30-06 only for hunting?

[mr00jimbo]

I was torn between a .308 and a 30-06; it was to be used for hunting and just general long-range shots @ the range or out in the woods.

Anyway, I went with the 30-06 because I have heard it is more versatile. Now I hear peopel saying the 30-06 is not going to do much other than hunting and unless you just hunt with it it's stupid to own one. That true?

[agitator]

Its never stupid to own a 30/06. It and the .308 are virtual performance twins with the same bullet. You didn't say what you plan to hunt.

[BUSTER51]

A 30.06 is never a mistake ,if you only own 1 rifle you can't do better than a 30.06.works on all game big and small and can take care of 2 leged varmints with ease.

[bigghoss]

the .308 is basically a shortened .30-06 designed to take advantage of newer propelants of the time thus getting the same performance from the shorter round. the .30-06 has been around 100 years and is still as popular than ever and shows no signs of dropping off anytime soon so the idea of being stupid for owning one is in itself stupid. if you are only going to get one rifle (or very few rifles) than the .30-06 is defenatly the way to go, it's a great "jack of all trades" so-to-speak. if you want to have one gun for each specific thing than there are technically better calibers out there but none are as versitle.

[Bigfatts]

Try the Winchester 150gr Ballistic Silvertips if you need better accuracy. I don't have a range that goes past 100yds locally but I have an old 1903A3 that keeps groups well under an inch at 100 with the Silvertips. The other 30-06s I've used them through have also yielded better accuracy. It's all in finding a load and weight your particular rifle likes.

[nico]

Now I hear peopel saying the 30-06 is not going to do much other than hunting and unless you just hunt with it it's stupid to own one. That true?

You'll hear plenty of ridiculous things from self-proclaimed experts. There are people out there who think it's unethical to hunt deer with any caliber without "magnum" in the name (which is utter BS). Anyone who would make the claim you mention is obviously speaking out of ignorance. I guess you could say that the .308 is a better cartridge for recreational shooting because cheap mil-surp ammo is more readily available than for the 30-06, but that's the only significant advantage the .308 has over the '06 in a range gun.

The fact of the matter is the 30-06 is perfectly adequate for hunting ANYTHING in North America, with the arguable exception of brown bear.

[Limeyfellow]

I would include brown bear. Most people in Alaska do and you can spot the non native of the state because they believe they must use a cannon or it will all end in doom.

[BusGunner007]

You could hardly do better for a cartridge of choice.

The .30-06 has so much going for it, it almost negates the need for anything else.
( Correct me if I'm wrong, anyone )

If that's what you have, you've chosen wisely, even if you don't know it yet!

From varmints to BIG Bears, the .30-06 is capable of taking them all.

IF you must go to a bigger cartridge, it would be something like a .375 H&H or .416 Rem.Mag. for REALLY BIG GAME.

Otherwise, your .30-06 is 'the shizznit'.

Enjoy what you've chosen! It's a good one!

[Picher]

The '06 is a very versatile cartridge with factory ammo, but it can be even more versatile, powerful and accurate through handloading.

Picher

[Sarge]

Now I hear peopel saying the 30-06 is not going to do much other than hunting and unless you just hunt with it it's stupid to own one. That true?

Don't let crap like this influence your confidence in your rifle. It is indeed more versatile than the .308; a fine cartridge in its own right. The '06 offers more velocity with bullets of 200 grains and greater. This matters if you intend to handload it for truly heavy game. East of the Rockies, the '06 will do it all. Where the really big game roams, I still contend you are better off with a .338 Winchester. This is simple physics, and is no slam on the 30-06.

I have shot and loaded for the '06 for about 20 years now. I have shot it extensively, and to about 900 yards on occasion. All of the game I have killed with it has been inside 300. I have never lost a deer with this cartridge, and none has ever required a second shot. I cannot think of a better recommendation for a medium game rifle.

I eventually settled on a 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip at about 2900 fps, as my "go to" .30-06 load. There are no bears where I hunt, or I'd be loading heavier, tougher bullets. Both our Remingtons (7400 and a hard-used old 78) shoot exceptionally well with the Nosler BT. 300 yard shots are well within the capability of either rifle, so loaded.

Enjoy your .30-06, and stop listening to idiots.

[pinetree]

What else do you intend to do with it? I had a 30-06 (which I converted to a 30-06AI just to be different, paper performance increased, but the whitetail can't tell). You can hunt any game in North America. Ammunition is available in almost any loading you would need.

What is the 308 going to do differtenly in the same style rifle - make cappuccino? Both will put 150-165g bullets down-range at 2700-3000. The 06 will handle the heavy bullets better.

tjg

[turkey45]

..i had one for 35,years....the famous 30-06..just ask anyone from the mill atary,,thanks you made a great choice

[Mike Irwin]

Any great difference in versatility between the .30-06 and .308 is really in the eye of the beholder.

The .308, as developed after WW II, had virtually identical performance, and that really remains the case today.

Probalby about the only thing that the .30-06 can do better than the .308 is handle the ultra heavy bullets, 200-gr. and above.

I've used my .30-06s for target shooting (informal pick up matches with WW II era rifles), varmint hunting, and deer hunting.

Other that that, I'm not sure what the hell I'm supposed to do with them based on the comments that you've heard from your compatriots...

If you have a .30-06, I really don't see there being much reason for you to have a .308.

That said, if you have a .308, I really don't see much reason for you to have a .30-06.

[nico]

I would include brown bear. Most people in Alaska do and you can spot the non native of the state because they believe they must use a cannon or it will all end in doom.

that's why I specified "arguable." Whether someone thinks the 30-06 is adequate for brown bear seems to be a matter of personal preference, with those of us without brown bear experience erring on the side of a heavier caliber.

[Fremmer]

You should try the 165 grain and the 168 grain rounds, which are scary accurate. Oh wait, you didn't get the .308. Sorry.

Just kidding, either caliber is a great choice. You can do anything with the
.30-06, so don't worry about it and have fun!

[mainebear]

I have both. The 06 is a Remington 700 Left handed, and an old Remington 742. Not much diff. at all as far as performance.

I use lighter loads in the 742 for practice, plinking etc. and the 06 for the heavy stuff. 742 is great for black bear because I can take a quick follow up shot if needed. (Never have had to though) 700 great for stopping power for deer but not so quick for the follow up.

No wait a minute, was it the other way around? Guess it doesn't make a lot of difference with Northern Maine Critters. Or with the guns. See what I mean?

[maddog44]

The 30-06 a mistake? I wish all my mistakes could be as good as the '06. THE MOST VERSITILE CARTRIDGE ON EARTH.

[Unclenick]

The original .30 '03 ammunition was developed for launching a 220 grain round nose bullet. I can't find with what powder? The .30-06 replaced it in 1906 with a 150 grain bullet loaded with Pyro DG (Double Graphite) powder. Otherwise, it was based on the '03 cartridge, so I presume case dimensions were the same with the older heavy bullet load. Since than, PYRO DG was replaced with newer until IMR 4895 powder was used as the latest and greatest during WW II. My point in mentioning all this is we wound up with a cartridge using a powder that left a lot of empty space a the big case dimensioned for the old 220 grain load. Loading the .308 to 55,000 PSI with IMR 4895 behind a 150-175 grain bullet gives about the same velocity from a 24" barrel as loading the same bullets in .30-06 to 49,000 PSI will give. That's where the equivalence idea comes from. Subsequently, the NATO version, 7.62x51 mm, was loaded to 50,000 PSI and run through 22" barrels, so real performance didn't quite match, but you get the general idea.

Most any receiver and barrel diameter you can safely chamber in .308, you can safely load the .30-06 to .308 pressures in. This includes Mausers, the high serial number (above 900,000) Springfield '03 actions and the Garand action. The caveat, with the Garand, is that a higher pressure .30-06 round, with its larger case capacity, will provide enough gas that the port pressure at the barrel is too high for the operating rod. This is can bend the rod. A friend and I once put together a 1000 yard Garand for him. We got one of the gas cylinder plug kits with an adjustable bleeder vent for the excess pressure, and the gun worked fine with 90% full cases of Varget or slightly compressed loads of H4350 under the 175 grain Sierra MatchKing. It shot well at Camp Perry's Long Range Firing School.

There is a retired fellow who works the counter at a gun store near me. He won the Wimbledon Cup (1000 yard again) at Camp Perry in 1953 with a .30-06. Lots of potential in that old round.

Nick

[VIEJO]

The venerable .30-06 is the finest rifle catridge for Americans to own. Period.

If you go to Africa to hunt, you might need a Rigby or a .500 but if you stay at home where you belong, a Springfield will serve you well.

[reconseed]

I agree with most of you guys... inch for inch, yard for yard, IMO, the 30.06 is the best rifle cartridge for any American. If I could have one rifle (bolt action) it would be without a doubt, the 30.06. PERIOD!

[TPAW]

I hear peopel saying the 30-06 is not going to do much other than hunting and unless you just hunt with it it's stupid to own one. That true?

Who ever said is extremely uneducated in terms of cartridges. The 30.06 is the most versitle cartridge in the business. You can get from 110 to 220 grain bullets for hunting or target shooting just about anywhere. As for hunting, with the right grain bullet, you can put down anything that walks in North America, two legged or four legged. Your 30.06 is a 1+ in any gun collection. There's a reason why it's been around for 100 years. In case you didn't know, the 30.06 was introduced in 1906, hence, the .06. Good luck on your purchase!

[P-990]

Well, according to one gunstore guy I heard, if you want to go moose hunting with a .308, it's a "stunt." But if you want to use the .30-06, it's OK. Am I the only one confused here?

At any rate, the -06 is good for lots of things. Anybody who told you it's only good for hunting hasn't been to a J.C.Garand match or a Springfield match. Heck, just about ANY Highpower match in the country will likely turn up a shooter with an -06 M-1 Garand every once in a while. (Locally it's at every match.) So much for only hunting!

(Actually, I get to shoot an old 03A3 sometimes that is really sweet. The only rifle I shoot that is consistently more accurate than that -06 is my Service Rifle AR-15 with a free-float tube. Amazing.)

But, the .30-06 makes a hell of a hunting cartridge too. Someday I might get one for that myself!

[taylorce1]

I must have killed quite a few brain cells somewhere. If you count every rifle that I own based off of the 06 case not to metion the two .30-06 rifles I own, I'm really stupid. I do most of my hunting with one of my two .270's which was sired by the 06, as well as my .280, 8mm-06, .338-06, and .35 Whelen. I would part with any one of the above mentioned calibers before I would get rid of one of my 06's. Never think you made a mistake by getting one, that is one rifle that everyone should own IMHO.

[OJ]

There's other reasons for owning a 30-06 than just for hunting. My wife gave me this Hi-Grade Winchester 95 30-06 for our 25th anniversary and I love just shooting it - it generally draws a crowd at the range also. At my age (80), my hunting days are past but I still love shooting every week and a rifle like this is more than a joy to own, handle, and shoot. One doesn't need a specific reason to own any gun like this - but I suspect this group doesn't need that explanation.





Life is good!

[Mike Irwin]

"The original .30 '03 ammunition was developed for launching a 220 grain round nose bullet. I can't find with what powder?"

Nick,

Original powders ofr the .30-01 and .30-03 were from Hercules: W.A. 30 and Lightning No. 1.

Pyro DG (a.k.a. MR 20) didn't come out until 1909.

The original .30-06 powder was very likely Lightning No. 1.

HiVel No. 1 (Hercules), DG, and several others were from both companies were also tried/used in the years leading up to WW II.

For example, IMR 1185 replaced Pyro DG, and Hercules 308 and 300 -- 1185 was specially developed for the 173-gr. ball loads. When the military switched back to the 150-gr. load, 1185 was discontinued.