Grandpa's 30-06

[mevertsen]

I figured I'd post a story on this one.

I went shooting today. Grabbed my muzzle loader plus a couple more.

No rifle tag for me this year, just my muzzle loader tag.

This is my grandpa's 30-06. Its a Sears 53 .30-06. He bought it new in the late 60s. He bought it along woth a Sears 6c 22lr. I'll do a story on that next time we take it put for my daughter to shoot.

It had one of those cheap maple or other hardwood stocks that was common back in the day for the department store guns. This is a Win Mod 70 copy. They came in .243 and .30-06. I remember a kid I knew years ago had one in .243. Only other one I've ever seen.

The stock cracked yesrs ago, so I put a basic Boyd's walnut stock on it.

I worked all summer in 1998 helping my grandparents in Hanna, Wyoming to tesr down an old railroad house. I killed my first deer eith it that fall. I've killed a few more deer, some antelope and my sheep.

Shot it today. Sitting at 70 yards with 150 grain Speer Hot Cors. Last game I've killed with it was the sheep in my avatar in 2021. That was with 150 grain Hammer Hunters. It shoots them well, but I have a stock of old ammo I'm trying to burn through.

I'll get through that stash in the next few months I think.
Target for this was the center. I also shot my 3030 top left and my 300 blackout which took some adjustment after getting my SBR stamp and putting a stock on that.

Good day at the range.

 

[Wyoming270]

Awesome rifle. I like old hunting rifles. My newest is a 1984. Yesterday I was hunting with the same rifle that I bought used for $300 in college. 300 win mag. I was actually fairly close to Hanna Wyoming.

The speer hot cors are great bullets in old rifles. I typically hunt with the 200 grain variants in 300 win mag. They are simply devastating. Might be better to keep those around that blow through them target shooting.

That is of course plenty accurate for huntingm but you might be able to get those holes touching with a simple barrel float or some action bedding.

I miss the days when sears had everything. It sure beat paying anazon a subscription to wait weeks to get crap from china only to find out it is deffective.

 

[mevertsen]

I can get the holes touching. Thats not an issue, from a bench, or prone off a tripod.

But doing it from a sitting position with no other support? Ain't happening with me.

I do need to burn through this ammo regardless. I have actually had some cold welding and case neck cracking issues with older ammo, so im burning up what I have and then stocking components and maintaining a minimum supply of loaded ammo, across the board from pistol to my .30-06.

I'm also switching to copper for hunting. The Speers are for practice.

 

[mevertsen]

Here's what it's capable of.

 

[Wyoming270]

Here's what it's capable of.

View attachment 415769

Thats a shooter. Internet claims these were $116 at sears in the 60s. We still have a few hardware stores around wyoming that sell guns.

 

[AssawomanGunsmith]

Awesome rifle! I make my living building new rifles, but you just can't beat a rifle that has a "feel" and a story to it when you pick it up. I was lucky enough to inherit my grandfather's Win Model 94 in 30WCF when my father passed away; it's what I shot my first deer with, and I get that warm feeling just by picking it up and shouldering it these days.

 

[oxn939]

I figured I'd post a story on this one.

I went shooting today. Grabbed my muzzle loader plus a couple more.

No rifle tag for me this year, just my muzzle loader tag.

This is my grandpa's 30-06. Its a Sears 53 .30-06. He bought it new in the late 60s. He bought it along woth a Sears 6c 22lr. I'll do a story on that next time we take it put for my daughter to shoot.

It had one of those cheap maple or other hardwood stocks that was common back in the day for the department store guns. This is a Win Mod 70 copy. They came in .243 and .30-06. I remember a kid I knew years ago had one in .243. Only other one I've ever seen.

The stock cracked yesrs ago, so I put a basic Boyd's walnut stock on it.

I worked all summer in 1998 helping my grandparents in Hanna, Wyoming to tesr down an old railroad house. I killed my first deer eith it that fall. I've killed a few more deer, some antelope and my sheep.

Shot it today. Sitting at 70 yards with 150 grain Speer Hot Cors. Last game I've killed with it was the sheep in my avatar in 2021. That was with 150 grain Hammer Hunters. It shoots them well, but I have a stock of old ammo I'm trying to burn through.

I'll get through that stash in the next few months I think.
Target for this was the center. I also shot my 3030 top left and my 300 blackout which took some adjustment after getting my SBR stamp and putting a stock on that.

Good day at the range.View attachment 415762View attachment 415763View attachment 415764

That thing is sweet! Something about '06 makes it such a cool round. Could be the 120 year long record of success that eliminates the need for peddling by the flatbrim influencer types.

I recently found a 1981 push feed Model 70 that was pretty neglected and reflected that in its price. Took her apart, scrubbed the hell out of everything, did a Marine Tex skim bedding job, added an SHV and loaded a few 168 grain TSXs (the best projectile in existence for '06). Fingers crossed it likes them, will be seeing some of the coolest parts of WY in the next few weeks if so.

 

[relino99]

Love the family history. Sears 53 is a Winchester 70 clone. Boyd's stock is a solid upgrade. Nice shooting. Sheep is a great trophy. Enjoy the range time.

 

[mevertsen]

Well, a sad update to this thread.

My grandpa passed last night at my Uncle's house in Syarcuse, Utah.

He'll be cremated and buried with my Grandma in Hanna.

 

[Jbotto]

My condolences to you and your family over the loss of your grandpa.

 

[FairWeather]

I’m sorry for your loss. Makes that rifle all the more special.

 

[elkduds]

I can get the holes touching. Thats not an issue, from a bench, or prone off a tripod.

But doing it from a sitting position with no other support? Ain't happening with me.

I do need to burn through this ammo regardless. I have actually had some cold welding and case neck cracking issues with older ammo, so im burning up what I have and then stocking components and maintaining a minimum supply of loaded ammo, across the board from pistol to my .30-06.

I'm also switching to copper for hunting. The Speers are for practice.

Sitting position, sling as only support. That is my practice position for hunting, and the one I use to decide how far I should shoot at game. Copper for hunting

 

[elkduds]

Well, a sad update to this thread.

My grandpa passed last night at my Uncle's house in Syarcuse, Utah.

He'll be cremated and buried with my Grandma in Hanna.

You can almost see his hands on it in pics you posted. Condolences for your loss, you were lucky to have him and a family tradition of hunting. Sending siwshes for peade and strength, for you and family.

My grandfather's gun, an octagon barreled Winchester M94, never got passed to my Fa, his oldest son. So Dad made sure to pass his along. The one his grandson hunts with is a Rem 721 in 30.06, which I shot my 1st deer and elk with, and nephew shot his 2 elk with. I also have dad's model 94 carbine, which he used for venison. The family farm he was raised on in the hills west of Loveland, CO raised livestock for sale, their table meat was venison. His childhood recreation was dodging rattlesnakes and hunting muleys with his 30-30 from the back of his horse, during the 1950s. That rifle will go to nephew as well, since I don't have bloodline children.

 

[Sytes]

Thoughts are with you. Saddened to hear though quality memories and a fantastic .06 to value in the woods!