Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles I do not "hate" the 30-06, but...

You're not wrong. Shoot what you like.

If a .30-06 was the 'right' cartridge I shot the wrong thing for 24 years. Still do for the most part, even though there are four .30-06 rifles in my safe.

I call the 30-06 “The Everyman’s Elk Cartridge.” IMO, it’s at its best on Bigger, big game. While I’ve taken Whitetail (and antelope) with it, its power seems a bit much for such a dainty animal, and I can’t find any reason to deal with that recoil level shooting animals like Whitetail. But then I consider the 250 Savage and 257 Roberts about “ideal” for Whitetail... and I’d include the 6.5 Creedmoor with those skinny jeans and all.

The 30-06 got where it was here the same way the 6.5x55 was so popular in Scandinavia.
It wasn't the most popular because nothing would ever be better for every task. But because they were the most easily obtainable and readily available rifle in each country.

Now we have dozens of centerfire rifle cartridges that with the right bullet choice can all do similar work. I don't love or hate any of them. But sometimes just want to try a different one.

There's only one cartridge that could never be replaced for me. The .22 long rifle.

^^^^
Bingo!

I bought 'em locally maybe 15 yrs ago, they weren't selling well so I got a deal on a case. Haven't tried the replacement, Superformance, I did buy some of the powder, but had a hard time finding load data.

That's probably the only thing that this entire forum would agree on.

I think the advent of the Barnes TSX and TTSX has made bore diameter less relevant. Launch a Barnes at 3000 fps+ and you will penetrate the chest cavity from just about any angle with good expansion and close to 100% weight retention. My 280AI launches 120 gr TTSXs at 3300 fps and is near perfection for me. Having said that I do have a soft spot for the 30-06, having killed over 20 critters including deer, anteope and elk with it and the AI variety.

The deficiencies you describe in the 40 or 50 30-06 rifles you've owned has little to nothing to do with hunting and more to do with target shooting IMO. I've never shot a 3 or 5 shot group at an animal. Most I've ever fired at the same animal has been two rounds and that has only happened once.

Although I have not read it, A man named J.Y. Jones wrote a book about killing all the big game species in North America with one 30-06 rifle, a 700 ADL which is about as vanilla as you can get. If you have owned 50 30-06 rifles, some custom made, it would be a safe bet that you've owned one that shot better groups than the one that Mr. Jones used to fill an ark.

If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that this forum is populated by people who are rifle enthusiasts and target shooters first and hunters second. Lots of good reasons for that, mainly shooting and tinkering with rifles is a lot of fun. Owning different rifles is a lot of fun. Shooting tight groups is a lot of fun. There is no closed season or bag limits on targets. None of that has anything to do with killing animals.

If all centerfire cartridges larger than .22 and smaller than .35 were outlawed but for the .30-06, we would bitch mightily, but, we would also go about killing as much stuff as we do now.

I usually avoid such threads that decry one cartridge or another and ballyhoo one cartridge or another. It really is one of several scenarios: A) Someone just wants to say something on a national forum, even if it's inane. B) Someone is bored. C) Someone is clueless (because he has zero experience or has never read a book). D) He just wants to stir the pot in a troll-like manner.

What cartridge we happen to use on any given day is nowhere near as important as knowing how to use the rifle it's chambered in- whether it be at a shooting range, the back yard, or hunting environment. I have a helluva lot more respect for the guy who can slop five shots into a dinner plate-sized circle at 200 yards off the hind legs with the old family heirloom .30-06 sporter than a whole bunch of other nimrods who can shoot 1" groups at 200 yards with their custom .6.5/.243/7mm/.30 Mag Wonder Rifles off the bench with state of the art optics under ideal conditions but who haven't fired a shot from offhand/sitting/prone position since Boy Scout Camp 30 years ago.

Okay, I'll bite...200 yard 5 shot group with a Sako Hunter '06 shooting factory Federal 165grain Sierra Game Kings. Bought it used off the classifieds from Spotshooter. He told me it shoots best with 180s. I can't wait to try those!
Not too boring, at least not to me .

The 30-06 is a favoritems of mine. My first semi custom on a Springfield action is and still is a very fine shooter. It is also a lucky rifle, seems that I get what I'm after when I carry it. If I had only not experimented with all those different cartridges the money I would have saved could easily buy a new Corvette. It is not a rifle I shoot long strings off the bench with but it fits me perfectly and recoil isn't bad or even noticeable when I hunt with it. That said I typically use rifles ranging from 7x57 to 35 Whelen. The 7x57 is good enough that I don't need the latest fad rifle or even a 6MM but I play with them anyway. The old 06 can do it all but why defy yourself all the other toys?

Almost thirty years ago, I came across a FN crested Mauser in a classic custom stock with fine line checkering, border leaf, Neidner butt plate, and a silver grip cap. It was priced about right, neither a steal, nor a real deal. I bought it and a couple of boxes of Light Magnum 180s, advertised at 2880 fps from a 22" barrel. Mine is 24". I choose 180s because of winds in the foothills of the Guadalupes in far west Texas. Upon trying the LMs, I got groups in the 1 to 1 1/4" range, so I went back and bought all the dealer had in stock at the time. I'm down to my last box and a half. No matter, age has caught up with me and I no longer roam those hills in search of desert mule deer. The annual use of this rifle is two verification shots prior to the season, one or two shots for deer, and usually two or three for coyote.

My other two '06s are sighted in with 150s. The other favorite is a '70 Grade III BAR. It does barely over an inch with factory ammo. Between a little weight and the gas system, it doesn't need a pad and it is a great stand gun. I once was swarmed by a herd of pigs during a spring pig and coyote reduction hunt. The BAR went five for five before running dry. Two days later, the coyote business picked up over the remains.

Jack

I disagree slightly. Of the 40-50, most all would work for the hunting I do. With said, I like to set up the sticks or shoot prone out at 500-600 yards for practice. I also shoot offhand to about 400. Many of those .30-06s were not accurate enough for my practice at 500-600. On live animals, I prefer getting within 300 yards and my most memorable hunts have involved taking animals after long stalks at 10-15 yards. I honestly am a gun (not rifle per se) enthusiast and hunter in about equal parts.

A few years ago I found an unfired early 80s M700 ADL .30-06 for $300 and bought it because of Mr. Jones' book. The gun didn't live up to my expectations so got sold.

I have a fully blueprinted 700 and a McMillan stock sitting in my gun room ready to become something. It was going to be a .280ai or .300 win mag but this thread kinda makes me want to turn it into a boring .30-06, stuff it full of 165s or 180s and go kill stuff. Cheap brass, good barrel life and a shelf full of components makes for some pretty economical shooting which builds confidence.

I am not going to get into "I could have just one gun,."
If I was to start over, i would buy a 30-06.
If I could afford it, it would be a custom build.
If not, a good bolt action, in a good (aftermarket ?) stock. All I would need.



If I had some money, I would end up needing more.

I like the 30-06 for what it is. It is a huge symbol of Americana, and a powerful and versatile hunting cartridge. I seldom use it to hunt as it is way more rifle than I actually need for anything I do.

I used to use my dad's old 06 to teach youngsters to shoot as the old man was a compact guy and had a well designed stock built for his rifle. That and it's heavier than average barrel contour make it a nice rifle for younger shooters and some women.

Not too big for deer, not too small for elk. I heard you can even kill a moose or two with one. Pretty boring cartridge, thinking about replacing my 30+ year old s&w 1500 (howa) with a tikka or sako 06. Throat is getting a bit long in the 1500, still shoots with a longer coal though. Hard to beat perfection

Started with Dad's 30-06 long ago. Messed around with a lot of different cartridges, but... that good ol' 30-06 was always there, and now and again it would go afield with me.

Last year with the 30-06 I took: elk, black bear, mule deer, pronghorn, wolf & grizzly. The elk & black bear were both beyond 300 yards, and each died of a single bullet. The grizzly admittedly took a little more shooting. I kinda like the old warhorse of a cartridge. Actually I like it a lot.

Kind of funny how after the decades rolled on by, I came back to that good old cartridge.

Guy

I have a sudden urge to go shoot 240gr Woodleighs through my 1903A3.....


Thanks, Tom

Just about all my hunting is done with a .30-06 or 7X57 these days. I've owned and hunted with a bunch of others but seem to come back to these two.