.30-06 options. Recomendations?

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Watusi76

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I am looking to get a hunting rifle in .30-06 but can’t make up my mind on which one. I am looking mainly based on price (in the $400’s is ok but lower is better). I already have a scope so I don’t need a package deal and am looking for a bolt action. No preference as to wood or synthetic. Main criteria is price and accuracy out of the box. I’ve ruled out the S&W iBolt but am looking heavily at the Savage 11/111 and Howa 1500 Lightening. I’ve also heard that Vanguard is a good option. Any personal experience/recommendations? I'm able to get the Howa with synthetic camo stock for $339 right now but want to make sure I can't get more for my money with another option. Especially since I've never shot a Howa before and am willing to go a bit more if it buys more.
 
The '06

I like what Savage is doing of late. They have been accelerating an accuracy program. Look around the web and at your local rifle range...They have really committed to detail. Can't go wrong for the price.
OTOH, why the '06?
 
Howa or Vanguard. Weatherby buys their actions from Howa and builds their rifles from them. They are quite similar. I'd buy whichever I could find cheaper. Which is usually the Vanguard.
 
Rem 700 BDL. Got it at auction for $450.00 Canadian. Pillar bedded it myself, added a Millett 4-16x50 MIL-dot scope and a Harris bipod. It drives tacks at 500 yds and recoil is a lot lighter than expected.

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Any of the big makers rifles will be fine. most have a twist rate suited to 150-165-180 grain bullets. Remmy 700 are good, Howa are good, wetherby are good, savage... ruger.... browning... all good!

Go with one you like the best!

Interlock
 
Rem 700 BDL.
What I did, too. Bought mine second hand a couple of years ago. Paid $450 for an unfired early 1980s manufacture with a 3-9X Redfield already mounted. I moved the scope to another gun and replaced it with a Leupold 3.5-10X I had in the safe. It really likes 165 grain Core-Lokts (under 1" at 100), so I've not looked at any other loads to date.
 
The Vanguard is a good one if you don't mind a slightly heavy rifle. I love mine.
In that price range you also couldn't go wrong with a Savage or a T/C Venture. To come in at a little under the $400 mark, the Marlin XL7 isn't a bad looking rifle. Haven't shot one myself, but I've never heard anything bad about them. Even cheaper, my dad has a Mossberg ATR that is plenty accurate for right at $250 brand new.
The Howa for $339 is a good deal too.
 
Savage for sure.

Chances are good you'll get a "shooter" right out of the box.

Accutrigger (Accustock available), you can adjust the head-space or even swap out a barrel yourself...just by purchasing the barrel nut tool.

111 is available in a Left Hand model if you're a Southpaw. 3 position tang safety (intuitive and ambidextrous).
 
I've heard good things about the Savages, but I really dislike the Accutrigger. Maybe it's an acquired taste.
 
Don't let the negative comments about a 30-06 give you any problems. I have owned several calibers and the 30-06 is my favorite and I hunt with one every year. They say the only way to improve a 30-06 is to clean it once in a while and I agree. I would follow the Remington 700 recomendations. You should be able to find a good used rifle for between $350 and $400. The main reason for buying the Remington is that parts are readily available, and if you don't like the rifle you can sell it for what you gave for it. If you try to sell an off brand rifle you may loose money. Good luck with your purchase. BW
 
Howa or Vanguard. Weatherby buys their actions from Howa and builds their rifles from them. They are quite similar. I'd buy whichever I could find cheaper. Which is usually the Vanguard.
The Howa 1500 and the Weatherby Vanguard are the same rifle with a few minor cosmetic differences. Howa builds the entire rifle. Howa built all Weatherby rifles when the Mark V was built in Japan.
 
The Howa 1500 and the Weatherby Vanguard are the same rifle with a few minor cosmetic differences. Howa builds the entire rifle. Howa built all Weatherby rifles when the Mark V was built in Japan.

So that means THEY were the ones who build the only rifle that ever failed me in the field in my entire hunting career. A Mark V, chambered in .340!!

I shot at a moose and when i pulled the bolt back to chamber another round, the bolt came out in my hand!

This was a pre-run for that rifle, that i bought to use for all the brown bear hunting i was doing those days! Sure glad it happened BEFORE i was out in the bush for a month, bear hunting!!

DM
 
Thompson/Center Venture in .30-06

I've had incredible accuracy with mine out of the box. I got it at Bass Pro for around $450, no scope. It's an economy-priced Icon and it's very solid and felt better quality than the similarily priced Savage and Tikka. Pick it up, handle it, you'll see what I mean.

Here's my range report:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=478716

-Brian
 
I bought a Savage Edge about 2 years back for my Grandson and after some trigger work and a Nikon Prostaff 3x9 it's a great rifle.
Right around 1&1/4 inch at 100 yards with reloads.
The newer Savage offerings all are equipped with the famed Accu-Trigger however.
 
To me nothing beats a Weatherby ,but what you really need are good optics no matter what rifle you decide to get.
 
Do what is it that the ( accutrigger ) does or not do that has people not liking them ? Don't mean to hijack the OP, Just wondering
 
glock36, I'm a hunter and long range shooter and there's three things a rifle must have. First, it must be an accurate rifle, it must have optics where the hunter can see what he wants to shoot, and third it must have a excellent trigger. To be excellent a trigger must have light pull and free of creep. If you can feel a trigger move before the shot it is said to have creep. The accutrigger has a small lever set inside the curve of the trigger that must be depressed before the trigger is pulled. Even though some shooter like this feature, it is a distraction to me. It is impossible to hold a rifle completely still while the sight is alligned with the target and the trigger is pulled so the experience shooter learns to get the put pressure on the trigger and finish the squeeze when the sights are in perfect allignment. My rifles have either pre-64 Model 70 trigger or Timney trigger and I feel they are superior to the accutrigger because I can't stand anything that impedes my feel of the trigger. About 2 weeks ago I shot a big whitetail buck running across in front of me at 160 yards and hit him on the point of the shoulder. Without complete trigger control this shot could not have been made. BW
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jmr40
Howa or Vanguard. Weatherby buys their actions from Howa and builds their rifles from them. They are quite similar. I'd buy whichever I could find cheaper. Which is usually the Vanguard.

The Howa 1500 and the Weatherby Vanguard are the same rifle with a few minor cosmetic differences.

The differences are more than cosmetic. The safeties are completely different. The Howa uses a 3 position safety vs 2 position on the Vanguard. The triggers are much different. Howa uses 22" barrels on standard calibers and 24" on magnums vs 24 and 26 on Vanguards. The Howa uses a standard bolt while the Vanguard bolts are fluted. Stock designs are interchangeable, but completely different. I used to have both at the same time. The Vanguard is gone, still own 1 Howa. At least for now.
 
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