200 yard tack driver?

Question

I would like to assemble a 200 yard tack driver. Prefer a 30 caliber, IE 30-06, 308, etc. I don't mind buying the base rifle and adding/having work done over time to get it there. It'll be for deer and eventually hunting trips out west. I have a Winchester Model 70 in 30-06. Is this suitable platform to start with or should I sell it and start over?

Other than how it came off the shelf, all I've added is a Tasco 3-9X50 scope. It does well (1" or less depending on ammo ) out to about 150 and after that, it just falls apart. I checked the barrel and it will definitely need to be floated. I can't get a dollar bill further than 1/2" down.

Answer 1

All of these gentlemen have great given you great advice. And although i'm a bit more of a handgunner, i'll give my two cents anyway.
The first question you have to ask yourself is, 'specifically, what do I want to use this rifle for?' which you may have already answered. 30-06 is plenty big enough for whitetail, especially in the terrain of the east. and it 'should' be enough for MOST western hunts as well. however, any animan bigger than a muledeer or an elk, you may want a heavier caliber.(
the second question you should ask yourself is, 'how much money am i willing to spend on this project?' unless you plan on getting pretty serious, spending loads of cash is useless. the model 70, with a few very minor adjustments, can be a great rifle. I would reccomend adjusting the trigger first. by doing this first, it helps in getting used to the cleaner, crisper pull. depending on where you go, you might be able to get this done for as little as $30. floating the barrel would be a great second step. test this by taking a dollar bill and sliding it down the barrel. if you cant slide the bill down between the barrel and the stock then that means your barrel rubs on your stock. and if you want a 'tack driver' you'll need to solve that problem. it can be done yourself by taking the stock off and using a dremel tool, or something of the sort, to SLOWLY shave down the stock. check for clearance periodically. (if you're interested, i can tell you exactly why floating the barrel is important, let me know.) after you gain clearance, it's probably best to re-seal the stock with some type of poly or other regular wood sealer so that the stock doesnt suck up moister and swell. all told, this step can most likely be done for free. for a third step, depending on what you have, you may want to upgrade your scope. upgrading your scope can be expensive, dont be cheap here. after all that, you should have something that's very close to a 200 yd tack driver. if you dont, then you need some practice. i cant stress that enough. the more you practice, the more the rifle becomes an extension of you. you need to be familiar with the trigger pull, the kick. the weight, and the trajectory of the rifle (among many many other things). Familiarity is the key. more than likely, with practice, you can drive tacks at 200 yards right now.

p.s. did you ever end up purchasing a .45?
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happy hunting

Answer 2

It's up to you if you want another rifle or not.

But the model 70 and 30-06 are definatly suitable platforms although the model 70 is not "considered" to be a target rifle. and it doesn't sound like you want a target rifle --- it would be more for hunting. It all depends on what you want to spend.

You may be lucky and using custom or reloaded ammo is all you need. Perhaps it will be as easy as stock and trigger work (on the existing stock and trigger) also.
But you can also go with a new stock and even new barrel if you wanted. Make it lightweight or heavy, stainless or blued, wood or synthetic, etc. It's your choice.

But I think exceptional hunting accuracy can be achieved with #1. Ammo (by far the most important)
#2. A reasonable trigger (definatly under 5 pounds and preferably around 3 for more serouis shooting)
#3. Stock work if nessisary

The model 70 can definatly do it.

Answer 3

A model 70 is a great start. 30-06 is a good round. I would suggest that before you put a lot of money into the rifle you get started reloading. There have been many, many "tack driving" rifles built and they almost all use hand loaded ammo. I too shoot a Remington 700 in competition but I load all my own rounds in a LEE single stage press. For about $150.00 dollars you can get the basic tools needed and it may give the results you want without doing a thing to your rifle.

Answer 4

If you were to start over 308 caliber would be the majority choice for a "Tack Driver". You are severely limiting yourself on distance though by limiting yourself to 200 yards.. I shoot a Custom Long Range Remington 700 in 308 caliber in 200,400, and 600 yard sanctioned NRA Matches & Competitions, and have for over 16 years. 95% or more of the guns you'll see on the firing line at these matches are Remington 700's in 308 caliber custom variations. Personally I would keep the Winchester Model 70 and not sell it, because it is a sweet rifle in a great caliber that once you sell it, will be extremely hard to replace. I would keep the Winchester and buy a Remington 700, 308 by some other way.......It took me 3 years to build my first custom 700 and I did just what you described. I had the work done that I couldn't do myself as a Gunsmith, and as I could afford it, building it to my specs over time. My latest 700 cost me approximately $2600 to build with free-floating Match Grade Shilen-Hart Barrel, Timney Adjustable Trigger, Mc Millen Stock,Aluminum Block Bedding,Harris Bipod etc. It takes time and money but it's worth the wait and the cost.

Answer 5

I know you are OK with the Winchester Model 70 in 30-06 for the purpose you will be using it for.** I had a Savage Model 110 that would consistently shoot Three (3) shot groups at 100 yds you could cover with a Quarter.** The only thing I had done to it was have the barrel free floated.** I also used hand loaded ammo.** I shot the 180 grain boat tail match bullets in it.**

Answer 6

Sounds to me like you have a good start. The Winchester model 70 is a good rifle. A Remington 700 VSS might be a bit better. The .30-06 is a great caliber. Many long range matches have been wone with that round. The .308 might have a bit of an edge on the .30-06. When you buy a scope, don't go cheap. Buy the absolutely best scope you can afford. Your scope should never cost less than your rifle. My cholce is Swarovski, it is the Rolls Royce of scopes. The price is pretty high but it is a purchase you will never regret. One thing you will want to do is to take your rifle to a gunsmith and have it accurized. He will explain what all needs to be done to accurize it. You can do it in stages if the cost is a concern. He can also examine your rifle and tell you whether it is better to spend the money to accurize it or to simply trade it on something else. If you do decide to trade it for something else, do not overlook the Savage line of rifles. They are excellent shooters and the price is pretty gentle, too. Another choice would be something like a Remington 700 VSS or Remington Sendero. I have the VSS and it is a wonderful rifle. Mine is chambered for the .308 round. It is plenty potent for most game but if you are going to do any hunting out west, you might want to consider a caliber like the Winchester 300 Mag. It is a bit better suited for long range shooting at Elk or other large animals. All of the calibers that I have mentioned are very accurate rounds. To get the absolute best round for your particular rifle, you may want to learn to load your own ammo. That way you can fine tune your ammo to exactly what your rifle likes. Believe it or not, rifles have their own likes and dislikes when it comes to ammo. You could buy two exactly same rifles and one may like one load and the olther might like another. They are kind of like kids that way.