Apparently they had some manufacturing flaws to work out, a bad batch for some reason, but no matter. Finally now the only obstacle is finding time to go to the range:

I feel like german reticles obstruct hold-over shots, but that is a nice one, and I imagine the '06 doesnt require much kentucky windage.

Sweet rifle!

ha, I have an ancient Bushnell 2x on my Marlin 44 rem mag. with that reticle.

What is the scope?

There is a variant of it with a thick center post and wire thin crosshairs that I would have been happy with, but really the selection and availability of scopes with this reticle or something close are pretty slim. As far as holdover, A target would have to be small to be totally obscured, and considering the magnification, I'll not be shooting this at great enough distance that holdover would mean a lot, if we're talking a living target, and not trying to print a small group on paper.

This little project has been an amusement, something borne out of having excess 30.06 the Garand shouldn't digest. I think what I've got could be a handy hunting rifle, but for the foreseeable future it's just a loud range toy.

I had set out to find an inexpensive short 30.06, something that is a chore today. So, I went with the Ruger American in stainless, so I didn't have to concern myself with refinishing when the barrel was shortened. While the rifle isn't what I'd term expensive, it wasn't cheap.

Next, for the scope, if you want a German #1 or similar, again there aren't many choices. All said and done, scope, rings, rifle, and sling and I'm at $800. Of course I could have gone to a big box and picked up a ~200 rifle that had a garbage scope included, but then I'd have a turd I wasn't interested in keeping once I'd had my fill of using all the heavy 30.06 I have left from the '03.

I look forward to finding out exactly why so many people are opposed to "short" 30.06 rifles, I'm skeptical of any real rationale behind it. It's almost superstition. Ok, it's probably loud, but have you listened at a rifle range? Beyond that, if the express disadvantage is some FPS loss and that you can't shoot "long distance," well, so?

I feel like this is the closest I've gotten to the old timey tradition of buying a surplus rifle, be it an SKS, '03 or other, and just doing what you like because you can. Back in the day, when people were just tripping over them all the time and sweeping them up out of the streets every time it rained.

I like that!

Todd

That setup plus this load -
https://www.midwayusa.com/prod...-partition-box-of-20

Would make a heck of a timber gun for elk, whitetails or black bears.

Handy to carry, all weather, fast target acquisition, and a good heavy deep penetrating bullet to knock the shit out of them and put them down.

I like it. Ideal for up close or lets say you come to a clearing and spot game 200yds on the other side of it.

What power sight is that?

As for how loud it would be next to it on a firing line, I’d be interested in a comparison between it and a 22-24 inch 308 with some of the common muzzle brakes.

Should have had it threaded and put a loud ass brake on it. Keep it in the car. Bring it out when the range is too crowded for ya!

I think that'd be a great woods gun.

I mostly shoot Kahles scopes with either a 4A or 7 reticle as that is what I am used to. Many of the Kahles on ebay from Germany (there is a guy who exports to the US from there) are #1 reticles and there are some pretty good deals on those as most folks don't want to buy them. You are the first guy I have seen who does prefer them. Maybe I am missing something. I did notice the sniper who took out Pitt on Fury was looking through one.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
What power sight is that?

As for how loud it would be next to it on a firing line, I’d be interested in a comparison between it and a 22-24 inch 308 with some of the common muzzle brakes.

It's a VX-II 1-4x 1" tube.

I do have a 16" Steyr in .308 I could compare it to, but all my guns just have flashhiders, I used to have a JP AR-10T with their brake, it was loud, but not terrible.

quote:

Originally posted by bustabuddy:
Many of the Kahles on ebay from Germany (there is a guy who exports to the US from there)

Ah. Ebay. That's why I didn't find them. I'm not an Ebayer.

quote:

You are the first guy I have seen who does prefer them. Maybe I am missing something. I did notice the sniper who took out Pitt on Fury was looking through one.

They used to be seen more often, decades ago. I'm happy with this scope, but I've use #1's that are more finely lined. I think the trend in how bolt rifles are perceived, and used, is one reason this reticle isn't seen much. While you can certainly get one with more magnification and a bigger objective, people very quickly go to any number of choices of ranging reticles, and things get modern snipery very quickly.

While it does seem like the target would be obscured, I can tell you that homing in on a target with a German #1 is very fast. The spacing between the center and side posts has a rudimentary ranging function, as I understand, but I'd have to look up the details. The German #4 is also a good reticle that people seem not too keen on.

quote:

Originally posted by bustabuddy:
I did notice the sniper who took out Pitt on Fury was looking through one.

That would be one authentic detail in a movie, something that doesn’t always occur. The first optical sights used by military snipers of most countries tended to be equipped with the reticles favored by hunters before the respective wars. German hunters liked the “German” reticles, so the scopes that ended up in their snipers’ hands often had the same design. The sights themselves also tended to be very primitive and limited by today’s standards.

I haven’t run across much information about the development and evolution of reticles specifically designed for military use, but I believe it wasn’t until the 1960s or so that they began appearing—at least in the US.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:

quote:

Originally posted by bustabuddy:
I did notice the sniper who took out Pitt on Fury was looking through one.

That would be one authentic detail in a movie, something that doesn’t always occur. The first optical sights used by military snipers of most countries tended to be equipped with the reticles favored by hunters before the respective wars. German hunters liked the “German” reticles, so the scopes that ended up in their snipers’ hands often had the same design. The sights themselves also tended to be very primitive and limited by today’s standards.

I haven’t run across much information about the development and evolution of reticles specifically designed for military use, but I believe it wasn’t until the 1960s or so that they began appearing—at least in the US.

been an while since I looked thru a Warner Swasey type to remember the reticle,

the Winchester/Lyman A5/5A types were all fine crosshair, IIRC,
as well as the 8x Unertl's used prior and during WWII

I'm developing an itch for a modern bolt in 8mm, to go with my K98.