.30/06 thoughts

[Ihunt4food]

I have several rifles that I have elk hunted with, including 2 magnum caliber rifles. I am
Thinking of getting a .30/06 I do like all the rifles I have, however, as we all know
You can never have enough. What are your thoughts on the .30/06 on elk.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Calbuck]

Taken with a 30.06 at ~ 375 yds..

 

[dittydogood]

Wide bullet variety, and has been killing elk a long time. Know what range you have your expectations on and I wouldn’t get caught up in all the crazy new calibers unless they do what you want. 30-06 has been putting down elk well before I was born. I just got a 6.5 prc. I didn’t have an elk gun and I liked the ballistics for killing elk and it will be a fun target gun. Before that I borrowed a 30-06.



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[Ihunt4food]

Awesome Bull. Good job. What model rifle if you don't mind sharing?

 

[Calbuck]

In my previous post I shot that bull with hand loaded 150 grain Sierra Gamekings. He was dead after the first shot to the offside lung..I hit him a couple more time though as he showed now sign of going down..think it was my lack of experience though as this was my first bull..

 

[Calbuck]

Awesome Bull. Good job. What model rifle if you don't mind sharing?

Remington 700 with hand loaded bullets..this was my first bull and I’d always read/heard keep shooting til he’s down, so I did. He was prob done after first shot, but I hit him two more as he was in thick steep timber area and I wanted to be sure and anchor him. Prob overkill on hindsight..

 

[Lookout85]

Took a nice Montana 6x6 (my first bull) from 300 yds this fall with my 1955 Winchester Model 70 30-06 using 180 grain Winchester Ballistic Silvertip. Next day a buddy borrowed the rifle and dropped a similar sized bull (also his first) from around the same distance using same ammo.

 

[Ihunt4food]

Thanks for the info guys. I truly appreciate it and am sure I will
Go ahead with my thoughts on the .06. And that's a heck
Of a nice bull for a first one.

 

[Calbuck]

The main thing to do is learn to shoot that rifle in any and all situations you think you might face..if you know your gun and shoot it well, it’ll kill em. Shot placement is key..do your part and the gun will do its part.

 

[87TT]

Killed 3 elk and a buzillion deer with my Ruger M77R 3006 that I bought in 1979. I like some handloaded 165 Nosler Partitions. I would use it on anything.

 

[menhaden_man]

I have several rifles that I have elk hunted with, including 2 magnum caliber rifles. I am
Thinking of getting a .30/06 I do like all the rifles I have, however, as we all know
You can never have enough. What are your thoughts on the .30/06 on elk.
Thanks in advance.

One of the greatest hunters of all times shot a 30-06 (Carlos Hathcock).... with over 1500 ft-lbs of energy at 500 yds with a 178 gr bullet, you’d be hard-pressed to have as dynamic of a rifle.

 

[Ihunt4food]

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

 

[HunterJoeMI]

180 grain handload accubonds in my 300 win mags and 165 grain handload accubonds in 30-06 - our Tikka's shoot well with them. Sorry no elk experience with them, but mule deer did great.

 

[One-shot]

thats the ONLY rifle/ caliber my husband used for all - elk, Mule deer and Pronghorn. He won’t use anything else.

 

[AGPank]

30-06 is a great elk rifle. My experience of 10+ elk with one was very efficient delivery of energy, seemed like I always found the bullet in the hide. Almost all 1 shot kills.

I used 165gr Nosler partitions with great success.

 

[Indian Summer]

I had lots of clients kill bulls with the trusty 30-.06. Just load up some premium bullets and know your limits and that caliber will do the job for you

 

[YZF_88]

I loaded up some Barnes TTSX for my Browning A-Bolt. It shoots great. It’s 3/3 on rifle hunts. In 2018 my 12 year old put down a nice bull with it (and her first buck). I put on a muzzle break and she shot it fantastic. The gun is really fun to shoot. Can’t beat it for the price!!!!

 

[6mm Remington]

30-06 is a cartridge I love and I've taken several elk with it.

165 gr. Accubond

165 gr. Partition

Those are the only bullets I use in the 30-06 although I think the 150 gr. E-tip would be just as good.

If you reload IMR4350 and H4350 sure are good places to start. Of course start low and work up but you will likely find your sweet spot somewhere in the 56-58 grs area.

My personal load is either the 165 gr. Accubond or Partition using 57.4 grs. of IMR4350 with Federal 210 match primers.

 

[Recurveaholic]

Possibly the best all around caliber ever created(not trying to start a debate or argument just personal opinion)!!!!

 

[Austink47]

If I only had one big game rifle it would be a 30-06.