Sounds like .338 and bigger is the calibers used in Alaska. How common is the lowly 30-06 up there?


Leo

In a survey done at the Range in Ancnorage, the three most popular calibers, in about equal percentages, were the 30-06, 300 win mag and 338 win mag. As I recall, each caliber represented a little over 20%. The remaining roughly 30% seemed to equally spill over on either side, ie ~15% using 270's and 7 mags, and ~15% using 35's, 375's and larger.

The only ones I've seen in the field,were toted by guys from DownSouth. I don't know a single gent here,that carries one for any critter....................

Let's see, how did that go?... "I [bleepin'] think I [bleepin'] knew some [bleeper] once who's [bleepin'] grandma had a [bleepin'] 06."



This was conveyed directly to me with Big Stick as witness by a noted long-time SE Alaska resident (grin).

My hunting pard uses a .30/06 for sheep hunting and general light carrying rifle requirements, he has taken sheep, griz and I believe one or two moose with it. If he was rich he might pick sumpthin else, but he's not so he took a look at my lightweight 7mag that a local gunny had put on the diet for me and did the monkey see, monkey do thing. Came out pretty dang nice! His most impressive group I've seen with it was at 325 yards, 5 shots cover 'em easy with a quarter. I scratch my head trying figure out how he's badly armed with the dang thing! Somebody signs off with poor people have poor ways and this is true, but don't necessarily mean their results will be. In this case it's probably the Indian and not his arrow, but he's a pretty fair Indian. I believe you could do most of what needs bein done up here with an '06 and still have some margin. If all you have is an '06 don't let that stop you from hunting AK, if you fancy another flavor and it doesn't crimp your family budget....well by all means it's time for a new rifle. 1ak

Gotta clarify or at least be honest, that same pard also has a .375 that has seen way more field time than his '06 and he has a newly converted .458 win. to .458 Lott that he uses for bear hunting and smacking me upside the head with. 1ak

I have one, but haven't used it on game yet. I have a friend and know of a few others who hunt with the 30-06 up here.

Stick,

Master Bonzi has a 30-06, in a Ruger tang safety rifle. He's going to ruin your stat. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Good news is he's toting a brand new Rem Ti in 7mm-08 with a Leupold 3.5-10. You just need to convice him to get rid of the 'butt ugly' Leupold scope mounts, and get some Talleys. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I steered him towards the 7mm-08, or more accurately, AWAY from the 260 Rem. (I just don't like that cartridge <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />), the rest is up to you.

There is generally a fair amount of free '06 brass lying around at our range during the summer. The old standard is pretty popular amongst the "buy a box of shells at Walmart once a year" hunting set, which probably makes up a larger percentage than the "dote on the latest or oldest favorite" crowd that tends to post here. (Yeah, that would be me looking back in the mirror...)

I suspect the precentages down here might run a little heavier to the .30-06 than .338, with a fair number of the various .300 overweights thrown in for balance. Because a lot of the SE Alaska hunting runs heavy to smallish deer and biggish black bears, there are quite a few who hunt with smaller bores, too. Even some who like little bitty bores like .223AI's, though I'm not sure why... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

I would bet that the "one gun" hunter (poor miserable souls that they are) mostly have either a .30-06 or a .300 Win Mag.

No science was damaged or even used in arriving at these conclusions.

The 338 and other "unnecessarily powerful" rounds have only recently made themselves common in many of the outlying parts of the state. The 30-06 - well- it's boring, not very cool, lacks any sort of sex appeal (won't make women want you more, etc). I guess that's why there are a lot of them out on the fringes. They do what people need them to do to be able to eat - and that's all that matters in matters of guns to a lot of folks.

By God....I might could remember that(grin).

Though '06 ammo is on the local shelves,I'm the only one I know of,that has one(Winny Garand). The Pimp was recently gifted with one and promptly marched it down town and placed it for IMMEDIATE sale. He figures to procure another Leupie glass,with them proceeds.

Guys I know here,shoot a smattering of chamberings,some mainstream and others more off of the beaten path. While some are '06 based,none are actually chambered for the Old War Horse.

I'd certainly not hint that their respective tastes(nor mine) are mainstream,but they know what they like and more importantly why(as do I).

I cut my teeth with an '06,know that it can be made to work,but the luster has always escaped me.....................

When I first moved to Alaska, all I had was a .30-06, but I have since changed to .375 and my .30-06 stays at home. If I didn't have the big gun, I would probably still tote the 06, just because I was used to it.

BW,
I like my 30-06. It was my first rifle, so I am a little attached to it. If I draw an elk tag this year, I'll think I'll use the 06 just so I have an excuse to put a new scope and stock on it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

my ole lady shoots the '06. she has no interest in shooting a brownie/griz and if she comes across one on the trail, I'm always with her carrying something bigger. I wish she would choose something else, I picked it up as a gun to be customized but nooooo..she liked it and wanted to keep it.

I have one .338, and two 30-06s, one of which I've never fired (High number '03 Springfield on an excess, used Ruger stock). But I will one of these days.



Had 3, but rebarrelled the old, pitted, '98 to .280, tweaked a few other things, and hung it on plastic for a high country rifle. If there is more than one of us family members, someone is packing the Ruger '06, known as "Stub" for its 17.5 inch barrel. The stock has been cut down fore and aft to fit my wife, and balance out the looks as well. With a 1" slip on pad over the Decelerator, it fits me well enough that I use it for my backup moose gun if the .338 takes sick. Makes the ears ring tho.



I've taken sheep, caribou, moose and black bear with several '06's - including Stub, but mostly the 98 before I converted it, and the 06 caliber does just fine. Killed a ram at 330 yds with Stub the first time I used it, and a 42" moose at 40 yards, 4 days later. Can't complain.



It was stepping thru screens of brush and finding 2 gallons of steaming bear poop a foot in front of me for the 8th or 10th time that induced me to go to a .338 for moose hunting. More of a comforting placebo than anything else I suspect, but have never had to confirm. I'd just as soon keep it that way, too. I was hoping for a .375, but the price was right.



I took my first moose - a 3 year old bull- with an open sighted .30-30 at about 60 yards. It worked just fine too.

I have a fair number of 30-06s, including the SS 700 I am dragging my feet to finish... it will weigh in at well under 7# all up with sling and full belly. I hope it sees some serious hunting time soon.

But I also have medium and heavy versions of the 06 to go with a couple 721s ready for restocking... should I think I need a filler. I think I have more in the 06 than I do in 22LRs.

I have used them a lot for all sorts of AK critters and have no feeling that I ever need more. They put the hurt on all manner of critters...
art

Leo,

The lowly '06 is very popular in Alaska. I've never hunted with one myself. The only one I own is a nice old IH M-1 Garand. The reason I don't have a hunting rifle so chambered is simple; they're boring, and it eliminates the excuse to experiment with a whole safe full of rifles!! What other cartridge has these attributes?

a.) Huge variety of components/loaded ammo available evreywhere in the world.
b.) Perfectly capable of taking 90%+ of all the game you will ever shoot, including Alaska & Africa.
c.) Chambered in almost any action style you are partial to.
d.) Recoil almost everyone can tolerate.
e.) Generally speaking, quite accurate.

Yep...Boring. I gotta go buy another rifle!

Jeff

I'm surprised when someone doesn't have a 30-06. I have 3 in my safe, my son hunts with one and I have never felt under guned with one. I also have a 338 and in all honesty my 375 (also afine cartridge) has probably killed more game than any thing else I have. But I would rather see a guy hunt with a 30-06 than a rifle he is afraid of. Akjeff certainly expressed it well in his points. Cariboujack

I have a couple in the safe. Never hunted with either one but they are cheap to feed for range practice. Maybe I'll get brave and hunt with one this year. I lean towards the 7mm Rem Mag as my all around favorite with the .280 coming in close second. When I think of carrying the 30.06 I lean towards the 7mm on one end and .338 on the other. However when loaded with 180 grain premium bullets, i don't think there is lot the old 06 can not do well.

Everybody should have a couple of them. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

This will give you an idea:

This is from the NRA's January 2001 issue, American Hunter: "The Alaska Department of Fish & Game hunter safety staff in Anchorage tallied the big game rifles sighted at the Rabbit Creek rifle range for the 1999 hunting season. The top three cartridges were the .30-06 (21%), .300 Win. Magnum (19%), and the .338 Win. Magnum (18%). These were followed by the 7mm Rem. Magnum (9%), .375 H&H Magnum (6%), .270 (6%), .308 (4%), and .300 Wby. Magnum (4%), .45-70 (1%), .280 (1%), and a host of others, including many wildcats. Comparable data are not available for hunters who live in the bush."

Very Believeable.

Have a factory 06 in the safe now, plan on building a custom '06 next year. Will be a lightweight rig on a sucks.

MtnHtr

Wow! Forgot about this post and come back to a ton of replies. Thanks to everyone who replied. Glad to see the ol' 30-06 still gets some respect afterall.

Not in Alaska, but here in MT I went "retro" last year and took a nice colored spring bear, antelope buck, 6pt bull elk and 4pt mulie at ranges from 225-300 yards with the 30-06... it works.

What happen with the .308? Only 4% usage in alaska?


Leo

Lemort, I'd bet there are a lot of 308's in rural AK... those figures are from one range in Anchorage.

Brad
I honestly doubt the number would rise... the 223 is incredibly popular in the villages I have been around.
art

And the .22-250. At least in the coastal villages. Used for seal guns(head shots). Also used as caribou guns (much wounding), and polar bear guns (I know of no one killed yet!).



A .243 is considered overkill out there, my .25-06 was a "big gun", my buddy's .264 Mag was considered to be artillery by the natives. Doesn't mean they are right.



In mid 70's I was in Pt. Hope for several years, including two summers. A grey whale was feeding about 20 yards off the beach, and a local man (and good friend) expressed an interest in taking it (these folks are bowhead hunters- never take greys- which may attack umiaks when wounded). My buddy ran up and fetched his .375 for Henry to use. Empty. Then he handed Henry several cartridges. Henry looked at them for a bit, then loaded them, but somehow, over the next 30 minutes, the "right shot" never presented itself, as the whale repeatedly raised its head and eyeballed us.



Truth to tell- I was just as glad. That was one cool whale.

When I was stationed in King Salmon, I had a native buddy from Naknek who used a mini-14 and FMJ's. He just shot until the caribou fell down. Pretenderized, I guess. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />Greg

Hmmmm....................Las, just as a point of interest my 23 years in the Canadian Arctic saw a lot of use of the .222, 22/250 and .243.
Sledding around to find poalar bear dens, those rifles were used for seal, caribou and polar bear on our trips by my Inuit assistants.
The bulk of the 30 some polar bears shot on my research trips by my local assistants was with the .222 and 22/250.
2 were shot with a 25/06 and 6 some with the .308 Win, and another 2 with a .243.
One only with the .350 Rem Mag.
They hated the big exit holes it made in the fur, and consequently refused to use it on the bears.
Polar bears were chased with the sno-mo until they were too puckered to run and climbed on top of a piece of ice.
Not very sporting, but effective if you want to gather bear fur.
Bears we encountered ranged between 250 to 900 pounds.
From there they were plinked in the heart or brain with the rifle. The smal bores there did excellent service on caribou, bears and seals. Personally I felt saver with a .308 facing a bear even one with no fight left in him. My companions did not hesistate shooting the bears with the .222 or .22/250 if nothing else was available, at all times with great results. The caribou there were the Peary caribou, weighing 150 max on the hoof.
The .222 and 22/250 worked like dynamite on them.

Agreed- amazing what these "inadequate" calibers can do on larger animals at decent range (me, I like bigger at any range!). Most caribou wounding I witnessed with the .22 centerfires was due to excessive range - beyond 200 yards, sometimes much farther- and not poor marksmanship. Just lousy penetration at range. A hunting partner once dropped a big, head-down bull caribou on a hilltop some 300 yards away with his .264 Mag. That's the only found animal I have never retrieved from the field. As nearly as we could tell among all the gagging and mouth breathing, it had 18 .22 caliber superficial bullet wounds in it, inflicted some days before. It was literally rotting to death.



The .22-250 was preferred in Pt. Hope for it's primary use as a seal gun among the leads and ice flows. Most hunters were not well enough off to afford more than one rifle at a time - so it ended up being used for caribou, polar bear, walrus, and whatever else came along. The Inuit hunters seemed to be quite shy of recoil- perhaps understandable since most were not of especially robust build, and no fools among them. At least not for long.



My friend Henry (about 5"8", maybe 135 lbs if you threw a bucket of water on him- and one of the strongest and smartest men I've ever met) now dead of cancer, told me of the biggest polar bear he ever killed - over 10 foot. He spotted it a half mile off, working down the far side of a pressure ridge, and figured he could beat it to the end of the ridge. Took off running, and rounded an ice block at the end of the ridge with his .243 at waist height, out of breath,and found the bear just 6 feet away. Both were rather surprised. The bear, hip shot, was hit in the neck just under the chin, and went down , without a quiver. Unlike Henry, who freely admitted having to sit down for about 15 minutes.



It was hugely funny in his broken English. We cackled like maniacs.

How common is the 7mm Mauser? What's some commonly available factory ammo up there? Do most alaskans reload their own ammo?

Leo

Over the many years I spent in Alaska I used a 30/06 for 100% of my mountian hunting. Near the coast I always used the 375HH.

I have no complaints of the 30/06, especially with 165 grain premium bullets. My old and boring model 70 has never lost an animal yet and taken several hundred head of big game for me and others in ALaska across the lower 48 and in Africa.

I did several drop off goat/black bear hunts back when a non-res could DIY it for goats. I used a 7x57 most of the time. It worked perfectly. I'd carry a 30 cal these days in the interior and maybe something bigger than that if I were to venture near the coast. (No plans to do that however)

JimF

Sounds like many in alaska use the .30-06 as their "small bore", and have something bigger for back-up insurance.

Leo--

It's well-known that a .30-06 won't kill anything bigger than small whitetails, and is worthless beyond 200 yards. Other than that, it's fine cartridge for boring rifle loonies to death.

JB

Darrell --

I believe the original and still primary purpose of the .30-'06 is providing basic brass for useful and interesting cartridges, like the .25-06, .270, .280, .35 whelen, and so forth. Sorta like vanilla is the basis for the interestingly flavored varieties of ice cream.

Leo -- my wife shoots a 7x57, because while she has many wonderful characteristics, she is not a rifle loonie. She thinks it's plenty big enough to kill whatever she points it at, and at least up to caribou that seems to be the case. She hasn't killed an elk or a moose yet, but I somehow believe she will make it work for them too. (I might have to tinker with bullet selection a skosh (technical term), but the critters will cave in just the same.)

Most people in Alaska hunt with what they've got; those with two rifles might tend to have a larger bore and a smaller one, but they're just as likely to have a "pretty" rifle and a boat-bound beater. Rifle loonies in Alaska behave just like they do in Montana or Missouri (except we whimper more about (lack of) availability of components); we will buy, sell, trade and otherwise acquire rifles for every conceivable and sometimes inconceivable requirement, and then agonize and debate endlessly over whether it's just right.

We just have a wonderful backdrop against which to be loonies...

leomort: I am certain there are some 7mm Mauser around, but it seems that the most popular cartridges in the NRA list I posted above are so because there is plenty of ammo, bullets, and reloading components for them at the stores.

There is lots of reloading going on in Alaska, and I, like many others reload my own ammo and buy factory ammo when on sale. I only have one big game rifle, a Ruger stainless .338WM. This is the only gun I reload for.

Lots of people here order from Cabela's and other mail order companies, but some of the local stores have reasonable prices for their products now that Walmart, The Sportsman Warehouse, etc. are here.

Muledeer (the Alaska version) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I always cringe a bit when I post pictures of my poor 416 Taylor. The durn thing suffers from rust at the front sight and the sling swivels probably should be replace ever year. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

She's a salt-water skiff gun for sure! Not pretty, but pretty effective! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Just call me Darryl...

So when do you pull the pin?

Staying in Sitka?

......As a result of its popularity the good 'ol '06 has a lot of good ammo available that can be found almost anywhere you go. I think that is very important when traveling. If you are good with what you shoot you shouldn't need anything more.