30-06 Utility Rifle

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Dang Hummer, thank you for the comments! Cannot go with a red dot though, not a fan of electronics, though I do enjoy a good Aimpoint, even a variable scope is out of the question, and even that might be discarded.

How about the headspacing issues for exchanging bolts though?

No bipod, I love them to death and will swear by them, but not on a light/handy rifle.

Keep it up ya'll very thoughtful!
 
Sounds like this one a commercial Remington "Express" carbine in 30-06. Absolutely reliable and holds 6 shots! It does have stripper clip quides.
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I have been suggesting for some years that folks should consider a sturdy .30-06 bolt action as their "disaster rifle"...that will see use every year in the rifle pits shooting targets, or in the deer stand.

Like others have said, I have my doubts about the Mannlicher stock for this purpose.

I do have a Montana 1999-actioned rifle, in .35 Whelen.

You could do this project other ways...personally, I'd start with a bubba'd 1917 or P14, and work from there. I'd also consider a little longer barrel, to milk the absolute most out of your cartridge.

Bayonet? Seriously? Okay, "real talk": I have at least hundreds of hours of staff and spear training under my belt. I'd be surprised if I'm not the best spear/mounted bayonet fighter on THR. I grumped when I was in the US, and my unit had a wild hair and decided to order their 11series to carry bayonets on exercises, and I carried a bayonet not one damn day of my two deployments totaling 23 months. I wouldn't spend any money putting a bayonet on a custom rifle.

John
 
PB

The variable pistol scope is used to adjust the power to where the six o'clock post is POA/POI at a longer range.

Zero at 300 yards, hold 4" low and 100, 6" low at 200, on the money at 300 and 12" high at 400. The adjust scope to highest power and see where the six o'clock post will put you.

I believe you had a variable up to 20X. Way too much power for long range. the mirage will be a killer as well as heat rising from barrel will severely distort sight pic. 10x is the most you will need.

Any scope mounted on the receiver will disallow the use of stripper clips.

If you get the right red dot they are reliable.

You might have to try several bolts. I would headspace on zero and try and find another bolt that will interchange. Problem will be having both lugs contact bolt surfaces which is needed for best accuracy. If you have a selection of new bolts from one manufacturer it can be done. Then again you could just rely on a whole striker assembly and an extra extractor to get the job done.

Make sure the front of the action is squared and threads cut loose so barrel has lateral movement to contact the barrel 360 degrees on first contact.

When I tighten 03 barrels in I remove striker assembly and use a loaded round in the chamber to position the barrel dead center. If you have the right chamber you should come up with no more than .003" off center for striker indent on ammo.

Even better find LC Match cases fired, FL size them and punch out primers. Find one that has a dead center flash hole. If your bolt has a dead center striker hole and you put the case on the bolt face and look in from rear you will see a round hole. If your striker hole is off center you will see a egg shaped hole so you want dead center flash hole and dead center striker hole.

When the barrel contacts look in and see that you still have a dead center (round hole). A 30.06 case is .465" base dimension unfired. If your chamber reamer cuts a .467 chamber the sized case should center everything up quite nicely. The name of the game is to achieve a dead center striker indent on the primer which will do wonders for your accuracy.

Remember the first rule of effectiveness is that you have to actually hit it to kill it.

My plan is to sell off my guns in a couple of years when I can no longer shoot competition and have one or two rifles to do exactly what you are preparing for. They will be Springfields.

Problem is I have 13 of them at this time and enough parts to keep them all going for another hundred years. If you build it right and have a good barrel it should shoot about 5/8" at 100.

It is critical you have a very strong striker spring that will give about 125% of the energy the rifle is speced for because marginal striker energy will give you excessive vertical dispersion at long range. That will require a strong Wolff Spring.
 
Yea, I think I am going to abandon the bayonet idea, besides, I already have a 590A1 with one! :evil: If stuff ever gets THAT hot to have to use one, well I am already at a loss.

Hummer, your do make some very strong points, some of which is a bit more technicality than my brain can produce, I know a good gunsmith though that'll be doing the work (Circlewood Gun Shop, Duncanville, Alabama).

You seem to praise the 1903 action, and I love it, it was my first "grail" rifle. Something still tells me that a modern FNH Win. 70 will somehow be "better". If anyone has the strength specs or such, I'd love to see them.

Why would you not suggest a mannlicher? Not arguing, just genuinely curious (besides the awkward barrel floating). If not a mannlicher, then what? Note: I hate banging around my barrel on tree stands so I am stubborn and think that the extra wood will protect the barrel.

Ya'll just saved my countless hours of bayonet debate amongst myself, thank you and keep the talking up!

Oh, Hummer, that scope is a 2.5 fixed power scope with a 20mm objective haha, not a 20 power scope, I wouldn't dare do that! :)
 
I'm not very familiar with the 03 action...but I do know the bolt of a model 70 can be completely disassembled in about 5-10 seconds using nothing but my hands...getting the striker spring retainer thingy back on there takes a couple of minutes though...and strong fingers.
 
Yes no arguement the Mod 70 can be changed. If you have a pre 64 start trying to find an extractor for it. Same for any Mod 70, try finding spare extractors for any variation. the pre 64 extractors last I saw go for 75.00. I have 70s from pre war to FN Police Models. Even rarer is strikers.

Also same for strikers and striker springs. It is best to release tension using vice jaws closed down so tension can be taken off 70. The pre 64s and post 64s have different retaining methods and the late ones can be a real bear to manueuver and you are sure not gonna want to do it around a camp fire in low light. The Mod 70 is my No 1,2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 target rifles. I have them I have never fired yet.

The proof load on US 30.06 runs around 70,000 lbs. You should not be loading over about 55,000.

Another test director at Aberdeen was doing a test using 1903A3 action where the desire was 10,000 FPS launching shrapnel. They never got to 10,000 fps as the cases kept melting ( front 1/3rd melted and blew out the muzzle) and the case heads kept flowing (90,000 range) They had to beat the cases that melted out of the action with a rod down the muzzle or remove the barrel to get them out.

Actions rarely fail but barrels do. The barrel steel used in WW2 production is not the quality we have access to these days. Once a barrel fails it splits and puts forces on front of action and then it fails. So the 03 with a new barrel you are riding high.

The great gunsmith PO Ackley told all his students never convert a military barrel to a magnum as he knew the specs were fine for 30.06 but would not take the mags. One of his students did so, sheared four fingers on left hand. Students name was Marquart. Guy that trained me at the Army Small Cal Lab was in school with him when he did it a Trinidad.

Someone made the observation about conversion to 308. I have a 03A3 that will feed 308 just fine but others won't. It is not a hard/fast rule. Same for Mod 70s, they can be converted but it takes work. I have a pre war 7/08 long range gun that won't feed off the left bank as round goes into extractor slot 50% of the time. If I could find a 308 mag box and follower for pre 64 it would feed though. It has a Palma Medium on it.

I have semi scouts with 2X pistol scopes on them and now I have gone to 2-7x because at 300 yards the cross hairs completely cover a 6" disc. you need a little more power to see smaller targets at long range.

Most all actions will take 150,000 lbs but the cases fail at 70,000 range. If someone wants to sell you fired proof rounds forget it. The primer pockets open up and new primers will leak gas cutting your bolt face.

LC Match brass and FA Match after 1957 is the strongest cheapest brass you can get. If you want absolute best get DWM but be prepared to sticker shock. I have loaded some for a friend but never owned any.

98Mausers were blowing up in Army Group North on Eastern Front in sub zero cold per "Fighting in Hell".

03A3s should go to -60 below zero no problem. We tested some systems to 65 below and had the capability to go to 80 below.

If I was going to buy a new in box rifle now it would be a Tikka T3 30.06 stainless and I just did.
 
Bayonet mount?
Really?
Do you carry a tomahawk too?
No.

Skip the stripper-clip idea unless you really intend to shoot it a lot with iron sights.

Put a good Leupold scope on it, and call it good.

And don't get all fired up over shooting maximum-mega-loads.
If you are going to hunt elephant and cape buffalo, go larger than 30-06.
Otherwise, any "normal" 30-06 load will do the job without punishing you, and without pushing the rifle to the brink of self-disassembly.

Use Loctite on the screws.

The Browning A-Bolt with a Leupold VX-II 3x9 does everything I need a 30-06 to do.

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Hmm, the whole idea of being able to replace parts in the field intrigues me. I have only thought of how easy it was to take the striker assembly out of the 70, but not too much thought on replacing it. I thought I might could just buy a new assembly. That might prove difficult though where as the market is full of 03 spares, not to mention that the rifle would be cheaper with that action.

So glad I finally posted about "The Rifle", keep the comments comming guys, much appreciated!

Oh, and yes W.E.G., I do in fact carry a tomahawk every single time I go into the woods or go on a hike, wouldn't leave hone without it. That scope is way too much for my uses, maybe if this was a long range rifle, but it aint.
 
Gosh, really, a bayonet mount? You might consider and M1 Garand or 1903 A3.
Otherwise a Winchester 70 featherweight or sporter with a 3-9X40 VX-II will probably cover 95% of your hunting needs.
 
You should be able to handle 600 yard shots without much difficulty.

Insofar as Mannlicher stocks go they are to protect thin barreled rifles and a Palma contour is not a soda straw.

Tieing a stock to the barrel all the way to the end is asking for trouble from vibrations. I would go with a Richards Microfit Precision laminated stock as it will take a bipod and improve things. I don't think you will find a Mannlicher stock that will take a bipod for long.

If you absolutely have to have a Mannlicher I have a M1905 Carbine Model in 9MM M-S with a set of RCBS loading dies and original iron sights I would sell. Also has double set triggers. Barrel shows pitting from corrosive ammo but 250 gr. bullets do well in it. Just about the same size as M1 carbine. A dream to carry and brass is easy to fabricate by fireforming 8MM Mauser in it and trimmer the brass for length and you are good to go. Use load data from 358 Winchester.

It is a WW2 bringback from Germany.

The ultimate stock is a McMillan Fiberglass. They run about 500.00 and will only last about 200 years of abuse.

One of my 03s is a semi Scout which I refer to as a swamp gun. It weighs 10.5 lbs loaded with 5 rounds under the bolt, sling and scope. I walk 3 1/2 miles about four to five mornings a week and carry it.

Right now it has a C stock that somebody ruined by cutting off front end improperly. I have several C stocks so cut so if I publish pics of them I want it completely understood it is not my modification at all, I just use it.

You should also have as a requirement that the rifle pass one of the original Infantry Board Requirements which is two soldiers hold rifle between them while a third uses it to gain entry into a window or over a wall. All our rifles passed this test until the M16 came on the scene and the politicians stabbed us.

I know a guy who was on the Infantry Board Test and also was gunsmith for the Army Marksmanship Unit ( both at Ft. Benning) and he told me they told everyone the M16 was not acceptable as a battle rifle as extra care needed to be given it to keep it going.

As well the M16 would not sustain firing a M31 rifle grenade but now it will with the improvements to the A2. Prior to the A2 they were easily broken in half at the loop on the rear of the receiver breaking off.

Airborne units do practice jumps with 2X4s in Griswold bags as they tend to break on landings.

://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=3&f=123&t=560753

Best soft case you can get to carry rifle, BAR, Browning LMG etc. I have five of them.
 
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My utility .30-06 is a Remington 700 ADL with factory irons, synthetic stock and a Leupold 2.5-8x on Talley QR rings. The gun was super cheap, but is dead accurate with 150 grain Fusion and has served well. I figure with the blind magazine I slightly lessen the risk of accidentally dropping my rounds out the bottom. If a cheaper CRF rifle had been available I may have gone with that, buy truth is, I've never had a problem with push feeds.
If the scope goes down I can take it off in a jiffy and the irons are dead on at 100 yds.
Stripper clip guides are cool, but the scope has to be forward (I prefer traditional mounting) or off altogether. I guess they're useful in run and gun games and if there were total societal breakdown for fast reloads.
 
claiborne, in my post previous of yours (#30) states that I am doing away with the bayonet. Hummer, never stated a need for a bipod, I have a Harrid 6-9" model and think its just one of the best things ever made, however, I prefer just to use a sling for this rifle.

McMillians are truely one of the best stocks out there, but fiberglass just lacks a certain feel when compared to walnut or laminate. I know they would go through a few nuclear wars, but they lack a certain "personal" feel. Now this is coming from one who has never even seen a Manners or McMillian, just an H.S.P. and a B&C. Still thinking about them though, McM and Manners. I wonder how much it would cost to get a special inlet for an 03 if I decided to go that route, one of which I am leaning towards.

Hummer, that is very interesting to note of an infantry rifle, I have never heard of such a test.
 
My 'utility' 30-06 is an old sporterized 1903A3. It sports a timney trigger and a nikon glass. Cheap and cheerful...and shoots minute-of-venison all day long (actually shoots just over 1MOA). Cost way less than $1k. It's all I need in a bolt action.

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Main problem with 03A3 sight is it is set up for 150 gr bullets loaded for that rifle. You have windage adjustment but if you want to do elevation you will have to hold low or high or file front sight till it zeros and you are stuck one one round.

I just built a 03A3 with C stock for CMP matches and haven't even shot it yet. Is is a SC with a RA barrel and I can tell you it was not interchangeable ! ! ! ! ! I had to fit it and it took several hours but it headspaced on "0". Don't know when I am going to be able to shoot it.

a bipod has its place and you already have the right one.
 
98Mausers were blowing up in Army Group North on Eastern Front in sub zero cold per "Fighting in Hell".

03A3s should go to -60 below zero no problem. We tested some systems to 65 below and had the capability to go to 80 below.
Click to expand...


Recently I have been thumbing through my ASM Metals Handbook, 1948 edition. (Old, yes, free, yes!, $10.00 saved!!) I am surprised by how much metals loose their toughness at low temperatures. Charpy impact tests clearly show that plain carbon steels are inferior at low temperature to the alloy steels. M1903A3’s were made out of 8620, not a super steel, but still better than plain carbon. Hatcher’s notebook shows that GEW98’s were made from a steel similar to SAE 1035, which is a simple carbon steel. You would expect the A3’s to be tougher at cold temperatures than a shallow hardening carbon steel.

However, compared to my Mausers, the 03 action is a firing pin breaker. I have busted two, maybe three strikers, a couple of collars, and at least one cocking piece/firing pin over the years in my various 03's. I have also broken extractors and one ejector. I have dry fired and shot one Colombian mauser (converted to 30-06) enough times to wear out the case in the bolt cocking cam. This rifle is on the second barrel, second bolt, and original firing pin.

Williams is making new M70 claw extractors and if you have a M70, load up on them. When they are out of stock, you will be back to converting M1917 extractors to fit. Firing pins for pre 64's are collector items.

I am a fan of the M98 and am of the opinion that the early 50's Mausers were the best of the bunch. The early 50’s FN rifles still have lots of Mauser features and should be better, metallurgically than pre WW2 rifles.
 
I really like the 03a3 action. I have one with a lyman peep sight that I am currently fitting scout mount blocks to. I like it as a utility rifle concept.

That being said, if you like the Winchester action, look at the pre-war model 70, as they are already cut for stripper clips.


Model709_zps9ba5eff0.jpg
 
I like the older model 48s models. Steel base. Not cheap, but can be worth it. Properly fitted and screws loctited in place, they hold just fine.

The rear sight on the standard 03a3 is a weak point in my opinion. I have no doubt it is battle tough and proven, but the accuracy and adjustments aren't as good as a properly fitted peep sight. I would suggest looking at pawn shops and gun shows. Often you can find a gun for a few hundred bucks with an old lyman already on it. The sight is worth almost as much as the action.
 
Slamfire1


I have broken one striker on 03A3 dry firing.

Were yours broke dry firing or actual firing? Those actions were used on ammo acceptance guns and they ran 15,000 to 17,000 rounds on them and got rebarreled and shot more. The 03s were run until 5.56 came out and they had to change to 700 actions.

I think I have four pre 64 strikers and half a dozen extractors. Friend just sent me another last week as he sold his pre 64s. I think I have two bolt assemblies as well.

I am pretty sure I have a M48 in nice shape. They are very hard to find and most of the ones I see I wouldn't consider. Cruise ebay to see these. Mine is a short slide.

There is another that I have for mine but have never got around to mounting one which is a Central Left Hand made in Australia. They are quite pricey but have 40 minutes of wind both sides of zero and I think there is enough elevation for 1500 yards if the front sight is low enough. I had a good friend make me up a load of bases for them and he made some for mounting on 03s, 98s etc

http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=789111

These are THE sights in Australia, New Zealand and as far as I am concerned IT. I have fifteen of them but only two LH ones. they are much more rugged than they look and can be used on magnums etc.
 
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