I’ve been looking to get into hunting since moving to the mountain west. Before this I’d only been turkey hunting with my 870 wingmaster mag. My extended family are gun people, but mostly city dwellers, so I’d never learned a whit about hunting or hunting rifles.

I’ve been on the lookout for a local deal on a decent rifle and a post 64 Winchester 70 in 30-06 popped up for a good price, but it has an 18 inch barrel.
I like the idea of a handy carbine, but keep reading people complaining about loss of velocity and horrific muzzle blast when you get down past 20-ish inches. At the same time, people who own the short barreled Remington pump carbines in 30-06 never seem to complain about those things.

All I’m looking to hunt with the rifle this year is mule deer, eventually elk and moose if I enjoy it. Is it worth picking this up and giving it a try? Or keep looking?

My -06 has a 22” bbl and it flattens elk out well.   The shorter bbl would be nice in the heavy cover I end up in often, and I also have whacked a couple elk with a 16” .308.  They never know the difference in lost velocity.   I rarely shoot beyond 100, so take it FWIW.   Elk are not cape buffs, they are not that hard to stop.

It's not like you can't have it rebarreled if you don't care for the caliber or the length, profile, or weight.  It would have to be a really good deal to beat out a new Savage Axis 2 or 110 that you can rebarrel yourself.

If you're getting it for a I stole it price, it's a solid platform, maybe hunt up some of the 125 grn .30-06 Lite loads if they're still available, or handload for it w/ lighter bullets and powder on the faster side.

Hey OP, IDK how much they went up, but I have a Ruger American in 6.5 that was dirt cheap. Under 400 new, and it shoots lights out.

Thanks for the input.
It’s a bit under $400 and in good condition.
It also has iron sights, which may not be necessary but I do like the idea of having them.

From a fellow of Montanan…

I’ve never shot a critter above 150 yards here, except antelope. Not for my lack of confidence, but on public land here, your odds of them getting into the timber are highly likely after opening day. Further you get into the season, the more likely they are to head down to private land (more so if it is an early winter).

Use that info for what you will. Velocity won’t mean a thing at those distances. Hell, the last muley I shot was literally at 11 yards.

If it makes a difference: I am hunting in western Montana. 300 district.

ETA: your choice on utilizing the iron sights. I personally use a 3-12 powered glass and find it suitable for close shots and while hiking. If I want to see something in detail, I dial up.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/940355081

My apologies for the Avant Link tracking.  You can copy the text & paste it into your browser.

Likely has a better trigger, and you can change the bbl & caliber any time you like in your living room or on your tailgate.

Nothing wrong w/ a post-64 Winchester action, just hard to compete w/ modern modular offerings.

Sounds like a deal.  Probably the old school scope mount style and nothing wrong with that.

Do you self a favor and get something else unless you have a can for it. There are a lot of great options available even down around $400.  I won't put a barrel shorter than 20" on a 308 AR simply due to the muzzle blast.  Every inch shorter is that much closer to your face as well as that much further up the pressure curve.  I know the other guy said he's never shot anything over 150 yards, but my experience here has been the opposite.  My hunting rifles are zeroed at 300 yards.  Nearly every deer, elk and antelope I've taken has been between 300 and 600.  It's a lot easier to shoot something up close with a rifle set up for long range than it is to do the opposite.

ETA-  You aren't working at the VA by any chance?

Absolutely it is. Why I am shooting a .300WSM with a 22” bbl.

I said I rarely shoot beyond 100.   This is a spot I rarely hunt, unless it is late season and the elk move in.  A longer bbl 300wm does some work out here.

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In the timber is where I prefer to make contact.  

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My 2cents, it's too much gun with too short of a barrel. If you're buying to a price point and reload it would probably be a sweet gun though.

30-06 uses slower burning powders than a 308, and in turn, it performs better in 22" barrels.  For an 18" barrel, a 308 would be a better choice.  A shorter action will save a little weight, and the performance will be within 100 fps of what the 30-06 could achieve.

But if the shoe fits on the rifle you're eyeing, go for it.

Go with a longer barrel OP. Or go with a .308.
22” minimum for 30/06. 24” for 300 Magnun.
You’re losing out on the reason you pick a cartridge if yo don’t match the barrel.
Especially out west.

At that price the risk is pretty low. It will be louder. If you don’t like it send it down the road.

I’d buy it. You’ll only lose 100fps from 22” to 18”. It will bark.

For heavy timber a shorter barrel is nice.  But in MT?  I don’t think it’s that big of a deal.

I'd buy it. Then again, I collect Winchester bolt guns.

The barrel length isn't going to make one bit of difference if the rifle is properly zeroed. As for muzzle blast, you will only be shooting one round anyway and the velocity loss is minimal.

My Enfield is at 16 inches.   Its fantastic in the woods.   EVERYONE will know when you bring meat home or if you likely missed.   Its a unique boom but in the midst of shooting it doesn't seem much louder than anything else.

Eta yes p17 in 06

Pattern 14 converted to .30-06, or a M1917 chopped to 16"?

M1917 chopped.    My grandfather was a gunsmith shaved sights etc.   Its pretty.   Its a safe queen now

Even accuracy isn’t affected and sometimes improves with a shorter barrel.  

The increased perceived blast is real to many people, myself included.  I had a work .243 that was 18’, it was annoying and would ring my sinus cavity. .   A 20-22” was a quite a bit more mild.    It wasn’t recoil or reduced weight, it was the shock wave from the nearer muzzle.    It was noticeable when my allergies were acting up.   .30-06 with slower powders would likely be x% worse.

If it's cheap enough get it with a plan to rebarrel.

It may be one of the factory carbines that was a cheaper line (670 or Ranger).  18" doesn't give the highest velocity but should do fine hunting.

I hunted for years in Montana and have taken game ranging from 50 yards to over 500.  A lot of various variables go into what outcomes might pop up.  Have used everything from 270 to 338 win mag.

I am going the opposite direction this year and looking at using my 223 Wylde with gold dots for a whitetail doe tag I drew.

.308 Navy chamber insert?  

Was looking for those the other day, Used one in a Old Savage almost 30 years ago with no issues.  I found these folks but there are no pictures.


Link

I think 18” 30.06 and this comes to mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMqgVXSvwGo

I use a Remington 760 in .30-06. I love the round. I’m not sure there is a better round for all that it can do.

18.25" "Tanker" Garand. ... Fast-handling, and accepts the 8rd GI clips or the 5rd "hunting" clips if your state's regs restrict capacity.

Heck, I've hunted a few deer camps with my most-awesome Shuff's '06 Mini-G with 16.1" barrel. Talk about compact firepower. The Tanker and Mini-G are perfect for the type of deer or hog hunting where most shots will be inside 100-yds, like in tall timbered areas or the bushy boonies.

A .30-06 with a 180gr bullet, i doubt you will miss putting food on the table.

My first hunting rifle was a .30-06. My current hunting rifle .30-06. My last hunting rifle will be a .35 whelen but thats another story.

Id be more concerned with gaining ammo locally than necessarily what it is. .30-06 went way up in price in my area luckily enough i stocked up way back when so im fine for now

Family friend had a 18in 30-06 that caught many moose and bou.

He shot out to 500 yrds..

Great brush gun.

Thread it and put a can on it

I’d get it.

My favorite hunting rifle is a Rem700 in .35 Whelen with an 18.5” barrel. Imho, whatever FPS I give up is more than made up by the handiness of the shorter barrel.

As far noise, no barrel length will be even remotely heating safe.  Either you put a cam on it, wear ear pro or accept a little damage.

I personally think that for most hunting situations, there are no real downsides to carbine length barrels.  

I’d get it.

My favorite hunting rifle is a Rem700 in .35 Whelen with an 18.5” barrel. Imho, whatever FPS I give up is more than made up by the handiness of the shorter barrel.

As far noise, no barrel length will be even remotely heating safe.  Either you put a cam on it, wear ear pro or accept a little damage.

I personally think that for most hunting situations, there are no real downsides to carbine length barrels.  

Do you hunt out west on the Plains often?

My friend in MT uses a Marlin 30-30 by choice

My friend in NM uses a 257 Roberts by choice

I’m cutting my 06 fieldcraft to 18 because I’m running a ultra 7.Hopefully no regrets.

To hunt what? At what ranges?

Buy it. You can’t find much for under $400 today.  Velocity lost won’t be significant

I have a Remington 742 carbine in . 30.06. it was my first rifle I bought back in 1997 from a local farmer.

It's definitely handy in the brush. I've taken a lot of Michigan deer with it, but my longest shot with it might have been 100 yds. I have shot it at paper at 200 yds without issue though.

I've never noticed it being extra loud, I do have a .450 bushmaster with an 18" barrel though and it's an ear ringer.

Might be nice to have a packable 30.06 like the one you're looking at, and at that price I'd say go for it. I don't think you'll notice it being extra loud or inaccurate.

I have a Remington 7600 in 30-06 on the way.  May chop to 18.5 after watching this video.

My 18inch 308 has taken a few deer and an elk. I'd buy it.

I've hunted with an 18" Sako AV in 30-06 since 1988.  I've literally taken well over 100 deer with it out to 500 yds.  I shoot 180 gr handloads, and for the last 10 years or so have been using a Silencerco Harvester with it.  I love it.  I have rifles with longer barrels but I pick this one 95% of the time. Well balanced, easy to manage in the brush, handy in a tree stand, just an all around great package.

My two cents....  I would pass on an 18" 30-06 unless it was so ridiculously cheap I was gonna toss it in the truck as a beater truck gun.

I've hunted deer for close to 30 years now with a 20" Remington Model Seven.   I notice two things:  

1). I get a pretty good fireball on the muzzle and the recoil is "lively" for only being a .308 Win.  I've fired a 16" 7mm-08, and decided that was a hard pass. I'm not recoil sensitive (Moose gun was a .350 Rem with 225gr partitions at full throttle) but I don't like unnecessary bark and bite.  

2) Velocity losses are going to be pretty danged high.  My 308 Win is a 20", and I'm already seeing fairly noticeable reductions in muzzle speed due to the short barrel.  In fairness and truth, my little 308win acts a whole lot more like a .300 Savage, since I'm getting Savage speeds...  It doesn't make any real difference at the 50, 100, 150 yard ranges that 99% of deer are shot at around here.  The 30-06 is higher case capacity, and 18" is shorter yet.  Your observed velocity losses are going to be far higher.  This is going to translate to dramatically reduced impact speeds and energy at longer ranges....  The box of 180's might say 2800 fps on the back of the box.  You're going to see actual speeds more like 2600....

Yeah, there are those who hunt deer with pump action Remingtons equipped with carbine barrels...  Its a thing in the Adirondacks, and my old hunt camp was full of these guys.  It worked for them, but to be honest, that hunting style usually involves tracking in snow over long distances, and then taking fairly quick shots in close quarters.  Usually, shots are somewhere between 25 and 75 yards...    They would be just as well served with a 308 Win.

You mentioned Western hunting. That usually implies ranges longer than what is customary in the East.  The velocity issue isn't a factor in the East, thanks to short ranges.  If you're realistically hunting 300, 350, 400+ yards that seems to define Western Antelope, Mule Deer and Elk, I'd seriously want more speed. If you're limited to elk in timber, teh shortie 30-06 would be fine.

I've got no quarrel with a Post 64 Win 70.   I'd happily own one with a 22 or 24".  My willingness to own one drops by about $100 an inch if the barrel is shorter than 22inches...