If you could only have a 30/06 rifle and needed it to function under the most harsh extreme and rough conditions, what 30/06 rifle would you choose? Iron sights preferred.

Most any stainless/synthetic rifle from a quality maker will be more durable than a hunter will. A stainless Tikka checks a lot of boxes. And good scopes are much tougher than might be imagined. It seems like open sights usually are an “add on” today”. I’m considering having them added to a Tikka. I think I worry too much. 🤔

Springfield 1903 In military dress

Winchester Model 70.

Maybe a Mauser or modem Mauser type action

Winchester model 70

Iron sights make it a bit difficult but a stainless classic M70 or a XCR Model 700, both restocked would be my choice. A stainless Ruger MK2 might have factory irons if you get lucky enough to find one with.

Pre 64 Win 70 Featherweight

Iron sights preferred , but would consider a durable scope and mounts

My Kimber Subalpine.

The old Ruger paddle stocks are pretty bomb-proof and can be found with sights but you pay a premium.

Model 70 Winchester in SS……produced in New Haven! memtb

Boat paddle Ruger w sights.

My New Haven made Win 70 Stainless Classic in 30/06 is pretty darn near perfect!

FN Mauser with simple open trigger. Laminated or good synthetic stock. Nitrided for weather resistance.

One of the Sears rifles is a strong choice with its chromed bore.

NECG makes a very serviceable aperture sight for the Ruger. It attaches to the rear integral scope base. I put one on a MK II all weather in 260. The only caveat is the aperture is a long distance above bore line. It requires a fairly tall front sight. I used a square blade on front, as on most military rifles. This caused a problem as the front blade drug severely on the interior of the saddle scabbard I was using.

This is the sight I chose.


This ghost ring is also available.


Yes, a Ruger SS synthetic in 30-06 with an aperture sight would serve for most hunting duties out to 400 yds.

Of course, nothing says bullet proof like an original 1903A3 (images from Gunbroker)

Yep,,,Cerecoat it and wipe ot down your good to go! You can omit the cerecoat too,,,,,,,,

The 30-06 is a great round. People don't talk about it because they are trying to boost some new cartridge.


Just my 2 cents.

This Sedgley Sporter was owned by William Boyden for whom the Boyden hills are named after. He guided with this rifle for over fifty years. This is on the north side of the Wrangells. He took it through some of the worst glacial country on the planet. There are several stories of him getting stuck in some extremely nasty mountain storms in the middle of winter in which his horses died. The rifle has a Lyman 48 site and a compass in the buttstock like a lot of the guns from the area do. The bore is decent and the rifle was very much kept up. It shoots 220 grain federal blue box better than it should.

No idea how many sheep, moose, bears, caribou and even goats this rifle has taken but it is a lot. I had two collectors confirm its owner and it was verified by Kirk Ellis who remembers the rifle as a kid. The fact that the gun never let the captain down and the captain was a guide, freighter and market hunter from the 1920s to the 1960s when he sold the lodge to Billy Ellis.

Sure you might have a tikka or a Kimber or even a winchester model 70 EW but I have dated the rifles manufacture to 1935 and it was in rough Alaskan country until the 1990s. I traded into it in 2012. I have many 06 rifles including fieldcrafts, coopers, mannlichers, Prewar Model 70s, mausers, huskies, remingtons, 1895 winchesters, and other various. I would argue that this rifle, although Sedgleys were seen to be possibly tempermental, has seen a lot of country and has had many a night under the stars in the mountains.

You could go three years later and go with this 1938 Prewar model 70 in 30 Govt. It shot pretty well with blue box 180 grain bullets.

Another option that was designed to be the lever equal to a 30/06 is the winchester 71 in 348 Winchester. This 1950 version was owned by Harley King who also used it guiding. Harley was known for guiding Fred Bear on multiple hunters. This carbine was in the Fred Bear film in Kodiak Country when Fred was working on skinning the bear that he shot near the rock, Harley had this rifle at ready. Its pretty hard to find a Model 71 in a carbine and while this rifle has been case-hardened it would do well in tough conditions if you greased it up right. Harley was unfortunately killed in the McCarthy Massacre and used his body to shield a young woman from Louis Hastings who was attempting to murder everybody in the town.

M98

I might just be tempted to run this guy which is a Steyr MS 1950 Stutzen in 30/06 with Leupold scope. Sure you would have to watch for swelling and moisture with the stock, but with 5 06 shells in the radial magazine that can be ran like poop through a goose and its ease in the woods, it is not out of the question.

This is a Husqvarna VPA 640 from the 1950s in 30/06 with a Weaver K4. It weighs like 10lbs but it is accurate and kicks like a 243 Win. I bought it for 450.00 and my father fell in love with it and hunted it for 10 years until his death.

I have shot goats and a dall sheep with both of these rifles. One is a 2008 BACO Deluxe featherweight in 30/06 with Leupold 4X with lyman dot reticle and the other is a Cooper model 52 in 30/06 that I lost a huge goat on the glacier after I shot him perfectly through the shoulder. It has a Leupold 3X9 scope. I have taken both on some seriously crazy rough trips. They will get to go again soon.

Early Winchester 70

Go anywhere, do anything in all weather? Ruger.

Anything currently made within the past 20 years make the cut?

Yeah, a Ruger Hawkeye, preferably in SS. Zastava is still cranking out their solid 98s. New Model 70s are also out there, but for really hard use I’d have the bolt handle “fixed”.

FWIW, Brian Pearce has said, more than once that Howas have been solid, trouble-free rifles, but they do have an enclosed trigger.

There’s a guy here that loves his RAR for rough use, but They do have DMs that you might lose.

Tikka Arctic. 308 win though…
Sako 85 Black bear, not stainless
Ruger Scout. 308
Tikka battue

I'm rolling with a rem 700 sps stainless. Backcountry one piece mounts and a leupold vx5 hd 2.5x10 with illumination. The stocks on those rifle are just above dog s@#$, but I can get it going under an inch with something in the 165 weight range. Just a do it all rain, snow, shine, bullet launcher.

My vote as well.

Certain my original pattern 98 9.3x62 would function the longest in mud, dirt and ice. My 30-06 pre64 fwt in an edge stock like beretzs has would do fine I'm sure. It wears a 2.5x8 in addition to the barrel sights.

That would be the off the shelf choice I'd make.

CZ 550 ARAMID CARBINE.......

My savage 116. I upgraded the scope

M1 Garand

My to go to 30-06 rifles are a 1949 Pre 64 Winchester model 70 Standard weight . It had a 4x Weaver mount in low Weaver QD mounts and also it has good iron sights on it.

If I feel like carrying two full pounds less of rifle, my all weather lightweight choice is my Kimber Montana . Both guns will put three quick shots from a cold barrel into .75 MOA or less with bullets they like .

I worked up several accurate loads for each gun with little effort. I have barely scratched the surface of what they are capable of.

Forgot about that one. Good choice, many of the 98 features.

That’s a really cool
Rifle. Never knew of this.

Killed lots of big game with my Sporterized BSA P1917 .30-06

It is a Heirloom and my favorite rifle of all time. It will easily kill any critter on our Continent.

What's the deal with those abortions they call sights??

Yeah, I think it would have to be that, since the op stipulated "iron sights"....:




However, my true go to 30-06:



It doesn't have to have iron sights to be dependable, nor does it need a real expensive scope on top. As soon as guys realize that, they are golden..

My "grab and go anywhere" 30-06 is a T3X. No irons.

If I was right-handed it might be the Husqvarna I talked my dad out of for my son. Don't remember the model but it is light and sleek with a Schnable for end. Has irons.

Commercial FN Mauser in a McMillan classic stock. 24" barrel. Only change deeded would be to add a set of iron sights. I've never gotten it to shoot 180 gr. bullet but it will be useable with 220 gr. round nose up to at least 100 yards. Barrel has a slower twist that standard. It was thought to be 1 in 12" but I think it might be slower. Accuracy with 165 gr. bullets is phenomenal. Groups run.50 to .75" with 165 gr. Accubonds.

Close runner up is a Husqvarna M640, 24" barrel which just needs the McMillan stock. It already has iron sights. I just need to put the barreled action in a stock to see how it shoots.
PJ

Mauser 98 action, commercial or military....




Same rifle....

Saved me posting the same rifle, down to the sling One of the best $400 purchases I've ever made. I believe it may be featured on the cover of an old Brownells catalog.

Kimber Hunter with a Williams front sight and a detachable Lyman receiver sight to go with Warne bases and QD rings.

My Higgins model 50, Timney trigger, B&C stock

My Higgins model 50, Timney trigger, B&C stock,--- oops doubled

I would go with a Mauser style rifle of some sort. CZ 550, Zastava, Husqvarna and etc. I already have a few in 8mm, that i use with the same purpose some do the 30-06- all around working rifle.

Ruger and Winchester would also be a good choice.

Whatever ya want, just change the stock to a Hogue Rubber Stock, and then Wax the barrel and action with car wax...

then go out and rock & roll.

Mine's a Ruger M77 Hawkeye all weather. You can add iron sights if you think you need them.

Boring and ugly Steyr PH w Leupold 3.5-10x

I'd use my Model 70 Classic Stainless in a Rimrock/Borden stock with a 3-9x40 Trijicon Accupoint.

Winchester model 70 with a claw S.S. made in New Haven , sure glad i have one !

Another tikka T3/x SS .
If iron sights are a must, the tikka arctic only comes in 308 or 6.5. Not sure why.
But they are specifically built for rough terrain. Didn’t Canada choose the rifle for their rangers?

Mine is a tang safety Ruger 77, duracoated flat black, B&C synthetic stock, Leupold M8 6x scope.

Yes, I know, it doesn't have iron sights, but that fixed 6x hasn't failed me in 40 years!

03, 1917, 98 Mauser.

Don't own any of those.

Have never had any rifle fail me, never a scope at a critical time.

Ruger Guide Gun is the only stainless rifle with iron sights that I can think of being produced currently.

YOU GUYS GOT SOME NICE LOOKING RIFLES ! THANKS FOR POSTING,Pete53

A Brno ZG-47 probably would work 😁

A lot of guys chose the Winchester 70 pre 64…. Is that a CRF action? Mauser like?

Yes Sir it is...... and then some.......

Mine is a stainless Tikka T3x .30-06 with a Burris scope, no iron sights.

My old Stainless M70 30-06 with sights (barrel shortened to 21"). But the truth is, I'd rather it were a 308 Win (I have the 06's replacement in the works chambered in 308).

You guys have some really nice ones.

I'm gonna use this one for up coming WT season.

Boyd Classic laminated birch stock, cheek piece removed, butt stock hollowed out to reduce weight to 26 oz.

Glassed and free floated. Jard trigger, Conquest 2.5-8x32.

Custom Pro Oil finish.

I like 125 NAB's over 59 gr. BG, know what they can do on deer and hogs at 3,100 fps.

But this year, may try a 151 gr Absolute Hammer also at around 3,100 fps. Yeah, they can shoot that fast. Google them.

DF

I have 3 that are my most used 30-06s and have been for a long time.

First is my M1 Garand and 2nd is my Browning 1895 lever action. I also have a Mauser M98 made into a scout carbine (with 2.5X scout scope) which may be the most "practical" but my Browning 95 leads the pack in the number of game animals killed. Any one of the 3 would do me fine, but between the M1 and the 95 it would be a hard choice for me to make.

M700 AWR

Manlicher Shoenauer M52 in 30-06, single trigger and smoooooth action.
Cool rotary magazine. Vintage Burris 4x with a post reticle.

Hadn't thought about the M1! My old DCM rifle could fit the bill as well with very usable iron sights.

i have a sporter early war Arisaka Type 99 in '06 with a Redfield aperture sight. it shoots pretty good with various handloads. i haven't bloodied it, it's way far down on my list.

i have my dad's (RIP) Remington m760 with a 1.5-4.5x Weaver scope on a Kwik Site See Thru Mounts. he used a 180gr Remington RN factory load. boy the deer he killed with that. he only used open sights, he never sighted the scope in. he used the scope when he counted the points on the buck.

I took my FN Supreme 30-06 to Namibia five or so years ago. I had owned it for years scoped it, loaded for it, sighted it in then put it in the safe. I had never hunted with a 30-06 so off it went. Heavier than any non-dangerous game rifle I had hunted with but quality steel, wood, Leupold and the 30-06 seemed right. A couple of the critters.

Don’t own one. Don’t want one.

I prefer the .277-06 or the .284-06.

Early 700 Mountain rifle in 06. Timney trigger , leupold 3-9 and a Greyboe stock I picked up here. Also have a 7600 , 760, 700 ADL and BDL in 06 as well as a couple Remington autos

Prob a 700 or clone.

760 Pump ?

03 or 03a3 use the best fug the rest.
Mb

My go to 30-06 sporter is a Sako L61R in a McMillian stock: good iron sights, Sako Rings, an older Swarovski A Series 3-9x36mm. It's a been deadly reliable for many years.

In a pinch I could put one of my M1 Garands into service for hunting again,


StarchedCover

I vote for a Browning Stainless Stalker. The 60° bolt throw is great and the small size is too. I know you said iron sights, but those woul have to be added to it. No problem if that’s what you want. The scope and mounting is important as the rifle for reliability. I saw one guy here that had the Savage with a one piece DNZ mount and I would go with something like that for a mount.

It doesn't have iron sights, but have taken more big game with my Ultra Light Arms Model 24 than any other rifle since acquiring it in 1997, in places from the Arctic to Africa. It has had around 15 scopes on it, but some of those were only mounted for magazine reviews--and a couple failed. The scopes that have gone hunting have never failed, apparently because they were thoroughly tested beforehand. Dunno how an iron-sighted rifle, especially one with a wood stock, would have been more reliable.

I'm in this boat. I'd skip out on the iron sights and run a smaller magnification scope. That 2-10 hd is basically iron sights on 2 power. The field of view is enormous.

I'll go you one better: Springfield M1903 NRA Sporter. .30-06 naturally. A short lived special order sporting rifle built by the Armory for sale to civilian NRA members. Filled a niche in the 1920's-early 30's before Winchester/Remington/Savage got rolling with their 54's/30's/Sporters. Discontinued when the Big Three b*tched about unfair competition from the government.

I frequently hunt with mine. Well balanced, scary accurate, and a joy to carry all day since it's not encumbered with a scope. I acquired this one from the grandson of the original purchaser who bought it new in 1929 when he lived in Anchorage, and used on his many hunting trips to Kodiak Island in the 30's-40's where it accounted for some brown bears. Good ju-ju in this one.

At this point I only have iron sights on one hunting rifle, and that's a .375 H&H. But I always take a backup rifle or at least a backup scope.

Tell me about the Sako L61R. I know nothing on this rifle.

I gifted this 03 to my good bud. It was in my safe with receiver sight, not being used. He had mention how he'd love to have a Springfield, didn't know I had this one.

I sent it to David Christman in Delhi, LA to drill and tap, fit safety and replace original bolt handle. David did a great job, as always.

Bud loves it, named it Dusty after the singer Dusty Springfield. Guess that sorta dates him....

I've loaded 125 gr. NAB's and 130 gr. Horn over 59 gr. BG which pushes those bullets at around 3,100 fps. He's been amazed how deadly those loads are. He's killed a bunch of stuff, mostly one shot and DRT. But, he can shoot.

The bore is pristine and it shoots every bit as good as a near new M-700 '06 that he traded for. It has a Timney trigger, is glassed and free floated in a vintage Fajen stock.

I replaced this scope with his Leupold 3-9x40.

DF

You know, at the end of the day that rifle screams "America". A no-frills home built sporter in the spirit of "do-it-yourself", based on arguably one of the best U.S. built bolt actions, commercial or military, from the first half of the 20th century.

Cool rifle DF.. Awesome gift for a buddy!

This one has become my go-to for the time being.

Sadly, until fairly recently, I never owned a 30-06! I’ve hand loaded 30-06’s for friends and relatives….but, until I made the aforementioned purchase, never loaded for myself!

That said, it’s a blue, Ruger American that was practically given to me, #250.00 out the door at a Billings, Mt. Walmart!

It will probably never be used by us, but much like a verse in the Bobby Bare song “The Winner” “ But, I got’er boy…..that makes me the winner”! 😁 memtb

DrDeath,

The Sako L61R "Finnbear" was manufactured approximately from 1962 until 1973; it was produced in many of the "standard length" cartridges of the time.

My 30-06 was manufactured in the early 1970's and imported by "Garcia Sporting Arms, Washington, DC".

I have the "vintage" Sako rings on it, the sights are on the barrel.

To protect the European Walnut stock (almost a blonde color) I purchased a McMillian stock for it here on the 24HrCF.

It is a little heavy by modern standards, but it is joy to shoot.

StarchedCover

Is it a crf action?

No, it's a push feed action.

Every 30-06 I have has a wood stock

Every time I hear about iron sights for reliability I’m reminded of one of my good friends in Alaska. When he was a younger he was adamant that he wasn’t going to have one of those unreliable scopes because sure as the world it would be fogged or lose zero at just the wrong moment. Irons had to be much more reliable and wouldn’t let a guy down. Until he put the sneak on a nice bear and missed it widely only to find that his rear sight had lost a windage screw and drifted all the way to one side, lost its zero just like he was afraid a scope would of.
In the 10 years I worked in a busy gunsmith shop I would guess I saw 5X as many rifles come in with broken front sights as I did rifles with broken scopes.

Thanks.

He’s really proud of it.

I wasn’t using it, didn’t have that much in it.

DF

Those are nice.

I put a peep on mine. IMO, comb is a bit low for scope.

They are slick and generally pretty accurate.

Mine has a Timney. It's light and quick, about like shooting a bird gun.

DF

If it has to have irons, it’ll be the Pre-64 fwt.




Or this 700 with a fresh barrel and new McMillan.

For a lefty like myself it's easy. Ruger Hawkeye or winchester 70. I've had pushfeeds, pumps, and leverguns take the worst dumps in bad weather where autos and especially my Ruger kept going even when dirty. Even break action single shots have seized up with water ingressing along the side of action and then freezing. Thankfully had the Ruger scout along to fish the tasks.

And a big no to the sweetheart of the north Tikka T3 series in real cold. That has been a huge turd for me.

I'm probably the person with the worst fortune ever. Extractors have broken on new rifles on me, I've had combo guns snap fire pins in cold and Marlins puke. I've dusted an old winchester 94 so bad riding around on trails with my dual sport it wouldn't function but the Hawkeye while gritty still functioned just fine.

Cz 550, bedded with A luepold 1x4 hog scope.

I have a SS Winchester 70 Classic 30-06 with some modifications that I consider the perfect all-around rifle. Someone had worked on the trigger before I bought it and it is a crisp 3 lb pull. It is in a McMillan Edge stock and I replaced the 2 piece steel bottom metal with aluminum from PTG. It has a 3-9X40 Zeiss Conquest in Talley lightweights on it. It shoots MOA or better for 3 shots and weighs under 7 1/2 lbs scoped.

I've been hunting for over 50 years and have had more iron sights fail than scopes. And the only scopes I've seen fail were cheap budget scopes. I've never seen a quality scope fail. I stopped worrying about back up irons years ago.

Both of my .30-06 rifles are Winchester M70's. one a pre-64, the second a 1968 vintage in a Mannlicher stock - factory, from Winchester. The 1968 is a shorter rifle, easy to carry, and surprisingly (to me) accurate.

Mike Holmes

My great grand uncle's 3-digit Winchester 70 with both a Lyman peep and an Alaskan 2.5 post-&-crosshair scope in a take-off G&H sidemount.
I've killed my biggest elk with it in the Montana mountains, and carried it for Brooks Range caribou in the harshest weather I've ever seen. Doesn't matter the weather, just wipe it with a light oiled cloth every night and stow it by the fire. It has been killing game since '37.

I already have one.a Winchester 70 classic stainless. However I believe Id go with either a husqvarna FN 98 or a military Mauser again made by FN in 3006, for several of the smaller European countries after ww ll . My old friends are nearly all deceased being 25 years older than me,but one who was there and a gunsmith, I asked this exact question to his response was if it had to be a 3006 take a Mauser as the Springfield had a habit of breaking firing pins. If it didn't have to be a 3006, take a lee enfield , a better battle rifle and more robust in rough hunting country. In spite of his comments I like my winchester pretty well.

Kimber Montana, just about the perfect carry anywhere do anything rifle(once you figure out how to shoot the lightweight little mule kicker)

MM

These days, I think a reasonable alternative backup for someone going off into the wild would be a lightweight reflex red dot like a Fastfire. They weigh next to nothing and can be kept stashed away safely until needed. Remove the defective scope, mount the pre-zeroed reflex, and soldier on. As you said, irons are vulnerable to field damage, and some of the new ones, especially fiber optic ones, are pretty fragile.

My backup sights these days are on one of the other rifles waiting for me at home, about 20 minutes away, if I feel like making the round trip. Most days, I’d just come back the next day……

I set up a couple of 10/22's with a rail that had a peep and replaced the front sight with a slightly taller fiber optic. Worked well and I enjoyed shooting them off hand in that config. Kept a scope mounted on one and the other without. Within a year, both of the front sights were broken just from range use and in/out of safe, neither were hunted. Kept the 6x SWFA on one and put a SWFA 1-4 on the one that didn't have a scope...it's a better mouse trap.

I have a 35 Rem 336 with a more substantial XS white stripe front site that's held up well. It's much more solid than the thin fiber optic sights I've used.

Mine is a stainless M700 SPS bedded into a Brown Precision topped with a VX3 3.5-10.

I'll take a spare scope in weavers instead of back-up sights.

I have a good old classic FN Browning Safari 30-06 born in 1963 that i should take out shooting. It will fit the bill.

I have a SS Ruger Hawkeye All-Weather that is about a rugged as they come. I’d also prefer a backup scope over Irons. If I couldn’t have that, then my Tikka T3 Lite SS would probably suffice.

Browning High Power Safari

Nah, get the standard weight. The featherweights had accuracy problems inherent with the design.

I have my three digit circa 1936 Mdl 70 '06 and love the gun, except for the weight, and the later pre-64 FWs were notoriously inaccurate.

My go-to 30-06 is a commercial FN 98 actioned with a LW barrel and a Pound'r stock. I wish it had irons, but I have a second scope sighted in for it in Weaver mounts, very repeatable and light weight. It has a 3-position safety and Timney trigger.

I've been hunting for 46 years, more of it with iron sighted rifles than 99% of the hunters alive today and never broke one. I don't know WTF some guys do with their rifles but I'm not a walk 100 yards and plop my ass in a stand type hunter and have followed coon hounds and tracked deer up and down mountains, through swamps etc. for hundreds if not thousands of miles with iron sighted rifles. One thing irons have going for them vs a scope is that you can tell by looking at them if they're broken or bent.

Some people could f.uc.k up an anvil in a sandbox.

Something worth considering about backup iron sights....not all of the current production stocks lend themselves well to using barrel mounted sights. A person's build and facial structure play into it, but most current production stocks are designed for use with a scope. A taller base mounted ghost ring/peep and taller front sight may work, but low, barrel mounted sights may run into problems with current stocks.

Why would you put a mod 70 or mauser in a synthetic stock??

The usual reasons.

I have a Remington 700 SS that I bought new in 1993. It’s been a great rifle that I have killed a pile of deer with, including my first mule deer high up on a mountain ahead of a snow storm in Wyoming. Good memories.

Agreed. I've probably always been 50/50 scope and irons and I never remember irons failing me. I have had some scopes puke on me

After many years of shooting this magnum, that magnum, Remington’s of many styles, I’ve settled on a very plain Jane Model 70 SS Classic, 5 digit serial number. It just works. I have nicer guns, but it’s the one I always grab for hunting season. It and Barnes 150 gr TTX have made my life very simple.

I’m sure there are better options, but my husqvarna is pretty bombproof and manages to look decent too.

Ruger M77 stainless boat paddle would be my choice.

Winny M70 Extreme Weather is another contender.

Kimber M84L in Montana flavor is also up there if you put in the time to master a lighter rifle.

A synthetic stock has it's attributes no matter what action sits in it even though the two you mention would certainly be classic rifles in nice wood.

My 30-06 "go to" rifles (the only 30+06 rifles I own) are:

Win 70 BACO South Carolina Extreme Weather, Leupold M8 3x.

JC Higgins m50, with Bell & Carlson Medalist stock (green/black), Timney trigger, factory iron sights, Buehler safety, Leupold M8 4x.

Scored a like new adl made in 1986 the other day. Black gun with the "better" synthetic stock. I'm thing a fixed 6 power and some krylon. Could end up being a go to.

Ruger KM77 MKII RS, the stainless/zytel boat paddle with open sights. I had one, foolishly sold it, but still have its cousin in .308 and will not repeat the mistake.

I sent my M70 06 to Long Rifles Inc for their action rebuild service. The pics they sent me looks really good. I am expecting it back any day now. Happy to post a report up with pics if someone will post pics for me. I will get their complete work notes so I can post exactly what they did for the sake of discussion. What they did was previously the domain of the top M70 smiths at a giveaway fraction of the price. For the moment I plan to keep the original bolt handle and 2 piece bottom metal but will have the bolt release tab built up.

My Winchester model 54 Carbine in 30 Govt.

Pre-64 M70 Fwt in a good synthetic stock with a low comb to accommodate the iron/peep sights.