Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles My 30-06 is all I really need

But the will they expand without hitting bone?

You need a premium for white-tail? I've found moose die just fine with C&C..... from .243 to ..338 WM.

Still, if it floats your stick, have at it. They will do fine, and, they are in stock!

My wife, son and I are going caribou hunting in about 3 weeks. We may all be packing '06s, or not, with C&C factory rounds My poor old .338 may also go (not fired in over 10 years - it is pouting) with 250 gr Hornady RN (definitely "over-kill") for me, or the '94 in 30-30 (not killed with since '66 -REALLY pouting!).

Decisions, decisions....

What the hell - I'll take them all.

Dunno if I need to, but I sure like to.

And right now I'm loading Barnes bullets cheaper than the cheapest box of CnC ammo in the store.

If it were all about "need", 30-06 is long past plenty for whitetail in the first place :P

Exactly! I've killed my last 5 deer with iron sighted 30-30 & C&C. I'm 62, eyes getting bad, walking not so easy in these mountains! I want to reach out there and know what I touched them with will bring em down quick! I've already got some good C&C reloaded and ready for the 06, never rule out an alternative!

If you think so then you’re 100% correct. I have made it a point never to argue the utility of the 30-06.

I have a bunch of rifles. In the past I only hunted with two: my 30-06 and 22-250. As a general rule I always take a back up rifle but never needed to resort to one.

Have you taken any grizz with the 06 in Alaska?

Yes, finally!
Years ago I was gifted a 1963 Rem 700 30-06 with a 20" factory barrel. It came to me with several boxes of 180 grain factory ammo. After firing, with the rifle's steel butt plate, I put it away. it was just too much for me and besides I had several other rifles to choose from at the time. None of the others were as punishing at that rifle.
Fast forward a few years I have learned to handload and dabble in the world of cast boolits, that old 30-06 has renewed its usefulness for where and how I shoot anyway. I still keep a bolt action 30-30 around for cast targets, and a 7mm-08 when I am invited to shoot longer distances but the 30-06 with something less than 180g shoulder killers is in my hands. Yes, other calibers may be better but this old girl suits me just fine.

mjac: my dad bought me a M700 30/06 in 1962, 20" barrel and steel butt plate as you said. I can confirm that it would kick the snot out of you! (I had asked for a M70 FWT but the guy at the local gun shop convinced Dad that the brand new M700 was a much better rifle). Still have the rifle, but ti's been re-barrelled and re-stocked :-)

southtexas, 150g~130g pills and few different powders have gotten my jacketed loads down to very tolerable recoil levels even with the steel butt plate. Not to mention cast shooting where you have you don't know it fired type recoil levels.
Nevertheless, I just yesterday purchased a stock I'll be putting a recoil pad on. I have been wanting to put the original BDL, with its cut fleur de lis checkering, stock away for safekeeping.The kid has already laid claim to it.