Not many people seem to be building custom 30-.06 rifles out there. For those of you that have built them can you post some pics/specs about them. I am in the process and would love to see some great ideas

Welcome to the fire. I don't know if it is because you can just buy a factory rifle and throw it in a mcmillan and supply it with good optics and be done with it, but that would be my guess. Another reason is because the ol 06 is kind of boring and there are newer sexier cartridges to build around now days. Here's what I'm talking about for factory rifle thrown in a mcmillan stock. Deffinately not custom but well worth the effort:



Just a winchester model 70 extreme weather that shoots great and handles very well. Oh, forgot to mention it is a 30-06.

Hey, I have one just like that. Except mine has a black McEdge and ITW Talley's.

Yep, I know. That's why I asked for pictures. So I could copy

my plans so far is this:

Rem 700 SS action (30-.06)
blued chrom moly barrel
walnut stock

I think the contrast should look awesome! Thoughts or concerns?

KEEp THE PICS COMING!

Tikka T3
#5 Shilen Barrel

Factory Varminter stock






100 yards 165 grain NBT:



200 yards:


300 yards:




Two separate groups (one on each side of the "10" )

155 Hornady AMax VV N140:

wow, I wish I had the pictures of the most beautfiul 30-06 I had ever owned (which was stolen). It was an argentine 1909 mauser, with slim 22" Kreiger barrel, blackburn bottom metal, beisen steel grip cap, ebony forend tip, and a very hard ( and expensive) piece of Turkish Walnut and red recoil pad. it had simliar dimensions as the new remington CDl's but god was it beauiful. Built by Jim Cloward, I believe he still has pictures on his walls with it.

I see custom Mausers in 30-06 quite often in my area, they
range from junk to average.

Who needs customs when you've got a plain old factory rifle like this :



30-06 too

Always got my eyes peeled for a minty JC Higgins FN Mauser
in 30-06

Can you tell us who did the work? And what chamber reamer you went with?

I bought this rifle off the used rack at the local gun shop. i don't know who built the rifle.

The chamber is just a standard .30/06 I don't know who made it.

My custom 06

Husqvarna 1900 action
Hart SS #4 bbl @24"
McMillan Remmy Mountain Rifle stock
Black-T by Birdsong
B&L 4000 2.5-10x40 scope
Buehler R&B's

I'm liking that roy. Very nice rifle and looks like it shoots just as good as it looks.

1982, Rem 700, ADL, factory barrel. The rifle stopped there and then was customized by RWS Precision out of Janesville, CA. Fiberglass stocks were just coming on the scene and I was smitten when I came across is table with 1/2 dozen examples of his work at the Crossroads of the West gunshow in Salt Lake City, Sept 1982.

Action was "mid-turned" removing metal from the middle of the receiver. It also had metal removed from each side of the left and right rear of the action. The bolt was swiss cheese drilled. I could have paid $30 more for an alum stiker cover but decided to save the $ just to loose 1 oz.













The drilling causes square bottoms in each hole and is a great place to trap junk. Round bottom holes would be better.

[img]http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c129/GSSP/3006%20Ackley%20Improved/Rem700Bolt.jpg[/img]

The factory barrel was turned to toothpick dimension with a .552" at the 22" long muzzle. I later had it Mag-na-ported to reduce the muzzle flip. Very effective at doing so. Was very disappointed with Mag-na-ports work as it looked like a tech simply pulled out his pocket knife to remove the paint on top of the barrel so the EDM process would cut the ports. Here you can see the replacement Lilja barrel I had chambered in 30-06AI. I'm posting these pics to show the contour.

[img]http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c129/GSSP/3006%20Ackley%20Improved/NewAckleyImpoved005.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c129/GSSP/3006%20Ackley%20Improved/NewAckleyImpoved003.jpg[/img]
Factory trigger set to 2.5 lbs.

Conetrol mounts and rings.

Leupold M8 4x

Pachmyer 1" pad.

Here are some overall pics that show the bigger package.

[img]http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c129/GSSP/3006%20Ackley%20Improved/Rem700fullrightprofile.jpg[/img]

Alan

Weight as you see it here is 6 lb 7 oz. Or is it 7 lb 7 oz?

Alan

I just shipped this .30-06 to the client. I test fired it with factory ammo and it doesn't shoot quite as well as your handloads.
Best,
Steve



But it's just a Hagn single shot action with a wood stock, so you can't expect quite as much, eh?

Beautiful rifle, Steve. It's a work of art!!!

______________
Eric

Here is mine.

Lija #2 1-11 twist 3 grove cut at 24"
S and K mounts
Rem. Ti take off stock.



It will shoot.

To answer one of the OP's questions, You hit it one the head in your post and question. Because it is common and thereby to many, boring. Kinda like a Ford Taurus or Escort. Works, does everything one needs a car to do, but not anything that is going to have the gas station attendant excited to fill up or get a second look from a passerby.

To add to that, in the same size action one can build a 308 Norma, a 30 Newton, a 300 Winchester Magnum or a myriad of other medium lenght magnum cartridges that are faster and therefore (in my view and that of many others) better. Not to mention more exciting. If I were building a custom rifle on a 30/06 lenght action, 30/06 would not even make my top 15 of possible chamberings to consider. Come to think of it, I HAVE built more than a couple of custom rifles on 30/06 length actions and nary a 30/06 in the pile.

MAGNIFICENT rifle.

SDH:

Has it really been that long since your last post?

Good to see you back, and that's a gorgeous rifle.

The albino peacock is a nice touch.

It is dirty to post pics of that Hagn. My covetousness is in high gear.

Thanks guys...
Check out the web site.

My last custom was a 30'06. Like Phil shoemaker likes to say, "If you can't do it with a 30'06, you can't do it."
Boring ? Now there is an odd statement. The 30'06 kicks less than the Big 30's, and advantage that alot of fans of the .308 will also tell you.
Mine's built on a 98 Mauser action, a true controled round feed action. It will not close the bolt on a round that is dropped into the barrel.
The action has been lightend, but has an after market, steel floorplate and trigger guard. Steel, Leupold QR mounts. Pac-Nor, 24 inch, #1 contour barrel that has had it's shank turned down. MPI Kevlar stock made to my specs. After market trigger, etc. Leupold 6X42 w/ Heavy Duplex. Will accept Ching or CW style shooting slings. 7 1/4 lbs emmpty. Wouldn't be hard to make it even lighter.
To my mind, the whole idea of a custom rifle is to get something with features that you can't get in a factory rifle. In other words, it's the rifle, not what it's chambered for. E

Eremicus, why don't you have a smith modify that extractor so that it will except a round that's dropped into the chamber. I've heard of other Mauser fans here that do it to their rifles...Mule Deer in particular.

I have them feathered or chamfered to close on a round in the tube as well. Having a custom 257WBY on a Husky action that would not cost me the biggest, nicest 4x4 coastal blacktail that I had ever seen, and still the biggest I have seen to date.

As I see it, no reason at all not to. Factory CRF Model 70's will close on a loaded chamber.

Mine came about because I was looking for something to back up my 338WM on the up side and my 6MM on the small side. Kept thinking of what would do that and kept coming back to the 30.06. It fills a lot of holes neatly and has taken lots of game from Grizzly bears to rabbits. Hard to beat the versatility.

Mine was built on a blue Remington Mountain rifle action, with a bead blasted 22 inch stainless Pac Nor match barrel, Timney trigger and McMillan stock. It was bedded and painted by our own Mr. Rick here at the fire and has a Leupold 6 power scope. Balances great, comes up easily and on target everytime. Most important is things have a tendency to fall over when I make it go bang. I can like that a lot in a rifle.

Sorry, camera battery is broke so no pictures. Some of the guys have seen it though and say it is a beauty! As planned it is often the number two rifle when I travel, no matter what I am going after. TM

Safariman, thanks for your opinion, but my question wasn't if I should build a custom...I already know I want to. I want people to post pics/info on their custom 30-.06 rifles if they have one. thanks again for your .02

Are you looking for ideas on a hunting rig or those blued walnut jobs ?

Mine will be for hunting, but like to see other hunters/shooters rifles

I own only one, a plain old FN.

M70 30/06:

I am in the process of ordering parts for a custom 30-06 build, here's the specs:

*Surgeon RLR action (round long action)

*McMillan Rem Hunter stock

*Krieger stainless barrel = #5 contour, 1-10 twist, 24" finished length

*Badger M4 bottom metal w/ Rem mag box, spring, follower

*Timney trigger tuned to 2.5#

*All metal will be Cerakoted

*2 piece Surgeon picatinney bases = 0 MOA

*NightForce Ultralite 30mm rings

*Schmidt & Bender Klassik 3-12x42

Ooohh! That's nice!

I have to ask, what's with the tape on these barrels? Adam

It's secret harmonic ballistic oscillations tape..........only works in conjunction with Barnes bullets

I have a custom BRNO 21H by Dennis Erhardt....have pics if someone would care to post them for me.

Word up, very true.

Works mo betta in the deep-wooods.

<g>

Here is my 30-06 that was built by Lon Paul with an all integral stainless barrel by Danny Peterson and Jerry Fisher rounded bottom metal.

LH M70, Lilja barrel turned to fwt contour, McMillan Mountain rifle stock modified from RH to LH and from Rem inletting to Winchester and 1" cut off the forend (all things are possible with epoxy), Leupold 2.5-8 in old Kimber rings and bases.

Lookin good utah. You're right, a little epoxy and paint go a long way.....

Did McMillan do the inletting on that? I have a LH Model 70 in a LH Remington BDL pattern (had two but sold one) that they did for me almost 10 years ago but they won�t inlet Remington stocks for Winchesters anymore. The top has to be inletted and then the bottom has to be inletted separately.

Shame, as I�d like to replace the BDL I have, which is an old �heavy� fill, with an Edge in the same design.

No, I did that work myself. I'll bet you could order an EDGE flattop and do it yourself. Trickest part is around the tang because the angle and length differ so much between the Rem and the Win.

Nice rifle!

I like this too!

As I understand it, the extractor has to able to move side ways to allow it to snap over thre rim of the case. Both my tang safety Ruger and my M70 can do this.
I'm not sure I want or need this feature. So, for now, I'm leaving it as is. Just like I'm leaving the long striker fall and the long lock time in place to make sure I keep the classic mauser reliability in place for this rifle. I can always have it modified if I need it done. But, once done, I don't think I can go back to the original condition.
I'm also trying out a two position, not a three position, M70 style safety on this rifle. So far, I like it. E

My old "semi-custom" 30-06... M70, barrel shortened to 21", NECG "Classic" rear sight, 2-7x33 in Burris Zee's. Bansner stock.

Because a blued/walnut rifle won't kill an animal just as dead as a butt-ugly stainless/titanium/synthetic/plastic/etc. rifle...?

To each his or her own; shoot what you want, but don't go thinking a blued/walnut gun ain't a hunting rig.

Of course it is....

Thanks Bob! Pretty sure this one'll hunt till the end of my days.

My buddy tells me, 'At least put a nice leather sling on that thing, so it'll have some class'... I tell him, it's a M70 and that's enough for me.:D

Very, very nice rifle, utah708. Always like seeing custom LH M70s...

Several very nice rifles on this thread. Phil, Brad, SDH, very nice gentlemen.

Not exactly a Custom or the best pics but i'm proud of it;
Pre'64 FWT 30-06
Bansner Stock
Talley LWT's
2.5-8X36 Leupold

Rem Ti 700
Rock 3 22"
McM Edge
Leupold FXII 6x36 LR
Tally Alloys

MtnHtr

Two of my all time fav pics and one of my all time fav rifles. I could hunt that perro hard even though it's a 06. Course I'd have those sights removed and return them to you just to be nice..grin

U've put together 3 really nice 70's my friend!

Dober

Here is my custom 30-06, Shawn Carkock at Defensive Edge did the smithn. #5 24 inch Harris barrel, 700 action, Tub lug, trued, HS stock, the most accurate rifle I own. Why I dont have shawn doing all my work is beyond me.

Its no light weight at 9 lbs but dam its accurate.

When I first came to the 'fire these pics were some of the ones that really caused me to spend a lot of time here and change a bit of what I thought I wanted in a rife.

Loved looking at those guns, along with ones posted by Steelhead and CAS.

Just a classical old Bob Owen Springfield, c.1925. Blued steel and walnut from his shop in Sauquoit, NY.


A couple of years ago Roger Biesen (left, Al is in the center) touched up the bedding a bit.


But all in all, this old rifle has held its own. This is the kind of custom I've come to appreciate more as time goes by.

Now that's a good looking rifle. What model Edge is that? How does it shoot?

Thanks, but it isn't really a custom like some of these others. It is fairly new to me and has been shooting very well with the limited loading I've done for it. Most loads have been going into a little over 1 moa for 5 shots. I've got some very nice 4 shot groups that are around 3/4" and one 3 shot group that was a hair less than 1/2". I'm just happy it is shooting the 180 partition load at around 2750 fps. Here's one of the most recent groups shot from yesterday:

This was shot with my 165 hornady sp load running right around 2800 fps. Not perfect, but getting there..... The stock you asked about is a compact edge mcmillan and I'm really liking it. Couldn't be more happy with the whole package. Got a custom dial coming for the new leupold 3.5-10x40 for the 180 parttion load. Anxious to play around with that.

You've got just about the perfect rifle there. I bet it shoots lights out too and I wouldn't be affraid to hunt the world over with that rifle. Very nice. Just something about those pre 64 model 70 fwt's.......

Didn't realize at first that was Dan's stock. Held it a few times in his FW before he got rid of it, is a nice stock. Don't think he even shot it.

Have you weighed it, as is?

yes you are correct. Dan is the man for sure. He gave me one heck of a deal on that stock. It weighs a little over 7.5 pounds all up right now. Not too bad I guess. The thing I like about it though is not the weight differnece but how it handles and feels now. It is like a totally different rifle. Points and shoots and feels more like my pre 64 model 70 fwt which is how I like it



Pretty much a bone stock pre 64 model 70 fwt 30-06 but I wouldn't change anything about it. It's 8 pounds all up and handles just like the Extreme Weather.

Not really custom yet, but I'm getting there. Just a Remmie ADL SS in a Mickey Remington Sporter.

I like that stock. Very cool...PST.. Where did you put those numchucks??? All kidding asside, what is the color specs of the Mcswirly? Thanks..

Purchased a Remington 700 BDL SS Mountain Rifle 30-06 in a Brown laminated stock and made some changes :

700 SS 22" 30-06 MR Barreled action
New Ti take-off stock
Trigger Guard and screws (ADL) purchased from Midway
Talley Low mounts
Leupold VX-III 3.5-10x40 matte
Rifle Basix trigger 1.5-3 lbs
Karl at Kampfeld did the bolt work (flutes)
Gre-Tan firing pin assembly
Weight is at 6 lbs 10 ozs as she sits.




This rifle is a joy to carry. I can't find my target in my photobucket.

Ken

40% blue/40% purple/20% black

I think I might have actually done some loading, so I had to clear off the T7. Or maybe I took the picture before I unpacked the 'chucks. Who knows?

My SS lefty M70-
McMillan Edge
Pac Nor barrel
Williams bottom metal
Leupy 6X36 with dots
Tally lwts

awesome rigs. getting excited about getting my own back!

Adam,
I will, perhaps foolishly, assume that you are asking a serious question.

I tape the muzzle when hunting/hiking/riding to protect the barrel from obstructions. Then wrap a couple extra around the barrel as 're-fills'.

Cheers,
David



Nice rig, Huntr! Does my heart good to see a few practical southpaw shooters on this thread.:)



Again, this rifle is simply a masterpiece.

Is that a NM black bear? Looks like he has a really nice lush hide on him.

What barrel contour you rocking with that pacnor, and length? Even for having the bolt on the wrong side, I really like how you had that rifle built. Don't you also have a 7x57 built in a similiar fashion?

I really like that rifle. One of these days I'll try one with the bolt handle on that side again. Maybe a short action though this time.

Just sent my action off today for some "smithing" and rebarreling!!! Let the waiting begin!

That bear was killed just outside of Durango, Co. with that rifle.

It is a Win. fwt contour, although the smith left a little too much shank on it. It is a 22 inch barrel. Yep, have a 7X57 very similar. Thanks for the compliments gents, it has been a good rifle for sure.

Thanks bsa, yea there great rifles. It shoots good, still working on loads when i have spare time. Sofar it shows promise with 150&168gr. TSX's, and 150gr speer grandslams with RL15 & H4350.

Most of the pre 64's I've shot have done very well. Both of my 30-06's shoot sub moa (although one is pillar/glass bedded and the other is just glass bedded), they shoot the same loads into tiny groups. I wouldn't trade them for anything!!!

Not really a true custom............

M70 Supergrade Classic in McM Edge, 7lb 15 oz as shown.

MM

Very nice...what kind of accuracy are you guys seeing?

Under an inch, 168 TSX, RL-22.

MM

MomtanaMan, does that Edge color pattern have a name? I like it a lot. I also have a M70 barreled action looking for a stock. It's a 30.06 too. The barrel is a #3 Douglas SS.

Don't know if it's custom or not: 1st gen rem Ti, 30-06, upgraded firing pin assmbly, trigger/trigger guard, bedded and floated ~5" in front of lug back, skull camo with duratouch/soft grip finish, talleys, VX3 2.5-8 = 6lbs 3ozs.




Picture doesn't do it justice - -

No name.........started out as solid black & I webbed it & did a clear satin polyurethane over the web so seal it up.

Edges only come in solid color as far as I know; it's the Compact Classic pattern.

MM

Gorgeous Rifle! Why did you decide to bed 5" in front of the lug?

Smith recommended it. So the action to about 5" in frond of the lug is solid and the barrel is float there after. The range sesion yielded 1moa - interesting the 1st and 3rd shots were touching bug eyes, but the second was a moa flier. I figured out afterwards that the front action screw was finger tight. I'll report back after I get a few more rounds down the barrel.

Hardly "custom"... another homemade cobble job on a Mark X...

Ingwe,
Nice rifle!

I have to agree. That Poohbah guy does have some nice sticks. Just don't let him know I said so.

Thank you gentlemen, heres a couple more of that rifle at work...

ingwe,
I wish some of my stocks looked as good as your homemade cobble jobs, and mine were made by "professionals" at the factory.

who made that stock on the gun in the picture with the dog? Gorgeous stock.

That was the factory stock that I rasped into shape...

Gentlemen, trust me, the rifle is photogenic...up close and in person it is a plain utility rifle with lots of use on it....

So, what you're saying is that you're a skilled photographer.

My photography skills are just like my marksmanship....pretty much limited to "point and shoot"....

Would like to post a pic of my pre64 Mdl 70 but have never been able to make an image appear no matter what I do. Have no problem posting on AR just can't make anything appear here.

Here's my custom 30-06. It started as a factory (New Haven) Featherweight. I sent it to Hill Country Rifles for their accurizing service, which converted it from a solid 1.5 MOA rifle into a .5 MOA rifle. I took it to Africa a couple times as my plains game rifle. So far it has taken two zebra (Burchell's and Hartmann's Mountain), a Grants, a East African Impala, an eland, a gemsbok, and a springbok. I decided it needed a little spiffing up, so sent it and a blank of New Zealand walnut to Gary Goudy who custom stocked it for me.

Good lord, is that a Bushnell Elite scope on that classic Tom ?

Sharp eyes. It is indeed an Elite 3200. I put it on the rifle in the beginning and following a lesson that my father taught me, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," it is still there and working just fine.

Tom

Wow! Nice rifle, Tom.

No doubt, that is fantastic.

This is my favorite thread here so far. I am gonna start saving for a project!

Here is one. Pre-64 Winchester Model 70 Featherweight 30-06

Good Gawd!!!

Didn't mean to offend you...

What I meant was, GOOD GAWD!! How's she shoot?

Better than she looks.

hard to shoot better than that looks!!!!!!!!!!! any more or better pics? best yet. jmo.

I will try again today, outside might provide better light.

That's a beauty whitebird. Wonder if the OP is making any headway with his custom or if he gave up on the idea???

Dam I love this thread. I've still not done anything with my old 700 30-06.

I also like this thread. I grew up using the good ol 30-06 (started with one when I was 12). Still is and always will be one of my favorites...I haven't shown this one very much because it is kind of ugly but totally functional for me. Notice it has a left hand thumbhole stock ...Winchester model 70 classic CRF action, sniper grey cerakote, lightweight talleys, bausch and lomb elite 4200 2.5-10x40 scope, custom left hand thumbhole stock:





Shoots like this all the time, even though it's been in 3 different stocks:



[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/006-10.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/010-5.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/013-5.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/016-3.jpg[/img]

Here's my custom Husqvarna 30/06.

- 1900 series action
- Hart 24" #4 contour 1-12
- McMillan Remington Mountain Rifle stock bedded by McMillan
- B&L 4000 2.5-10 scope
- Buehler ring and bases
- Birdsong Black-T finish
- trigger work done by Griffin & Howe

Here is mine. A Remington 700 LH in a SPS stock with some paint. Black Cerakote and a trigger tuning done by me.

It shoots well.



And my first attempt at custom...

Mauser GEW 98. I shaped the stock from a blank, and Kend finished the work. Black Duracoat, and a 26" Krieger #5 SS barrel with a parabolic target crown. It also shoots pretty good.

The blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice!

Here are a few I took outside...

What scope do you typically run on that?

VX-3 2.5-8 S&K mounts

Thanks ! That rifle is all business, no fluff. Those (8000/9000 series) Husky's have the smoothest actions I've ever felt. Topped off with Birdsong "Black-T" and it feels like the bolt is on ball bearings.

white that and the single shot by sdh are the cats meooooooy. how long is the br. by the way? thanks for the extra pics.!!!!!!!!!

Dang, I like that. I've got an 8000 Imperial in 30-06 I would like to stock in a lighter stock. Is that a stock McMillan carries? How much does the whole thing weigh?

McMillan will inlet a Sako Hunter or a Sako Classic for Husky's. Not sure what that whole rig weighs, but it's on the heavier side with the #4 contour barrel.

Howa 1500 in olive McEdge......Redfield 2-7 x ..... hardly a custom but light in weight and does the job required....

Gus

Thanks RDFinn. I'll be maintaining my stock barrel. I may even go with aluminum mounts and rings while I'm at it.
Not actually a custom......well the custom work cannot be seen.

Amen!

Not custom but fun!!