.30/06 thoughts

[homebru.trout]

I think the oldies but goodies are fantastic choices for all North American big game hunting. Cartridges like the 30-06 and 308 have been around forever, the "dope" for a variety of bullet and powder combinations is very well known and widely shared, and in a pinch you can find a box of ammo in every sporting goods store (and a great many rural hardware stores) in the US. The 30-06 is not a barrel burner, recoil is manageable (you'll shoot it more!) although I'd not relish a long day on the bench with 180s, and its capabilities at distance are greater than those of most people holding the weapon.

Find one that speaks to you and shoot the snot out of it. Then buy another one just so you've got a spare. I find the continued evolution of cartridges interesting, but we long ago started filling in the "gaps" between the gaps to sell more components, ammo, and rifles.

 

[RazAlGhoul]

.30/06 will never go out of style.

 

[Spiral Horn]

There‘s a very good reason why just about every major hunting rifle manufacturer offers the 30-06. It simply works for an extremely wide range of hunting. Very good balance of tolerable recoil without a brake and yet devastatingly lethal.

 

[wyodog]

30-06 is fantastic for elk. I have taken many with this caliber at 500 yards and closer.

 

[Ihunt4food]

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.
View attachment 146372

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.
View attachment 146367

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.

View attachment 146371

Great info thank you. I own 2 model 70 Winchester's and am sure when I get an 30/06 that's the action I will get.

 

[sndmn11]

Shot this buffalo with a 165 accubond

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Was the bullet recovered?

 

[realunlucky]

Was the bullet recovered?

Yes both of them were under the hide on the far side.

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[sndmn11]

Yes both of them were under the hide on the far side.

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Did they look like they should?

 

[realunlucky]

Did they look like they should?

Yes classic mushroom with what looked like full wieght retention but I didn't put them on a scale.

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[hikenhunt]

I went from a magnum to 30-06 and haven't turned back. It's a tried and true caliber for NA big game, can't go wrong with it.

 

[Wassid82]

I really like that cartridge however it would depend on where and when I hunt. Open country or less dense country could present some challenges. I think that is a perfect rifle under 300 yards. But bullet drop and wind drift could be hard to calculate on the fly for longer shots.

 

[Calbuck]

I really like that cartridge however it would depend on where and when I hunt. Open country or less dense country could present some challenges. I think that is a perfect rifle under 300 yards. But bullet drop and wind drift could be hard to calculate on the fly for longer shots.

Just like any rifle, if you learn the characteristics of the gun and become proficient to the ranges you’re comfortable with, it will kill just as far out there as any other rifle.

 

[commandoNate]

I've killed a number of elk with my Remington 700 .30-06 and never felt like I needed more 'stopping power'. I dropped this one in its tracks at over 300 yards a few years back. Nothing past 400 yards but personally I'm not comfortable with a shot on an animal past that range.

 

[Ihunt4food]

I've killed a number of elk with my Remington 700 .30-06 and never felt like I needed more 'stopping power'. I dropped this one in its tracks at over 300 yards a few years back. Nothing past 400 yards but personally I'm not comfortable with a shot on an animal past that range. View attachment 148352

Great bull. Thanks for the info.

 

[Travistroop]

I have a ruger American 30-06 and the thing is a piece of junk. But in a good rifle it's a great round.

 

[muddydogs]

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..

Keep shooting until there in the dirt. An elk can soak up a lot of lead and still travel a long ways.

 

[Hort]

I have a Savage 30-06 and have only used it for hunting whitetail so far. But I am hoping to draw a MT Elk/Mule Deer License this year. I see a lot of different cartridges mentioned here ranging from 165 to 180 grain. I currently use over the counter Winchester 150 Power Points for whitetails. What should I be look at changing to? I do not reload, so I would need something off the shelf.

 

[Spiral Horn]

Wow. That’s one fantastic thing about a 30-06, there’s a near endless string of factory ammo choices.

If looking for something inexpensive = Federal Fusion are bonded and have a good reputation for accuracy
Very high quality for the money is Choice Ammunition out of Montana = 180gr Accubond, my rifle likes them

it might be best to find what bullet you’d like to shoot first and then find a factory cartrodge

 

[Ihunt4food]

Spiral Horn is spot on.

 

[6mm Remington]

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

Yes the 165 gr. Accubond shoots very small groups in my Ruger 1B. The Accubond is a fantastic bullet. Besides shooting a lot of game with them with great results, I have also tested them by shooting them into gallon water jugs lined up from distances from 25-100-200-300-400-500 yards. They penetrated well, expanded like they should, and retained a good portion of the original weight.

I use IMR4350 57.4 grs. / Winchester brass / Federal 210 Match primer
H4350 would work just as well. Start lower than what I show for my load and work up of course.