Dear Wuzzagrunt,
Your Browning 1895 in .30-06 is an excellent rifle. As .30-06 ballistics were improved over the years (and pressures accordingly rose), many of the original Winchester Model 1895's in .30-06 could not hold the increased pressure (the bolt steel was compacted), and excessive headspace developed. The Browning Model 95 .30-06's from the mid-1980's and the more recent Winchester/USRAC's from the 1990's are all perfectly fine with factory .30-06 ammo or the handloaded equivalents.
My son & I have several 1895's. Two are original Winchesters from the first production run (1895-1936, with final cleanup in 1940) - one a .35 Winchester rifle and the other a .303 British carbine. We have one of the new .405's, and it is excellent. From the 1990's, we also have a .30-06 and a .35 Whelen. The .35 Whelen was custom work, rechambered & rebored from one of the USRAC .270 Winchesters. The .270 is, of course, based on the .30-06 case, as is the .35 Whelen, with necking going in opposite directions. Therefore, the lifter worked, and the conversion to .35 Whelen was straightforward. We have had no trouble with it at all; indeed, quite the reverse - the conversion has proven excellent.
Because scope-mounting on a top ejector like the Model 1895 involves various side-mounting approaches and because I personally prefer to stay with the traditional iron sights, I have found that, for me, the limitations on the Model 1895 are those of effective accurate range. (Others do mount scopes and like them.) I do recommend getting a good aperture sight. Buffalo Arms in Sandpoint, Idaho is offering a fine reproduction of the classic Lyman 38 ("the climbin' Lyman"), which should be out this summer. The price is c. $150. Other Lyman and Williams iron sights are also possibilities.
At 200 yard & under iron sight ranges (and, frankly, 200 yards seems to cover a very high percentage of the usual shots taken on game), I was more interested in a powerful cartridge that would strike a blow (i.e. .35 Whelen) than a long-range, flat-shooting number (i.e. .270 Winchester). That is all personal preference, but I do wish to report that we have found our .35 Whelen conversion perfectly safe.
The 1980's and 1990's vintage Model 1895's are all made by Miroku in Japan, and quality, fit, & finish are excellent. I had - and foolishly traded - a Browning in .30-40, which was a superb rifle. The Brownings have the traditional half-cock safety, while the more recent Winchester/USRAC's have the rebounding hammer and the tang safety. Either version is fine with me. These are all wonderful rifles, representing a truly brilliant Browning/Mason design as other posters have pointed out, and I hope that yours brings you a great deal of shooting & hunting pleasure.
Good luck!
Redcoat
