30-06 For Long Range
- Thread starter Brad925
- Start date
The 30-06 is capable of great things at long range. The slightly more powerful 30 cal magnums are likely the cause for the venerable old 30-06 to be less popular in long range competitive shooting these days, but the truth be known, a 30-06 can be tuned to give a magnum a run for its money.
With 1000+ meter F-Class competition, 300WM is the preferred cartridge in 30 cal, but it doesn't hold much over the 30-06.
With 1000+ meter F-Class competition, 300WM is the preferred cartridge in 30 cal, but it doesn't hold much over the 30-06.
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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- Summerland, BC
We are now in a 308 world for many forms of competition shooting. Plus you have a tactical/military factor which certainly helps with popularity.
The 30-06 is most certainly a very accurate rd and simply offers more velocity over the 308. In its improved form, it will equal the short mags like the 300RSAUM.
For F class, where magnums are not always allowed, the improved 30-06 or 30 Gibbs (one of my favorite wildcats) would give you the performance and still be considered a standard case.
I have shot several 30-06's for hunting and LR plinking. They are no better nor worse accuracy wise over the 308 but can offer more speed at lower pressures.
Jerry
The 30-06 is most certainly a very accurate rd and simply offers more velocity over the 308. In its improved form, it will equal the short mags like the 300RSAUM.
For F class, where magnums are not always allowed, the improved 30-06 or 30 Gibbs (one of my favorite wildcats) would give you the performance and still be considered a standard case.
I have shot several 30-06's for hunting and LR plinking. They are no better nor worse accuracy wise over the 308 but can offer more speed at lower pressures.
Jerry
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I learned to shoot at long range with a .30/06 M-17 Enfield sporter, topped with a 3-9X40 hunting scope. There wasn't enough vertical adjustment in my scope for long range shooting, so often I would have to set a sighting target on top of the backstop, which was often an esker with an impact target below it. Incidentally, I shot very respectable groups at long range with that rifle, sometimes well in excess of 1000 yards, although it would often take several rounds to get the range worked out. Shooting over wetlands makes spotting your own shots pretty easy as you have time to recover from the recoil and reacquire your sight picture.
When I finally had a long range rig built, I chose the .308, because I had a short action to build on rather than any preference for the .308 over the '06. In fact my original plan was to get a 40XB in .30/06, but opted for a custom job instead. I am of the opinion that a greater effect on accuracy occurs from the choice of components that make up the rifle, and how those components are crafted into a rifle, than there is from the choice of chambering the .308 or .30/06. So many knowledgeable people are of the opinion that the .308 is more accurate than the .30/06 that I am hesitant to argue the point, but I question whether one can make use of the difference.
When I finally had a long range rig built, I chose the .308, because I had a short action to build on rather than any preference for the .308 over the '06. In fact my original plan was to get a 40XB in .30/06, but opted for a custom job instead. I am of the opinion that a greater effect on accuracy occurs from the choice of components that make up the rifle, and how those components are crafted into a rifle, than there is from the choice of chambering the .308 or .30/06. So many knowledgeable people are of the opinion that the .308 is more accurate than the .30/06 that I am hesitant to argue the point, but I question whether one can make use of the difference.
The great advantage the 30-06 has over the 308 is the ability to use heavier bullets for better long range wind drift at higher velocities. The 308 appears to be better than the 30-06 only when shooting medium burn rate powders and bullets weighing 168 or less. Change to 190 - 210 grain bullets using Re22 and the picture changes damatically. Given the restriction of not using the magnum cases, the 30-06 or 30-06AI is a viable alternative.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't the original M40s chambered for the 30-06?
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
That was what Carlos used.
Jerry
Jerry
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
The M-40 was a .308, well at least a 7.62X51, right from the get go. Prior to the adoption of the M-40's, the Marines had a menagerie of M-1D's, 1903 Springfields, and the M-70's.
Carlos Hathcock used an old wore out M-70 in .30/06 on his first tour. That rifle shot 2 MOA, but it goes to prove that its the nut behind the trigger that makes the difference. The M-40's were coming out when he went for his second tour, but it seems to me he used a M-70 second time around as well. Later, while he was working as an instructor at Quantico, its likely he shot the M-40. When the M-40 White Feather commemorative rifle came out, I thought it was strange that the M-40 was the rifle chosen, but it is the USMC sniper rifle and Carlos was their premier sniper.
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The venerable and timeless '06 has never been one that's overlooked in spite of the almost dizzying numbers of wannabe new calibers that have erupted all over the place in recent years. It's generally considered by them that knows to be a perfectly capable choice for most any game on this continent. With a good 180 grain bullet it's a real good elk and moose gun, while the .270 apparently is "too small". With the selection of low drag very high BC bullets available in .30 caliber, it's more than capable of holding it's own against ANY long range gun. I sometimes consider getting rid of all my bolt guns and building a small battery of hunting rifles all based on the '06 from a 6.5-06 on up thru a 7mm version, an '06AI and .338-06 maybe ending with a .35 Whelen of some version (though a .338-06 would cover anything the Whelen could do). What more could a man want? The 6.5-06 and the .338-06 are IMO the greatest choices that should have but never surfaced commercially and that's a helluva shame. All the same, an '06 165 grain Accubond perched on a nickel plated case is one helluva ###y looking cartridge.
lejarretnoir
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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- 162km from Connaught
Yes, I'm quite sure Hathcock got to use his Winchester M70 in .30-06 both tours. His CO let him do whatever he wanted. Nice repro there Billybob.
He also played with other guns like the M21 and scoped .50 BMG.
Nothing wrong with the venerable 06. NATO just had to make their 7.62 and then it languished militarily.
He also played with other guns like the M21 and scoped .50 BMG.
Nothing wrong with the venerable 06. NATO just had to make their 7.62 and then it languished militarily.
Great clone, and done with the Redfield scope, no less!
Re: the 30-06, it seemed to work well during WWII and the early years of VN, so why not today? I remember reading how selected Springfield 1903's could do ½MOA with match ammo... I think it's still considered a serious precision shooting contender because it appears that Federal makes a Gold Medal Match version of it, so there's obviously a market for it.
Re: the 30-06, it seemed to work well during WWII and the early years of VN, so why not today? I remember reading how selected Springfield 1903's could do ½MOA with match ammo... I think it's still considered a serious precision shooting contender because it appears that Federal makes a Gold Medal Match version of it, so there's obviously a market for it.
