Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 30 cal Hart Bbl

My smith ended up with a very nice stainless fluted Hart bbl. It's a fairly heavy contour, but not a straight tube.
Very nice fluting and I would need to put it on a short action rem or long action vanguard. Really would rather do a 308 on a rem short action. He will make me a great deal on this barrel.
How should I have it chambered?? I really like 150 ttsxs in 308s and 165 sierras. But I'm not wanting to limit myself to shorter bullets either.
Very good chance this gun will be supersede and see some really heavy long bullets too.
Don't wanna have to single load em.
Any advice would be much appreciated.

JB

Not real sure what you're asking, but I'll give it a try.

What is your intended use? Hunting? Targets?

If you plan on primarily hunting, I'll let others give their thoughts. For me, a 308 Win destined for hunting is at it's best with the 150-165 grain or so range of bullets.

If you want it for a target rifle, look at using the 175 grain Sierra MatchKings. Great accuracy, great characteristics.

You mention "some really heavy long bullets too". Give that some thought before you commit to chambering/throating for them, even assuming the twist will handle them. The 308 Win is best with the more mid-rangish bullets, not the top end of weight in .308 caliber stuff.

I shoot 168 SMKs out of mine, in 600 yard competition, and do fine. I've got a bunch of 175s here, just haven't got to shoot them yet in this particular rifle. Not sure I'd want to go above the 175s in a 308 Win.

Have fun with whatever you decide.

What is the twist?

165-168 bullets in a .308 should do everything you want, if BOTH hunting and LR practice is on the menu.

Do a search for what MontanaMarine has posted on his tactical 30-06 and then use the Vanguard. Pretty cool stuff IMO.

If you go 308 he's written plenty on that as well...

I've got a good mind to buy a stainless long action vanguard/Howa.
Would give me a lot more options as far as cartridges go and a lot more speed as well. My stock appears to be a LW/Edge pattern stock so idk how much I can open it up if at all. It may be able to take this bbl I'll just have to try.
Does anyone know if a new model vanguard will fit an old vanguard stock??

But I guess since I have a great shooting 06 I should go for a little more. Maybe 300 WM. Prob never need the extra range but the velocity and shooting heavier bullets faster would be nice for long range practice and possible longer hunting shots.
What bullet should I have it chambered for? One of the VLDs, or stick with a Sierra? Don't know much about anything over 175 in 30 cal.
I shoot 165 barnes in the 06 for hunting and 175 smks for practice stuff. Lighter in my 308s.
Is a magnum vanguard action the same size as a standard long action? Really needs to fit this McMillan.
300 WM unless they make an action long enough for an H&H, which I would really love to have regardless of the velocity and other performance I'd be giving up.

JB

You went from 308, to 30-06, to 300 Win Mag, to 300 H&H, all in a day.

You've got it bad my friend!

Always wanted an H&H to match my 375.
I do have it bad. After I made a great shot with my long range set up 308 I already have I decided against that route.
It's a nice long heavy tube so I figure recoil won't be an issue too bad so I should go bigger!!!!
My 338 WM is an old model 70 and I'm not gonna modernize it at all. It shoots fine and was my grandfathers. He killed his first elk with it and so did I and I killed a 370" bull with it. It will only go on special hunts, easy hunts where I don't have to lug that old thing up and down mountains and risk that stock warping.
I need a longer range gun. I've got opportunities for sheep, nilgai, elk, maybe plains game coming up. Have had to postpone because of health probs and kids and work and all that stuff but I want a good 30 cal gun that I can shoot game out to 400+ yards with.
I'm gonna keep my 308s and skip that idea. Fast 30 is where this is headed!!