Is this a good thing,or a bad thing? Looking at a Ruger Ultralight, which i am sure ain't that light... but might be a sweet rig all things considered...

I think the Ruger UL is a great package all the way around. Weights are published on their site and .308 is the lightest they offer. 30-06 can't be that far off. I'd not fret the 20" tube.

Ear protection.....

The one I had beat the hell out of me.. The same gun in a 257 bob is a joy. I have an original 700 ADL Carbine with the 20" barrel and it does not bother at all, yet the M70 270 Carbine with a 20" barrel was terrible on the ears with both plugs and muffs used.They all handled nice though. Magnum Man

I had a Winchester Model 70 Lightweight "Carbine" in .30-06 years ago. IIRC it weighed around 6-6 1/2 lbs, and it was a pleasure to shoot. I also recall it was one of the best pointing rifles I have ever owned. Definitely one of the ones I regret trading. BTW, don't be too sure it ain't that light. Any Ruger Ultra Light I have ever handled sure as hell qualifies as a light weight to me.

I have a nice 1903 sporter '03 w/ a 20" barrel. The balance is perfect, I love it. At the range I have heard others say its loud, but i never noticed it myself. Handy little rifle.

I really like mine. It does recoil a bit much but you will really enjoy hunting with it. I actually shoot mine a good bit too.

Thanks, I imagine if I stick to moderate loads of IMR4064 and 150 grain bullets this rifle will purr like a kitten on any game animals I am likely to encounter in Va.

Shorter barrel... so stick to faster burning powders like IMR4064, 3031, Varget, RL15, H4895 to reduce muzzle blast?

I am shooting IMR4064 in my Ruger UL 30.06 with 165 gr. Hornady Interbonds and it shoots great.

Chopped my .30-06 to 21" years ago. Very handy hunting rifle now. I still use H4350 & 165's for most of my shooting & hunting with the rifle. Less-than-max load at 2750 fps with good accuracy.

I don't think I'd change to a faster burning powder.

Dogger, you only have yourself to please, but IME the Ruger Pencil Barrel on the UL is a total crap-shoot (less than 50-50) as to decent shooting and yup I've had a few. It's significantly lighter than others "Mountain" or Featherweight" contours and really makes for a stock-heavy, unbalanced rifle to me.

A 20" 30-06 wouldn't bother me (I've had them 18,5 and 21" and 22"), but I wouldn't bother with the Ruger UL.

If they would just build the damn thing with a #1 Douglas contour and make it 22" it would sell like hotcakes. Sactoller rebarreled a Ruger to that spec in .275 Rigby and it resides in a UL stock. SWEEEEEET.....

Exactly, or the Douglas Fwt pattern (M70)...

Yup.

I don't remember Brad. Were some of those since they started making their own? Thanks.

I have a Win M670 carbine that's a 20" .30-06 and I think it's OK. Not as light as the Ruger or M70 Lightweight carbines, however.

I have two M-700 carbines (20" bbls) out of the first 1500 made and they both shoot very well. They both like the 130 T/shock at about 3000 fps or the 165 Hornady SP at about 2750 fps. So far, both have given best accuracy with H-4895 or IMR 4064 which is not optimum for velocity but they'll both go less than an inch for three shots. I tried IMR and H-4350 in both but got much larger groups. I have no proof but I'm guessing it's because of somewhat higher pressure at the muzzle disturbing the release of the bullet as it exits.

Recoil with their aluminum buttplates isn't that bad, especially with the 130 T/shock but they are prettttty loud! I made the mistake of shooting a coyote from one of my club's shooting houses w/out muffs. Whoa!!! Big mistake that I won't make again.
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NRA Life,Endowment,Patron or Benefactor since '72.

150gr bullets + moderate loads + light rifle + short barrel = .308 Win

Just sayin'.......

I've got a Ruger UL in 30-06 and love it! No problem with noise or recoil. I usually run 180 partions out of mine.

I have one of the Winchester Carbines in 30-06 with 20" barrel. A bit louder, but not un-manageable. With factory loads it is about 40 fps slower than my 22" guns. With my reloads it is a good bit slower, but still getting a bit over 2800fps with 165's. Darn accurate as well

Amen to that, great ideas, if they got the tube to 21" and .6" at the mzl they'd have a rock star on their hands. And heck, I might even be a buyer for a 30 cal...naw I'm just teasing

Dober

...............Not a bad thing at all. Based on the ones I`ve handled, the Ruger ULs are a pretty sweet handling and carrying rifle as well as good looking too. Very good power from a 20" barrel along with good long range capability too.

Although the noise levels will be somewhat greater than the 22" or 24" barreled `06s, wear some good ear protection at all times.

Like I do with my 300 WSM shorty Ruger carbine, you load for it the same way as you would for any longer barreled `06. Faster burns used in shorter barrels will reduce the muzzle blast somewhat. But if the slower burns get you the better accuracys, then the blast differences are not all that big of a difference to handle ime. You`re going to have to experiment.

Go for it.

I had my Rem 700 SPS sporter 30-06 cut to 20".

I'm loading it with RL17. It will start 130 TTSX at 3250 fps, and 168 TTSX at 2890 fps.

It weighs 8 lbs with the McMillan BDL stock, and Leupold 2.5-8x36 in Talleys. Not a featherweight by any means, but it handles real nice.