Best.30-06 rifle: semi-autos options in the Classic (2023).

Updated 05/10/2023While you won’t find many.30-6 Springfield rifles in gun shops, there are plenty of them. The.30-caliber is one of the most popular chamberings, with nearly all rifle makers offering at least one version. Bolt-actions are the most common option. Nothing wrong with that. Turn-bolts are still among the most popular rifles, combining speed and accuracy to perfection. There’s enough speed to follow up on a deer, or an elk. If you want to increase the pace of your shooting,.30-06 is not for you. Or are you?Yes Virginia, there are semi-automatic.30-06 rifles. They aren’t many, but the ones that do exist are spectacular. We’ve gathered six of the best semi-automatic rifles for.30-06, from old military surplus to high-tech hunting rifles. How could it not? The Garand has earned its reputation of being the “Greatest Battle Implement ever devised” from the black sands at Iwo Jima, to the snow-covered forests of Bastogne. The rotating bolt and long-stroke piston have been battle-tested in almost any condition. Garands are also pretty accurate. This is partly due to the heft of the 24-inch barreled rifle, which weighs between 9.5 and 11.6 pounds. Loaded via 8-round en block clips (watch out for the M1 thumb) there’s a tantalizing throwback quality to operating the Garand, even if it’s a bit archaic in today’s detachable-box-magazine world. The M1 is not made to fire the hot-rod.30-6 loads of today. The majority of the Garands on the market are not war-worn. They are surplus rifles that were re-imported by Cold War allies. Some (fewer now) of them are un-shot. Civilian Marksmanship is a good source, as are many gun auction sites. There’s a lot “why didn’t I purchase one 25 years ago …”” in the guns as their prices have increased significantly over the years. MSRP: Count yourself fortunate if you can find a working one in good condition for less than $1000. Remington Model 742 WoodsmasterAnother gem out of production is next on our tour of.30-06 semi-auto rifles. Wait! Is The Woodsmaster a Gem? If you use it as intended, which is for hunting. The 742 is a great option for most of North America’s big game. It is accurate and quick to shoot. The gas-operated semi auto is a great gun when used in this way. Shooters have trouble pushing the.3006 rifle beyond its limits. It is not a range toy. If you run more than two boxes of ammo in the gun, it’s likely that you will encounter the main complaint with the 742–jams. A thorough cleaning will usually fix the problem. Oddly, this rifle is a derivative from perhaps Remington’s best-known semi-auto shotgun — the 1100. It uses the same action. The gun is a short one, almost carbine-length. This makes it ideal for brush and hog medicine. The 742 also uses a box magazine that can be detached, which makes reloading quick. The rifle came with an original 4-round flush-fit magazine, but 10- and even 20-round versions were available. The latter was a bit more rare. Double-check the receiver rails, where the bolt travels. Once these wear out, the gun is pretty much finished.MSRP: $500 in good or very good condition.Learn more about the.30-Caliber :Browning BAR MARKIIISorry, but we’re not referring to the M1918 type Browning Automatic Rifle. The hunting-focused version is no less legendary in its own right. It’s arguably the rifle by which all other semi-automatic hunter rifles are measured. As far as commercially-available autoloading rifles in.30-06 go, the BAR is one of the longest running, having come on to the market back in 1966. The design is authentically Browning. Again, we’re talking about Bruce Browning, not John M. Browning. The M1918 was developed by Maurice Olinger and the younger Browning. They then commercialized the select-fire weapon. The result is a design that has stood the test of time. The BAR, now in its third-generation, the Mark III has proven its durability. Gas-operated via a long stroke piston, it is surprisingly mild to shoot for what can be a powerful cartridge. This makes it very accurate and fast on follow-up shots. This is a quality that has made the gun popular with many hunters. The Mark III’s rotating bolt head with seven lugs also makes for a very strong lock-up. It was one of the first semi-autos that could handle magnum cartridges. Browning introduced a detachable magazine in the latest model, but the.30-6 variations still use a hinged box magazine. The rifle is made of blued steel and walnut, and looks and feels traditional. The majority of people who have had the pleasure of walking through the woods with it rate it as one of the best semi-auto.3006 rifles available. MSRP: Starting at $1439.99Noreen’s BN36X3 long rangeGenerally speaking, the only.308 Winchester you can choose from if you want to shoot a.30 caliber in an AR-10 is the.308 Winchester. Almost. Noreen’s AR style.30-06 gun, the BN36X3, is a notable departure from the rest. It uses a longer cartridge and has a slightly bigger receiver. However, it is still as familiar as any derivative of Eugene Stoner original. The controls are intuitive and easy to use. They are all in the same place, such as the safety, bolt catch, mag release. The only difference is the side-charging handle. The side charging handle is a little different, but it’s not anything that will cause problems. The BN36X3 has a magazine capacity that is comparable to AR-10s. The 20-round magazine is proprietary, which is not unusual in the world AR-10s, but it costs a lot. The rifle is also capable of achieving 1 MOA accuracy on a regular basis. The rifle’s weight of 9 pounds helps to reduce recoil and make it more manageable. If you are looking for a more maneuverable option, you can also get the BN36X3 in 16-inch barreled configurations in.30-06. The guns are made-to-order, so expect to spend a lot of money. MSRP: $2795BenelliR1Normally, Benelli brings to mind daydreams about shooting ducks in the air or smashing clays with ease. That is, the Italian company is known for their shotguns–particularly the inertia-driven variety. The top-notch gunmaker has also been producing a class of rifles for some time. It’s been a tradition for autoloading.30-6 rifles to be made for almost 30 years. While it may not get the same attention as the Browning BAR semi-automatic, the R1 is a well-made and excellent hunting option. Gas-operated gem with the classic lines of a field rifle appeals to hunters who want a traditional hunting weapon. The gun is tactically minded. It features Benelli’s Auto-Regulating Gas Operated system (ARGO), which is also found in the popular M4 shotgun, adopted by U.S. Joint Services. The system is reliable and can cycle no matter what ammo is used. This gives the rifle an unmatched level of dependability. This makes for a rifle that is more enjoyable to shoot and can be used to place accurate shots quickly. Why else would you have a semi auto hunter? Benelli added a box magazine that can be detached on the R1. The M1918, or Browning Automatic Rifle, is a rifle that stirs the imagination. The rifle has a legendary reputation for its unmatched service, especially during World War II. The Ohio Ordnance Works (OOW’s) version of the classic warhorse does not have select-fire, but that isn’t a deal breaker for those who love classic military weapons. Truly, the 1918A3 SLR is a beautiful rifle, even though it’s a far cry from the original. OOW slimmed down the receiver to discourage those who may attempt to use original BAR parts in the new rifle, thus achieving a fully-automatic weapon. The only way the gun differs from the original is by adding two takedown pins instead of just one. This is because many of the main parts of the gun are original World War I guns. This includes Swedish surplus and original barrels in many cases. This includes original barrels and 20-round magazines that are as strong as oaks. The rifle is huge, from the barely grippable handle to its 20-pound weight. It is a very accurate rifle and can be easily maintained in the MOA range at 100 yards using iron sights. The 1918A3 is the most expensive rifle in.30-06 on this list, and possibly anywhere else. The rifle is still a good deal, especially when you consider that an actual BAR costs the same as a half-ton pickup truck. The most unique.30-06 is included in this list. MSRP: Starting at $7.616.85NEXT: Download your free Storm Tactical printable target pack62 Printable MOA targets with DOT drills – Rifle range in YARDSThis impressive Target Pack from our friends at Storm Tactical includes62 printable targets for rifle and handgun ranges. The target grids and bullseyes are in MOA. Subscribe to the Gun Digest newsletter and we will send you your print-at home target pack immediately. Enter your email below.