Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire All you need is an ought six

Funny how you hear the deal about only needing one rifle. Here and in the halls of congress.I would never advise a person to start with a 30-06.It's a compromise cartridge and once you get one smaller and one larger, it just sort of sets there.My opinion.<P>------------------<BR>Money dont make good reasons

Yea, but it is always good to have choices. <P>(humm should I take the 06 or the 7x57 Mauser?)

sure you only NEED one rifle...but what fun is that!

I reckon you could drive every nail that's in a house with the same hammer, but how many hammers are really used? I'd say a minimum of three. Folks on this board are a mite more involved in the shooting sports than the general population, I'd think,so why do you reckon we keep hearing the same old song and dance ?WAtch out for the guy with one gun; he may be looking to steal yours.BIG GRIN.<P>------------------<BR>Money dont make good reasons

Heck, I missunderstood, I bought three 06s, you know one for light bullets, one for 180gr, and one for 220gr. That should cover it! Then I discovered a 130gr 270 Win will do it all, don't change anything. --no<p>[This message has been edited by need one (edited March 24, 2001).]

And a 22 250, and a on and on------ my kind of guy!

We live in a country with many choices but if left to one choice then I pick the , well, you can guess. There are many fine cartridges out there the .270 a close second but how can one say one could go wrong with the 06. Seems these days the old reliable comes under fire more all the time but lets see how many years before any caliber takes the lead in reloading dye sales. By the way, has anyone wonderd why when any rifle first intruduced it is usualy in .270 or .30-06 only.<P>------------------<BR>Beware the one-gun man.

It's not a matter of need but one of want. I have a couple 06's so how many do I need? But I want a lot of other guns. <BR>Several year ago my then present wife told me either she goes on the guns go... I've had to add an extra gun safe to the recroom.<P>Bullwnkl.

My purpose in starting this discussion was not to disparage the 06.I've taken a lot of game with one.My point was that saying that it's the only cartridge-rifle anyone in the lower 48 needs sounds just like the anti's.At least they would allow US to choose which ONE.<P>Secondly, why suggest to a newcomer to our sport that he start with a compromise?If someone is planning to start hunting where I hunt, what I hunt,how I hunt,he will find that in all the situations he faces,another cartridge would serve him betterthan the 06.I think it makes more sense to start with one that is just right for a given situation,game, and terrain.When he expands his interests he can select a second " just right" combo,and on and on.Such are the joys of firearms ownership in our great country.At one time I owned four 308 caliber rifles,and one was an 06.Now I own a 7 mm,and a 338.I own others also,but these are the two which bracket the 308.One of these will beat the 06 in any department you want to select.Actually,I'd start the guy with a 257 and let him hunt the game and terrain where it is the best choice.Why start off compromising?<P>------------------<BR>Money dont make good reasons<p>[This message has been edited by gene williams (edited March 25, 2001).]

Well Gene he got to start off somewhere. You will admit that the 06 is a good start point as it will handle just about anything in a package that almost any hunter can shoot. Some may never need or want to go beyond that point and those that do will figure it out for them selves. <BR>BCR<P>------------------<BR>A 45 BEATS 4 ACES EVERYTIME

Heck Gene, -- I think most of us started with an 06, and bloomed from there to many calibers, they all kill. I started my boy off with 243, he grew fast as did his calibers. Like you and everyone else on this board we like them all, just have preferences for the situations and conditions. Hope we are never limited in number of calibers we can own. -- no

Hey guys there is nothing wrong with an old reliable, tried and true 06, I have two myself.However if one wants to shoot the 30 caliber than jump up to the 300 Win mag. It shoots the same bullets as the 06 but much flatter and faster and really carries the mail when it hits home.<P>LIVE WELL,LAUGH OFTEN & HUNT ALL YOU CAN!<P>WHAMP<BR>

Not to make a point,but food for thought:30 06,.308 Win,.223-- all military cartridges..243 Win,Warren Page promoted it.-.270,Jack o conner promoted it.<P>Now consider some other cartridges that have their followers;22 250-- 30-30-- 25 06-- 7 Rem Mag-- 300 win mag-- 338 win mag-- 45 70 -- all the Weatherby cartridges and lately the Remington Ultra series.<P>The ones in the second group have made it more on their merits, it seems to me.I'm not sure the ones in the first group-- good as they are -- would fare as well with the public if we started all over on a level playing field.

I've got an -06 that will shoot 3-125's 3-150's & 3-165's into 1-7/8" for a 9 shot group at 100 yds. To me this is a great all around rifle!...but, my favorite is still a Rem LTR in .308!!When it has to be dead this rifle gets the nod. good shootin,vbshootin...

I guess Im missing something here. <P>Being a big fan of the 06 myself, I fail to see why its considered a "compromise".<P>I find it to be plenty of gun for the hunting I do and have never seen the need to try any other cartridge other than a 243 and it was bought primarily for coyotes. <P><P>------------------<BR> <A HREF="http://TheSouthernOutdoorsman.com" TARGET=_blank>TheSouthernOutdoorsman.com</A>

I own a 06 and am a fan of the .30 bore size, but I agree with WHAMP's post. "IF" i could only have one caliber i would choose either the .300Win. or .300Wthby. I just think they do everything an 06 will better,and will do more. However, I'm like everyone else here...it's soooo much fun having more than one gun. I love the .280 that i have also....GH

Hey Greenhead---Try firing a 110 or 250 grain bullet in your all-around .300 and see what happens.

Hey Machinist, if I want to shoot little bullets than I'll switch to my 243. It sends a 100 grainer fast and flatter than an 06 with very little recoil. The 300 was not designed to shoot little bullets for prarie rats.Also if I could not shoot a 300 Win mag and had to compromise for another 30 cal. my choice would be a 308, less recoil and will shoot the center out of a quarter.<P>LIVE WELL,LAUGH OFTEN AND HUNT ALL YOU CAL!<P>WHAMP

OK so I have to be different. <P>I didn't start with an 06. In fact I never owned an 06 and never will. I am not slamming it, just stating (as others have) my preferences and the 06 doesn't fit any of my preferences. <P>I started with a 32 win spcl at age 12 (legal hunting age in PA). Actually I started with a Daisy BB gun (around age 8 if memory serves me correctly). From there I went to a 410 single barrel ElCheapo H&R shotgun (still have it, don't use it). After the 32 win Spcl I went to the 32 Win then onto the 35 Rem at age 18. I used that Marlin lever action for about 10 years at which time I bought a used Rem 700 chambered for 7mm mag. I progressed from there. My Dad used a 308 and a 300 savage for as long as I can remember (he died in 1977). My uncles, my Dads brothers have ALWAYS used a 300 savage and one still does today at age 86, the other died about 10 years ago.<P>I guess there were never any 06 users in the family and I never gave that cartridge much thought. I now own and use a 300 win mag(among others). It does everything a 30-06 does, only better. <P>Don <BR>

Hmmmm...<P>So, an '06 is a compromise because you can use it to reliably take every species of game in North America. And a good deal of game in Africa,Asia,South America and Australia...<P>Yeah yeah, all you dangerous game types, it is a bit light, but ask the guides if they'd rather see you show up with your well used .30-06 or a brand new shiny .340 Weatherby that you just got that season because you "needed" a rifle just for brown bear (leopard,lion...)<P>You can shoot bullet weights from 100 to 250 grains.<P>You can get it in darned near any action offered by any manufacturer.<P>And yes, I do own other calibers, but I just don't think the '06 is a compromise, especially when it comes to big game hunting. In fact typing this makes me want to go out and get another one.<P>And Gene, part of me really does hope that you got your Rem Ultra dies, and then the .30-06 part of me is going " neener neener neener !"<P>Regards,<BR>Scott