The do all Spice called the 30-06

[Art Eatman]

Sorry, Brian, but since my father more than once and in front of witnesses called his shots on whitetail bucks out around 500 yards, I'm dubious that there are many cartridges which will do "better". He always loaded Hornady 150-grain soft points to GI specs; not all that hot.

Five grains weight of pistol powder behind 00 Buck makes for a great squirrel load. Versatility, anyone?

(Yeah, I like my 7mm08--but it's less than my '06 for "ultimate" performance.)

Jeff Cooper's daughter Lindy wrote the poem, "Seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six."

http://www.dvc.org.uk/jeff/lindy2.html

 

[Brian Williams]

Sorry Art, I meant to say do better for different applications.
I would rather have a 223 for varmints, but would settle for my 7mm-08. I am not sure if an eastern whitetail at 200yds would tell the difference between a 7mm-08 or a 30-06. Why wouldn't a 140gr 7mm still have something at 500 yds that a 150 30 cal has. It would be darn close.

 

[DM~]

Having spent 25 years of my life hunting in Alaska, much of it hunting brown bears, i've seen what a 30-06 will do. A PROPERLY LOADED 30-06 is plenty of medicine for the biggest brown bears, and is the mininum cartridge i personally would use for big bears.

If it can handle the biggest bears, it can handle anything else in the US too, you just need to match the bullet choise for the game, and shoot at reasonable ranges.

I'm not alone in this thinking, just ask bear guide Phil Shoemaker what he thinks of the 30-06 for the job...

IMO, the 30-06 is the finest big game cartridge ever developed!

DM

 

[sarduy]

i used to shoot 30-06 a lot (hunting, plinking) but the cost of ammo is no fun, now i only use my 30-06 when hunting, other than that the .223 7.62x39 9mm and .22lr see more range time than my -06

 

[RhinoDefense]

In short, the .30-06 is, in no way, playing "catch-up" to the 8x57.

American ammunition isn't loaded the way the 8x57 is to be loaded because companies are worried about shooters not knowing the difference between the J bore and S bore Mausers. Also a good number (several hundred thousand) German Mausers skipped the heat treating process and are not as strong as what they should be. The Jews being forced to make them, used techniques like this to sabotage the war efforts of the Germans. It is a combination of the two that the American manufacturers download the Mauser. The Mauser does wonderfully with 200gr+ bullets.

 

[DM~]

But as stated previously, the .30-'06 is just "catch up" to the 8mm Mauser.

Using modern 8mm Mauser ammunition it will outperform the .30-'06 across the board.

That hasen't been MY experience, as least not on the biggest big game.

My "go to gun" is an 8x57 and i load 200NP's in it at 2,550 fps, and it does pretty good, but i've shot enough big game with a 30-06 to know that it out performs my 8x57 on the biggest animals.

DM

 

[BrocLuno]

I agree that the 06 will do whatever is needed

But, as a few others have said, it takes a long action and it kicks a bit much. Saying that, I own four or five 06's - so don't think I'm troubled by the round

If I lived in Alaska, it would be my daily tote along. I don't, but do visit there and have worked there when an 06 was an issue Bear defense gun (surveying in the scrub).

For Calif coastal deer and the odd pig, my 308 does fine I'll be converting one of my high serial number Garands to 308 too. I just like it a bit better

 

[steveracer]

I have used 140 grains on small black tail deer, 168 grain on paper targets at 600 yards, and 210 grain on elk. The 30-06 does nothing poorly.

 

[castingdonkey]

x20 for 06 fans, I love that round and all the available projectile choices. There are many other choices out there that can be noted as better by slight margins. but when it comes down to available bullet weights, designs, and not to mention reload data far surpassing any other cartridge available. Not the best for small game and not the best for Africa, or Brown bears. But people have used them extensively in both places successfully. I would much preffer a 45-70 in close quarters with dangerous game. But at 100 or better what the heck the old favorite will come through. Start handloading and plinking cost goes way down.

 

[Zombiphobia]

The best way to start a good conversation here is to say one cartridge is 'better' than another.

Personally, I think a 5ga punt-gun beats everything mentioned so far. Mmm imagine the slugs for one of those. That'll handle elephant, tiger, lions, blue whale, Jupiter, a flock of snow geese a mile up, and grizz.. don't forget grizz. 5ga... it'll kill anything you can manage to aim at well enough to hit. within and exceeding 2 light years away.

 

[BBDartCA]

I find a lot of the 30-06 haters out there just want a newer, more sexy cartridge, not one like in Grandpa's gun.

 

[Geno]

No doubt the .30-06 Sprg is fantastic cartridge; literally, it is among the best. If I were restricted to one rifle, it most certainly would be a bolt-action .30-06. However, I think its greatest contribution has been giving life to other cartridges such as:

.25-06
.27-06
.28-06
.33-06
.35-06
.37-06

Nice thread to read. Thanks for starting it.

Geno

 

[Gtscotty]

Personally, I think a 5ga punt-gun beats everything mentioned so far. Mmm imagine the slugs for one of those. That'll handle elephant, tiger, lions, blue whale, Jupiter, a flock of snow geese a mile up, and grizz.. don't forget grizz. 5ga... it'll kill anything you can manage to aim at well enough to hit. within and exceeding 2 light years away.

Eh, I've read some reports of the Punt Slug over-expanding on close in Jupiter shots and just zipping right through whales at long range... not very uniform performance if you ask me. In addition, if the extra .6" of bolt travel in the standard vs short actions gives people such fits, I just don't think an extra foot is going to be very well received.

 

[Powderman]

There is one sure cure to tame recoil, not only with the '06, but with most rifle cartridges:

Properly adjusted 1903 sling.

The recoil that you feel is what happens when that rifle stock gets a good running start at you. Learn how to sling up with a good leather sling.

I use this sling when shooting my Garand and my 1903 Mark 1 Springfield. Used well, and applied TIGHTLY, the recoil is just a light tap. You don't even lose sight picture.

 

[Drue]

History speaks for itself.

Drue

 

[Skylerbone]

I was warned recently by both my father and our guide that .300 Win. Mag. was the minimum he suggested for Canadian Moose. I brought a pair of 30-06 rifles with me, the guide spoke of a hunter last season who emptied 17 rounds (5 of which hit) and looked doubtful.

I chose factory ammo to avoid any potential hassle, Winchester Power Max Bonded 180 gr. One shot at ~ 100 yds. and 900 lbs. on the hoof became 900 lbs. on the ground. We guessed he took 3 steps with a double lung shot.

Less than I'd prefer for bear but probably enough if your aim is true and knees ain't knocking.

 

[DM~]

That's the problem, too many have their knee's knocking, and think a BIGGER gun is the fix... It isn't!

DM

 

[medic-rod]

30-06 great for everything a little much for some a little small for others but works good

 

[P-32]

I'll be converting one of my high serial number Garands to 308 too. I just like it a bit better

Be sure your high SN# M-1 is not correct. I would be more than wiling to make a mix master a 308. Because I have a match tuned 308 M-1, I hardly think you would be able to tell the difference between 308 and '06 in the M-1 platefprm. Even in 308 you still have to have the proper powder burn rate.

 

[saturno_v]

But as stated previously, the .30-'06 is just "catch up" to the 8mm Mauser.

Using modern 8mm Mauser ammunition it will outperform the .30-'06 across the board.

Hmm...are you sure about that?? From a pure "paper specs" point of view the full house (European CIP specs) 8X57 JS is a 57k PSI cartridge, the 30-06 is a 60K PSI round. Case capacity is a bit higher on the 30-06 as well......I don't know wher eyou get your "will outpermorm" information.....

 

[JustsayMo]

06 doesn't do ALL. It can't take small game cleanly... and I mean without destroying it.

For those with some reloading ability 30-06 small game loads are easily constructed can be use to cleanly harvest game, even with a body shot. I load a 0 buckshot (~47 grains) on top of a 22lr case worth of Bullseye powder and have a very accurate out to 25 yard load to take small game, even light bodied grouse are edible after a center mass hit with this load. Jogs along 700-900 fps depending on the rifle and prints very near to point of aim out to 50 yards.

For longer shots I use a similar load with a 115 grain cast bullet (The Lee "Soup Can" is awesome). Typically I don't need to mess with the sights until I get out beyond 60 yards or so.

My introduction to center fire rifles was very similar to the OP. Our Scoutmaster would with our parents' permission get us a 1903 A3 for about a month or two worth of paperboy wages. That'd include a bayonet, ammo and belt too. I learned the above load from him and we'd shoot it in his yard. Quiet, no recoil, accurate... We'd shoot hundreds just as fast as we could load em.

Sadly, those days are gone. Those old guys knew a lot of things like that. These days it seems lots of guys who own guns rarely shoot and when they do it just with store bought ammo.

 

[BCRider]

.....Loaded with light bullets and a pistol powder (I use 12 grains of Unique under a 110 grain carbine bullet) you have an almost gallery load that you can shoot all day long......

'06 doesn't do ALL. It can't take small game cleanly... and I mean without destroying it.

With a bit of loading and shooting to find the right combo to work well with the twist rate I'll bet some of Powderman's soft "gallery" loads would take small game just fine.

It's sort of like my cowboy action lever gun in .357. With some soft 148gn wadcutter loads I'll bet I could take down a rabbit with minimal meat loss if I tuned it to the right velocity. Yet with a .357 loaded full house I could take a medium size deer at a suitable range for the round.

I often wondered why I didn't see much light rifle loading data. I think I understand why now. It's just not that popular. But with a bit of common sense and working with the velocities to ensure that the pressure doesn't peak too high I don't see why we can't shoot lighter bullets out of big casings at soft hitting velocities provided we can find a load recipe that stabilizes nicely with the twist rate.

 

[RhinoDefense]

Paper ballistics don't mean squat. My grandfather killed more deer and bear with his .32-20 than any of you have with your ought-six.

The .30-'06 is good, but I'll take the 8mm Mauser any day all day before it.

 

[jnoble87]

Big or small, the .30-06 does it all. From Africa to Alaska, it has taken its share of most 4 legged critters. It's as American as apple pie. The Mauser is nice, but I'm guaranteed to find .30-06 on the shelf, anywhere ammo is sold. Say what you want, but those who have come up against the .30-06 in battle can attest that, its proven (there's Iraqi's that laugh at 5.56 wounds....You'll hear NONE laughing at .30-06 wounds). And there's PLENTY of wall hanging trophies in the world, to show the power and grace that is...The .30-06 Springfield.

 

[LoonWulf]

LOL I dont use the 06 as much as i used to, i have other rifles now. When i was growing up, a remington 700 in .30-06 was the first rifle i had. A friend gave me a pile of FMJs that i chewed thru in less then a month. My folks bought me the gear for reloading, and i shot that gun and 7400 also in .30-06 for everything from cattle eagrets, to deer. I bought other rifles as quickly as money would allow, so the 06 got relegated to being my deer rifle only, but it worked for everything else i shot it at.