30.06 AI for a 18 to 20 inch barrel

[Kooziehiker]

I have a R700 with 24 inch barrel, that doesn't balance well with a suppressor. Going to have the barrel cut, to between 18 and 20 inches and rethreaded. Since the barrel will be off, and at the gunsmith, considering having it rechambered for 30.06 AI, with the hope of making up some of the loss in FPS from the shorter barrel. Gun otherwise sits and hasn't see use in over 10 years. I don't see much 30.06 AI but I know of lot of folks did that in years past. I see no downsides, as I have lots of 30.06 brass/30 cal bullets/powder. It is a hunting rifle, and nothing more. It feels like the simple, cost effective solution with little downside. If it doesn't work out, then I could go for a total rechamber/barrel or sell and start over.

 

[Tanner]

Seems like a lot of work for a factory barrel that may or may not be a shooter… I’d probably opt for a new barrel in exactly what you want… something 6.5 or 7mm would be more appealing to me in a light hunting rifle, to pair high BC bullets in a lighter recoiling setup.

That being said, if you’re dead set on a cut and rechamber, I’d go 18” and shoot 155 Lapua Scenars. The 30/06 AI does look pretty cool to me.

Nosler lists a few loads approaching 3300fps with 150/155s in a 24” barrel, subtract 125fps or so for lopping off 6” of barrel and you’ve got a pretty sweet little hunting load. I shot 155 Scenars at 3150 out of a 300 WSM for a good while and they were an absolute lightning bolt on everything from coyotes to grizzly bears.

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