Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 30-06 for plains game

Someday I plan to go on an African safari for plains game. I inherited a pre-64 Model 70 featherweight from my dad when he passed away. Would love to use this rifle because of sentimental reasons and also that I can shoot it reasonbly well. Just wondering if it has enough punch for the bigger stuff. I was thinking of using the 200 grain Nosler Partition, from what I've haeard it works great on bigger game.

That is what I use most of the time..I love the 200 gr. Nosler and the 180 gr. Nosler and your good to go on all plainsgame..That load is even a darn good Lion load IMO...

Great rifle and a great caliber...

Start here: Plains Game Minimum - JJHACK

In short, you'll be just fine!

No writer here.... but my hunting pard took his 30'06 loaded with 165 partitions and if I remember right he took 14 shots to kill 13 PG animals, the boy can shoot. All the folks over there giving a hard time for only bringing a '06 got silent rather quickly.

The .30-'06 is all I've ever used on African plains game. I've killed about forty percent with 180-grain Nosler Partitions and the bulk, the remaining 60% with 180-grain Hornady Spire Point Boat Tail bullets.

Both bullets worked well. The Partitions all fully penetrated, so I have no idea what sort of expansion they had. The Hornadys killed superbly and the twenty or so that stopped within the animals showed wonderful expansion and penetration.

The largest African animal I've killed was with the .30-'06 and a single 180-grain Hornady SPBT Interlocked. The animal was a very old eland bull. One shot, placed at the crease between the neck and the shoulder, put him down and dead instantly.

Weight = 1,069 Kg = 2,352 pounds.

The .30-'06 with 180-grain Hornady Interlocked bullets is absolutely perfect for most plains game.

Having said all of that gunspeak, never forget that it is the HUNTER that makes all the difference, not the rifle, cartridge or bullet. It's the artist, not the brush, that creates the masterpiece.

Steve

The 30-06 is probably good for 90% of the planet's game.

I used a loaner .30/06 on game up to Cape Kudu, Black Wildebeest and Gemsbok, mostly at ranges between 180 and 225 yards with great satisfaction. I've never been into the .30/06, but the experience has made a believer out of me. Bullet placement and good shooting are the keys.

#1 Get in shape before the hunt.
#2 Get in shape before the hunt.
#3 Learn to shoot from sticks before your trip.

Steve,

Good shooting, and excellent placement. Although this probably happened years ago, congratulations anyway!

That is one of my most favored shots - where neck meets shoulder. Bang-flop every time given enough bullet.

-

My wife used her '06 exclusively on two safaris, heres a couple results...it works!






I also used her rifle to do a bit of culling....one of my favorites!
BTW; the 200 gr. Nosler would be an Excellent choice!
Ingwe

I have taken a flock of plains game with my .308 Win using premium 180 gr bullets, your .30-'06 will do fine and the 200 gr Nosler Partition is more of a good thing.

Good hunting, and it is great to hunt with rifles from hunters who have gone before...

jim

I used my father's old pre 64 featherweight '06 in RSA on zebra, waterbuck and gemsbok. Used a .375 on kudu. 180 Nosler partitions worked fine...this gemsbok was DRT, but I shot him in the neck.

I don't think there is any reason to use 200gr bullets in a 30-06. I'd rather take a pet 180gr load. Its bound to shoot a bit flatter and will hit hard enough to kill anything weighing a half-ton.

For some reason many people think there is some mystery to African plains game. None of them weigh more than a bull elk except eland and giraffe, and eland are patsies to knock over. Heart-lung plains game and it dies. For everything but eland and giraffe, just take anything .270 or above and don't worry about it. There is no need for 200 grain bullets. 165 works fine as does 180.

A few .30-'06 victims.

Steve

Magnificent critters everyone. Truly a testament to the field capability of the venerable .30/06.

Col. Whelen once said, "The 30-06 is never a mistake." I think he was right.
Paul B.

I think it can work on the small stuff also...

Sorry, gotta work on the pic size

YEP, it sure can!!!





[northern Limpopo Province in South Africa]

Handload: 220 gr Woodliegh RN at 2460 fps

Why did I use a 220 gr bullet? Just because I wanted to be old fashioned and nostalgic! It seemed to work just fine too, even on the small stuff.

Cheers!
-Bob F.

Yep, the 30-06 is probably the best all around plains game rifle out there. My son used a NEF Handi-Rifle in the Limpopo last July to take 7 head of plains game. He used Fed. factory loads 180 gr. Nosler partitions. 7 1 shot kills. Here are the pics.













[img]http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii198/maddog1951/Africa%202008/IMG_1595.jpg[/img]

maddog