Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 30-06 survey - Too much gun?

How true.......

I started my 10 year old grandson off with a 22 and a 17 Hmr then we shot a few rounds of 243 and now he is shooting the rifle he'll use for elk - a 30-06.

Now it is loaded with 110 grain bullets and a minimum charge of powder so it kicks like a 243 with less muzzle blast but it is a 30-06 and by 12 he'll know that he can shoot his 06 better than most new hunters and by then he'll be shooting 180 grain TTSX full power loads.

There are tons of rifles and bullets that work for elk as will a 100 grain broad head going 200 FPS but my recommendation is 30-06 and 165 grain or bigger bullets.

That's where I'm at.

More guys are there than will admit to it, but are fooled by the "gains" of everything else.


Self included.

Going to borrow this.

FWIW, my own experience, I prefer the .30-06 to the .270 Win.

I have owned two .270s and now have .30-06 and .338-06 rifles for deer stalking. The .30-06 and .338-06 with similar sectional density bullets (165, 180 and 210 grain bullets) gives my shoulder more of a 'shove'.

The .270's apparent recoil was a sharper kick, but what I really did not like in the end was the 'ringing' muzzle blast and the headache I had after firing 20 - 40 rounds at the range.

I have noticed too, the .308 and .338 bullets at '06 velocities seem to put deer down quicker on heart and lung broadside shots. I think this is due to the obviously larger diameter creating a wound which bleeds out more quickly, resulting in quicker blood pressure loss and unconsciousness.

It's TOO MUCH for puzzies!!

I still maintain the 06 is TOO GOOD to be without!

When I was about 15 I thought the 30-06 was the best rifle in the world.. Never figured I would need anything else.. Maybe I didn't need anything else, but I have had a great deal of fun playing with other calibers.. Haven't shot my 06 since 2005 or so.. One has never had a shell in the chamber.. May have to get them out and give them a try. I can never be without them, as they are relatives handmedowns.. I sure like them, but have other calibers I like a bit better..

What other caliber can you almost guarantee some hole in the wall hardware/general/sporting goods will have the ammo on the shelf when you are 1,500 miles from home and you forgot your custom hand-loaded, high-end ammo?

That's the beauty of a .30-06. It's boringly availability and it works when you need it to makes it a viable round.

The old "Mom and Pop Gas Station" theory. Priceless. I've never met anyone thats done this.


I'm sure someone here has though.

There was a thread a while back with multiple examples.

We hunt deer, elk, bear at the same time. For some reason I keep grabbing my old 06 and 180 NP for the job even though I have several choices in the safe. From little backtails to moose, it has always gotten the job done when I did my part.

For 20+ years I had my 7mm RM and didn't feel a need for anything else. Now, 33 years after getting that 7mm RM I still don't.

That said, in the last 13 years I've acquired a few other big game rifles, from a .257 Roberts to a .45-70, and appreciate what they can do. At the moment there are four .30-06 rifles in my safe. Three are mine, one is mine for now but will be a wedding gift for a new son-in-law later this year.

When Daughter #1 decided she needed her own rifle for her first elk hunt, coming up in November, she wanted a .308 and had my full support.

Will her .308 Win do anything a .30-06 can't do just as well? Nope. The only advantage is a slight difference in the rifle's length (3/4") and weight (8 ounces) when compared to the same rifle in .30-06. Regardless of which bullet I end up loading for her, the load will probably be a middling load to keep recoil down, but nothing that couldn't be done with a .30-06.

C H - I said something similar earlier in this thread. I went for a no. of yrs. w/o one also and I don't NEED an 06 today BUT With ALL things considered the 30.06 is a 'safe haven'.

An 06 in rifles is

like gold in your portfolio. It's never worthless.

I have never forgotten ammo. However, I have been in a situation where I didn't bring enough. I ended up having to visit the only shop in town where the only thing on the shelf were factory Federal 180 gr Partitions. I promise you, once you've been in this situation, you'll likely second-guess bringing that .270 WSM or .260 Rem. with you.

That's a new twist.

The 270 WSM got 7 Mag'ed, but because hand loading is starting to get dull and well, I kinda like the thing. Can't seem to get swooned off the 260 though.

I'll admit though, if the right 30-06 came along, they both might go up the river.

Simple schit is simply simpler....

I think we have a consensus

Naaw! Not after 18 pages...give it at least 18 more! I've read this thing for the humor mostly and will not opine because I've never owned a 30-06. Many hunting buddies/family members have them, and I've shot them on many occasions. I do own, and hunt the ever popular 270win, which I suppose you could sub into the 30-06 argument on most accounts.

All I know for sure is there's a bunch of old duffers that are pretty fun when it comes to arguing the endless saga of the 30-06! It'll be few before I'm old enough to be a "duffer" so there's another reason I can't join the conversation!

30-06 is too much gun for a lot of shooters, especially younger or over 60 yoa.

Older you get more recoil sensitive, I'm living proof.

Years and years of 375's, 338's, 300's & fwt '06's.

Now liking the 280 more 'n' more.

Dave