Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters AI a Super Grade

Pondering aqcuiring a new production 30-06 M70 Super Grade and sending it off for conversion to 30-06 AI... is the 40 degree shoulder angle the only game in town? Is there a "SAAMI" 30-06 AI? Intent of course it to have fun with the AI, while being able to rely on 30-06 factory ammo in a pinch

I enjoy playing with my Ackley's. I once owned a 30-06 JDJ which was an Improved Ackley Improved. Was basically a rendition of the 30 Gibbs. Loading for it was straightforward & it retained all of the same facets of the 30-06. I liked it.

I also owned the 270 JDJ, 280 JDJ & 35-06 JDJ. All were the same case concept as the Gibbs.

If you plan on keeping the rifle forever, go ahead and AI it. If you plan on selling it ever, leave it as is.

Through the years there have been a number of "improved" chamberings but 40* Ackleys are the most common. RCBS made either a 28 or 30*, there are the Gibbs 35* with the shoulder blown forward, ICL was another improved series of cartridges, & the list goes on. The only Ackley that's been SAAMIed is the 280.

I have a really ugly old 26" Douglas barreled 30-06 Ackley Ruger 77 that works very well & gets velocity knocking on factory loaded 300 Mag speeds. Who has a hotrod to putter around town? I do push it hard, but brass life is good. Unsure if I would rechamber a brand new rifle, but it's not my decision or my $$. Lots of cheap used '06s around. Be aware that the barrel needs to be set back a turn for a proper Ackley chamber that will shoot factory ammo without creating case separation problems.

I am mixed on the 30-06 AI but have never owned one. I really like the 280 AI so not sure why the disconnect for the 30-06 AI. Only difference is the lower pressure of the 280 leaves more room for improvement. If you run a 30-06 AI at 65,000 psi it will get close to factory magnums, but then you can run up the pressure on them in some cases too like the H&H.

Get it and shoot it to see if it has a good barrel, try some of the +P loads and then decide. Resale value is not really a factor but it will be like losing 10-20% on a new car just by diving it out of the dealers lot. On rifles that have collectors value I pull the original barrel and get a custom with the same contour so the rifle could be restored to original if wanted. This also usually insures a quality barrel. But if I was going to do all that I would just go 300 Winchester or Norma Mag. I would also consider the Gibbs just for nostalgia and a little HP, but what I would really like is a 300 Newton.

The RCBS and other versions with a 30% shoulder are good and may fee a little more smoothly and handle pressure a little more consistently (probably only noticeable in a Lab), but with some die makers the RCBS is a tier or two more expensive than the AI or custom only basis. I have a seater made when the barrel is bored so the same reamer is used. Sizer takes a different reamer but for the cost of some of the custom dies the reamer price is not that bad.

I have always been told that the .280 AI was the best of the lot, others not so much. AI rifles have a limited appeal and my be hard to sell, keep that in mind if you're unsure about keeping the rifle longterm.

If you want any meaningful velocity increase in the 30-06 you have to go to a 30 Gibbs.

The Super Grade is kinda a Classic rifle so if you AI it you risk seriously damaging resale value. But if you have considered all this and still want that cool AI factor go for it!

Another thing to consider is that the 30-06 in original form feeds slicker than snot which is way more important in a hunting sense than an extra 50fps at best!

I sincerely doubt there's any meaningful velocity increase in the .30 Gibbs--if it's loaded to the same pressure.

There's no reason these days to convert a .30-06 of any kind to an "improved" version. Buy a .300 WSM if you want more zip.

Agreed

Friend just did it with a 280 Rem SG

I vote to buy the Super Grade...and leave it alone. But it isn’t my rifle and you gotta do what floats your boat. I don’t really see needing anything more the regular .30-06 gives.

X2 on just buying a 300mag of some flavour. There's lots of WSMs out there these days cheap.

You didn't mention what you intend to do with the rifle, I have safely and repeatedly ran 200gr Accubonds and Partitions to 2700+ fps with RL-17 and RL-22, also developed a load with 200gr Partitions and H-4831 S.C. at a brass friendly 2800 fps, not a typo, a Nosler Ballistician back in the day with access to pressure testing equipment stated you cant get enough H-4831 in a 30-06 case to run into pressure problems, Well, He was right, 200gr Noslers at 2700-2800 fps give a whole lot of big game killing power, near, or 500 yards.

I would bed that new Super Grade, tune/buy a good trigger and develop a good accurate load with 200gr Noslers in Lapua or RWS brass cases.

Agree - I had a Model 70 in 300 WSM for about ten years. Accurate. Easy to handload. Plenty of zip. The Super Grade is avail in 300 WSM too.

Sold it and went back to relying on my 30-06 for much of my hunting, but the Model 70 300 WSM was a very good rifle & cartridge combo.

Regards, Guy

Where's the "Rifle Looney" in you MD? Pretty boring but very right!

In your younger days didn't you come up with the 9.3BS?

Regards,
JohnT