Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Bigger than 30-06 on 30-06 Action

338-06, 35 Whelen or 9.3X62.

I had multiple 30-06 rifles and never got too excited by them, ho hum, it's a 30-06... They killed elk just fine but Zzzzz
I looked for some more performance in 35 Whelen , 3 different 760 pump rifles and a bolt rifle over 20 years and lastly, a 338-06 bolt rifle.
Each one worked fine but was sold to other guys looking for a magic cartridge/rifle combination and later replaced, "maybe I'd overlooked something, I should try a new bullet"
Nope,there's no magic cartridge

I could have saved a lot of time and a few bucks if I'd just loaded better bullets for the 30-06s and focused more on hunting and less on cartridges.

I was in this boat few years back.
Love My 06, but wanted something bigger. Was going To buy a 06 donor and sent to JES for a rebore. I Went from 338-06, to 35 to 9.3 .
I finally settled on the 9.3 as I figured I want to go bigger, might as well go big. Ended up with the sauer 100 vs buying a donor/rebore.
Now that I scratched that thumper itch, I’m back to the old 06. It just works.
The gun looney in me is selling the 9.3 so I can do 338-06.
Hoping it’s a little less recoil off the bench, Guess I’m a little more sensitive than I thought.

I see you have 375hh. So you don’t need another African rifle. But I’m sure you already know that the 9.3 is acceptable in many African countries. So the 9.3 could be a Great back up.
I say keep the 06 and buy my 9.3. ;-D

I am late to this party.

My immediate thought before opening the thread was 338-06.

After reading the OP and scrolling through the posts., here are my thoughts.

Practical would be to keep it as is a 30-06 and make the package easier to carry. I struggle with tearing down a classic rifle though.

My choice would be a 338-06, I own three of them and would be my choice. Have taken an elk at 275yards with mine. If practiced, would not hesitate out to 450. I like 210's at 2800fps. Have blown through every elk I have shot with them.

I am not a 35 fan at all. Simple personal preference.

A 9.3x62 would be another good option.

use 200 grain partitions in your 30-06 and you won't be disappointed.

Nobody's mentioned the 400 Whelen yet?

Not super practical IMO

So? What does practical have to do with anything?

It fits the OPs use pretty well. Plinking with 41 cal cast pistol bullets in the off season. Sounds like a win/win to me.

You are right. We are looneys.

Might as well go all the way to 416, or even 458 then. 45-70 lever comes to mind.

Or even another 300 Weatherby with aforementioned 200gr partitions set up with a shorter barrel and lower magnification scope. Would not have to load to the max either.
Some benefit to having a familiar platform, especially when things happen quick in the timber.