Nice gun.

Yes, a 30-06 kicks but it's not that bad.

Like someone else said, if you don't reload yourself you ABSOLUTELY must know you can trust your reloader. Improperly reloaded ammo can destroy your rifle and injure you.

If you go to ArmsCollectors.com, they have a section where you can enter your serial number and get a build date. Just click the Winchester name in the manufacture list, go to Bolt actions and hit Model 70. Let us know what you find!

Ha! Yeah, handloaders tend to go for max speed! Examine your fired cases carefully, look at the primers and seeif they are excesssively flattened,loose or if there is metal flowing back around the firing pin. These are signs of excessive pressure,and you don't really want to see that.Truth be told, you gain very little by adding 100fps, better of playing it safe and keeping things a little more tame. These rounds get into the 60'000 psi range,which is nothing to sneeze at. Stay safe, and have fun! Let us know how it shoots, once you get a chance.

Congrats dude, i love guns and i am pro 2nd Amendment... thats a nice looking gun there :-D

FYI gun control doesnt stop criminals it just makes it worse

You can buy low recoil loads for the 30-06, I believe they use 125 grain bullets from a major ammo company.

If you are going to shoot long range shots, I'd stick with the 165, or less popular 150 grainers for whitetails. But with shots of 100 yard's or less, I'd stick with 180 grainers, for it would be more effective against a big whitetail or elk.

Get yourself some electronic ear muffs for hunting or target shooting. I use lightweight Howard Leights from Cabelas. Though it might be hard to tell the direction of where the deer is coming from.

For target shooting, you can use a Lead Sled, recoil shield pad, or I just buy a Bag of Rags from the Auto Parts store and stuff them under my shirt.

If you pick up a flinch... go back to shooting you 22LR, till you get over the flinch.