30-06 - The calibre to love or hate?

Hi All,

I know I suffer from calibre worship from time to time but the 30-06 seems to be one folks either love or hate.

Some love it because of its avaliability of ammo, projectile weights and ballistic similarity to .375H&H.

Other seem to hate is because its American, not a 308, longer than the shorts and old.

Is there anything actually (and really) wrong with the 30-06?

Ado.

I have never owned a 30-06 but I do know that they are under loaded in factory ammo because of all the old and ancients rifles our there. The old Hornady handbook gave 2800fps as the max with several powders and I have seen some loads as high as 2900fps but admit these mybe to much of a good thing. These load were all out of a 24in barrel and also winchester brass can be loaded with a little more powder in both the 06 and 270. Another thing I noticed in the new Hornady book is that the338-06 is just a 100fps behind the 338 win mag. Kind of makes you wonder if alot of these magnums are worth it. I have a 338 but maybe if you are going to go to a mag just get a 375 and be done with it.

I love the 30-06! What not to like? Cheaper ammo....great selection....great availability or supply. Plenty of gun for most game around the world.

Nothing wrong with the '06. People do worry way too much about caliber, with good bullets they all perform well at the distances most people shoot. Being able to buy a box of ammo anywhere in the world is a huge checkmark in the positive collumn.

Its a pretty awesome round! I re-fell back in love with the 30-06 last year shot a host of Plains game with it and everything was DRT... I shot 180 grain barnes TTSX...Awesome job!!! here are a couple of hunts. I know you guys have maybe seen these videos but just shows you how well a plain ol 06 can do!







Ed

personally myself i love to hunt with my 06. .i use my ruger m77 to stalk deer and ive been using my wives remmington 7600 pump for hound hunting samba every chance i get these past two seasons i reload with the cases from both riffles and they chamber in both no worries
i try not use factories in them as ive always thought they were underloaded
my son used the ruger in africa in may 2010 and nocked everything over that stood in front of him (but lost a fine gemsbok bull through poor shot placement and didnt listen when his ph told him to follow up as the bull was getting up )
i will be reloading with barnes prjectiles once ive used up the lastof 150gr hornady interbonded (thanks to you guys its all ive been buying of late )
as for the love hate side of this topic its alive and well around the fire in hound camp more weekend s than not in oz aswell

What is not to like about it? It kills. Period.

There are lots of problems with it. It is old and loaded by everyone, so there is no need to buy special ammo at a jacked up price. It is not a ballistic phenomenon no the advertisers can't hype how much better it is than everything else. Everyone involved in designing it is long since dead, so it strokes nobody's ego. Worst of all, it just kills animals dead with minimal cost, fuss, and bother. This is its biggest sin. If one uses a 30-06 and shoots straight at sensible ranges at animals eland size and smaller, one doesn't see the need for a 339 HemiTurboMagnum and that is bad for gun sales.

What's not to like? is exactly right!

Having cut my teeth on this caliber and done my first 20 years of big game hunting with it exclusively, I am very biased towards it. If a caliber had done everything for you that this one has for me, you would be too! There are practically zero negatives about it, and you can purchase ammo that is loaded UP for it, such as Hornady Superformance that will approach 300 Magnun velocities in all but the heaviest bullets.
I will admit that I have progressed to some magnum calibers that will actually increase my range and killing power, but I still cling to the 5 rifles in '06 that I own, and it always feels special to tote one of them on a hunt. I never feel "undergunned" when carrying one, that's for sure.

I love the 30.06!

Originally Posted by Bert the Turtle

There are lots of problems with it. It is old and loaded by everyone, so there is no need to buy special ammo at a jacked up price. It is not a ballistic phenomenon no the advertisers can't hype how much better it is than everything else. Everyone involved in designing it is long since dead, so it strokes nobody's ego. Worst of all, it just kills animals dead with minimal cost, fuss, and bother. This is its biggest sin. If one uses a 30-06 and shoots straight at sensible ranges at animals eland size and smaller, one doesn't see the need for a 339 HemiTurboMagnum and that is bad for gun sales.

Bert, very well said... Has to be the best explanation for not liking the 06' yet.

Takes care of of Feral Hogs, and coyotes. Use it to hunt Whitetail Deer, Elk, Moose, Blk./Brown Bear... all around versatile round what is not to love.

The 30-06 is undoubtedly an excellent caliber. So is the 270win, the 280 rem and the 7x64.

I have recently bought a 7x64 - just for something a little different - in a Limited Edition CZ550 and i plan to shoot everything that one would normally shoot with this caliber with a Barnes 140gn TTSX.

Just watching that first vid on this post - its interesting to see how many Blasers go to Africa! Just about every hunting video I see has a Blaser these days!

Originally Posted by mlg

The 30-06 is undoubtedly an excellent caliber. So is the 270win, the 280 rem and the 7x64.

I have recently bought a 7x64 - just for something a little different - in a Limited Edition CZ550 and i plan to shoot everything that one would normally shoot with this caliber with a Barnes 140gn TTSX.

Just watching that first vid on this post - its interesting to see how many Blasers go to Africa! Just about every hunting video I see has a Blaser these days!

I would be interested in seeing a photo of that CZ. I love the 7's and have 2 in 7x64, one a Steyr M Professional and the other a Frankonia Mauser that you can see on my profile picture section. As to the '06, I think Bert summed it up pretty well! You cant go wrong with it.

On my last Namibia hunt this last April I broke down and took my old old Rem 03A3 of course in 30-06
It did a great job on gemsbuck, springbuck, steenbuck ;-) all the while being as old as the hills. The gun is almost as old as the round itself. Why there is so much effort and worry devoted to what calibre to bring to Africa I'll never know other than to promote conversation or sales. Shoot straight, RELOAD AND SHOOT AGIN IF NECESSARY, is all that is needed. WAY TOO many African hunters I see have no idea how to reload quickly. Too much time spent on the bench looking at their last shot I guess.

Originally Posted by Cliffy

On my last Namibia hunt this last April I broke down and took my old old Rem 03A3 of course in 30-06
It did a great job on gemsbuck, springbuck, steenbuck ;-) all the while being as old as the hills. The gun is almost as old as the round itself. Why there is so much effort and worry devoted to what calibre to bring to Africa I'll never know other than to promote conversation or sales. Shoot straight, RELOAD AND SHOOT AGIN IF NECESSARY, is all that is needed. WAY TOO many African hunters I see have no idea how to reload quickly. Too much time spent on the bench looking at their last shot I guess.

Someone like O'Connor or Keith called this "admiring the shot", when the hunter stands around doing nothing after the shot.

Anyone doubting the efficiency of the great 30.06 need look no further than here, in my opinion:

Kanana Safaris Adventure 2012

I shot all of my large animals and some of the small ones with a borrowed 30.06 and 180 grain Norma Oryx factory ammo. I had a choice of several other calibers but the rifle chambered in my favorite old caliber felt better in my hands than the more powerful magnum rifles did, and to be perfectly honest it dawned on me as I was deciding which rifle to use just how cool it would be to do it all with the good ole 30.06!

I can tell you for sure, that using the old tried and proven traditional caliber for my Safari just added to the already awesome experience!

Maybe it's just me, and the lifelong relationship that I have with it, but there is just a certain "cool factor" that goes along with the use this old caliber, especially when you use it for purposes that most guys instantly grab a bigger gun for.

You are perfectly right about the "shoot 'em til they're down" mentality, Cliffy! That should be automatically instinctive on any big game animal hunted with any caliber, I believe.

The only caliber I own is 30-06. All of the animals I have shot with the trusty ought six have collapsed either on the spot or after a short dash. Shot placement is the key. I am in total agreement with the theory "shoot them until they stop breathing."
That goes for archery as well. Put another arrow in him if given a chance.

Originally Posted by sestoppelman

I would be interested in seeing a photo of that CZ.

Sestoppelman

When I get back home in the next couple of days I will get a pic for you. About 20 of them were recently sold in Australia - its a nice rifle for the money!

I managed to get some Sako manufactured cases for it too!

Originally Posted by Stretch

The only caliber I own is 30-06. All of the animals I have shot with the trusty ought six have collapsed either on the spot or after a short dash. Shot placement is the key. I am in total agreement with the theory "shoot them until they stop breathing."
That goes for archery as well. Put another arrow in him if given a chance.

"shoot them till they stop breathing". Larry Benoit, (may have been his son) both carried a pump action Remington. Whichever one said it, it was comical but practical, it was along the lines of "I shoot until the gun is empty, what fun is it otherwise". Both killed some monsters and it was all spot and stalk. Northeastern hiicks, gotta love'em.

Originally Posted by 35bore

"shoot them till they stop breathing". Larry Benoit, (may have been his son) both carried a pump action Remington. Whichever one said it, it was comical but practical, it was along the lines of "I shoot until the gun is empty, what fun is it otherwise". Both killed some monsters and it was all spot and stalk. Northeastern hiicks, gotta love'em.

I guess that make's me a northeast Wisconsin hick Well if the shoe fits...