Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Scope for 30-06

I have decided I need a 30-06, to not have one is almost un-American. I believe, as do many others, it is perhaps the best all-around cartridge for North America, or at least a contender, but being a rifle looney, I have always gone for specialty rounds. It's way past time to correct this.

To me, the appropriate rifle to go with this classic cartridge, to my way of thinking, is the model 70 Super America. I'm not sure about the scope, though. I'm inclined to the 2 1/2 - 8 Leupold, but will entertain suggestions. Your thoughts?

To add: It would mostly be just to have one, a safe queen, but I would have to take at least one critter with it, and if I could manage another Africa trip it would likely be my PG rifle.

Super America is Kimber, super grade is Winchester. I wouldn’t be without a .30-06, owned them in Winchester super grade, Kimber Montana, Colt light rifle, tikka 695, Steyr MIII, REM 700, REM 742, Browning A-Bolt medallion and gold medallion, valmet 412, and probably more I can’t remember.

I’d go Kimber Montana before Winchester super grade.
And a 2.5-8 only if it was Vari-X and well proven.
Mine wears an SHV 3-10.

Can’t complete the circle without a good 06👍

Thanks, brain fart on the Super America, i was thinking super grade. More of a classic, (due to length of production, mostly) acceptable accuracy, not necessarily for a full time hunter.

I am having my M70 06 put back together as we speak. A darned fine round with a darned fine history in the game fields of the world. I prefer straight tubed low power scopes on mine.

Yep. Every hunter should have a 30-06. I’m down to 4.


I like 4.5x14 Leupolds on mine.

I have Leupy VX3 3.5-10 on mine and happy with them. A NF SHV would work as well nicely.

The 3.5-10X Leupold worked fine on my FN 30-06.

The 2.5-8 Leupold is a darn good chouce…..or at least it once was. memtb

Damn good choices too

For something like this, being at least partly for nostalgia, I miss the old 2-7 Redfield. The one I had was great; damn the bastard who stole it and the rifle!

Thanks for the various suggestions.

I’d probably go with a 3-9 or 3.5-10 range of scope. Never took an 06 to Africa but have taken a 308 a couple of times. Same load each time. 168TSX at 2700fps. Worked perfectly on impala to zebra. I had a Kimber 84L deluxe that I planned to take over eventually but let it go in a moment of weakness. It shot 168TTSX incredibly well…. Probably shoulda kept that one….

It’s hard to beat a 30-06 for a “do everything “ hunting rifle. I’ve owned several over the years and currently own a Weatherby vanguard s2. I’ll use it to kill whitetails this fall and for elk in December. I started with a leupold 4x on my first 06, a tang ruger 77 back in 1976. Probably 20 years later I switched to a leupy 3-9x40. Gave that rifle to a friend and bought a Mark 2, also in 30-06. Probably killed over 28 elk with it until last year when I gave that one to a son. A reasonably accurate 30-06 shooting 180 partitions easily handles anything in North America. YMMV

For a 30-06, or long action rifle, I’d lean toward the 3-9x40, 2.5-10x40 or 3.5-10x40 over a 2.5-8 Leupold. Mainly because that scope has a short tube/mounting length. A good 3-9x40 is much more forgiving, in that regard.

I put a Kahles 6x42 scope with a #4 reticle on my Steyr M Professional.30-06 and it is perfect for any shot from 3 feet to 400+ yards. The scope is no longer made but a used one would be great or a used Meopta 6x42 or the Leupold 6x42. These are the only 6x42 scopes I have tried and they are all great and I consider them the perfect all around scope

6x Leupold

I have a ruger tanger in 30-06. It wears a VX3 3.5-10x40. It has been an excellent rifle and caliber. Likely all I ever needed. But you know not all I wanted. To me its a classic all around set up. Shoots Remington Green box 165s first two shots touching and the third 3/4 inches high and to the left. I shot it as my primary rifle for twenty years.

I Also have a Browning ABolt hunter in 30-06. It was taken in as boot on a car deal when my family owned a Ford Dealership.
My brother just set in my office one afternoon. It wears a VX-R 1.25-4x20 illuminated reticle. I used it when I hunted in Florida to jump shoot hogs. An ATV rifle. It shoots great and handles very well. I could get on those hogs quick with that scope and get if a shot quick with the tang safety on the browning. I never warmed up to the BOSS system. Even tried the solid non-break end. Just never got used to it. More rifles came along and the browning sits in the safe. I gave up the hog lease in Florida and took up killing whitetails in Alabama.

My son just put a 3.5-10 Leupold on his FN and it is a very nice combination.

Obviously all of the scopes mentioned above will work fine depending on your wants but there is a considerable difference in weights. For versatility I prefer a low powered variable as light as possible and have settled on the 2.5-8 Leupold. Good for you getting a 30-06.