Need new barrel 30-06AI what do you think?

[TMAKER]

I am about to order a new encore barrel for all around white tail. I am a handloader. Thinking about a 30-06AI . Anyone have an openion?Exsperence? dislikes? data?

[wink_man]

I have no experience with an 06AI, but plenty with a plain jane 06.  I am a reloader also, however, I'm not into fireforming brass, so I'd go with the plain jane 06 myself(I did, LOL).

With a 24 inch encore barrel in 30-06, it's not very difficult to handload a 150 grain bullet to 3000 FPS, and I happen to think that the 150 grain bullet is the perfect weight whitetail bullet in an 06.

One of my favorite whitetail rifles is a Remington 760 pump carbine in 06 with an 18 1/2 inch barrel. The beauty of an Encore with a 24 inch 06 barrel is it has the same overall length as my 760 carbine, so you have a compact gun that mounts and swings easily in brush choked tight quarters, yet has a 24 inch barrel to milk maximum velocity from the 06 for the longer shots.

Lastly, the 06 seems to be somewhat looked down upon nowadays as a deer cartridge, everyone seems to want a faster, zippier cartridge and some even think it's absolutely necessary in order to kill a whitetail efficiently. Which is a plus for a buyer looking for an 06 Encore barrel. I bought a 24 inch Encore barrel on the want adds here last year, plain jane 06, sights, blued, new unfired for $170 shipped to my door, pretty hard to beat.

Been killing whitetails with an 06 since the mid sixties, and it works just as well now, as it did then, maybe even a little better with the improvement in bullets, and if the bullet is placed right, the deer will never go much more than 30-40 yards before collapsing, if not a bang flop right on the spot.

Just my personal opinion of course(which my 2 ex wives would say isn't worth the powder to blow it you know where, LMAO).
 
   

[Grumulkin]

You'll get a little better performance out of a 30/06 AI but, at least for me, not enough to be worth the trouble for fireforming brass, etc.  In addition, a 30/06 is really way more than you really need for deer so you don't really need the extra power anyway.

[Gibbsfan]

fire forming brass for an ai is easy. everybody thinks its a big chore. Just shoot some factory loaded stuff and save the brass or just go with a moderate load from one of the reloading manuals and go do some shooting. I have several aied and wildcat calibers that i reload for and fire forming is nno big deal.

[yooper77]

I reload for the 30-06 Springfield Ackley Improved in a German Mauser.  I don’t ever look for higher velocity, but more importantly accuracy.  The greatest benefit for the Ackley Improved case is longevity as they seldom grow.

The 30-06 Springfield and 308 Winchester are my favorite parent cases, since they were used to develop several wildcats that take game easily.

yooper77

[sgtt]

Sounds like a great plan to me.  Fireforming is easy and fun.  I cast so the bullets are cheap and sometimes end up with a darn good plinker round in the process.  I don't have a 30-06AI.  That gets me to thinking why don't I?  I would think any 06 data is a good starting platform. 

[Dezynco]

Hard to beat an '06.

[Hopalong7]

     Those old good ones, or, those good old ones(which ever you prefer)just won't go away.  i.e. 30-30Win, 45-70Gov, 30-06Springfield...........Hmmmmm......there must be a reason.....Walt

[gman628]

If the 30-06AI is really what you want, get it.  It's not going to cost a dime more if you planned on ordering a barrel anyway.  As far as fire forming, you can hunt with a standard 06 round, plenty accurate for hunting, and fire forming only consists of shooting standard rounds.

Gary

[Birddog 1]

One thing you might check into is the RCBS web sight and see what the 06 AI dies cost plane janes used are about 10 to 15 $ and if the AI are wildcats about $70+ now think about a 338/06 it is a wildcat uses less powder then a mag less recoil and less tracking. .

Nim 

[pdh]

TMAKER...I think that would be an excelliant choice. I have a 30-06AI in a Eabco Accuracy Barrel and it is a performer. You will have the best of two worlds....30-06 spring and the 30-06AI....

Here's my best group with the 150gr Nolster BT at 3000fps.