Just A Boy And His 30/06

[The Shooters Apprentice]

I haven’t had a 30/06 in awhile, but as a teenager either a Ruger 77mk2 or a Husvarna 30/06 was a pretty constant companion on my teenage adventures either on the trap line, hunting caribou or just wondering the old military training grounds exploring. I shot a literal boat load of 30/06 ammo through those 2 rifles, to the point I could pretty consistently get hits with the low power duplex scopes out to 600 yards at the gravel pits with Kentucky windage. 


I recently picked up this Ruger m77 mk2 and today I went out and sighted it in and then took it for a walk. 

A lot has changed in the way I shoot since those days, but I dialed the Leupold 3-9x40 to hit 2” high at 100 yards like I used to do, and then went out and put 2 boxes of ammo through it just wondering around and shooting. 

It didn’t take long for me to start getting bullets on target out to 300 yards or so using hold over. This rifle is a real sweetheart and I think we are gonna be best friends before long. 

The walk did me a lot of good. I wasn’t a stressed out 31 year old man anymore worried about bills and my job and trying to reach my goals in life. For that short time I forgot all about that stuff. For A short Time I was just a boy again. 

A boy and his 30/06.





Photos are of the new to me Ruger, and a Caribou shot at 450ish yards with the old Husqvarna topped with a Weaver K4

Great story, apprentice. It's nice to escape like that. When I think about my life, I'm carrying a 22 and hunting cottontails.

[The Shooters Apprentice]

Yeah, I don't get out of the house as much as I need to during the winter, and this year I haven't been working very much either unfortunately. I need to make more effort to strap on the snow shoes, grab a rifle and just get out of the house at least once a week.

Does the MKll have controlled round feeding or the original Mauser type bolt?

I love my Mod.77 30-06. I had a .243 that my Dad got me. There wasn’t going to be much use for .243 and Dad couldn’t just accumulate guns, so he sold the .243 (snif) and replaced it with a Mod.77S (his was a Mod.77R). I took a few bears with it and a couple deer. I love that rifle.

[The Shooters Apprentice]

Yes, the mark 2 is a true controlled round feed.