Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Most accurate 30-06 factory rifle?

A first generation A7 could easily fit the bill using off the shelf factory ammo.

A more realistic question would be: Which factory .30-06's DON'T shoot accurately? That might be a lot easier to answer.

I must have owned two dozen .30-06's in my life, and shot a bunch more. Right now I'm testing a new Ruger 1A for a magazine article. Right out of the box it has a crisp 3-1/2 pound trigger, and when I took it to the range with several factory loads it settled down pretty quickly and shot more than one well under an inch. The best load was the Federal Premium with the 150-grain Ballistic Tip. The last 3-shot group was under 1/2", and none were over 1".

But I don't buy that older rifles weren't accurate. Another really accurate '06 was a 1959 Model 70 Winchester. All I did to it was mount a scope and make sure all the stock screws were tight (including the forend screw) and it started shooting under an inch with a couple of factory loads. Several of the groups had all three shots touching or nearly so.

What did you trade for? Inquiring minds....

Was thinking the same thing JB, especially after our conversation the other day...you can take virtually any name brand bolt action rifle off the rack and it will shoot into an inch with very little load selection. As nmuch whining as goes on, these ARE the good old days for rifle/ammo/components manufacture...

This one!





Even though my synthetic ADL had a Leupold 2.5-8x36 VX-III mounted in Leupould QR bases and rings, and I had to kick in $250 cash I still think I got the better rifle!

You got a nice one for sure..

"factory out of the box accuracy?" Most rifles will eventually shoot if you put some work into them, but that was not the question. And it had to cost less than $750.oo.

How can you beat an "old" original 03-A3...

Minute of gopher all day long...

Your right! Been shooting my 03A3 at the local military rifle match. Been giving the AR boys a run for there money. 500 yard gong I been using some 1960's lake city ammo. Put the sight on 500 yards and I'm right there.Lot's of fun,but a sore sholder the next day.

Don't know about most accurate, but this is from a stock Remington M760. Three shots at 100. This isn't the first time either.

The most accurate 06 i have owned is the one i have now. Browning SS Stalker LH A Bolt with the Boss, it had never shot a load over a inch, with most loads clover leafing at 100 yards

My model 70 is neither old nor new, Pa bought it back in 77ish, but it sure shoots.

My Swamp brother...lemme try to connect the dots for you. Cerberus owns Freedom Group. Freedom Group owns Remmie, and others as well. Remmie owns Marlin. If A = B, and B = C, then A = C.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerberus_Capital_Management

"Firearms - Acquired Bushmaster Firearms, Inc., from Windham, Maine native Dick Dyke for an undisclosed sum in April 2006, and purchased Remington Arms in April 2007. Under Cerberus direction, Bushmaster Firearms acquired Cobb Manufacturing, a well-respected manufacturer of large-caliber tactical rifles in August 2007. Cerberus also acquired DPMS Panther Arms December 14, 2007.[28][29] Remington Arms acquired Marlin Firearms in January 2008. [30][31] In October 2009, Remington Military products acquired silencer manufacturer Advanced Armament Corporation.[32] These companies were combined into the Freedom Group."

And yes, there have been reports of QC issues at Remington since Cerberus/Freedom Group acquired them. I'm as sorry to hear that as you are, but it is what it is.

Quite simply, Swampy doesn't get anything it....

I'm a huge Rem 700 fan, have 4 of them. New and old. I actually have one from the 60's, 70's, 80's, and 00's. The only one that has given me trouble is the new one. They are all fairly accurate. One, a .35 Whelen will group under an inch all day, two are 1.25" guns on a very consistent basis. The other is accurate, but mechanically is very frustrating so it hasn't been shot much or even hunted.

My best shooters are my two A-Bolts, and my sister's Tikka T3 is a darn good shooter too, much better than my 700s. It pains me to say it because I was brought up worshiping the 700. I still love the older 700s, especially the 60's and 70's ADLs, but the A-Bolts and Tikka's I've shot have out done them.

Savage , Tikka.

Remington use to be there. According to some of my recent acquisitions they are sucking hind tit...... except the senderos that is.

probaby doesnt count cause i dont think i have ever bought a NIB 30-06 so i dont know if any were tweaked or not, but out of the dozen or so i have owned the two that stand out were a voere titan II for $600 and a tikka (ithica lsa 65) for $400.. both could cutholes or clover leaf.. as a sidenote, my buddy has a titan II with the manlicher stock that would do the same w/ factory 130 silvertips

Like I said Remington, owns Marlin.

There have been no quality issues with Remington. That's a myth perpetuated by dealers selling off brands.

Not in my experience at all. Older Remingtons use to set the bar for accuracy, not anymore.

No, bro Swampy, what you said was this, lest you forget: "Marlin is owned by Remington and not Cerberus/Freedom Group." And that is wrong. Cerberus/Freedom Group OWNS Remington, and Remington OWNS Marlin, therefore Cerberus/Freedom Group OWNS Marlin because Cerberus/Freedom Group OWNS Remington, who OWNS Marlin.

And yes, there HAVE been QC issues at Remington. This IS NOT a myth perpetuated by dealers selling off brands. It is a FACT being reported by people buying new Remingtons. People like Petro and Fotis, who posted just before you did. Remington has made great rifles...in the past. I know, because I have some of them. But right now, they are having problems. Just like Marlin is. And I own a bunch of those, too.

We can admit that our favorite gunmakers are having some hard times right now without being disloyal to them. It's now their fault, Swampy. It's the people who own them. But sticking your head in the sand and pretending it isn't doesn't help Remington but does hurt your credibility. The truth shall set you free, brother.