"The .30-'06 is never a mistake"-Col. Townsend Whelan. So...I would recommend a pristine, magnaflux negative M1917 with Al Nelson's recommended NOE boolit. Right! now something budget friendly; A #4 Enfield, pound slug the throat and call NOE with the results or send the slug to Veral Smith for a custom mould. This is my advice for a first milsurp with the goal to eliminate headbanging and please, don't reinvent the wheel just refer to Cast Boolits for advice and enjoy your success! Save the 6,5 Sverge until you cut your teeth, great rifle and ctg for cast boolits but requires tweaking, tapered long throat etc. BTW, it is my goal to have a M1917 shooting well with a cast boolit along with a full US expeditionary forces uniform sometime in 2018! Won't you wish me well?!