Want to buy new semi auto 30-06 hunting rifle!

[C. Latch]

I've done most of my deer hunting for the last several years with an AR15 in 6.8 SPC. I can appreciate what you say about desiring a second shot without having to move to make it happen. I've made several doubles and triples with my 6.8. Made one last week on a pair of does.

I'd recommend it without hesitation for any person who hunted deer inside of 300 yards, period. Perfect caliber, and with a good barrel (mine's a Shilen) accuracy is world-class.

You could also look into an AR10 style rifle in .308 or, better yet, a 7mm-08.

The ONLY downside to hunting with a semi-auto is the fact that you have to deal with a bit of noise when loading the chamber. That can be mitigated.

[43PU]

Well I took most of your opinions and i have been looking all over the place and I found myself a Used Browning BAR Long Trac on GB and i picked it up for WELL within my price range so now i need to find some See through mounts and a nice red field illumination scope!! thanks

43PU

[pietro]

Well I took most of your opinions and i have been looking all over the place and I found myself a Used Browning BAR Long Trac on GB and i picked it up for WELL within my price range so now i need to find some See through mounts and a nice red field illumination scope!! thanks

43PU

Congrats, on a very decent choice !

The only caveat that I would give, is to stay away from those (high) see-thru rings.

I realize that the see-thru rings seem to be an ideal solution, to be able to use the iron sights; but, IME, if it's time to use the iron sights, a hunter is usually better off with the scope entirely removed from the rifle - a solid argument for QD rings (that return to zero when re-mounted).

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[Lonegun1894]

I agree with Pietro. Congratulations on an excellent rifle! But please reconsider the see through rings. Every set I have ever seen on a rifle seems to do nothing but really mess up your cheekweld which does nothing but throw in a serious inconsistency into your form and results in horrible inaccuracy. If it was me, I would consider either going with just irons, or a low mounted 3-9x variable. Keep it on low power in case you need a close quick shot, or turn it up if you see something at distance, but either way, it is consistent and doesn't leave your head floating in various places behind the scope and resulting in groups that look more like buckshot patterns.

[FergusonTO35]

Good rifle but please use only solid rings. See throughs will beat your scope to death and create a wandering zero, they can also cause the screw holes in your receiver to become elongated over time. The extra vibration of an autoloader will make it even worse. If you have a good scope with proper magnification for the intended use there is absolutely no need for see through rings. The past few weeks I've been hunting in the hills of Mercer County with a Burris Fullfield II 3-9x40 on my .257 Roberts. I kept it on 6X the whole time and could have taken shots at just about any distance, even up close.

When people tell me they need a good scope and mounts but are on a strict budget I always advise an inexpensive (the better Simmons or Bushnell lines) or used name brand scope and quality steel rings and bases. Even the best scope and rifle in the world will be handicapped by poor scope mounts. If you feel you will likely need the iron sights at some point then get some Weaver brand quick release rings and bases. I have a set of the medium height Weaver rings that can be yours for the cost of postage.

[Maximumbob54]

On the comment about see through rings, I'm looking for something quick detach and I'm reading some very good reviews on Talley's setup. Right now they have my vote for replacing a set of see through Weavers on my BAR.

Oh, and since I posted my last post on page one of this thread I just bought a BAR in .270 with Leupold VX-2 for just under $600 out the door. Deals are out there, you just have to keep shopping and have the cash ready to go.

[rockrat]

Friend bought a BAR back in the 70's, in 308. His rifle was a pain, kind of. It was very unforgiving for any change in how he held it. If his grip loosened up a bit, it would group 2-3"@100yds. If he was attentive and consistent in his hold, and trigger work, it would hold just shy of 1"@100ys. This using military ball ammo.

Think the North Denver (Thorton)Cabelas has a 742 in 280rem.

[Clay M]

I grew up shooting the seven forty two. Killed my biggest buck ever with it in 73.
It was the deer rifle everyone had to have back then.
I personally think the rifles are a piece of junk, but I was impressed with it when I was sixteen.
My best friend had a BAR in .30/06 .
It was a much finer rifle.
I have owned both.
Nowaday the only semiauto I own is Springfield Armory M1A National Match.

I use single shot rifles for any hunting I do.
A deer is not going to stand around all day and let you shoot..

[43PU]

You would be surprised what deer with do in East Kentucky, my dad shoot at one 4 times with a 30-30 and missed all 4 before he told me to shoot it, now i have seen as many as 20 deer come to my feeders at one time, and with VERY limited time to hunt, i would like to fill my tags as fast as i can, so i can put meat in the freezer which is what hunting is for me, a way to feed my family. I am excited about my New BAR it should be here any day now!, what do you think about tip off mounts?

[M-Tecs]

what do you think about tip off mounts?

The couple I have tested didn't repeat worth a hoot. Not a fan.

[Clay M]

In the early days a semi auto was appealing to me.
I had been using a Ruger .44mag carbine when I was twelve.
In the early mid 70's the 742 came out, and everyone was buying them.
I was overjoyed to get one for Christmas when I was fifteen.
It served it's purpose. A deer killing machine, although all the deer I ever killed with it were one shot kills.
I guess I outgrew it, and found other rifles more fascinating.
I still have happy memories of the rifle.
In fact of the 100 plus deer I have killed,most have been taken with one shot, whether I was using a lever , semi auto , bolt, or single shot rifle.
I figured out I only really had one shot, and to make it count.

My father taught me that when I was very young.
I went out today and shot his favorite Sako rifle.
I miss him.

[S. Galbraith]

Interesting requirements. A .308 would be far easier to obtain. However, as other posters have said, the Browning BAR is the way to go.

[jonp]

oddly enough i looked at a gently used 742 30-06 at the gunshow yesterday priced $300

[Artful]

43PU did the BAR come in yet? Have you gotten a chance to shot it?

[pietro]

what do you think about tip off mounts?

Not much, since tip-off mounts are for rimfires.

Do yourself a favor and go to www.swfa.com - click on "mounts, rings & bases", then look at the (lowest online) costs for several makes of QD rings/bases.

There are good "no tool required" QD rings available from the likes of Leupold (QRW ), Burris (Zee QD) & "tool needed" (coin or screwdriver) return-to-zero rings from Burris, Leupold, Nikon, Weaver & others.

Any of those makers will also have bases appropriate for mounting their rings onto your BAR.


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[jonp]

Interesting requirements. A .308 would be far easier to obtain. However, as other posters have said, the Browning BAR is the way to go.

I shot the best groups of my life with my grandfathers 742 Woodsmaster 308 and 110gr Silvertips. With a Redfield 4x at 100yrds you could cover the group with a quarter. Don't tell me that those rifles can't shoot.

[S. Galbraith]

I shot the best groups of my life with my grandfathers 742 Woodsmaster 308 and 110gr Silvertips. With a Redfield 4x at 100yrds you could cover the group with a quarter. Don't tell me that those rifles can't shoot.

Oh I have no doubt that the 742 is a very capable rifle. I was just commenting that he was so committed to a .30-06 semi auto when a short action bolt rifle is highly capable. Some of the best marksmen I know are bolt shooters, as well as moving game hunters. Here's one example:
https://www.facebook.com/CampfireSto...0/?pnref=story

[jonp]

no worries, s.galbraith. It came out a little strong and not in the way some took it I'm sure. I happen to think that in a semi-auto like a BAR or 742 etc a short action is the way to go but my experience with them outside of the 742 and AR family is limited.

[BustemAgain]

This thread warms my heart with memories. I started whitetail hunting, well serious deer camp whitetail hunting, in a UP Michigan deer camp that when I was old enough( you had to be 21 or married) to start going had 49 members. 44 of them used Remington 742s and of those probably 40 had various high see through rings. While I am no fan of them I can say that those Remingtons all worked even in some harsh winter swamp conditions. The problems and there were tons of them were almost all related to the "Ironsighter" rings. Apparently going from 0 degrees to 75 degrees several times would reek havoc with what I am assuming where non stress relieved aluminum extrusions. Us younger fellows would be tracking the winged and wounded through the swamps into the wee hours nearly every night. One night in particular we brought in 5 nice bucks that had been shot around the edges. Every one but one of those had been victim of the curse of the Ironsighter. The other was a victim of poor bullet selection. We eventually instituted a sort of product improvement program. Most of the older guys switched to Burris Zee rings on Weaver bases. The few see thru mount clingers took to leaving their guns in there cars or blinds over night to avoid the temp swings and the 30/06 contingent started using 220 grain Corelokts almost to a man. The difference was amazing in the following years. Culminating in a year with 61 bucks taken before the buck pole collapsed. That camp is nearly no longer though. It was mostly populated with World War II vets from a time when sportsman drove a station wagon and smoked a pipe. The wolves moved in and decimated the herd. I think they had 5 guys in camp this year and all saw wolves. I moved on to a different camp and these many years later shot my first deer with a 30/06 semi-auto. A nice little 8 point with a Browning BAR grade IV or some such that my Uncle had willed to me and I took for a spin for old time sake.

[43PU]

Yeah the BAR came in, I need to refinish the stock on it. I threw a red field 5star 6-18x40 on it I have yet to shoot it but I might tomorrow morning