I wouldn,t say that the 110-125 grain bullets out of the 30-06 are overkill but that is just an oppinion as is your oppinion that they are.
The comparison to the 30-30 ?
Opinions vary. I don't need a fast .308" 110g bullet to take down antelope or small deer. If "overkill = way more than needed", yeah, I think "overkill". I've taken antelope with bullets from 100g to 235g in calibers from .257" to .375" All loads were "way more than needed".
Many people consider a .30-30/150g load to be nearly ideal for their needs. The comparison of the .30-06/125g was just to demonstrate that "not the best for hunting" load has 10x the effective range of loads some people are quite happy with.
OP specificly said excluding the Big Bears so any comparison between the cartridges for bears is moot.
He did say that. That doesn't mean a a 220g bullet can't be considered. Some people use them for elk and moose and who knows what else. A 220g at 2200-2300fps won't have a lot of recoil but is a bugger to stop. Game wouldn't like it at all.
And, as I said, IF I was hunting big bears, a 220g bullet would be of considerable interest.
Never said that it was time to throw out all the 30-06 rifles
You did not and that remark was not directed at you in particular.
The fact that what most people do has never mattered to you and that you Zeroed a good friends Sons rifle for him and the the son was able to take his first elk with it using Managed recoil load has absolutely nothing to do with the op question.
No? would a smaller cartridge have done any better? Just pointing out that a "not the best for hunting" load seems to have worked fine.
You only listed part of the op question.
The Question from the Op was for big game other than Big Bears
The OP Did NOT ask about
Versatility
AMMO availability AMMO prices
Downloading a 30-06
When considering various cartridges, these are attributes many people also consider in addition to ballistics. I once bought a handgun and it was 3 months before I could get components or ammo to shoot it. When I bought my .375 Winchester I waited 6 months for component brass. A gun you can't shoot is just a conversation piece.
But to address those issues
Versatitily-the 270 Winchester for example with the right loads can be used for Varmints to the Largest game in NA as well as the 30-06
Thanks, but if hunting big bears I'd take a .30-06/220g Partition before I'd take anything in a .270. Even if not hunting big bears, a 220g Partition makes sense if hunting in big bear country.
Ammo Availability- In the first place Midway USA is not the only place to buy ammo,In the second place Just how Many loads does one need for big game?
A man can only shoot one load at a time out of his rifle !
And I suspect for the 270 Winchester as well as other cartridges that a person can find an a Factory load for the game animal they choose to hunt.
In addition Bullets for the 270 Winchester and again enough bullets for other calibers can be found that are suitable for the game being hunted.
The point is that with more options available there is a greater likelihood of finding suitable .30-06 ammo when you need it.
No, Midway isn't the only place to buy ammo. In fact, I've never bought ammo from them. But their selection is pretty good and they provide the numbers on types of ammo available - you don't have to go in and try to count them.
Ammo Prices- is really a moot point considering the amount of factory Ammo shot in getting ready to and shooting big game animals.
That having been said I have many times seen 270 Winchester priced as cheap and sometimes cheaper than 30-06 ammo.
Ammo prices are moot to some, not to others. Many people pick up whatever is cheap - because it is cheap.
There are exceptions to every rule, but I don't think I've ever seen .270 ammo as cheap as bulk .30-06 ammo. Not that I would hunt with such ammo, but I would practice with it.
When Daughter #2 got married I got a rifle as a wedding present for her husband. Knowing I handload, Daughter #2 expressed concern to my wife about whether or not her new hubby would be able to afford factory ammo. She was quite relieved when I informed her it was a .30-06.
The 30-06 being the last rifle you would let go ?
I could definetly have a 30-06 for a one rifle big game rifle for everything but the Big bears and would not have an issue doing so.
I like the 30-06
HOWEVER
the 270 Winchester Will be fine for every thing else and Kick me less in the process.
And THAT is EXACTLY what the OP asked !
Yup, if I had to trim down to a single rifle my Ruger MKII stainless boat paddle .30-06 rifle would be the keeper.
For someone choosing their first rifle, most people would be wise to consider the questions of factory cartridge ballistics, cartridge versatility and ammo availability, variety and prices. Handloaders need to consider component availability and price.
Recoil is just one attribute to consider. There isn't a lot of difference in the field once the bullet is launched - most cartridges will work most of the time if the bullet is properly placed. When things go wrong, that is when the differences can come into play.
