.30/06 thoughts

[mtnkid85]

30-60 with 180gr Accubonds is my go to! Had lots of success out to ~600 yards with two different rifles shooting the same load.

I was loading the 168gr ttsx, but had one incident where the bullet didn't open up on a "longer than I should have been shooting shot". Penciled right through the bull, but I was able to catch up to him and finish him with one more shot.

 

[Randle]

My .06 loves 165 Nosler partitions. Accurate and lethal and long as I do my part. The plus side is you can buy ammo almost anywhere.

 

[excaliber]

I killed an Elk a few years ago with a 30-06 and 165 gr Partitions. It was a really close shot. That 30-06 was the first rifle I ever owned.
I'll never get rid of it but I have better Elk medicine in a 300 Win Mag.

 

[TX_Diver]

Killed a cow with my 30-06. Dropped on the spot at just under 200 yards. Wouldn't hesitate to use it on a bull. Like any caliber just use a properly weighted/constructed bullet and place the shot well. Partitions, TSX, Accubonds, so on so forth.

 

[Salmonchaser]

I’ve shot a lot of game with one, at least 20 elk. All those were taken with 180 partitions. I started using a variety of other calibers about 30 years ago but the 06 still goes to camp every year. More than adequate.
you can’t go wrong with Accubonds for elk. I’ve been loading them in my 338 since they came out. I’ve shot deer with them out of the 06 but no elk.

 

[realunlucky]

Shot this buffalo with a 165 accubond

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[300-win-mag]

30-06 is perfect for elk. I went from a 300 Win Mag to a 30-06 and couldn't be happier.

180 Accubond/Partition and your good to go. Recent swat was at 325 yards and the elk dropped instantly.

Ammo is cheap and abundant.

 

[jacknifejc]

One can never go wrong with a 30-06. I’d dare bet more elk have been killed with a 30-06 than any other cartridge.

 

[shanny28757]

I’ve only killed one elk. I used a 30-06 with a 180 grain Nosler Partition and the bull dropped in its tracks. That was my only rifle elk hunt, but I’m sold on the 06 for elk.

 

[tttoadman]

Great all around. The short barrel is fast in the brush. You can load them for speed or heavy. My brother can knock elk down from 50yds to 500yds all day long with his nearly 40yr old Winchester model 70.

 

[Newmanj40]

Very good all around caliber

 

[exppi]

Have you guys that are handloading tried any accubonds in the .06?

Yep. Spike elk in my avatar went down to a 165 accubond. I have used my 30-06 to take pronghorn and deer as well. It likes 165's. I picked up some 125 accubonds to eventually load up reduced loads for my son.

 

[300-win-mag]

I only use Nosler Accubonds in my '06

Rem / Nosler brass
Federal Large Rifle Primer
55gr IMR4350
180gr

Shoots 1/2" at 100 yards in Rem700.

 

[Ihunt4food]

Shot this buffalo with a 165 accubond

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Nice Buffalo

 

[Gapmaster]

I’ve killed two elk with my M77 30-06 and both went down immediately. Shooting 165gr trophy bonded bearclaw. It’s a fantastic round in my opinion. Especially under 500 yds

 

[Wmmichael20]

Don't have any personal experience with one but the father in-law swears by it,he's had his for 52 years now and was his only big game rifle until recently when he won a 7mm08 in a raffle, man has better than 25 guns but only those two center-fire rifles.

 

[Ihunt4food]

I only use Nosler Accubonds in my '06

Rem / Nosler brass
Federal Large Rifle Primer
55gr IMR4350
180gr

Shoots 1/2" at 100 yards in Rem700.

Thank you for the input. Im definitely gonna give it a try. I use type Accubonds
In my other rifles and like em alot.

 

[Anello]

I've owned (2) Ruger 30-06's over the years and each killed everything I aimed at. One got sold, and one was converted into a 35 whelen so I am currently without an 06. I need to fix that soon. Anyways, having owned a .300 Win Mag and a 30-06, I much preferred the 30-06. Noticeably less recoil than the Win Mag, and, for whatever reason, my 30-06's were always deadly accurate with several flavors of ammo. So, less finicky. At the end of the day, more power and or magnum calibers only matter if you can shoot em straight.

Finally, to repeat one of the posts above, I would also guess that the 30-06 has killed as many or more Elk than any other caliber. Buy with confidence that the 06 has been extensively field tested.

 

[Terrapin]

I’ve had a Rem 700 30-06 since 1989. I killed countless elk and deer with it. It only got retired when I got another 06 that is a stainless steel Ruger with the skeleton stock. That gun always gets the nod when the weather is bad (year round I think). It’s never lost zero. I just use factory loaded 180 grain core-loks for everything. They are cheap and kill stuff just fine out to 300 yards. I also killed a bunch of stuff with 180 grain partitions. They are better on elk.


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[bonepoint]

I got back into big game hunting about 5 years ago, and decided to have my great-grandfather's 1952 Model 70 30-06 refinished and use that as my elk rifle. It shoots 180 Accubounds at just under an inches at 100 yds with 57g of H4350, 2760 FPS.

I shot my first bull at 450 yds. Hit him twice. Both pass throughs. A little high and far back so, not the widest part of the body for penetration, but he went down quick and it worked fine.


Got a 2nd bull this year with the same load. About a 70 yd shot on the run. Hit him twice. High shoulder and neck. Both pass-throughs.


My only concern with it as an elk gun is that it starts to run out of steam at around 500 yds. I was only comfortable shooting at 450 yds with a rangefinder and my Leupold CDS dial, given the trajectory at that distance. Not that I would shoot much further than that anyways, but some areas I hunt where that would be nice. I did start playing around with the 190 ABLR and initial loads look promising. I will play around more with those in the spring and maybe I can squeak out another 100 yds or range with it.

The 30-06 has about as much recoil that I feel I can shoot comfortably without a break. Shooting a box of the 180g loads at the range isn't fun, but I feel good shooting it accurately as a hunting rifle. I can't say that I have shot a 300 MW, but not sure I want to take that step up. Have thought about a 300 WSM as middle ground. I just don't want to mess with a break, and have just accepted that I will stick with whatever I can shoot accurately without one, and the 30-06 seems to fit that well.

Another shot of the gun after I had it refinished.