Is 58 old? Actually, please don’t answer that….:). I’ve had a number of these. When I picked up a chronograph 30 years ago and saw how underloaded the 30-06 was, I started hand loading. I soon got bit by magnumitis bug and traded “up” to a 300win, I then traded that when I found a matching pair of weatherbys in 300 and 340. I was living in the Rockies in those days hunting in multiple western states every year and I thought those rifles were perfect for the 300+ yard shots I was averaging on deer, elk antelope and moose. I then rationalized the “need” for an even flatter shooting 7mmSTW. Fast forward to 2008 and I moved to NY. I was still hunting in the west every year, but the longest shot I could take on our upstate farm was 363 yds. About the same time, I started noticing the recoil out of my western rifles actually was becoming an issue. While I could still shoot these things to their sub 1” potential, it was no longer fun. So what did I do? I returned to my 06 roots. Deer are just as dead, and I discovered how nice it was to always see the bullet impact. My shots do require paying more attention to precise range and the ever present mountain wind (shots are routinely 310-340 yds). Like all rifle loonies, I’m constantly thinking about my next project. After remembering I have an unused perfectly capable set and forget scope, I’ve nearly rationalized another acquisition, again in 06. It seems I have a “need” to have an 06 that is dedicated to see what 200g partitions will do. I guess you can say the 06 bug has bit pretty hard….again.
