30/06! Is it slowly dying or do we still love and use the 30/06 to hunt with? Who uses a 06 and what rifle and load. ??

My favorite bigger caliber. Used one for almost 40 years. Favorite is an early mountain rifle 700 in 06. Now wearing a Grayboe, leupold 3.5-10 and a Timney trigger. Shot the same load of IMR4350 over a 165 gr Ballistic tip for almost 30 years. I've also got 06s in 7600 , 760 , couple other 700s , model 70 and a 742 and 7400.

Have had them for years but finally killed my first deer with one last fall. I had always grabbed something else when it was time to hunt. Was lucky enough to find one that shoots tiny groups with 180 gr Bondstrike loads and have procured enough ammo shoot it regularly for a long time. Have another that shoots great w/ anything you feed it. They aren’t flashy but get it done.

It’s a proven killer with manageable recoil. Hard not to like. Edk

I've used various 30/06s for the last 30 years. Currently I'm using a JC Higgins 50. Load has always been 150 ballistic tip or accubond with 52 of 4064

Killed a lot of elk with 30-06, as a matter of fact I'm looking for another 06, just haven't made up my mind which make and model.

The 30-06 is (or at least should be) timeless. It'll do most everything well. Favorite load is IMR 4350 pushing a 200 gr Partition.

I have 3 and another a Kimber BGR 30-06 on the way. I like hell out of them. I load 150 partitions with 59 grains of IMR 4350. That will work on anything I’m gonna run across.

Yup.


For the closest thing to a one-size-fits-all rifle cartridge the 30-06 has yet to be beat.

Where I live, Blacktail dinks at under 150 yds are what I hunt, too much meat damage with full house loads, so I like the old M-72 GI match load (or Fed GM Match, same-o)...165 gr or 180 plain base of any make, 48 to 50 grs of IMR 4895 depending on brass capacity...gives around 2650, 1 moa in many rifles, minimal meat loss.

I don’t shoot or use mine much but I’ll never be without one.

Does any MFg make the GI match load any longer. ??

I killed 3 deer this year with 30-06s. I have 2 vanguards a deluxe and a plastic stock for bad weather days. 165 gn Speer SBT over IMR 4350.

only have 2 steyr mod m . both shoot so good I won't say for being acused of being nuts. Nosler 165 bt and par for over 30 years. I have a bunch of other but they are my go to guns.

Typically we have used 165 c&c (mostly interlocks ) and 4350 for deer and black bear. The last two black bear we took traveled a total of maybe 10 yards between them after being shot. We were suitably impressed.
On my to do list is to try some 150 with 4895 for a deer load with the goal to reduce recoil a bit for practise and as a deer load for less experienced shooters coming up!

Yes, after all these years I still handload, shoot and hunt with the 30-06 cartridge. Most often with my Remington 700 CDL, topped by a 6x Leupold. It's taken grizzly, black bear, elk, mule deer, antelope and probably something I'm forgetting. Typically use a 165 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip at 2940 fps via H4350, but have also used a number of other bullets and a couple of different powders in recent years including Ramshot Hunter, and H4831. Berger's 180 gr Elite Hunter did well on a muley buck at 350 yards, and Hornady's 178 gr ELD-X did well on a cow elk at 405 yards. For the grizzly I loaded 200 gr Nosler Partitions, which worked well.





Regards, Guy

Not really, only have about a dozen. Bought my first one in 1978. I don't necessarily hunt with them as age and health limit me to hunting only a couple of times a year. I do like shooting them, especially with reduced loads. If I want to check the accuracy of one it's 57 grains of IMR4350 and a 150 Sierra FB or a 165 Ballistic tip. Like Hanco, his favorite load or mine will take care of anything I'm likely to run across in Middle Tennessee. It's been a long time since I've seen a Mastodon or even one of those Terrasaurasis or whatever they are in Tennessee. I believe it's with us to stay.
Take care,
Rick

Yep I have a few. Have any number of cartridges to choose from but a 30-06 in one form or another accounts for probably 80% of my shooting in a yr.

Made sure I had plenty of everything needed to keep them all fed fat and happy, which was way easier and cheaper to do than some other cartridges. Wouldn't be without one, I like them. Not fussy across a broad array of bullets and powders. Easy to make work at the bench and in the field.

Can make them shoot very well at easy 300 Savage or 308 levels, or turn up the heat. They will work well with about anything you throw at them. Was always a valuable cartridge, but even more so in today's world IMO.

I think I'm at 6 right now. 3 pumps, 2 bolts and an autoloader. If I had to go to one gun/cartridge it would be a 760 in 30-06.

I love how you can use the brass to make 35 Whelen brass out of it ! Is that what you mean???? 😂😂😂😂

That is indeed a great use for the 30-06 brass! Instead of necking it up to 35, I like the scrunched down version in 25...

Guy

I have 2, both Model 70s. A 1949 Standard with a Balvar scope. All original and not a safe queen but I won't take it back in the mountains and risk tearing it up. The other is a 1955 Featherweight, I put a Burris Fullfield II on it. I've got it sighted in with 150 grain Winchester power points. Killed a buck with it in November 2022, my first with an '06. I'm a late bloomer when it comes to accumulating firearms.

Have a 700 classic, 70 Classic FW in a McM stock and a 7600.

I used the 7600 to take my buck last year.

165 gr Hornady, can’t remember what powder.

I’m more of a rifle guy than a cartridge guy anymore. If I find a rifle I like or decide I want to use the chambering doesn’t matter a whole lot. With the 06 being probably the most common cartridge in bolt action rifles for the last century it stands to reason that I have a fleet of them in neat old rifles. And everything I have gets hunted at least occasionally.

I took a renewed interest in my old 1955 Featherweight last fall and used it for both of my rifle deer hunts and one elk season. Didn’t kill an elk but I did shoot a couple nice bucks. One Sierra 165 over some 4895 was enough for each buck.

Damn nice animals Kid!!!!

Ruger tang safety M77, 165 Nosler BT over 56 gr IMR4350. Ruger No. 1 and Tikka T3 as well. Working on loads with Barnes 168 TTSX and Enduron 4451.

I got my best buck with my 760 30-06.

Thanks KW! It’s good to live in paradise. Seems like you and me both been on a roll with pretty nice bucks the last few years.

I have a couple Aught Sixes. They're a lot of what I use for hunting

I forgot to add I like a 150 Interlock over 50 grains of IMR 4895

Best cartridge ever!

In 2002, I borrowed my best friends Ruger M77 MkII .30-06 loaded with Remington 165 grain Core-lokts and killed a coyote on the run at several football fields away. Sure it was a lucky shot but I was inspired to buy my own .30-06 as a result.

My Winchester Model 70 Classic Stainless has been my favorite rifle ever since. With it I have killed coyotes, a bobcat, whitetail and mule deer, an aoudad, and rocky mountain elk.

My favorite load is the 165 grain Nosler Accubond on top of 56 grains of IMR4350.

I've personally never owned one...
I currently have a 700 .30-06 Ackley and a Belgium Browning .30-06. I've killed somewhere around 20 whitetails with the two versions of the cartridge plus five antelope and one elk. I'll always have at least one so I don't have to change my user name. Ha!

Heck yea! Get some 4350 and 165 interlock. Possible the greatest big game cartridge of all time!

I’ve owned at least 1 30-06 since 1976. My favorite cartridge for elk since 1996. It’s America’s cartridge, and has been since the end of WW2. I’d guess it’s going to be around for another 100 years.

My grandfather has only ever owned one centerfire rifle, a 721 in 30/06 he bought at the base pawn shop when he was in the army in the 50’s. No telling how many deer and elk he killed with it.

First year I got to go to elk camp he was sitting in his usual saddle hunting elk when some young guy came walking up on him. “Hey old man what are you doing sitting here?” “There won’t be any elk down this low.” “What kind of rifle is that? A 30/06, an elk will run a mile if you shoot him with that little old thing.”

Approximately 10 minutes after the young dude with the 300 magnum wandered off a 5x5 bull crossed the saddle. Grandad stuck a 165 Nosler about 2” behind his ear which of course folded him up. When the young guy came trotting back to the saddle he was wanting to know if he was trying to signal him because he was in trouble. When Grandad pointed to the dead bull the guy was flabbergasted, absolutely couldn’t believe only one shot from a 30/06 killed him.

Of course that guy was a full on dumbass but there are many like him.

i owned quite a few '06 and i killed alot of deer with them. i have only one '06, it is an Arisaka Type 99 in '06 with a Redfield aperture sight. i don't know how many '06 factory ammo is made, but it is sure alot.

i have a bunch of '06 cases that i reform to 7x57, 8x57, 9.3x57, 7.65x53, 6.5x55 and some others.

I probably killed my first 10-15 deer with my first rifle, a Remington 700 BDL SS in .30-06. My dad killed every deer he ever shot with his 700 BDL, also in .30-06. Can’t go wrong with this cartridge and I think it’s around to stay.

i don't know if the cartridge is dying. I do notice it is not automatically included in all chamber lists on a few newer rifles.

I do still love and hunt with it as do my sons and nephews that hunt. I have taken blacktail, whitetail and mule deer. Elk,antelope and one bighorn sheep as well.

I started with lever guns in .300 Savage and.308. When I was 27 or so I went to a bolt actionin .30-06 for most hunting. I do have rifles in lots of other chamberings and use them occasionlly.

For 90%+- of my big gamehunting I use a .30-06. Most commonly loaded with a 180 grain Hornady I/L or NPT. I use 57gr H-4350 to power both bullets.

At the moment, I have only four'06s left. They all have iron sights and wear 2.5-8x36 Leupolds.

1. M70 SS All Terrain Classic FW.

2.Kimber 84L Montana.

3. M70 Ranger in a FW synthetic takeoff stock.

4. M70 Pre-War .30 Govt '06 in a Pacific Reaearch Stock.

I've been using a 30-06 since I started hunting deer back in Regan's 1st term. Back then, I was using it for everything, even groundhog.

Last year was the first year in . . . dang! (I don't remember the last time) I left my 30-06 home. The reason why was the Cancer got me backed up on projects, and I needed to try out so many new rifles and loads.

Normally, I take a Ruger Hawkeye All-Weather in 30-06 to deer camp. I use it in my longer venues, shooting up to 200 yards. For over 20 years I used 165 grain Hornady SPs, but switched to 150 grainers after getting a free lifetime supply a few years ago. I shoot them over H4895.

At our deer camp, 30-06 predominates.

I don’t think the 06 is going anywhere, probably more of them hunted for deer and like size game than any other caliber in the US.

Been a while since I used one, but generally have one around. The one I have now likely will stay, an FN in a nice piece of uncheckered walnut with a Lyman 57FN, made the year I was born. The ‘06 is really a bit overkill for our skinny whitetails, but certainly works. These days I load some of the small pile of 150gr NPs to .308 power levels. That has shot well in everything I tried it in, and killed the one deer I shot with it very dead indeed. Previously I killed a few with the notorious 165gr Sierra GKHP, which grinds your burger for you….

People don’t talk much about the ‘06, they just use it…..

I have had a few. Killed some deer with em but they're a bit overkill for our Midwest deer that aren't nearly as hard to kill as deer in the rest of the nation.

Doesn't take that much power to kill a 200# animal.

Well I’m a sucker for no.1’s and look at this 30/06 beauty!
https://www.gunbroker.com/Item/1044175193

I believe you are right!!!!

My latest 30/06! One of my Grail Rifles! Model 1950 Mannlicher-Schoenauer. 2.3x7 Kahles scope. #4 reticle. Want to plan an outing for axis deer now! Or a fallow. I like me some 30/06.

Now that is a beautiful rifle. 👍👍

Awesome photos! Great, looking, rifle set up!

I don't think it's dying or if it is, it's at a pace that's hard to notice.

Just looked up some rifles.

It's listed in the new M700 ADL, BDL, CDL, Long range hunter, SPS.

M70 Supergrade, Extreme, Featherweight, Alaskan.

Ruger Hawkeye Hunter, and Guide gun. Ruger American in Standard, Ranch, I-M camo brush gun.

Sauer, Sako, Tikka, Howa, they're all there.

No. To believe otherwise would be akin to saying 36-24-36 is going out of style.

OMG, the 30-06 is the "do it all" cartridge. I shoot an M1 Garand and use the service loads with 165 bullets. In a hunting gun, it is still a good load although it can certainly be loaded to higher velocity. My first couple of deer were kiled with 30-06 and the old 180 grain Bornze Point bullets. But then I became a fan of lever guns.
For someone who doesn't reload, it is probably the easiest cartridge to find ammo. Anywhere.
if you reload you can go from a 125 grain bullet up to a 220 RN. Stay away from the 220 grain though. I tried them and the recoil was severe. The lighter bullets loaded to lower than max velocities areOK for deer and recoil is light making it a good option for those who don't like, or can't handle, recoil.
Many newer cartridges have come and gone. Most of the new cartridges are trying to sell the guns to shoot them.
The 270 is a necked down 30-06 while the 35 Whelen is a necked up 30-06, much as the several cartridges based on the 308 Winchester.

Been shooting deer, antelope and elk along with assorted varmints with this 30-06 since 1976.

To me, the M2 ball round, 150 gr. at 2800 fps, is the perfect field performance cartridge.

Shoot lots of it from the M1 rifle.

For hunting, if one takes that performance, and adds to it the sectional density and ballistic coefficient of a 180 gr. .30 cal bullet?

You get the .270 WCF.


Don't think there's anything in N/A that a 168 gr. TSX at 2800 fps .30-06 won't take nicely.




GR

Yes

It's not slowly dying, it's fading fast. There are way too many rifles out there already for ammo to dry up anytime soon, but sales of new rifles in 30-06 and 270 for that matter have fallen dramatically in the last 10 years. Everybody that wants one already has 1 or 3 and the few people who don't have one can easily find a used one. Some manufacturers don't even offer either 30-06 or 270 as options.

That is what I used most of my hunting career, but it's just more gun than I, or 90% of shooters need. I still have a couple but can't remember the last time I hunted with either of them. If I lived where larger game like elk, moose, or grizzly were commonly hunted then 30-06 would probably still be my preferred cartridge.

Pretty much true. I no longer use it for everything. Too many rifles just to use one. An old hunting partner of mine has only used his 30-06 and nothing else for the last 45 years. A Remington 742 topped with a 3-9 Leupold. He jives me about my closet full of rifles, how much money I could have spent on worthless women and whiskey. But he has racked up a considerable number of game animals with his old 742. I doubt he has 500 rounds through it. On my last lease three out of five members used the 30-06 mostly. One 270 and a 30-30 were what James and Tommy shot.

I actually have no love for the 30-06 and it pains me to admit that I have one as my backup rifle. My first as a Remington 78 with a Leupy 3X9, I found in the LGS about six years ago which my nephew took a hankering to when he started hunting with me. Thing shot lights out so I sold it to my nephew and he's done well with it over the years. I then found a Savage 111 in a pawn shop again,(looked like it had never been carried or shot). Mounted up a 6X SWFA and it too shoots lights out but will need trigger work to make me happy. Both were bought for less than $350.00 out the door so little pain on the pocket book. 150 grain Federal Fusions shoot quite well and the most painful aspect is that I've killed my last three deer with those rifles when I carried them in lieu of my main rifle. You can't argue with success, even though like I said, no fan.

How many cartridges have a MPBR north of 250 yds and enough killing power to take down Class 3 game out beyond that range? Not many.

What percentage of hunters have been on a single hunt where they planned on taking a 250+ yd shoot on Class 3 game?

Those are the people for whom the 30-06 and similar makes sense to me.

For me? Not so much.

Fudds love it.

Loonies prefer newer, sexier rounds.

The old ‘06 is just too boringly efficient.

As Col Whelen famously said, the ‘06 is never a mistake, or something to that effect.

So depends. Your President, when asked by a reporter if he wore briefs or boxers, paused a moment to think, then replied, “Just Depends”….

DF

When I was about 20 I had a 39-06, shot it two times and recoil was so bad I got rid of it and used a 308 as my primary cartridge for about 50 yrs. Picked up more rifles along the way and two bad recoiler's for me were a 7nn mag and a 338 Win Mag. But shot them a lot and learned to handle the recoil. But once they were gone I never shot another magnum of any kind. Then in 1995 a very close friend died and left me his Paul Jaeger 30-06 which was his getting out of the service present to himself in 1945. Shot it some with light loads early on and worked them up toward max down the road. About 2016 I took it elk hunting and got myself a nice cow. Used it a couple more years and age got me to quit elk hunting. I'm 78 yrs old and packing out an elk at my age could pose a problem! But I ended up getting three elk with that old Jaeger rifle before I hung it up! Recoil from it doesn't bother me either, kind of liked shooting it. I think that first 30-06 was a Rem maybe a 722. Had a steel butt plate and have never shot anything that bad before. So never had any kind of love for the 30-06 but love some of the cartridges made on it's case!

Something about cartridges today is there are a lot of cartridge's that will do all a 30-06 will do and with less recoil! Oh yea. Few years ago I did a super cleaning on the barrel and tried cast bullet's in it. Using 180 gr cast I was getting a bit over 1300fps and about 1 1/2" groups at 100yds. Beauty though was the recoil. It's about like shooting a 22 RF with cast loads!

I have owned four 30-06 rifles. The first was a Remington 760 pump that my mother purchased from my uncle when I was around 14yo. Like "DonFisher" said above those rifles in 30-06 with steel butt plates (plus we did not put a scope on it for many years so it was extra light) would sure get your attention, especially for a 14yo skinny boy.

A Cooper Excalibur, that I gave to my grandson, was a heavy rascal but would put five rounds into less than an inch with most factory ammo. A JC Higgins 50 and a 51 round out my 30-06 collection now.

I think the sales have slowed considerably for a 30-06 with so many modern (newer anyway) cartridges available today, and people have learned that you do not need all of that recoil to kill game.

If a Fudd lets you know his ‘06 kicks him, he’s probably getting up in age. But they do kick, but less than a big magnum.

I like 125-130 gr bullets at 3,100 fps. To me they smack’em hard and recoil, even for a seasoned Fudd, isn’t that bad.

I get good exits on WT’s and they do a job on hogs.

I shoot other rounds, do like my ‘06’s.

DF

The Maine train in the 06 has to be the venerable 180 rn.

Is this a trick question?

Win m70 Extreme Weather
JC Higgins M50

180 or 200 grain Speer HotCors + IMR 4350

Take a stroll down a typical big box sporting goods store and peruse the .30-06 offerings. Me thinks it's doing just fine, but perhaps someone from the sales end of the manufacturers will chime in on last years sales numbers.

I've been out weekly at the range for the last two months working up back-up loads with different powders for all my .30-06 loads. Best as I can figure I'll be doing the same through at least the month of May.

I'm down to one .30-06, a custom rig built around a M70 CRF complete action built 23 years ago and assembled with all the usual suspects. It's been with me on a few African hunts and will be going with me again on the next. For those trips it's loaded with 180 grain A-Frames at just past 2,700 fps MV. If I decide to wack another Gemsbok, then I usually bring along a handful of 180 grain Oryx for the event.

It just seems appropriate to do so.

A quick look on AmmoSeek says yes.

30-06. Blah. They never work and are expensive to shoot.

Today I took new to this rifle once fired factory brass that was given to me, powder was an old metal can of IMR 4320 that was given to me, CCI 200's from the 90's that I bought in 2022 for $12.50 a brick, and 150 Sierra PH's. Also a freshly mounted today old Tasco 3-9 on the rifle.

No history using 4320 in 30-06, just trying it. Loaded them for a JC Higgins M51 at .080 off and loaded 3 @ 50gr's, 3 @ 51gr's, and 3 @ 52gr's.

50 & 52gr's both shot under an inch, 51 shot over but positive will shoot under an inch also, I know why the 3rd shot went out. Everything going against it to out of the box shoot respectable including lack of real load development, and the old cartridge & rifle still made it easy.

I was a magnum hunter, but figured out I don’t need that for the puny whitetail down here!

I’ve heard that from more than one here on the Fire and agree.

DF

I have five .30-06s. I don’t use anything else. Just bought another Model 70. Reworking a 700 right now. The JC Higgins Model 50 is a favorite.

I still have a couple of 7 mags, bigger boys have left the building

I often kind of wished I was because I turned down several rifles that I would've loved to have, and the price was right, but were chambered in the wrong cartridge for me. Usually 7 or 300 mag.

In hindsight I'm perfectly happy with those decisions. Not knocking them, they have their place, but I've no need for one.

It'll satisfy your needs, maybe not your wants, but it sure works!

DeanAnderson

That is exactly how I feel about it.

Weatherby Mk V Lightweight .30-06 24” barrel. Load was Federal 165 TSX until they stopped production, newer same load doesn’t shoot as well, so I switched to Barnes LR loads with 175 gr LRX. I killed my first buck with that rifle in 2007 and the 2024 buck. I think there are more .30-06’s at our club than others. There seems to be a few with interest in the 6.5 Creedmoor and almost none with a .308 Win.

That’s me too Shade. I’ve owned several 7 and .300 magnums but I just didn’t need them. They went down the road.

I’m down to these 4, Garand,
, 700 C grade, G33/40 I bought from MR Mule Deer, and a Kimber BGR

The king!

The fact that Midway has 85 ammo loads in stock should tell you something, it remains very popular!

Still a great cartridge! My family has always gotten great results from a 150 grain spitzer boat tail propelled by 50 grains of 4064.

I killed two nice bucks on consecutive days using my dad’s J.C. Higgins Model 50. It still has the Weaver 4x scope it had when the original owner bought it at Sears Roebuck seventy years ago. I lost count a long time ago of how many deer he killed with it.

I recently got a FN Commercial in .30-06 and I am looking forward to using it this coming season.

There have been various times in the history of American firearms when “something new” came along that was better than what was out there already, but for bolt action rifles that hasn’t happened in a long time. If you own a .30-06, you don’t need any other rifles for anything in North America.

Edit - needs are, of course, not the same as wants.

165gr. Sierra Game King over IMR 4350 kills whitetails dead, my rifle is a pre'64 Winchester M/70.

still like the 30 whelen !!works on most things

here here the 30-06 is still King and after over 100 years still gets the job done well ! plus was used in 2 World Wars ,Viet Nam ,Korea , plus many other places and battles ,also has killed every animal in the world too. ammo can be found anyplace in the world too. so what is to not like about the old 30-06 ?

I've got 7, mostly military. Need to exercise them, soon.
My primary big game rifle for many years has been a red pad #1.
It's accounted for quite a few antelope, Mule deer, elk, and several coyotes that happened by.
One more is a commercial Mauser - I forget who made it, but it needs exercise also.
The last few years, I've hunted with a 30-40 Krag, and a 30-30 Marlin, just for the heck of it! (No luck, though - not enough time)

I've owned dozens of 30-06 rifles. It's the biggest thing that I consistently shoot well so I always come back to it.


Okie John

I have 4. I use my 700 some for plinking around. Until I was 25 it was my go to rifle. Now ir has probably been close 20 years since I picked that custom model 54 out of the safe to go hunting. If an 06 was all I had to use hunting, I would be bored and probably give it up.

I may need to buy one of those Ruger Guide Guns in 30/06 now! Anyone have one??

Don't ya just love it when a bunch of us '06 fans start coming out of the closet....

Not too sexy, not new, not the latest, greatest thing, just boringly efficient and deadly in the right hands.

And as so many have said, what's not to like. It works.

And I'll quote Col Whelen once again, "The '06 is never a mistake", or something to that effect.

And he shot other rounds, didn't limit himself to the '06, but he understood what it was and he liked it.

Me, too.

DF

Joined the 06 club after a buddy talked about how surprised he was his clearance Tikka superlite shot. Figured I needed a nice light 30/06 found a stainless lite, gun shoots better than I can with 130gr barns tsx and varget.

Most of the new calibers won't do a thing that the '06 won't do as well or better.

In WWII, it killed box car loads of krauts and Japs.

Yes sir

I shot a bunch of elk with a 300 WSM. Then I added it up and found that there wasn't a single one of them that I couldn't have got just as well with an '06 that weighs a pound less to carry.

‘06 would kill’em as dead, but you were getting style points with that WSM. ‘06 just not as cool.

DF

Any love for the 30-06? Yes, however, i started out with an 06. Kept one for bear for a while. I had a Rem. 700 and was my most accurate gun I ever had including my Savage 12 fv in .223 rem.. It kicked a lot , had a .270 WIn. anyway so I sold my 06 cause guys were mixing .270 win. and 06 ammo . Now days, I never even shoot my .270 Win.. My go to deer gun is a .243 Win and never fails . It is cheaper to load , that is for sure. The Creedmores are going to take a bite out of the 06. Ya just dont need that much gun anymore.

Deer not as tough these days?

No need or desire for a 30-06 rifle. I hunt with a Savage lever gun in .308 and it has slain much big game for me across the decades of use. Sherwood

I have shot alot of elk that my friends packing their old 06 said too far for me. The 06 will do a lot of things ok, but to me it is never a star performer.

Cmon!

What is the farthest one shot kill you have made on a bull elk and what cartridge did you use???

That would be more the shooter than the cartridge.

If one isn't comfortable then one shouldn't shoot.

Uncle killed his last bull with an '06, 180 SST right around 460 yards.

His bud used a 300 Winchester Mag and his shot was about the same distance. Uncle said the bull shot with the '06 traveled less distance after the shot. Doesn't mean much but there are no flies on it in the right hands.

The .30-06 is like the .308 but for men.

Ouch…

DF

A few I have collected/enjoyed over the last 25 years or so,

pretty much by order of acquisition.......




Browning 1885





Sauer 200





Sako Bavarian Carbine





Blaser K95





Blaser Grand Luxe Stutzen Combo (30-06/9.3 x 62)








Merkel 141 Double Rifle






Merkel K4 Damaszener (120th year anniversary rifle)








Merkel B4 Bergstutzen (combo, 223 Rem. over 30-06.)

ya!

GWB

The 308 is like the 30-06 but for men once they become wise.

In fairness I like the 30-06 and it’s great if you are a handloader.

That was good! I’m definitely gonna use that one :-)

I mainly hunt deer & hogs so my personal experiences on a large variety of big game aren't as wide-ranging as others on this forum. Most of the game that has ended up in my freezer was put there with a 6.5x55 Swede or my Ruger #1 in 303 British. But my Sako in 30-06 (top rifle below) is no slouch in the accuracy department. The last time I went to the range, it shot three holes touching at 100 yards with factory ammo which is good enough for my modest needs. The 30-06 might not be the sexiest or the most optimal choice in all situations but it's rarely a bad option. Whenever I'm describing it, I never use adjectives like lacking, disappointing or inadequate. As an all-around reliable workhorse that covers a lot of situations well, I'm going to give it a thumbs up. YMMV.

jk16 the longest shot I made with my .300 was 645 yards. That was back in the day when elk meat was an important part of our diet and budget. I killed several right around that distance. Now I no long shoot exceptionally long shots. The meat is not of up most importance any more.
But last season I killed my elk at 426 yards, one shot the animal maybe moved 10 steps. With my 300 hold over is a minimum. I had a steady rest the shot was an easy one. It could have been made with an 06, but more hold over would have been required. The flat trajectory is one of the main reasons I stick with it. This year there was no time to check the range it was either shoot or loose the chance. That is typical of most of my hunting. To me the 06 is one of the most over rated calibers we have. But it is the upper limits for recoil for most of the hunters in the country. Also, it was widely available in cheap surplus rifles for many, many Years.
To me it is a good caliber, but not outstanding.

Always enjoy looking at your toys.

Who’s that youngster in the first picture.

DF

I think they are just as tough. When I was a kid i asked my dad 30-30 or 30-06? Dad said 06 cause it has more oophf. Dont need nearly that much oomf dad . he uese his 300 Sav. and did fine.

Bringing this back up. The 30-06 will remind you sooner or later in case you forget, just how versatile it is. In both bullet weights and powders, it seems to happily digest about whatever you feed it. Which in today's world is a great asset.

Any shooting I've done lately in 30-06 I've been stuck on testing one gun, an older M51. 180 gr round nose bullets with no load development shot just under an inch using both 56 gr of IMR 4350, and 56.5 of IMR4831.

Have some old cans of powder that was given to me, so using some of that up. Tested 4320 with 150's starting at 3 grains under max and loaded 3 each at a full grain apart up to max. Two of the 3 charges shot 3 shot groups under an inch. No load development.

Next was BL-C2 using the same bullet and method of 3 charges a grain apart from each other starting 3 grains under max. Loads one and three shot just over an inch, the charge one grain under max at 53 gr's shot under 3/4".

I already know it will shoot under an inch with H4895 & 150's. So fast powders to slow, and light to heavy bullets, it's got a lot of range. Sits right in the sweet spot. If you don't have an ideal powder, no problem.

The older I get the less interest I have in "the latest and greatest" hunting cartridges, and heck, hunting rifles in general. (The world of single shot target rifles has captured my heart.) Deer rifles are leaving the house and being replaced by the likes of Ballards and High Walls. The one's that'll remain when the dust has settled, and which serve me admirably for all of my hunting needs, are an original M1903 Springfield NRA Sporter (.30-06 naturally), a pre-64 M70 (.30-06 of course), and the young upstart Ruger #1 (sadly/wonderfully in 6.5x55).

No fancy optics, inorganic stocks, wonder triggers, or precision bedding. Just 95 year old old-school engineering and craftsmanship blended to create a reliably MOA-accurate and rugged hunting rifle. NRA Sporter:

I've posted this one before. I gifted this old '42 vintage Springfield to my good hunting bud. He loves it, named it Dusty Springfield after the singer. That sorta dates him.

I loaded 130 gr. Horn over 59 gr. Big Game powder for a killing load. The bore is pristine thru the Hawkeye, gun is MOA with that load and others. He's shot a bunch of stuff with it, mostly DRT.

Vintage Fajen stock, glassed and free floated by me decades ago. It now wears his Leupold scope instead of the Bushnell shown. Timney trigger, aftermarket safety.

I sent it to David Christman in Delhi, LA to fit bolt handle, drill and tap for scope.

Second photo is the U.S. flaming ordinance bomb and the year, '42. You can see where I polished and blued where the old sight was, rest of finish is original.

Historical and Fudd....

Third photo shows it as it sat in my safe for years, unused. He had mentioned something about wanting a Springfield and I fixed this one up for him.

My son sold the vintage receiver sight on E-Bay.

DF

I've kept one around since the early '80's so I must like it alright. Started with a Remington 760 carbine, then a 7600, S&W 1500, '03 Springfield sporter and ended up at present with a Ruger 77 Hawkeye all weather. The Hawkeye shoots great and I like the weather resistance/durability so I'll probably stick with it to the end.

I have a couple. Pre 64 and a converted Argentine Mauser but never fired either one. Picked them up at a good price as an investment.

Lots of beautiful .30-06'Ss here, that's for sure!

My Bestest Hunting Buddy is my M1917 .30.06, which kills everything I hunt with, very quickly.

.30-06's rule and will do it all in North America.

Well sir, that's 'Merica right there. Kudos to you and your buddy.

Would NEVER choose a 30-06 over my 308's or 300 WSM's.

Love my 30-06's would never be without one. I'm getting 2950 FPS with 168 TTSX on top of Ramshot Hunter and Federal 210 primers.

I have a 30/06 that could be my most accurate rifle. It's a Sako action with a 23.5" Douglas ultra rifled heavy barrel. It was my long range rifle 30 years ago when 500yds was a long shot.

My first bolt action centerfire was a 30-06 ruger tanger. Added a Browning Abolt hunter years later in 30-06. Both very accurate with factory ammo. Killed a lot of game with both. Still own both rifles but I moved on to 7mm08 and 270 rifles for whitetails. Sure are a lot of memories with the 30-06s. I never messed with different bullet weights. Always shot 165s coreloks out of both rifles. They worked so I used them.

I still have one hanging around. Rem Model 700 CDL stainless. Currently sighted in with 150 gr Fusions.

Boarmaster123 or anyone who knows:

I have been told that 165 gr. is what the .30-06 was designed to shoot. Have you heard that as well, or is that a myth?

I have been shooting 180 gr. for over 20 years with my M1917, they are super accurate. I went to the heavier grain simply because I hunt moose with mine, and I figured more weight would be better.

Cheers ~

The 30-03 was meant to use a 220-grain bullet, so it has a 1:10 twist. After the Germans started using a 153-grain bullet in the 8x57 Mauser, we turned the 30-03 into the 30-06 by shortening 30-03 barrels and swapping in a 150-grain bullet. So it was “designed” to use a 220, went to war with a 150 which later got bumped to a 174, then back to 152 grains.

It happens to shoot a lot of different bullet weights well.


Okie John

Thanks for the education Okie John, so it's a myth as I figured.

Classic round. I still have a pre 64 70 in 30Gov't06. Great rifle, shoots amazing for being over 80years old. But to be honest I tend to shoot my more modern rounds more. Less recoil, more efficient bullets/cartridges usually get the nod. No flies on the 30-06, but after 20 rounds, I've usually had enough fun for the day. With the 6ARC or 6.5CM I'm just getting started @ 20 rounds.



Edit: Opps, OP ask about 30-06 in Deer Hunting Forum

As a 69 year old Boomer it is almost a given that I would own or have owned at least one rifle chambered in 30-06.

Currently have a few if them around in bolt, pump, semi-auto, and combination gun configurations.

Well the manbun cartridges were designed for shooting paper , the 30-06 was a battle rifle cartridge from the old days made for men that turned out to be an excellent all around big game cartridge. I know the ARC was designed as a better intermediate round to replace the 5.56 but both are very light recoil and better suited for long strings. 20 rounds of 30-06 is plenty to check sight in and appraise trigger.

That probably came about because overall the 165's are so easy to make work. Will of course also shoot 150's and 180's very well but by and large the 165's go with the 30-06 like bread and butter. You run across some that prefer a 150 or a 180 over anything else, but the 165's are the easy button in a lot of them.

I think it was Jack O'Conner that said if a 30-06 wont shoot a 165 gr bullet with 57 gr's of IMR 4350, it doesn't need to go to a gunsmith, it needs an exorcist.

That said I shoot whatever I have on hand or want to shoot, because they all work and work well in that great old cartridge.

I use 212 ELD’s in mine.







Works good enough.. i could probably get rid of the rest of my junk, but that’d be too easy.

Wow, that's a gorgeous rifle!

Rem 721, 165gr Core-lokt. I don't use it often, but it does work

In my Kimber Classic Select Ramshot Hunter behind the 168 TTSX, Federal 210 primer in Remington cases get 2950 FPS with 1/2 MOA at 200 yards

Love the 30/06

Don't forget the .30 M2 AP, at 165.5-168.5 gr..

They shot quite a bit of that as well.




GR

Would NEVER choose a 308 or 300 WSM over my 30-06's -

Still getting it done here-

I like them so much, I just ordered a defiance action to build one with. No. 2b bartlein finished at 24.5". Can't wait to stack meat with it. Hopefully it will connect with an elk this year.

I think the last time I shot a game animal with a 30-06 was in 2018. I was on a cow elk hunt up by Raton Mew Mexico and was checking the scope on my .35 Whelen when the reticle decided to do a disappearing act. I wasn't all that sure the load I had for the 06 was sufficient as I'd never uses the 165 gr. Accubond on game although it was quite accurate in the rifle. A commercial FN Mauser with a custom barrel with unknown twist rate. It was supposed to be 1 in 12" but a Husqvarna 30-06 I have with factory 1 in 12" barrel shot 180 gr. bullets just fine. Well I guess I'd have t make do with what was still working and as luck would have it, I got an easy shot at just a bit over 100 yards. She ran maybe 30 yards and expired.

I got my first 30-06 back in 1955; a J.C. Higgins M50 and I still have it. Been in love with good Mauser actions ever since. I'll admit I haven't fires a shot since December 27, 2019 when I took my last elk with the Whelen. I'd been doing quite a bit of work with the 7x57 nd on January 2, 2020 was on the way to the range when I was in a bad wreck. I'd been using the 06 almost exclusively until 1973 when I bought a much light weight rifle in .308 Win. The 06 was getting too heavy and at that time I was a very heavy chain smoker. I quit in 1975 Most of the time I just hunted deer so more or less stayed with the .308. Mid 1980s I started trying for elk tags but not much luck.

I think that at 85 years old, some of the rifles I've used for hunting have a bit too much recoil. I'm not afraid of the "kick" but do worry about stuff like a detached retina. Can't hunt and shoot if you're blind.
PJ

Hell yeah, just yesterday afternoon loaded some 180gr power points i ordered from MidwayUSA to 2706 fps over 61gr H-4831SC, zeroed old 1955 year model 760 Gamemaster three inches high at 100 this morning, will verify, but should zero around 230 yards, no whitetail deer or pig is gonna walk off from that.

i have new contour 3 Brux barrel ordered 9 twist , 6 grooved that will be chambered to Old Faithful 30-06 and put on a Winchester model 70 with the claw. told my son keep this rifle forever , the 30-06 cartridge will always be a cartridge that ammo can be found any place in the world.

Jim (JK) Cloward built this pre-war Model 70 30.06 for me in about 1974

One of my all time favorites. Boring cartridge, boringly accurate, boringly effective and has ABSOLUTELY nothing left to prove..........................

I'm almost embarrassed to say this, but I don't own an 06 in a t3 stainless. Way I see it, you really couldn't ask for more in a rifle or a cartridge for all around meat getting.

NICE.

DF

Very Nice!

You gotta love Renaissance Wax right?

Zero

I love the 30-06 and I'm not ashamed to admit it! If you don't, then you probably have Commie or Eurotrash tendencies. :^) .....MURICA!!!!!!

Yeah, like apple pie, motherhood and the flag.

Not too smart to criticize.

DF

Wow! Jim built a very utilitarian 308 for me, and I bought a long-range match rifle he'd built, but neither matched the beauty of that rifle. Jim had some mighty fine walnut for stocks and knew how to build a fine rifle. Thanks for showing us that.

Regards, Guy

I have owned several in the past, and have a pre 64 now with a Malcom USMC Unertl replica on it. It shoots well, but I am in tbe process of turning it into a true 'Nam era replica sniper .
Just waiting on a properly tapered barrel and National Match stock for it.
Cat

Would like to see a picture when you get it put together.

I have a signed “White Feather” book about Carlos Hathcock. Cover shows him holding one of those.

Seemed to work for him.

DF

Grayboe comes with a Mountain Rifle barrel contour? I wanted one with a Sporter contour for my Remington 700 but they are only available in the Magnum barrel contour in a one size fits all type deal.

I returned my Grayboe stock with a note, One size does not fit all unless gaps on each side of the barrel matters not.

Won't say I love them but, do greatly respect them.

I have a couple of pre-64 M-70s & a pre-war version in 'o6. Phil Shoemaker says it best about the 30-06.
Recently added a Mauser 30-06 Ackley Improved to the mix. It will push a 225 gr original Barnes to 2279 fps.
Shot and chronographed it today. Excellent for moose or elk. Hornady 150 gr SP-to 2965 fps.
The 30 GOVT 06 is still very popular in Alaska. Ammunition is available everywhere, with modern bullets
it becomes a mini-magnum.

The Springfield in the second pic is a classy looking little rifle. Very nice

My favorite 30/06. Ruger express.

I will. certainly post some- just waiting on the stock and barrel to make their way North.
Cat

Thank you much. It's a 1918 Mark I that was sporterized, probably in late fifties or early sixties, with a Redfield 102 rear and a Dahl banded front sight. Barrel cut to 20 and a half inches and, I'm guessing, Fajen stock. Easy to carry in thick vegetation.

I’m old school, old fart. I n my teen years there was not a state wide deer season. Most of the herd was on the west side of the levee on the Mississippi River and you had to have connections and big bucks to join those clubs which were owned by big timber companies. Never saw a deer in the wild until I was 16 and it was on west side of the levee at Warfield Point south of Greenville. It is now a state park and power station. Started out with a Marlin 336 in 30/30 bought used for $50. Still have. Then I won a Remington 742 in 30/06 in a band raffle. I t served me well for over a decade. Amazing accurate with handloads full sized 57 grain 4350 and a Hornady 165 grain bullet, a pretty standard reload. Then I found a Win Mod 70 Carbine 1984 pushfeed (actually bought another for my son when he started hunting). Killed most of my game with 30/06. Used the baby Browning while in ARNG. I also bought a cheap ($125) REM 700 in 30/06 with bulk synthetic stock and used it one season before selling it to my son. Also have a Ruger RSI tanger in 308 that’s too pretty for foul weather hunting. Usually grab the Model 70 as my go to gun. It’s and old friend and we’re accustomed to each other after all these years.

3 here. M1, BLR and 1895.

I am in the midst of a serious downsizing. Selling off everything I don't use or need.

One that will never be sold is the 30-06. It covers a lot of ground here in Canada from deer to moose. I have more appreciation for it now than ever.

SS I would never sell the H $ H..

Actually the fly leaf cover on the book shows him with the M-70 and what looks like the 3-9x40 Redfield they went to, not the Unertl.

Here are a few pictures, including a photo of a M-70 with the Unertl. That picture looks curved, taking it from the opened book, page not quite lying flat.

Book signed by Hathcock and the Chandler brothers who wrote it.

DF

Very interesting Dirtfarmer!
I had a chance to shoot a Remington M40 a while back up here with the Redfield on it, but was not aware they used them on the M70's as well!
Cat

The 30/06 is awesome! Did you guys hear what Phil Shoemaker had to say about it on Ron Spomer's pod cast?

I’ve seen M-70’s set up like this and have seen M-40’s wearing that same scope. Not sure how long they used it, but must have been a while. Seems to have overlapped the M-70, M-40 transition.

Checked on line, seems that transition was around 1966, the .308 replacing the ‘06, probably due to NATO regs.

DF

In the late 60's or early 70's Bill Askins, Charly's son, wrote an article announcing the death of the 30/60. I guess you guys did not listen! I must not have either, I still have several including a Valmet O/U. It will still do everything it ever did and do it well.

.308 probably a more efficient military round, similar performance in a shorter case. Probably better for cycling in full auto weapons.

And with NATO going for weapon uniformity, the ‘06 just got bypassed.

DF

The 300H&H is a +P 30-06 which is not a bad place to be.

Steyr-Mannlicher Model M Professional with Kahles 6x42 scope with #4 reticle. Just about any 150-165gr factory loads seem to shoot extremely well in this gun

Several years ago, on a moose hunt in NE Manitoba, the "outfitter" I was hunting with claimed that the 30-06 was obsolete! Our opinions differ...

Guess it’s in the eye of the beholder.

Millennials would say us old farts are obsolete.

That makes me have an even closer affinity for the old round. And, as Col Whelen famously said, the 30-06 is never a mistake.

It ain’t a cool Creed but it kills stuff today just like it has for well over a century, 118 yrs to be exact.

DF

I meant my opinion differed from the "outfitter"! Just making sure...

I still use the 45-70 and 30-30 a lot. The 30-06 is what I grab when I want to go modern

I gotcha on that. We on the same page.

The ‘06 may not be uber cool, but to say it’s obsolete is absurd. Next they’ll say the .45-70 is obsolete. I have more of those than ‘06’s. They kill stuff with authority, far from being “over the hill”.

So, people saying that kinda stuff are just showing their ignorance. Hard to say it nicer. It is what it is.

DF

Oh, he turned red when I laughed at him...

There are plenty of '06's out there, so you can sometimes find a good deal. I bought a Ruger boat paddle '06 for $750, didn't like the stock, sold it on Ebay for around $350. I bought this Boyd Classic, cut off a bunch of wood, including the cheek piece, to save weight. Drilled out the butt stock to get the weight down not much heavier than a Hunter's Edge. Finished it with Custom Pro oil (tung oil/urethane) from Brownells, installed a Jard trigger. I like it.

DF

Edited to add, it also came with a set of SS 30mm rings which were also sold on eBay. So, the barreled action ultimately got pretty cheap. The Boyd stock wasn't that expensive and I work cheap. Jard trigger not that expensive and a big upgrade from factory, even after a trigger job.

Matt Roberts tells me my Fuddmobile is coming along nicely so hopefully will have some metal progress pics soon.

Look forward to seeing it.

DF

I bought this 30-06 FN (my first and only 30-06 until recently) from Carter's in Houston in 2003. A pretty high condition piece. It came with a 4-12X Redfield in Weaver rings/bases. I sold the scope and mounted the Leupold in SK rings/bases, sighted it in with 165 gr Hornady's then put it in the safe where it sat. In 2017 I headed to Namibia and thought I should finally hunt with the 30-06 so I worked up a load with the 168 gr TSX that shot well.



The first animal that was quite a hunt in the mountains.



The last animal that was a fairly long spot and stalk hunt.

A couple more .30-06's that'll stay put, I hope, unless the bug to splurge on something outside my reach prompts their dismissal. God I hope that doesn't happen!





[img]https://i.imgur.com/pjshYIhl.jpg?2[/img]

Pre-64 M70, after all every man should have a M70 '06 right, right? M1903 USMC Sniper for the Zombie invasion and/or whitetail kamakazi's at 300 meters. M1903 Style T target rifle re-barreled by John DuBiel in 1936, for when a fella needs to hit a nickel at 100 yards. Admittedly not exactly "deer rifles", but hey why not?

Who was it who said "There's nothing you can't fix with $700 and a .30-06."

If you ever dump that M70 your Fudd creds will be immediately revoked. Second on the motion?

Second.

DF

"Who uses a 06 and what rifle and load. ??"

Well.......to start, anything that Carlos Hathcock was involved with would probably be a wealth of good information for you........

Darrel Wick

Well one of my fav ‘06 loads is the 130 Horn over 59 gr BG at around 3,100 fps. It Whacks’em hard and exits WT chests with quick kills, mostly DRT. Accuracy is great. 125 NAB’s and NBT’s work about as well.

For lighter BG, you don’t really need heavier, slower bullets. Speed kills, although a heavier, slower bullet kills’em about as dead.

Hard to go wrong with the ‘06. Maybe one of the most versatile rounds out there.

Obsolete? Not hardly.

DF

Now, that's about as classic as it gets.

Those FN's are identical to the Browning, same maker, similar specs.

I've handled the Browning, not an FN.

The sleek lines are beautiful, a piece of art.

DF

My two .30-06’s are a 1974 Ruger 77 with a fixed Leupold 6x scope and a Tikka T3x with a Burris 2.5-10

I think it's a fine cartridge but it has been surpassed by more recent designs, which one will be the final successor is still TBD IMHB. Supply chain and user-popularity momentum will carry it well into the future if not forever. I have an M1903 in my lineup (cut to ~20 / manlicher stock). Possession is temporary while I attempt to find time to fix its cracked stock for my dad. Eventually it is slated to "go" to me but in honesty I will only be its custodian when dad goes... siblings have fond memories and would like to use it freely. In fact, the only reason I claimed it was because squabbles have already started and I am the oldest living son. I won't be surprised if it's not returned once I loan it out, but that is a separate matter for me to deal with.
I would pick an -06 over a 308 or Creedmoor if I was starting out and was OK with "mainstream only". It has had plenty of development support over its lifetime.

I was told that it was Col. Jeff Cooper that said:

“There ain’t many problems that a man can’t fix, with $700 and a .30-06!”

I don't think he ever said that .

I did hear an nearly identical version from a conversation with a crusty old hunting guide up in N.W. Montana in the late 1980's.

His saying was . -"There ain't too much that can't be fixed with 180 grains from a 30-06 ".

That fellow pretty much thought anyone who hunted Elk with less was either a Queer or a Communist.

I did not agree with his logic on that , but he was not wrong about the 'O6.

He also liked his 180 grainers to be Nosler Partitions

It works and is the easy button that gives you LOTS of options. Again, a very valuable commodity in today's environment.

Here is a conglomerate of targets of the only tests I shot in the last several weeks with an FN mauser stamped JC Higgins. Every time I went to the range I tried something new.

3 different bullets, and 6 different powders. Bullets were 150 gr spitzer FB, 165 gr spitzer BT, and 180 gr RN. This is not showing the best it might do, this is the only thing I tried. No trying a series of seating depth changes or trying a whole range of powder charges. First time and only tests with all of them in this rifle and includes cold bore shots. Two powder tests I tried 3 different charges a grain apart on each, two tests I just had 2 different charges 1/2 grain apart, and in the case of using IMR 4350 & IMR 4831 with the 180 RN, it was a single charge for each.

It almost always shot under an inch, and in several cases at or slightly under 3/4". Factory trigger and the majority of these were shot with an old Tasco 3-9 that's pictured here and on it now. There's $1500 rifles with $1500 scopes that wont do that with everything across the board you load up for them and throw at them first time out.

Found this on line.

Remember "With $700 and a .30-06"
I've heard and read this phrase many times and never knew where it came from. The whole quote is:

"But ain't many troubles that a man cain't fix with seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six."

Well I just found out where it came from. It was a poem was written by Lindy Cooper Wisdom, Col. Jeff Cooper's daughter, in December of 1995. It is called..."Grandpa's Lesson."

Here is the entire text of the poem:

Pappy took to drinkin' back when I was barely three.
Ma got pretty quiet. She was frettin', you could see.
So I was sent to Grandpa and he raised me up real good.
He taught me what I oughta and he taught me what I should.
I learned a heap 'o lessons from the yarns he liked to tell.
There's one I won't forget because I learned it 'speshly well.
"There jist ain't many folk who live a peaceful, carefree life.
Along with all the good times there'll be lotsa grief and strife.
But ain't many troubles that a man cain't fix
With seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six."
Grandpa courted Grandma near the town of old Cheyenne.
Her daddy was cantankerous - a very greedy man.
He wouldn't give permission for a fancy wedding day
'Til grandpa paid a dowry--biggest ever people say.
Her daddy softened up when Grandpa said that he could fix
Him up with seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six.
Grandpa herded cattle down around Jalisco way.
Ended up behind some iron bars one dusty day.
Seems the local jefe craved my Grandpa's pinto mare.
Grandpa wouldn't sell her so he lit on out of there.
Didn't take much doin' 'cept a couple special tricks
plus seven hundred dollars and his thirty ought six.
Then there was that Faro game near San Francisco Bay.
Grandpa's cards was smokin' hot and he took all one day.
He woke up nearly naked in a ditch next early morn'.
With nothin' but his flannel shirt, and it was ripped and torn.
Those others were professionals and they don't play for kicks.
He lost seven hundred dollars and his thirty ought six.
He begged some woolen trousers off the local storekeep there
Who loaned him both a pony and a rifle on a dare.
He caught those thievin' cardsharks at another Faro game.
He got back all his property and also his good name.
He left one bleedin' badly and another mostly lame.
My grandpa's trusty rifle shoots just where you choose to aim.
Grandpa's slowin' down a bit and just the other night
He handed me his rifle and a box sealed up real tight.
He fixed me with them pale grey eyes and this is what he said,
"You're awful young but steady too and I will soon be dead.
I'll bet this here old rifle and this honest money too
Will come in mighty handy just as readily for you.
There jist ain't many folk who lead a carefree, peaceful life.
Along with times of happiness, there's always woe and strife.
But ... aint many troubles that a man cain't fix
with seven hundred dollars and his thirty ought six."

That poem should be required reading in all public schools.