Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles In 20+ years of hunting, buying something I've never had before

All my buddies have a 30-06 but I personally have never owned one just to spite them. In fact when I bought my donor for a 338-06 it was a 270 just to keep that goal alive.

Honestly I have no doubt if all I owned was a 30-06 I would have any regrets. I mean no animal in the world can tell a difference between a 180 NPT from a 30-06 at 2850 fps or a 210 NPT at 2850 fps from a 338-06.

In my youth the 30/06 was my only rifle. I've killed squirrels to moose with it.

Even in my youth I couldn't help but think that I should be able to kill deer with much less and sure enough I was correct.

I haven't fired one in anger in at least a dozen years, maybe more. There ain't a critter I'd not hunt in NA with one and consider it my BIG gun.

There you go again- using logic!!

I've owned a half dozen .30-06 and only one .338WM. Stillll own two and one, respectively. Haven't shot an elk with any of them - just a bunch of other stuff from one mule deer to probably 15ish moose and a couple dozen caribou between them.

Can't tell any difference. None of the moose were over 160 yards, and only 2 over 100.

Some of the caribou were over 300, and one over 400- all those with an .06, but the .338 would have done it. One just needs to know trajectory. And have a good rest.

The only elk I've shot was with a .260 at 150 yards. Bang flop.

So it is my considered opinion I'm just no danged help to the OP at all!

But if that 06 shoots well, leave it alone. Don't fix what ain't broke.

Of course, then he has to get that .338-06.....