my first elk with a 30-06; it's an entirely adequate cartridge with proper bullets and placement. I used Trophy Bonded softpoints at the time.

[Mike S]

Dave the Remington 700 is a very fine rifle. No frills and very accurate out of the box. .30 '06 is a great cartridge for all round big game hunting, and excellent for elk.

I agree that replacing the current scope with a Leupold (probably a fixed 4X) would be a good investment and would allow you to take advantage of the accuracy of the rifle.

Elk hunting in the mountain states can offer a variety of shots, from very close shots in timber to very long shots in canyon country. The 4X scope is a good compromise between magnification and field of view. Variables are a lot more expensive and complicated, and I find that I always leave them on 3X or 4X anyway.

Mike

[MoGas]

I did mean 12 inch diameter. It was not a real target either, just a piece of paper to shoot at so I could see what it shot like. I'll get more info on the optic. It seemed like a nicer Simmons model, but I don't know. I've never even had a scope on my Winchester model 94, so scope hunting is new for me.

[MoGas]

I ended up getting it for $200 plus I performed a complete front brake job on his '91 4x4 Hilux. He supplied all the parts (new rotors, new bearings, etc.). I'm also going to install a suspension system on his wife's TJ when she buys the kit.

I sent all the info to Remington to ID the year for sure, but according to the info that I found on the web, it is a 1972. It also came with ~300 rounds of factory ammo including a box of the lead free type.

I think It was a fair trade for all.


Dave

[Haggis]

You sir scored a great deal. Buy the Leupold scope with the money you saved, it will last you a long time just as long as you don't drop it down a mountian. I'd give the rifle a through cleaning, especially the bore and then buy a couple of boxes of different ammo types and see how it patterns.

[maxama10]

Cool


*this thread is worthless without pics*!

:D

[Ridgewalker]

If/when you get a new scope, I would recommend nothing less than the Leupold VX-II. They also have lesser quality (lower priced) scopes (Rifleman) that are OK, but you will be much happier with the better quality models. I am a firm believer that the scope is actually more important than the rifle.

The Remington Model 700 in 30-06 is excellent for just about everything from coyotes ( 130 grain or lighter bullets) to brown bear...IF YOU DO YOUR PART. I have used .243, 25-06, 7mm Rem Mag, 30-06, 30-30, .338 Win Mag, and .300 Win Mag on elk. I am back to the 30-06.

I don't shoot elk over 300 yards and typically load with a Nosler Partition 165 gr bullet cranking at 2900+ fps (chronographed). I use this on antelope at over 400 yds, mule deer at the same distance, but elk only to 300 yds. Elk can be very tough. If you shoot one and it doesn't go down, shoot it again and again until you cannot shoot again. Their tenacity is amazing. But most I have taken were with one shot and they didn't go more than a few steps.

You got a good deal. I just sold a mid 70s Remington Mdl 700 ADL in 95% condition for $350. It shot everything I put in it in less than 1" at 100 yds (of course mostly handloads). From a bench It would do 3" at 300 yds with my handloads.

Now, spend most of your time pre-season scouting and practice shooting a lot and you will really enjoy your time in the woods.

[MoGas]

Cool


*this thread is worthless without pics*!

:D

Here she is.

I haven't seen this type checkering on any of the BDLs that I looked at on Gunbroker.com. I wonder if it is a special edition or something. I haven't heard back from Remington, either, but according to the build code, it is a July '72 model.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/Mogas/80pics045.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/Mogas/80pics046.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/Mogas/80pics047.jpg



:safari-rig:

[007]

Very nice rifle! Like others have said, 300 yards should be the max. The 06' requires sound shot placement to drop these beasts. You can't shoot them at any angle like you could a deer. Using a 180 partition bullet is superb.

Good luck and remember that elk can sense something is after them. Always walk into the wind. Use ambush tactics in the morning and evenings, slow Indian stalks through thick timber above parks during the mid day.

[ntsqd]

Really hard to tell from the pics, but it looks like the early pressed checkering of the ADL's. There was a lot of cost cutting going on about the time that gun was produced. Hard to say what exactly it is until Remington weighs in.

My first investment for it would be a Dewey one piece cleaning rod if you do not already own one suitable. Unless the PO was bench rest oriented or shot it extremely rarely I'll venture that it's bore is jacket fouled.

[BBsound]

Really hard to tell from the pics, but it looks like the early pressed checkering of the ADL's. There was a lot of cost cutting going on about the time that gun was produced. Hard to say what exactly it is until Remington weighs in.

My first investment for it would be a Dewey one piece cleaning rod if you do not already own one suitable. Unless the PO was bench rest oriented or shot it extremely rarely I'll venture that it's bore is jacket fouled.

I like bore snakes for cleaning.

[maxama10]

purdy

[KevinNY]

Very nice rifle! Like others have said, 300 yards should be the max.

Correction, 100 yards should be max until you get used to it and can hold tighter groups. Use up that old ammo at the range and you will get used to the rifle and the recoil, which frankly is not bad at all in an '06 that probably weighs 8 1/2 lbs loaded w/scope. By the time you burn up that 300 rounds, and shoot it slowly and no more than 20 rounds on each trip to the range, you will be holding much tighter groups and have developed real confidence in it.

[JJackson]

Nice rifle Dave, you will need the non lead for the North Rim hunts. 30-06 seems to be popular all over and is a good all around caliber as mentioned. Happy hunting.

[greybrick]

Go for a neck shot when you can, anything much more than about 100 yards is probably beyond this rifles and rounds capability of an accurate heart shot and any other shot than above is probably a waste of meat and harvest imo.

If you ever go out with a professional guide you might want to remember that a shot taken and a drop of blood found means the hunt has ended and you go into recovery mode. If there is no recovery after the blood trail is followed the hunt is still finished and will be paid for.

Still, sit or stand hunting or whatever you want to call it, continues to be a favorite tactic.

6mm is a nice game getter round for anything less than about an elephant,

with a well placed shot.


.

[MoGas]

I ended up getting a bull calf on my last day. It is succulent. Clean lung shot, dropped on the spot. When the bullet fragmented, it nicked the spinal cord. Ended up with ~70# in the freezer.

I had 10# of ground done as Italian sausage and the rest as steaks, roasts, and ground.

My wife made a roast last Sunday that was marinaded in Bourbon, brown sugar, cranberries and orange juice for a couple days. Baked until 140 at the thickest point. Juicy throughout. I made a lasagna for my office mates on Tuesday. A big hit.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/Mogas/PITITO.jpg

[Ridgewalker]

So when can we come finish off all that delicious young bull? It sounds great! And apparently your wife is an outstanding cook!

My old 30-06 (1952 Win Model 70) has taken a number of elk from cows to 5x5 bulls (220+lbs of pure red meat hauled out close to 5 miles) and if you do your part, the old 06 will always come through.

I am still waiting for my permit for Colorado moose, big horn sheep and mountain goat. I hope I'm not too old by the time I finally pull the tags! 61 years young now, but if I have to wait another 8 years like I have so far, it just might be too late.

I have handloaded everything from 110 gr FMJ for turkeys to 200 gr Nosler Partitions for a failed grizzly hunt. It is a wonderful, versatile old cartridge.

Enjoy!:coffeedrink: