Ok All,
I've been sold on a larger caliber already, (currently a 3 deuce and 223 shooter) I am now the proud owner of a Weatherby Vanguard Series 2 30-06. Why you ask? Well, let me explain my reasoning. First, the 30-06 has plenty of history, and a small
one with me as well I've always wanted one. Before today, My only experience with with M1 Garand, and how to NOT get M1
Thumb! I picked the 30-06 for wide reloading capabilities, and overall equal or better performance than a .308. Even the military wanted to keep the 30-06, but needed a short action, so 7.62x63 was traded for 7.62x51.
Why 30-06
I like the long action, and I've got a ton of brass, and well there are quite a few who still use 30-06 for long range, so I still get the great selection of .308 bullets.
Why Weatherby Vanguard Series 2?
Action Action Action. Wow is this action nice and smooth. One piece bolt, way over built. AND there weren't any HOWA 1500s around. I'll also be looking forward to Accurizing this one, starting with hand loading a good amount. I've got some 173gr M118 bullets, and I'll be looking to move to the 208gr Hornady A-Max. I've got some good ol' IMR-4895 to start off with.
Stage 1: Test Firing Rifle (this is mainly to cover my initial setup
Millet Tactical 4-12 with target knobs. 30mm scope with 50mmAO.
VersaPod bipod.
30mm High rings and R700 bases installed by me, doing the @ home tricks.
Wow, what fun, On first notice the barrel heats up quickly, and the Pachmyer recoil pad works great.
Future Upgrade: Turner Sling 54" since I am a big guy.
Next Step: Factory Loads, 200 meters, I'll check my scope alignment by using a level plumb line target and checking that scope elevation moves groups along the plumb line.
Then begins the handloads, search for velocity (by ladder testing elevation) nodes, then start building a DOPE chart.
I should also mention my cleaning procedure as it is entirely possible to ruin a barrel from poor cleaning.
I'm not strictly following a break-in schedule for this barrel, I just put 20-rounds through it now I'll clean.
bolt out, bore guide installed
Starting with wet patch (twice and short stroking or scrubbing along the way) Hoppes#9 for removing powder solvent.
Scrub with brush, down and back at least as many times as shots fired. (dewey rod, brass brush).
Dry patches until no more Hoppe's (usually in 3-4 patches using both sides) again, using above method.
Sweets 7.62 to check for and remove copper fouling (very little was found after 20rnds of Soft point 180gr Hornady.)
I check for copper BEFORE I brush, and then remember that Brass is copper and zinc, so most small blue-streaks might
be from cleaning equipment itself.
I brush again with Sweets (after brushing I clean sweets off of brush with brake-cleaner to prevent it from eating brush).
Dry patch (3-4 using both sides)
Hoppe's#9 wet patch once (clean out the Sweets)
Dry/wet/scrub as needed to get a clean bore.
Once bore is clean and dry, I run a light coat of Moly Disulfide down the barrel with dry patches to remove excess.
This worked wonders on my AR which DID have a barrel break-in and copper fouling was completely gone by the 20th round.
While not following a strict barrel break-in procedure, I don't forsee more than 50 rounds at a time before cleaning anyway, so hopefully I'm not messing anything up along the way. I'm also using a little Moly Disulfide on the bolt wear surfaces for action movement, and after ~50 cycles it went from smooth and solid to smooth as butter. This means it isn't getting the standard hunter rifle treatment to begin with.
-Mac
I've been sold on a larger caliber already, (currently a 3 deuce and 223 shooter) I am now the proud owner of a Weatherby Vanguard Series 2 30-06. Why you ask? Well, let me explain my reasoning. First, the 30-06 has plenty of history, and a small
one with me as well I've always wanted one. Before today, My only experience with with M1 Garand, and how to NOT get M1
Thumb! I picked the 30-06 for wide reloading capabilities, and overall equal or better performance than a .308. Even the military wanted to keep the 30-06, but needed a short action, so 7.62x63 was traded for 7.62x51.
Why 30-06
I like the long action, and I've got a ton of brass, and well there are quite a few who still use 30-06 for long range, so I still get the great selection of .308 bullets.
Why Weatherby Vanguard Series 2?
Action Action Action. Wow is this action nice and smooth. One piece bolt, way over built. AND there weren't any HOWA 1500s around. I'll also be looking forward to Accurizing this one, starting with hand loading a good amount. I've got some 173gr M118 bullets, and I'll be looking to move to the 208gr Hornady A-Max. I've got some good ol' IMR-4895 to start off with.
Stage 1: Test Firing Rifle (this is mainly to cover my initial setup
Millet Tactical 4-12 with target knobs. 30mm scope with 50mmAO.
VersaPod bipod.
30mm High rings and R700 bases installed by me, doing the @ home tricks.
Wow, what fun, On first notice the barrel heats up quickly, and the Pachmyer recoil pad works great.
Future Upgrade: Turner Sling 54" since I am a big guy.
Next Step: Factory Loads, 200 meters, I'll check my scope alignment by using a level plumb line target and checking that scope elevation moves groups along the plumb line.
Then begins the handloads, search for velocity (by ladder testing elevation) nodes, then start building a DOPE chart.
I should also mention my cleaning procedure as it is entirely possible to ruin a barrel from poor cleaning.
I'm not strictly following a break-in schedule for this barrel, I just put 20-rounds through it now I'll clean.
bolt out, bore guide installed
Starting with wet patch (twice and short stroking or scrubbing along the way) Hoppes#9 for removing powder solvent.
Scrub with brush, down and back at least as many times as shots fired. (dewey rod, brass brush).
Dry patches until no more Hoppe's (usually in 3-4 patches using both sides) again, using above method.
Sweets 7.62 to check for and remove copper fouling (very little was found after 20rnds of Soft point 180gr Hornady.)
I check for copper BEFORE I brush, and then remember that Brass is copper and zinc, so most small blue-streaks might
be from cleaning equipment itself.
I brush again with Sweets (after brushing I clean sweets off of brush with brake-cleaner to prevent it from eating brush).
Dry patch (3-4 using both sides)
Hoppe's#9 wet patch once (clean out the Sweets)
Dry/wet/scrub as needed to get a clean bore.
Once bore is clean and dry, I run a light coat of Moly Disulfide down the barrel with dry patches to remove excess.
This worked wonders on my AR which DID have a barrel break-in and copper fouling was completely gone by the 20th round.
While not following a strict barrel break-in procedure, I don't forsee more than 50 rounds at a time before cleaning anyway, so hopefully I'm not messing anything up along the way. I'm also using a little Moly Disulfide on the bolt wear surfaces for action movement, and after ~50 cycles it went from smooth and solid to smooth as butter. This means it isn't getting the standard hunter rifle treatment to begin with.
-Mac
