30-06 thoughts.

[HankNM]

Bought my 700 30-06 40+ yrs ago. Used. Tack driver.
Looked at other calibers after some years and a cracked stock started some problems. Got a Hogue & threw a Timney in and bam,tack driver again. 165 Nosler AB's.
Switched out the old Luopold for a new Zeiss and it is tack driver out to 400 now....under 8lbs
Thought about getting a 300WM or a 308 a couple years ago. Then thought, why bother?

 

[_Scooter_]

Bought my 700 30-06 40+ yrs ago. Used. Tack driver.
Looked at other calibers after some years and a cracked stock started some problems. Got a Hogue & threw a Timney in and bam,tack driver again. 165 Nosler AB's.
Switched out the old Luopold for a new Zeiss and it is tack driver out to 400 now....under 8lbs
Thought about getting a 300WM or a 308 a couple years ago. Then thought, why bother?

By no means am I even qualified to comment here since I'm not new to firearms, but I am new to rifles and hunting, but it sounds like you have a great setup that's high quality, fairly lightweight and has more than proven itself over the years and is still going strong. Sounds like you've achieved something that most spend years and a bunch of money attempting to do, so like you said, "why bother?"

It's like having a guitar that you bought new 40 years ago. All the scratches, dents and dings tell a story and you now that instrument in and out, forward and back and you put your time in with it. Nothing new is going have the same feel.

 

[16Bore]

Never the wrong answer.

 

[OXN939]

I have looked at stocks. It’s a custom built rifle to begin with and I really don’t want to stick another grand in it.
I all ready have the Barrett. My .300wsm will still be my go-to for Wisconsin whitetail stand hunting. But, for my out of state hunts that require hiking I think the Barret is the new gal. At 7.1 lbs. loaded it’s a pleasure to handle and shoot.

Did a Nilgai hunt in southern TX a few months ago. Happened to find a Model 70 from the early 80s locally that needed some attention, and fixed it up for the experience. Apparently, people fail to recover Nilgai that have been hit with .338 Lapua Magnums. Mine ran about 100 yards. Shooting Barnes TSX 168 grain factory ammo. If it can kill one of those, it is plenty for anything else in NA. That Fieldcraft would be a wonderful package for any kind of western hunting.

 

[Miboy86]

My grandpa bought a brand new Remington m700 mountain rifle in 30-06 back in the 80's. Went on his first and only trip to Idaho and hunted the Frank Church, killed a Mikey and elk. Finally gonna let me borrow it for firearms season this year since he uses a 25-06 for the past 20 years. He said it's still a rack driver, crazy thing is when I go to borrow it that it will be the first time I will have seen it and it's part of my future inheritance of 14 various guns.

 

[CoffeeGoat]

I'm off the opinion that rifle calibers follow the "Lindy Effect" which to simplifies to statistically speaking things are halfway through their lifespan. So if something has been around and common for a hundred years it'll likely be around and common for another hundred years. If it's only a couple years old it's very likely that it won't last long. I think it's safe to assume the 30.06 will be killing game animals for decades to come.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

The 06 isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, there are so many Ammo choices and nearly every rifle manufacturer makes multiple models of rifles in 30-06.

 

[hodgeman]

The only problem the 30-06 has is that it's so boring. For an aspiring outdoors writer, there's nothing you can say that hasn't been said by others with better chops than you, 50 years before you were even born.

 

[Dustin the wind]

I’m a one rifle guy and 30-06 is what I use for it all. You can shoot over 500 if you ever want to. Personally I stay under that but it’s an awesome round.

 

[Elkhntr08]

Here’s your answer. Out of all the posts so far, not one bad word about the ‘06. Find a thread about any other round and you’ll always have a post that says “ it’s good but X is a little better”. Not with the 30-06. You don’t argue or can’t argue with the long term success of that round. It truly has seen and done it all.
I have rifles in calibers up and down the scale from my ‘06, but I would never part with mine.

 

[HankNM]

By no means am I even qualified to comment here since I'm not new to firearms, but I am new to rifles and hunting, but it sounds like you have a great setup that's high quality, fairly lightweight and has more than proven itself over the years and is still going strong. Sounds like you've achieved something that most spend years and a bunch of money attempting to do, so like you said, "why bother?"

It's like having a guitar that you bought new 40 years ago. All the scratches, dents and dings tell a story and you now that instrument in and out, forward and back and you put your time in with it. Nothing new is going have the same feel.

I wanted a bolt action scoped rifle in a caliber that I could kill anything I ran into at the time and I could get ammo for anywhere,and be accurate.
I'm not a gun guy,but a gunner. I like good useful tools. I still use grandpas carpentry tools he gave me.
I did like the walnut stock and almost made my own when I cracked it on a bad fall packing out of high country with full load. Was fond of those scratches and when they came.
But it was not stable/consistant anymore.
I asked a couple guys who use guns like I do and they were using 700's or M70's w/ Hogues. One a USFW trapper and the other a retired shooter/sniper. Stable platforms that can get banged in rough country and not be worried about. They both had several custom shooters in several calibers. 270, 300 WM, 338 Lapua & 30-06.
They carried the -06's when we hunted together because they were reliable and could shoot consistantly out to 400 yrds.
This was back when folks wanted 200 yard shooters, cross canyon stuff. And they were trading in -06's for 270's like crazy & some were getting 300's to tackle bears too at a distance....like 300 yards. (LOL 1970's)
It still works every time and is always accurate out to 400....+

 

[willfrye027]

My Tikka T3 30-06 has served me well for the past 12 or so years. Never felt like I needed another centerfire. Just got into reloading and worked up my first load for it. Using a target style bullet that has hunting credibility and an awesome BC. Very mild recoil and plenty of velocity at 600 yards. Now there’s REALLY no need for a new gun..

 

[Marbles]

With bullets Designed for the velocity in question, no animal will know th difference. The 300 will give better long range accuracy due to higher velocity. Inside 500 yards and not trying to punch holes in paper, I don't think it will make a difference. Of course, you have both rifles, so you can play with paper at 500 yards and form your own conclusions.

My hunting rifle is a 30-06. In truth, I've never had a 300 mag to compare it to and I can come up with a long list of reasons I probably never will. I have had 4 different 30-06s though.

 

[FLS]

Pawn shop ADL, Triggertech Basic, HS stock, 165 Accubond, H4350, and a little load development. Less than $1K rifle that will kill anything in NA.

 

[Buckshot85]

Great stuff, Guys. Appreciate all the input.

 

[16Bore]

Here’s some thirty ought sucks. I’d love a 5 gallon bucket of 155 Scenars.

 

[Wapiti1]

I just got a double rifle with a 30-06 barrel set because it included that barrel set (along with a 12 gauge, and .375 FL Mag set). There is a high likelihood that rifle goes moose hunting this fall loaded with 180 grain partitions.

There are few rounds that check as many boxes as the ol' 06.

Jeremy

 

[Forestryguy]

I have looked at stocks. It’s a custom built rifle to begin with and I really don’t want to stick another grand in it.
I all ready have the Barrett. My .300wsm will still be my go-to for Wisconsin whitetail stand hunting. But, for my out of state hunts that require hiking I think the Barret is the new gal. At 7.1 lbs. loaded it’s a pleasure to handle and shoot.

How does that Barret handle shooting off hand and in field shooting positions?

 

[Buckshot85]

Haven’t got this rifle broke in yet. Yes, I do that. So this one is still being learned.
Previous ultra light rifles I’ve shot, I have not had issues in the field. I’ve never needed an offhand shot with a rifle. I leave that for wing shooting.

 

[Vacrt2002]

I use a .300wsm for all big game. It’s a heavier rifle pushing 10 pounds. Been thinking about starting to use my Barret Fieldcraft 30-06 more for everything.
I don’t shoot beyond 500 yards and with Accubonds it still has enough energy and speed to do the the job. Curious on thoughts about other considerations I may be missing. Both rifles wear brakes and 30mm tube Leupolds. Obviously the Barrett is 3 lbs. lighter fully dressed and the 06 has killed everything in North America.

I shoot a Kimber subalpine 06 and it is 6lbs 2ozs and even with 180 AccuBond is easy to shoot. Trigger time really helped me with a break on the bench and cap in the woods it’s the best of both worlds. I like the Kimber ought-six so much I’m rebarreling the Ti 06 to a 270Win. I’ve never owned or even shot a 270Win but with the Kimber so accurate nothing to loose.

I use a rifle sling on the bench to control the “jump” and in this case I’m using factor fodder. Foul shot is high and three shot group. Wind was gusting to 15+ left to right. Trigger is 2lbs and breaks nicely.