Having used the 06 on many deer I sort of feel it is a bit more powerful than needed for under 200 pound deer, anyone else?

Kind of depends on where you hit it, doesn't it?

And whom you ask and from what era.
dan

Rickt300---- If you were a guest in my Deer Hunting camp and walked in the door with a .243 and a 30-06. I would encourage you to use the 30-06.

Shore killed alot of nazis

A more likely situation would be that it is too much gun for some hunters. (Which is not meant as a put-down.)

If your woods hunting a 308, 7-08, or my personal favorite the 358 works just fine with less kick and the same performance.

Spot

Is this a serious post? I shot a small doe with a 350 rigby, 250 gr @ 2700 fps, at about 15 yds. Neck shot, and a blam flop.

There really isn't such a thing as too much, or too little gun. Just the wrong bullets for the application put in the wrong spot.

BTW, I'm using a 223 this year.

I'm using my 338RUM maybe its too small. Should be looking for a BMG. Does it really matter as long as you are hunting, I don't care what anybody else uses as long as he uses it correctly. My son is getting psyched up I just got him a new 243 so we will have to see if it fits him if not the 788 is coming out. He really likes the 788 as it is snow camoed. He thinks he is cool. HAPPY HUNTING

Yeah. But it always works and really thats all that counts.

dude, i shoot blacktail deer with my 30-06, i love the performance.i will continue to use the 30-06 till i die. i feel comfortable using this caliber for anything on the planet. load it right, and you can tackle anything from ground squirrels to elephant. buy one and keep it forever, and use it all you can. love that history rich caliber like it was your wife, and it will never fail as long as you do your part well.

Don't get me wrong, I have two 30-06 rifles at present and I like the cartridge. I have noticed that the common 150 grain cup and core factory loads or full power reloads really do a number on our Texas deer. I tend to shoot at least 165 grain bullets and even use 180 grain bullets if the shooting is going to be real close. I have of late been thinking about loading it down to 2700 fps and using 150 grain bullets for my general deer hunting. This is 300 Savage power level, or the equal to my 150 grain loading I shoot out of my 7x57.

too much? matter of opinion

more than needed? yeah, probably so.

works well? of course

Nope.

One of the best all around calibers of all time. excellent for deer. You can never have too much power but you can have too little. a great choice.

Millions of dead deer if they could talk would say yes!!!!

Battue

An '06 can make a mess of a deer with a bad hit or an explosive bullet that is for sure. If you like to avoid meat loss both of the suggestions seem to help us.

The load it down to a 300 Savage [my brother in laws approach]using a 150 Hornady and around 44 gr of I4064 is a sweety.

I use a harder , heavier bullet than usually recommended for deer [i.e. 180 grain Core Lokts/Noslers]. It doesn't work quite as well but I don't rezero for elk.

I finally quit using 165 grain boattails on deer due to what I feel is excessive amounts of bloodshot meat, etc.

The 30.06 is plenty to be sure.......................and actually a bit of overkill...................but if you use 180 gr bullets, or bonded bullets, you limit the damage.


Besides, "deer" is relative. Where I live, Bucks routinely top 200 pounds, 250 pounds and occasionally 300 pounds.

It's those 300 pounders that make you glad you have the '06.

Dancing Bear---------- You hit the nail on the head when you said bad hit. They happen all the time. I'll take a bad hit on a deer any day with a 30-06 vs a bad hit with a .243. I am not bad mouthing the great .243--- just in my opinion. I have shot a hand full of bucks with a 6mm Rem. Web

It all boils right back down to the old "it ain't what you use, it's how you use it."

I have 2 30-06s and I think they are one of the finest rounds we have available,but by my way of thinking using one for deer is like using a rat trap to catch a mouse,I started shooting deer 6 years ago with a 243 winchester and Ive never had to chase one at all,bang flop and its off to the barn we go...........

RickT
I think your question is valid. I shoot a few deer every year, primarily for the meat, and also to alleviate some crop damage for ranchers. Meat damage is a concern.
If I was going to chose a rifle strictly for deer under 200 yards, it would be something between a 257 Roberts, and a 7/08. There are lots of elk that get killed with those two calibers every year here in Montana, so I have no doubt they would work on even the largest deer.
Keeping your 30/06 and loading it down also makes sense. loads that replicate a 300 Savage would be more than adequate. A good round nose bullet at moderate velocities, I believe, would kill decisively without the massive amount of meat damage with full boat 30/06 loads.

Fred

Royce, you're right on. 300 Savage is more than adequate for deer. I do the same thing with 308 WIN and this is my favorite deer load.

Is 30-06 overkill? I'd think we'd have to define overkill first. Personally, I don't think of a moderate amount of overkill to be a bad thing. A 30-06 does do a heck of a lot of damage when sent through the boiler room. On the other hand, I never seem to need to track deer shot with the '06. I would be the first to say the performance is beyond the minimum requirement, but what is the maximum? Why need there be a maximum?

Our immediate tribe has done in a large number of deer with 308 caliber rounds. '06 is the stoutest of the bunch. On the other end is 30-30, and I've never really been happy with it. We're fielding a 30-30 again this year, so it's not like we absolutely reject it. It just doesn't seem like this the optimal round for us and our deer hunting, when there are stiffer fare to be had. In this case, #3 son is due to take his first, and the 30-30 lever seems to make a good Yute rifle.

I never really thought the 30-06 was too much for deer but I have never loaded to max in either of the 30-06 rifles I have had. I had a 760 and now a M70 and I load at least 2gr of 4350 under max with 165gr bullets. I load Hornady 165gr flat base now and have used 165gr Rem Core-Lokts for most of the deer I have taken. In fact I use Core-Lokts in my .243 and 7mm-08. The deer don't seem to know they're hit with a cheap bullet from a .243, 7mm-08, or a 30-06.

Coyo -- Don't get me wrong the .243 is a very good choice. My choice of the 30-06 over the .243 in the woods of the Northeast because of several reasons. One of which is the fact that many times you might have less than 4 sec. to see the buck, identify him, set your x hairs and pull the trigger. All off hand. As the buck is walking in thick brush. Perfect shot placement sometimes is very hard. The .243 and the man behind the gun can do this . The 30-06 has the edge in this case I feel. Sometimes at 50 yards by the time you put your eye to the scope,the deer is nowhere to be seen. I do not know where you hunt deer but if I hunted in open fields with shots of 100 to 200 yards, I might use a .243 but for heavy woods .30 cal- .35 cal. Just my opinion --- Web

No.

I do not use my .30/06 rifles often. Most of the time I choose a lever gun in .44 Mag or .30-30, or for longer shots, a .270 Winchester.
The deer I have shot with .30/06 were DOA, and I used the Remington CoreLokt 150 or 165 grain factory load.

...The 30/06 is not "to much", but it is more than necessary. Exactly what would constitute "to much", other than blowing away to much of the flesh of an edible animal?

Wldthg,

I somewhat agree with that. The .270 with 130 gr NBT or the 300 Win Mag with 165 NBT are the source of the most bloodshot in our garage.

The girls/kids in the tribe shoot short 18.5" barrelled 243 carbines with 100 gr Core-Lokts or Hornady's in them. They work pretty well but aren't leaving the muzzle at much over 2700.
The nephew who shoots 85 gr bullets in his 22/24 in 788 Rem can make a real mess. I kill the few deer I shoot with a 243 with the kids loads.

What I didn't say earlier is I love the way a 180 grain '06 works on deer. It rolls them. I have seen all four feet in the air many times. I have shot them over the back and clipped all the ribs on one side and still been able to eat the backstraps on that side. They are just right when a 275 pound bench leg wanders through a little clearing too.

Now if I could find a rifle I could handle that would do that on an elk...

1. As many have already said, it's not too much but it's more than you need.

2. Bullet selection and shot placement are more important. You can use a really explosive bullet in any suitable cartridge and put it in a "meaty" spot and destroy a lot of good venison, or you can use a very tough bullet meant for much larger game and have it pencil right through your deer.

3. Bottom line - the .30-06 is dandy for deer, and with the right bullets is so versatile that it can be used for anything from groundhogs to moose.

I shot a 35 Whelen, a 30-06 and a 45-70 this morning at the range. The Whelen will be loaded with 200 grain Hornady spirepoints pushed to 2500 fps and i figure this will be a reasonable non messy deer killer. The 30-06 is one I recently was given and needed a whole lot of work which I finished a couple days ago. I like to shoot factory ammo in any rifle I have no previous experience with so I bought some Federal Blue Box shells loaded with 150 grain Hi Shoks. Planning to make Whelen brass out of the empties. The rifle shoots too well 1 1/4 inch 5 shot group with cheap factory ammo. Great trigger too. I think I'll let one of the lease partners use it on deer this year just to check damage caused by a not so experienced shooter. I am sick of his usual 7 shots per deer thing he does with his 30-30. Truthfully though on deer that seldom weigh more than 150 pounds and the does less than 100 pounds the old 06 can be pretty brutal. If I have time to load some lighter rounds up for it and get to the gun range before season he might get to test them on his deer.

I'm guessing that if he needs seven shots with a .30-30 he'll need at least six and a half with a .30-06.

Is his name Lucas McCain???

Tommy, he has pretty poor eyesight and is crippled from Vietnam. He sits at the lease cabin drinking scotch and waiting for deer to come to the water trough there. I don't mind all that but he shoots up more than a box of shells for his three deer. I am hoping a scope will alleviate the excessive gunfire.

The only thing I think is a little much for deer is the 50 BMG,all the others are just right..

Nope.But when we play this game, we run into inherent contradictions. For example, we may say,well a 7/08 is perfect for deer(it is)but is a good elk cartridge,too.So how can it be ideal for a 200 pound animal, and yet be a good elk(500-700 pounds) cartridge,too;and yet the 30/06 is too powerful for deer and is also a good elk cartridge as well......So am I saying that a 7/08(308,7x57,270,280,30/06,etc) are all pretty much the same cartridge with minor variations on the same theme? And if one is excessively powerful for deer, they all are?

.....Uhh......yes.Of course,we all know what the real true perfect deer cartridge is.......it's the 30/06...Improved

You've been spending waaay too much time with Dober on the phone

rickt300 - your thinking is flawless but your question is better suited to magnum 30 cals -don't you think? Which 30-06 is too much gun? The '06 plowing 220 grainers over max loads or the one rocketing 110grain varmint bullets? Luckily, that much versatility guarantees perfection somewhere in between, doesn't it? Trying to match the 7x57 is a wise thing to do in this case and you just can't come closer than the 30 cal. 150 at 2700fps. Consider yourself most strongly affirmed. I believe it the best combination of factors for these deer FWIW.

Howdy wldthg,I hunt in NE Kansas where we have lots of open country with traces of timber on the creeks and plots of heavy timber here and there and lots of row crop land and up and until 6 years ago you couldnt have given me a 243 and now I own a fleet of them,I started using it as a coyote calling rifle and then the deer moved into the picture and I kill them just as easy as a coyote with it,I new an old man once that deer hunted with a ruger 1 in 375 H&H and swore that he made less mess out of the deer with it than he did with the 30-06 or 270,Im not at all knockin the ol 30-06 as I have 2 of them and when you look at its potential and all the rounds today that have spawned off it,I had a buddy here a few years back put his wife in the tree stand with a 30-06 and shortly thereafter heard her shot and when he returned she had killed two whitetails with one shot,Now thats efficiency..............

Brad: Co-conspirators! BTW, I notice you're building one...

Let's see:
270 150 2850, 3006 150 2910, 280 150 2890, 308 150 2820, 708 140 2860, guess they are all too much for deer. My daughters 708 with 140 Hornadys @ 2300 will blow the hell out of a deers shoulder. More about the guy pulling the trigger and where hit, and with the proper bullet than anything. I personally have been using a 300 win with 150's @ 2800 and a 7wsm with 120 tsx's @3000. Ain't much either one can't kill. This year I have an 06 with 150 etip's that seems to shoot very well. It is 7 lbs all up so nothing too heavy. I seem to have better luck with 2 shot groups on the Mtn contour barrels as long as poi doesn't move around between groups. Never have had to shoot them 3 times in the same spot anyway. Usually one is enough and they fall out of the scope while pulling the trigger on the second, if needed.

Last I knew, within reason, If You feel that You have too much Gun, You can always load down.

Yepper, have had two 270's and found I wasn't happy without one in the house... this'll be my third!

The original question is one that I, too, have pondered. To my way of thinking, it depends on where you hunt and what your objective is.

Every year I shoot meat does in Texas out of box blinds. I don't believe anyone in his right mind would suggest you need an '06 for that. If fact you're almost surely better off with a .257 Bob, 7X57, etc. However, I also make an annual trek to northern Missouri in hopes of shooting a Booner (still haven't done it )and I tote a .30-06. After hunting up there for several years and having been fortunate enough to bag a couple of dandies, it is my opinion that the .30-06 is danged near perfect. Rutted up bucks that weigh over 200 pounds can soak up a lot of lead before giving up the ghost and I've come to realize that in this scenerio, there's no such thing as too much gun.

around here where the deer are about 150 lbs on the hoof for a "monster" yea, the 06 may be a bit much.
Especially loaded with 180gr TBBC at max vel...

great thing about the 06 is that you can taylor your loads and choose a good bullet for the size of game you are after.

For the smaller deer, a good 125-150gr at modest velocity will drop it easily with good shot placement, of course.

More than enough, but not "too much".

Well it's a subjective thing, on one hand its the standard by which all other cartridges are judged, For some its just to much recoil, but when its all said and done, its about perfect. And this is from a fellow who dose just about all his deer hunting with a 6.5 x 55 or 7 x 57. Its a good one, any good cup and core bullet will work well out of the 06 on deer and just about anything else. Also being once the Nations service cartridge, that don't hurt the issue either. My next barrel for my Blaser R-93 is going to be a .30-06.

There is no such thing as overkill - you can't kill an animal too much. I certainly don't think the 06 ruins any more meat than any other modern round. My daughter killed a small buck with a .223 last year and it was a mess. The 06 is a favorite because of it's ability to handle deer and elk equally well but it certainly isn't too much for deer. Seriously, a 25-06 shoots a 120 grain bullet at about the same speed as an 06 with a 150 grain bullet - you really think the extra 30 grains in the 06 bullet makes it too much gun? Certainly there are calibers that produce a little less recoil and kill deer just as well (7mm-08) so if recoil is what bothers you then you might consider a 7mm-08, but if recoil is not the issue, go forth and kill stuff with your 06.

A 30-06 can push a 150 close to 3100 fps... that's pretty fast. It IS a lot of gun for most deer... dunno about "too much", but it's certainly a LOT more than is needed, so it depends on your def of "too much" I guess.

With light cup and cores driven fast, you can certainly wreck some deer if you shoot them in the meat!

I killed a buck with a 150 Corelokt right behind the shoulder, and the bloodshot led me to mess with 7mm-08 for several years after that. Then, a couple years ago, circumstances led me to use my 30-06 for deer again- but with my elk load, a 180-gn Accubond. Very minimal bloodshot and that one I shot right through the onside shoulder.

If I was running factory C & C bullets, I'd shoot 180's and not sweat it too much. If you are going to run C & C's and shoot 150's then stay out of the shoulder IMHO.

I wonder what a 150 grain Partition started out at a shade over 3100 fps would do to Mr. Deer?

Ouchy?

I am of the opinion that the .30-06 is a little much for deer. That being said, I can see using one for "insurance" on a trophy hunt, where I thought the deer might run on the 250-300 pound side. That is a very special circumstance though, and for the most part, I think that cartridges more suited to whitetails are in line with the .257 ROberts, 300 savage, 7/08, and as bad as I hate to say it, I am beginning to believe that the perfect short action cartridge for deer is the .260. (That is if you handload)
The perfect long action cartridge for deer, in my opinion, is the .270 WCF. I hate to admit that too. More than either of them will certainly work, but isn't necessary. Less than either of them might work as well, but not necessarily....

IME given a nonspooked buck, a 22-250 will drop them within about 50 yards most of the time. A .300 Winchester will drop them within about 10 yards.

I also love the .270. Great for both the riverbottoms and hills.

However, like you also mentioned an '06 or a .300 mag will get it done with a little more punch.

Phooey!! Of course I'm a bit biased, but the 30-06 can be loaded with the 130 grain TSX at 2750 for the IDEAL deer rifle for close ups or smaller deer. In the West, the 165 Partition at the same velocity is used by a lot of savy hunters.

Wayne

Those .308/130 grain TSXs are neat! It'll be interesting to read the field reports on those suckers. No doubt they'll crunch deer with ease.

Brad: Hurrah! Come home to PAPA!

I think you can run an '06 as hard as you want and not get too much blood-shot meat;just use a tougher bullet.

HA!

Here are the 270 Win particulars:

Winchester M70 SS Fwt (got it sans stock from a forum member).
Aluminum Blind Trigger Bow from Post-64 Ranger... paint stripped and bead-blasted dull silver.
Talley Low Lwt's.
Leupold 6x36 LR.
McMillan Edge (blind magazine).
Uncle Mikes Mountain Sling.

Should come in right around 7lbs 2oz's with sling and four rounds.

I've always wanted a light M70 270. A 130 TTSX at 3,100 should work wonders on anything, antelope to elk.

It's certainly more than required.A 25-06 will easily take any deer at any range that most shooters have any business shooting.

Agree Bob.

Will add, if I lived back East and hunted Woodland Whitetails I'd use a 250 Savage, 257 Roberts, 260, 7-08, 308, etc... however, as Dober has often opined, "overkill is walking up on your dead quarry and beating it with your gun."

I typically use whatever elk rifle I have sorted-out and zeroed... in the past that has meant anything from the 270 or 308 to 338 WM.

It's certainly no crime to use a 30-06 on woodland whitetails and it's also a straightforward matter to handload any larger cartridge to lower velocities, turning a 30-06 into a 300 Savage or 338 WM into a 33 WCF (for instance)...

I would say that the ability to load a cartridge down has been more of a motivating factor for me than the ability to load one up. I have been through the redline reloading phase, but it didn't last long for me. I have always enjoyed making them shoot mild.

My dad always said it was too much. I think he meant it was more than you need.
Our local bucks run bigger than what you're talking about, but my idea of the perfect deer combo for this area is my BAR in 30-06 with 180 gr flat base, pointed soft point Hornady interlocks at 2700 fps.

A 30-06 would be perfect for these deer.

Brad: It will be very nice;glad you found a stainless M70,and the whole thing sounds just right weight-wise.Do you have the stock yet,or is that a work-in-progress?

30/06 is to much IMO. The 270 and 25/06 is the ultimate deer rifle!

For deer hunting,even the 270win isn't necessary.

Guess I've always thought one of the beauties of the .30-06 was its versatility. I've developed my own preferences and prejudices in projectiles (based on my rather narrow "woods hunting" needs). Someone hunting in more open country would have different preferences. Point is, the .30-06 (like any number of other cartridges for that matter) can be tailored to one's preferences/needs.

Case in point: I no longer use the Nosler 150 gr. Partition for my deer hunting. I've come to view it as excessively destructive when used inside of 50 yards...and that's darned close to an "average" shot around these parts. Of course my personal prejudice doesn't make that particular bullet any less appropriate to taking deer. It's just my preference. Point is, there are LOTS of choices available. Sweet, huh!

So I'll go way out on a limb (insert copious sarcasm here) to vote with those who say the .30-06 isn't too much gun for deer hunting.
PC

Hmm,it's kinda funny this question i've seen younger men in their 20's sell a perfectly good .270 or '06 for a MAGNUM(!) of some sort.....then after marriage,kids and growing up they buy the .30/06 or .270 back.Is it too much on our Doe? sure but why not use that extra thump if you need too? I once hunted in what's now a rather exclusive subdivision,but back then we couldn't cross a property line even to retrive deer the old dudes with them aught sixes only needed help dragging.

I still generally shoot at least one deer a year with my first custom rifle which is a 30-06 on a Springfield action. Last year I used the 165 grain Sierra BTHP which I directed thru the bucks chest at an angle which destroyed very little meat. The year before last I sent a 180 grain Speer Mag Tip thru a bucks neck just in front of it's shoulder, once again no real meat loss. Both deer were shot at under 100 yards and both dropped on the spot. To say the 30-06 is perfect for deer hunting would make it unreasonable to own ten or more deer rifles so it's not perfect!

I would like to add that my deer experience is solely on our little blacktails. They tend to be close, and they are usually not very big. Factoring both those things in, is what led me to feel that the 30-06 was a whole lotta Rosie... more than I wanted/needed.

That said, for mule deer, running 165's, my 30-06 is about model perfect.

7mm-08 is a great match for deer around here. It's "plenty" without feeling like too much gun. Neck it up to .358, and then you've REALLY got something! <g>

A mature Alberta/Saskatchewan buck will average 250lbs to 300lbs with 350lb bucks not at all uncommon.The 25-06 does a great job out to 500 yards.

About Pacific northwest Blacktails, these are the best tasting deer America has to offer. At least the ones from around Onalaska and Centralia Washington. I feel it is a crime to waste ANY more than the least amount of their tasty flesh necessary. It also seemed to me they were easier to put down than equal size Whitetails.

rickt300, they are indeed delicious. I am thinking it's the wide variety of tender browse they have access to... not living off sage or whatever. Plus all the water they need; they are not stewing in their own juices like a desert deer might.

The little guy I whacked last year was young, bedded down when I shot him, and had been feeding heavily on acorns. MAN that deer was good!!

Best eating deer I've had are from Alberta...I take it all home;got some downstairs..

And they are so big, you can use a 30/06 and there's plenty left over!

I would indeed use a 30-06 for those deer! I've seen pictures. They look as big as a spike elk fer crying out loud.

To my mind, the 30-06 class of cartridge is about ideal for 250-450 lb critters... big deer, caribou, black bear. It will handle bigger, it will certainly kill smaller, but if you were forced to sort of "slot" it, that's the slot I'd put it in.

This thread has me kind of fired up to un-retire my 30-06. It's been on R & R for the last year while I've been pounding on the .338 and the Kimber. It would be fun to use it for the mule deer part of my Colorado hunt, but reality being what it is and all (hard as a frikkin' ROCK!), it probably makes sense to just leave it at home and use my elk rifle on the poor lil' mule deer. I don't really have a way to safely store long guns in camp or in my truck, so even bringing one spare rifle is a bit... worrisome, much less TWO spare rifles.

But I'm thinking that '06 is going to get used a bunch in the coming years as I branch out into some other states. It's just too good a caliber to not use it.

I don't mean to give the impression that I don't care for the '06, I know that it's as deadly as arsenic, but it seems to me that shooting 135 pound whitetails with a .30-06 is akin to shooting elk with the 375 H&H. Yes, it works fine, and there is never anything wrong with leaving a margin for error, but I think that there is quite a bit of margin there to work with.

Will the deer end up too dead? I shot a little button buck with my elk rifle once. He was way under 200 lb. and my elk rifle is a wildcat 300 mag. Shoots a 180 Nosler partition at 3200 FPS. Hit the deer from 70 yards and completely knocked it off of it's feet, like it rotated in the air. He was just as dead as if he'd been shot with a 30-30. Since I hit him in the lungs there wasn't any wasted meat.

So no, the 30-06 isn't too much gun. Then again if I had a smaller rifle to use I would. That day my wife had my 30-06 and the daughter was shooting the .308

Dad shoots the 06 but it seems to leave a hell of a mess. I like the 243, less mess, lighter, and you dont have to be scared of the damn thing takin your shoulder off. Its all up to what you want though. Anything over a 50 cal might be overkill.

Bullet selection and shot placement have a direct impact on meat damage. Soft nosed bullets aren't needed for deer out of a 30-06. As to kicking....well, my 130 lb. wife shoots my Sako Finbar 30-06 Ackley with 200 grain Noslers just fine...no crying or anything.

what kind of bullets do you shoot out of a 30-06 if you don't use soft nosed bullets?

Nosler partitions. They're a controlled expansion type of deal. Some people shoot those round nosed things with lots of exposed lead and they make a mess of things because they expand too fast. They're great in lower power/slower chamberings but in the .270, 30-06, and 7 mm mag. they go off like a bomb and ruin lots of meat.

I prefer 180 grain jacketed bullets for deer in the 30-06. They are a bit slower than lighter bullets (around 2700 fps) and tend to do less damage. They also tend to penetrate more reliably than lighter bullets. I loaded 150 grain bullets in my first 30-06 many years ago and found that they are more destructive than necessary, especially if you hit meat or bone.

-

I run 165gr bullets out of my 30-06 at 2700fps or so. It kills deer just fine without making a big mess.

Is a 30-06 too much gun for deer?

NO.

These threads are quite funny. If it were someone asking if a 223 is to light for deer, people would be saying- The 223 is too way too light for a 300LB deer, you need at least a 30/06 class cartridge or a big boomer for quick, clean, ethical kills. Now a 30/06 is a wee bit too heavy.... LOL!

Right on 7mmRM! The .30-06 is just right! But then again, so is a .22LR, as long as I drop the bullet in the heart...
Selmer

HB, that would be an average 308 Win velocity with that weight projectile. Nearly perfect IMO.

no / and not too much for bighorn sheep @340 yards either!!!LMAO

Care to elaborate what "no" means? Most of us here aren't of the MENSA quality mind it takes to decipher your "answer"

nope

So you are as stupid as you seem... and have quality editing skills to boot.

I say there is no gun too big for a deer!!!! There are probly more .06s in the deer woods than any other cal. out there.

look at the big brain on Brad / dude where do you get off insulting my intelligence. /
since you your neurons seem to be firing slow this evening I will explain the �NO� answer in my earlier post. The title of the post is �Is a 30-06 too much gun for deer?� and my reply was simply �no�. I answered the question asked by the post in the most accurate and concise way possible.

When you respond with "NO" (and nothing else) to me and my post I wonder what's up... just asked for simple clarification, not your snide BS. Even you should be able to grasp that...

OK Bwana / I grasp that....../

If the Quick Reply is utilized, it automatically assigns the post as addressed to the previous poster. Brad, I don't think he was specifically answering your post. You just happened to be the last poster before he entered his...

I used the 30-06 to kill my first 8-10 deer and i came to the conclusion that for MY style, geography, and deer size it was a little too much of a good thing.

After catching a couple of shoulders, and then having to throw them away because of the total destruction did not make me happy. Yes, it was my fault, and yes, the 30-06 is probably the best single cartridge ever developed but it just seemed like a little too much for 40yd shots on a 150 lb animal.

Sure i could have down-loaded, or use a heavier bullet, but at the time i didnt hand load. I switched to a 6.5X55 in a Rem 700 classic and it was the answer to my conundrum. I have drilled deer right through the shoulder and could eat up to the hole. The animals didnt run any farther than when shot with the 06 and the recoil and sound was a lot less.

I love the 30-06 and if i could(god forgive the thought)only have one rifle it would be chambered in the venerable 06.

I have only used a 30-06 for years but last fall bought a .243 and am itching to try it this deer deason, but still like my 30-06.

chrissum,
I have access to both a .30-06 and .243. My mother usually uses the .243 for deer hunting, so I either use my .260 Rem or .30-06. But I would encourage you to go after deer with the .243. It's a great round when loaded up with 100 gr. Partitions, and from all accounts, 85 gr. TSX's. I've never personally used the TSX, I have lots of Partitions and they shoot into 2" at 250 yds for me. Have fun with it, it's a great little deer rifle.
Selmer

Thanks for the info selmer, I've put several hundred rounds down range already and like the feel. Deer season here in mo starts Nov 15 and I cant wait!

Mississippi,

Don't take it too badly. These huntin' forums always get really weird right before huntin' seasons. Its an annual event!

If a .30-06 is what you have and deer season is upon you, by all means, go out and let the air out of one or two. If you don't succeed, it won't be the fault of the cartridge, that is for sure.

Error: Does not compute.

I dont see much of a problem with a 30-06 for deer. In fact, it has been and STILL IS (see links below) one of the top calibers chosen for such. After commerically butchering over 3000 midwest whitetail...a 12 gauge slug has it ALL OVER THEM ALL for meat loss.

The 30-06 I am buying from one of our freinds on this site, will be one I cherish for (hopefully) decades to come and leave to my two boys. It IS a caliber they can pick and choose their big game hunts......without a worry. Versatility HAS BEEN the 30-06's claim to fame!!

But......info other than my opinion below.

"There is no better selection than the venerable trio of cartridges made up of the .270 Win., .280 Rem. and .30-06 Springfield"
from http://www.huntingmag.com/big_game/right_rifle/index1.html


30-06 voted the "most popular" here (and Ive seen many MANY such polls with the same results)

http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/big-game-hunting/32902-most-popular-deer-caliber-2.html

"When it comes down to cartridges, the top 6 in North America is: .30-06 Spfd., .270 Win., .30-30 Win., .308 Win., .243 Win., and 7mm Rem. Mag."
from http://www.whitetaildeerhuntinginfo.com/best-whitetail-deer-rifles/

"And The Winner Is... The .30-06 Springfield"
from http://hunting.about.com/od/guns/l/aasttopriflecar.htm

ONE SHORT NOTE on my personal opinion.

ANY hunter will do his best, enjoy the hunt the most, and be most successful.........shooting the rifle HE LIKES the best, sometimes even if its NOT the "best caliber".

Shoot what YOU like....and shoot well....you can't go wrong with that combination.

Just my opinion FWIW
Steve

A quickie on the comments about too much damage "if you hit a shoulder".

I cant think of a single instance where the shoulder could be shot and NOT blow the living bejesus out of any attached meat as well as any within "bone splattering" distance.........regardless of caliber of choice and the deer DIED. lol

Robert Ruark WAS refering to hunting dangerous game but "USE ENOUGH GUN" means different things to different people.

for those of you annointing yourself with "doe in heat" urine......I'd give that some thought. HEHE

Just my retarded comment of the day. No offense intended.

steve692, brace yourself! Here comes the TSX crowd to tell you that you CAN blow a bullet through the shoulder with a 30-06... heck with a 130-gn TSX going 3300 fps... and not lose any meat.

There is dead, then there is dead and messy.

I'll settle for just dead.

LOL........not saying IMpossible, but bone fragments HAVE TO FLY. Not a lot of meat,maybe, but meat none the less.

Just MORE than a good low rib shot? Just the hydro-shock or whatever you wish to call it has to blood shot more meat hitting larger muscles than on the ribs.

Not saying its IMPOSSIBLE, but Ill still say RARE until I saw several dozen without much loss.

Now an EXITING shoulder hit, Ill take that one by preference. A quick downed deer and less meat loss.

All of us dont LIKE to ruin meat but FEW will pass up a shot at MR BIG just cause 4lbs of burger is lost. (Just from what Ive seen locally...maybe others might?lol)

Shoulder hits ARE GREAT for putting a deer down ASAP.....the reason is because of the damage that shot placement does.

It's all mathmatics. Energy expended in the deer increases the bigger the bones it hits. More energy = more damage. More damage = a faster dropped deer.

Possible? maybe.....common? hmmmm I'll have to see it myself but will give the TSX shooters the benefit of doubt till then.

SKR

[no] adv. 1 Nay;not so. 2 Not at all; not in any way. 3 Not;

I hope this helps to understand what" no" means.

As a commercial meat cutter (in a past career) for over 20yrs and having cut up tons of moose and deer, I wholeheartedly agree with the above statement.

Killed my first few deer with an '06, migrated to a 7mag because of a new rifle purchase, now going back to the '06.

love em or hate em, the 30-06 always works for me on deer, elk, and bears.

on top of what i just said, if you are so worried about meat loss, shoot it in the head. not much meat there.

I hunt blaktails in California. Logging areas heavily timbered checkered with open slashes offering some long shots. I have killed these not so big deer over the years with 308, 30-30, 257 Roberts and a 30-06. Never noticed a difference in killing power with any of them. Nothing ever got more then 50 yards (that was with a 30-30). The 30-06 didn't destroy a great deal of meat either (I like lung shots, nice size target and great blood trail). " There just ain't much that a man can't fix, with eight hundred dollars and a 30-06."

I have killed more deer with an 06 than with any other caliber. Farthest shot 125 yards, most under 50. I use 180 grain core lokts. Have also harvested with a 35 remington, 308, 3030, 243 and 12 guage.
Some of the above I prefer to others, but without a doubt I have found the 06 set up to be perfect for my applications. Deer go down hard, meat damage is no worse than anything else I have used. Matter of fact, I find it to be a very clean killing set up.
I am sure that a lot probably has to do with the rifle being a better fit for for me than the others rifles I use and have used-but as far as the cartridge, would never say I killed a deer too much using it.

The .270 and 30-06 are about as perfect a deer round as you will ever find and they have be proving and reproving that for severl decades...

More powerful than "needed" is acceptable, underpowered is unacceptable....

I like the blood trails you get with 30 caliber and over...