30-06 is boring

I guess for me, the '06 is boring in a number of ways. Yes, it's a perfect medium game rifle, it kills with consistency, and is accurate in most rifles. But it's a cartridge that 'everyone' owns. I like to be different. I got rid of my 06's years ago, as I found I left them in the safe.
I like to sort of tailor the rifle and cartridge to what I'm doing. The '06 is very much a do it all type of round. If that's your thing, fill your boots, it's not mine.
I do own a 308, a cartridge very much in the same vein wrt the do it all thing, but not quite so much. It's in an 88 Winchester, a rifle I like, so I expect it will stay.
I have drifted away from the do it all rifles/cartridges, and prefer to have cartridges and rifles I can play with, and tune to what I'm doing, or those that are specific (to me) to a certain hunting activity. Like the 338WM is to longer range moose. The 1892 Winchester in 44-40 or the '94 in 30-30 is to dense bush walking. I still have toys, SKS etc. and I must have rifles in 303Br. (it's the Canadian way) It keeps life and hunting more fun, and interesting.
 
SuperCub said:
I pulled out a Nosler manual to look at similar bullets from each. I chose common middle weight NBTs 140s for the 708 and 165s for the 06 both at top listed velocity of 2900fps. The ballistics are pretty much exactly the same.

Both do have some minor advantages over the other but neither is really that "much better" .
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That’s why I said for me.
One 7mm-08 shoots 140’s for plinking. Going to move up in weight when these are done. The other 162 and 180gr. 30 cal shoots 165 and 180’s.
There is just nothing for me to get excited about I’m the 30-06 if there is for you good carry on.
 
SuperCub said:
I pulled out a Nosler manual to look at similar bullets from each. I chose common middle weight NBTs 140s for the 708 and 165s for the 06 both at top listed velocity of 2900fps. The ballistics are pretty much exactly the same.

Both do have some minor advantages over the other but neither is really that "much better" .
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Look at the barrel length on the 7-08 data - most given with 24” or 26” test barrels. I had a Model Seven in 7-08 and it would just squeak past 2700 with 140’s. Realistically a 30-06 will match 7-08 with 140’s velocity with 180gr bullets. As mentioned earlier the 30-06 with 200’s doing +2700fps is very doable. IMO on large game the .30-06 does hold an advantage.
 
This morning I loaded 23 rounds of 30-06 for hunting.

I use similar procedure to load these as I do for my target rifles chambered in 6 Dasher, 260 Rem , 300WM. Others are chambered 280 AI and 9.3x66 for hunting and shooting steel.

I can use any chambering in any rifle if I choose.

But, I choose the 30-06 for the majority of my hunting, reason is the rifle is light , recoil is very manageable, a 200 gn AccuBond at 2700ft/s kills like a medium (33,35,36,37 calibers) with recoil of a 270Win.

This is a great aid in placing the bullet in the correct spot.

With a 6x SWFA SS, shots at the 500m gong (its 2moa) are easy to hit.....almost boring.
 
1899 said:
Look at the barrel length on the 7-08 data - most given with 24” or 26” test barrels. I had a Model Seven in 7-08 and it would just squeak past 2700 with 140’s. Realistically a 30-06 will match 7-08 with 140’s velocity with 180gr bullets. As mentioned earlier the 30-06 with 200’s doing +2700fps is very doable. IMO on large game the .30-06 does hold an advantage.
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You're right ...... There are so many chamberings all so similar to the 30-06 that it's almost comical to say one is so much better than the others. Pick your favourite from the 708, 6.5x55, 308, 280, 7x57, 270, 3006, 303, 8x57, etc etc and have at'er. They're all the same for the most part.
 
on another note even if the story is old. i cannot use the 30-06 legally for hunt in france. so i used one for the range for a while then sell it for the practical 7x64 but when we moved to Canada that is the first caliber we buy and will use certainly this week end again. boring yes but working too ...
 
Ardent said:
Harking to the original post in the thread, the only people who find a .30-06 boring aren’t hunting the right things with it. No chambering is more interesting than another, it’s all about what you do with them not what shape the brass tubes are.
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Hunting with a nice makes it "less boring" as well. :)
 
I can't find a lot of fault with the .30-06 for anything I hope to do with regards to NA medium to big game hunting. Not many hunting situations that a 165 or 220 grain Cup and core, bonded or partition would work acceptably for or if required or desired a 130-168gr monometal bullet.
That being said I do not own one at the moment, as has been said there are a lot of cartridges that perform very similarly and for deer sized game a suitable bullet placed right is more important than size and cartridge propelling it.
 
Ardent said:
Harking to the original post in the thread, the only people who find a .30-06 boring aren’t hunting the right things with it. No chambering is more interesting than another, it’s all about what you do with them not what shape the brass tubes are.
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Totally agree. I went from saying I'd never own a 3o-o6, to my only big game rifle being a 'custom' 3o-o6. (Only a southpaw would have a 3o-o6 built. 😋 ) The blueing has worn off on the edges, paint worn thru on the McM stock, it's killed Mule Deer, Whitetail, Elk, Bear and multiple smaller critters for our freezer. (Still need to find a legal sheep with it in my hands. Dang it.)

I guess you could say I'm a huge fan of the boring old 3o-o6 Springfield.

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9.3mauser said:
I noticed that you chambered your Ruger No. 1 in 7x57 and not 7-08...
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Touché ;) The more I do this hunting thing though, the more I like straight .270s... Can get it anywhere, does it all. Personal history attaches me to chamberings that logically don’t do anything better than a .30-06. Ain’t a thing wrong with that for anyone who subscribes to similar thoughts, and ain’t a thing boring about an -06 either. ;)
 
My top 3 favourite Cartridges, in no particular order (for larger game):

30-06
7x57
6.5x55

For small game:

22LR
32-20
32 S&W Long

I guess I navigate to the tried and true classics!

(However, NOTHING wrong with 22-250, 243, 270, 280, and 7mmRem). The rest, well, no thanks. Your mileage may vary.
 
Ardent said:
Touché ;) The more I do this hunting thing though, the more I like straight .270s... Can get it anywhere, does it all. Personal history attaches me to chamberings that logically don’t do anything better than a .30-06. Ain’t a thing wrong with that for anyone who subscribes to similar thoughts, and ain’t a thing boring about an -06 either. ;)
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I keep trying to pawn off my mountain ascent in 280 for another in 270 for just that reason. No bites yet though!
 
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