Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 30-06 inherent accuracy

I ordered my .30-06 ULA before I ever saw Tom's rifle, with a black stock and 24" #2 Douglas barrel. But Melvin was really busy at the time, and a year or so later called and asked if I'd "accept" an already-made rifle

He'd built two .30-06s to "my" specs for a gun store in Germany. They'd sold one, but the other kept hanging around, and they wondered if he'd take it back. He called me and asked if I'd take it, and I said sure--which is why I own one of the few ULAs in existence with German proof-marks stamped on the barrel, including the tiny red stag.

There's more to the story, but the very first 3-shot group I fired with the rifle--using a handload worked up for another .30-06--measured slightly over 1/2", and its grouped similarly with a number of different handloads ever since.

Edited to add: Tom's .30-06 had a 22" #1 contour barrel, and the early standard ULA "stripe" paint-job.