30-06 barrel cutdown results

[PLhunter]

Wanted to share my results from cutting my 30-06 barrel down.

The gun is a browning abolt 2 LH stainless stalker bought by my parents for my 14th Christmas. My mom worked at Browning firearms at the time. The gun has always shot well but had been mostly retired since my 20’s. I now shoot suppressed so I decided to chop the barrel down from 22 to 19 inches to make it handier and bring life back to an old gun.

I had a hand load of Barnes 168’s shooting at 2840 fps. Cutting the barrel speeds dropped to 2760 fps. So an 80 fps drop. I have been developing some loads for it since and with 6.5 Staball I’m getting 3000 fps with 150 badlands (if anyone has some I’ll do some terribly shady shit to have them) for the Barnes 168’s I’m getting 2840 with Staball but best sd and es at 2800 fps.

So overall the old 06 is still packing plenty in the shorter handier package and I don’t regret it at all. With the suppressor it shoots as good or better than it ever did. It’s capable of some solid groups.

 

[Loper]

Good to hear. I had a LH 30-06 stainless stalker A-Bolt at one time. Kind of wish I didn’t sell it.

 

[theavgjoe]

That’s an idea I’m toying with with one of my rifles. Do u feel your speed of follow up shots has improved as well?

 

[PLhunter]

That’s an idea I’m toying with with one of my rifles. Do u feel your speed of follow up shots has improved as well?

Haven’t really tested it in that respect. The suppressor helps a lot with recoil impulse though. Shooting the 150’s and my creedmoor with 147’s side by side the ole 06 doesn’t have that much more pop. It feels great to carry and looks a hell of a lot cooler that’s for sure.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I cut my 30-06 back to 18”, I’m getting 2680 with 180g accubonds. Similar with partitions.

I’ve thought about loading some Barnes 150s or something but I don’t think there’s any reason to since the accuracy is so good with accubonds and partitions.

I am thinking about trying the 168g eldm though in the near future.

 

[PLhunter]

I cut my 30-06 back to 18”, I’m getting 2680 with 180g accubonds. Similar with partitions.

I’ve thought about loading some Barnes 150s or something but I don’t think there’s any reason to since the accuracy is so good with accubonds and partitions.

I am thinking about trying the 168g eldm though in the near future.

Not absurdly good but that’s a 1.5 grain gap ladder test with the 168 Barnes. Mine always shot 180’s best when I was shooting cup and core.

 

[BigK421]

Very cool, I've always been a 30 caliber kind of guy. My first "high powered" rifle was a cheap Remington 30-06. I don't know a lot about suppressors, what is the overall barrel length with the suppressor now? I assume a big reduction in recoil. I've been thinking about building some type of suppressed 30 cal for awhile. It's old school cool.

 

[Burnt Reynolds]

I just picked up my '06 from the smith about an hour ago. Cut to 18". Super excited to see how it goes. Will be dedicated suppressed with a Gemtech Tracker.

 

[Hectocotylus]

I just picked up my '06 from the smith about an hour ago. Cut to 18". Super excited to see how it goes. Will be dedicated suppressed with a Gemtech Tracker.

Let us know about results, this is what I’m thinking of doing also.


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[thinhorn_AK]

Here is mine.

 

[theavgjoe]

Here is mine.

That is a nice rifle, what is your overall length?

 

[thinhorn_AK]

That is a nice rifle, what is your overall length?

I don't know, I never measured it. Whatever a normal 30-06 tikka is minus ~4" for the barrel, then ad ~6 or 7" depending on which silencer I use. I think that limbsaver is probably about the same thickness as the factory pad.

 

[theavgjoe]

That’s not bad, u r probably over a couple inches from factory, that is great and it’s a bit lighter as well, happy shooting.


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[turbobrick]

I also cut down my OG 30-06 for suppressed use, and also found pretty minimal loss of velocity. But, I also dropped down a weight class and went mono with projectile. Now I'm shooting a 138hht a little faster than the 160s I was shooting before.

 

[PLhunter]

My 19 inch 30-06 about with a 7 inch suppressor.

 

[Hectocotylus]

Here is mine.

What was your velocity loss?


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[thinhorn_AK]

What was your velocity loss?


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less than 100 fps for 4.2" of barrel loss.

 

[coiloil37]

If your interested in experimenting, load some 168’s with imr 4064 and you’ll see better velocity. I get 3k in multiple rifles with 24” barrels and 2850 from the same load in a 18” barrel.

 

[Hectocotylus]

I have a bunch of 180 grain SST that I need to shoot before I buy new bullets. But 100 fps is very acceptable


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[thinhorn_AK]

If your interested in experimenting, load some 168’s with imr 4064 and you’ll see better velocity. I get 3k in multiple rifles with 24” barrels and 2850 from the same load in a 18” barrel.

I wish I could find IMR4064 but it's tough here in AK. It docent matter though, the load I use keeps my 180g accubond above 1800fps out to 500yds which is more than enough for this rifle.