30-06 springfield

imho everything said before cant be argued with. One thing that you may find helpful is to see if you can get an opportunity to shoot a few rifles before making your decision...you may find that one suits you better than another for numerous reasons.

Also find an experienced and knowledgeable shooter to coach you through your first few boxes of ammunition. Good hearing and eye protection, appropriate recoil attenuation, adopting the correct shooting positions; Proper holding, aiming and trigger control can make all the difference between a "so-so" or negative experience and many years of great sport! You will find that a flinch you might acquire by being unprepared/coached on your first shooting experience will haunt you for a long time.

I have seen new shooters with excellent potential screwed up because some bonehead handed them a stout recoiling rifle without explaining how to manage the firearm ...then laugh at the novice because it was an unpleasant experience for them and that somehow this enhanced the experienced shooters manhood! In fact a novice unfamilar with the use of a scoped rifle can suffer potentially serious injury from the scope striking an eyebrow etc. (edit to add - it is perfectly normal - and potentially very injurious - for a new shooter to place their eye very close to the ocular of a rifle scope - after all this is the way they have used other optical instruments they are likely very familiar with such as binoculars and telescopes - they would not normally be aware that a rifle scope is not used in this fashion and has appropriate eye relief to allow the scope to be several inches away from the eye to accommodate the rifles recoil)


(you may discover that the Cabela recommendation of a .223 as a "starter" center fire rifle for familiarization/practice wasnt a terribly bad idea after all! ... BUT the .223 is generally considered inappropriate - and potentially very inhumane - for use on large game. Not to say that subsistence hunters dont use the .223 for all purposes .. but these are in a very special category that the average hunter does not fall in.)
 
Last edited:
AP said:
Also find an experienced and knowledgeable shooter to coach you through your first few boxes of ammunition. Good hearing and eye protection, appropriate recoil attenuation, adopting the correct shooting positions; Proper holding, aiming and trigger control can make all the difference between a "so-so" or negative experience and many years of great sport! You will find that a flinch you might acquire by being unprepared/coached on your first shooting experience will haunt you for a long time.

I have seen new shooters with excellent potential screwed up because some bonehead handed them a stout recoiling rifle without explaining how to manage the firearm ...then laugh at the novice because it was an unpleasant experience for them and that somehow this enhanced the experienced shooters manhood! In fact a novice unfamilar with the use of a scoped rifle can suffer potentially serious injury from the scope striking an eyebrow etc. (edit to add - it is perfectly normal - and potentially very injurious - for a new shooter to place their eye very close to the ocular of a rifle scope - after all this is the way they have used other optical instruments they are likely very familiar with such as binoculars and telescopes - they would not normally be aware that a rifle scope is not used in this fashion and has appropriate eye relief to allow the scope to be several inches away from the eye to accommodate the rifles recoil)


(you may discover that the Cabela recommendation of a .223 as a "starter" center fire rifle for familiarization/practice wasnt a terribly bad idea after all! ... BUT the .223 is generally considered inappropriate - and potentially very inhumane - for use on large game. Not to say that subsistence hunters dont use the .223 for all purposes .. but these are in a very special category that the average hunter does not fall in.)
Click to expand...

Yep! Well said!
 
Tough to argue with a cartridge that has over 100 years of hunting reputation behind it.

308 may be the better choice though. Since they both shoot the same bullet weights and 308 recoils less try this out:

Start with 150 grainers, get used to those. Jump up to 165, get used to those. Jump up to 180, get used to those.

You will find that you will likely appreciate practising with the 150. Then switch to either 165/180 for the hunt.
 
Can't really go wrong with the ol '06, but as others have stated, it may not be perfect for a new shooter. I made that mistake... My first rifle was a remington 7600 carbine in 30-06. I still have it, and will never part with it... But I can't say I wasn't a while getting used to squeezing the trigger on that thing lol. I guess it broke me in good enough lol, because I have shot just about everything since, and although there are plenty that I don't call comfortable, they don't bother me.

...if I had to go back and do it again, I would have went with a 308.
 
supahdave said:
not to mention a waaay bigger selection of rifles.
Click to expand...

Quoi? Where are you shopping that you find a lack of platforms in 30-06? Every long action in the world is chambered to 30-06. I'm not saying the 308 is rare but unless you have a boner for a military-style semi auto rifle you'll find easily as many 30-06s as 308s.

Bigger selection of rifles...thanks for the laugh.
 
steve-o1979 said:
Can't really go wrong with the ol '06, but as others have stated, it may not be perfect for a new shooter. I made that mistake... My first rifle was a remington 7600 carbine in 30-06. I still have it, and will never part with it... But I can't say I wasn't a while getting used to squeezing the trigger on that thing lol. I guess it broke me in good enough lol, because I have shot just about everything since, and although there are plenty that I don't call comfortable, they don't bother me.

...if I had to go back and do it again, I would have went with a 308.
Click to expand...

My first big game rifle was a 30-06 as well. Does it recoil YUP! but there is a lot of powder pushing that bullet. If I could do it all overlain I'd still do exactly the same but instead buy a nicer rifle to start instead of a cheap axis.

BigUglyMan said:
Quoi? Where are you shopping that you find a lack of platforms in 30-06? Every long action in the world is chambered to 30-06. I'm not saying the 308 is rare but unless you have a boner for a military-style semi auto rifle you'll find easily as many 30-06s as 308s.


Bigger selection of rifles...thanks for the laugh.
Click to expand...

Thank YOU for the laughs
 
I went to Cabelas and tried to buy a .308 Axis Next Gen Camo but gun was available online only. Then I asked for a XT-22RO and while it was available they had no ammo for it. Apparently there is a .22 crisis that I wasn't aware of.
I guess I'll play with my shotgun this weekend. :)
 
coldshot said:
You can even get it in a 55 gr sabot rounds
Click to expand...
In Canada? I may have gotten some 30 years ago, but I am sure they lasted a very short time in Canada, due to the fact that they cannot be matched to a rifle since the bullet never touches rifling. I may still have a couple in my collection, but I will never shoot them, far to rare here.

rkr said:
one shot one kill is what I want and if .308 will do it for sure, then I'll go for it.
At the same time I want a .22 so I can practice more for less money.
Click to expand...
You will need to practice, but there should be no problem with a .22 to practice technique, then the .308 will knock it all down.

hometownhero said:
If you shoot the cheapest bulk ammunition this is true. If you take the time to try some different kinds and move up in price point for 22lr you would see that the 22lr is fully capable of moa or less
Click to expand...
Yep, my Stevens likes Wildcats a whole lot. But even with bulk Cyclones, I hit gophers at 150yds (if Andrewe doesn't shoot them first with that dang .204). A good rifle with matched ammo is easily capable of 200yd MOA.

AP said:
imho everything said before cant be argued with. One thing that you may find helpful is to see if you can get an opportunity to shoot a few rifles before making your decision...you may find that one suits you better than another for numerous reasons.

Also find an experienced and knowledgeable shooter to coach you through your first few boxes of ammunition. Good hearing and eye protection, appropriate recoil attenuation, adopting the correct shooting positions; Proper holding, aiming and trigger control can make all the difference between a "so-so" or negative experience and many years of great sport! You will find that a flinch you might acquire by being unprepared/coached on your first shooting experience will haunt you for a long time.
Click to expand...
Coaching is a skill that can make the shooting experience vastly different for a new shooter. Highly recommended.

BigUglyMan said:
Quoi? Where are you shopping that you find a lack of platforms in 30-06? Every long action in the world is chambered to 30-06. I'm not saying the 308 is rare but unless you have a boner for a military-style semi auto rifle you'll find easily as many 30-06s as 308s.

Bigger selection of rifles...thanks for the laugh.
Click to expand...
Yep, dang near a belly laugh.

razorbeck said:
Not at 150 yards +
Click to expand...
. See above, I do this ALL the time. Did it 5 times yesterday.

hometownhero said:
Why isn't it? There are a few members on here that have posted some very impressive groups at 200 with a 22lr.
Click to expand...
Uh-huh. You may see that in 6 weeks or so in Tompkins. Lucky bustard.
 
I'm about to order my .308 but before I'd like to know if 7.62x51 milsurp ammo would work with any .308 rifle.
 
Very low cost and hunting rifle generally do not go together. Especially, a new rifle. However, look into a used, scoped, rifle. Buying a used rifle is not like buying a used car. Right now isn't a great time for used deer/moose/elk rifles but go to a real gun shop and look. Talk to 'em too.
Where you are matters some what. You'll have to do a Hunter's Safety course everywhere and a lot of questions related to calibre will be answered there. Or should be.
Cabela's gun counter folk are mostly part timers who get paid minimum wage and no get training.
 
sunray said:
Very low cost and hunting rifle generally do not go together. Especially, a new rifle. However, look into a used, scoped, rifle. Buying a used rifle is not like buying a used car. Right now isn't a great time for used deer/moose/elk rifles but go to a real gun shop and look. Talk to 'em too.
Where you are matters some what. You'll have to do a Hunter's Safety course everywhere and a lot of questions related to calibre will be answered there. Or should be.
Cabela's gun counter folk are mostly part timers who get paid minimum wage and no get training.
Click to expand...
I'm planning to use milsurp ammo for training/fun and then switch to quality ammo in the fall for hunting
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom