30-06s.... Love/Hate/Re-evaluate

I've only shot an 30-06 and after about 6 rounds I was done shooting the things the recoil felt very annoying. You can call me a little girl, lol.

Anyways if I want to get into deer hunting in the future, which rifle can I get that gets the job done, and is actually enjoyable to shoot.

Thank you.
 
I had a tough choice to make, whether to get a .30-06 or an 8x57. In the end the 8x57 won out as it fits more of the requirements I had for what I wanted out of the rifle. But I'm sure there will come a day I wonder why I didn't get the '06.
 
I love my 06 and it's done perfectly good job of anything I've ever needed from it. I can't honestly say it's the best caliber ever because I haven't owned or shot every caliber ever made. Unfortunately I can't afford to afford to buy alot of different calibers so when I was deciding on my big game gun I debated between a 30-06 and 308. I think they are both great calibers capable of efficiently taking any big game animal in which I will ever hunt, and decided on the 06. Honestly the only reason was it was the rifle I came across first in my price range which I liked the fit and feel of. I then wanted a smaller caliber for varmints (coyotes, possibly the odd fox and long range groundhogs) which in a pinch I could use for deer. My first deer rifle was a 6mm Remington 7600 which I stupidly sold. I couldn't find another at the time so settled on a .243. I've never used it for deer but have lent it out a few times when buddy's needed a rifle for deer season and it has taken a deer. Since I reload, after tinkering around with both calibers I am happy with both calibers for my hunting needs.
 
"And of course anything a .30-06 can do the .300 WM can do way better"

Not really,

the 300 win mag has a shorter neck so longer and heavier rounds, especially monometal bullets, may have to be seated deeper into the case,
using up case capacity, the 30'06's longer neck will hold a heavier bullet better than a 300WM.

Not to mention the 30'06 is less expensive to load for.
If your not a reloader, expect to pay up to 50% more for ammo.

With equal bullet weights the 300 WM gives you only about 100 yards more effective range.

A 180 grain bullet drops 24 inches at 400 yards when zeroed at 200 from the 30-06,
the same bullet will drop about 19” with a 300 WM.

If you look at what that 5 inches means, compared to the 57,600 inches that make up 400 yards,
you can see that the advantage isn't enough to brag about.

So much for the huge advantage of a 300 over the 06!

If you are good enough to make accurate hits at 550-600 then the 300 has a slight edge at those ranges, that's about it.
 
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Slamfire said:
Good 30 caliber round but....And of course anything a .30-06 can do the .300 WM can do way better. ;)
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My Sako 85 Grey Wolf has an extra long magazine and generous throat length so that heavier bullets needn't be seated deeply to reduce case capacity. Way more bullet speed and way more energy on target to quickly kill game way more dead. :p

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.300 Win. Mag. Sako 85 Grey Wolf with Leupold VX-2 Ultralight 3-9x33mm
 
The 30-06 is arguably overkill for deer and most rifles so chambered can be had in 300WM which will be more capable on the far/big end.

But it will do in most situations (just like a lot of other cartridges).

At the end of the day I'd say get the gun you want, then select the cartridge based on that.
 
Boomer said:
I'm a .30/06 fan, and have been for about 50 years. If you like rifle shooting, there's no reason not to like the '06. Recoil is sufficient to let you know the thing fired, but not so much as to be a problem for anyone healthy enough to consider big game hunting, providing the rifle is equipped with a decent recoil pad, fits the shooter and is not an ultralight. The .30/06 is not as accurate as a .308 is an often heard disparagement, yet German Salazar continues to win matches against .308 shooters with his .30/06 match rifles. Its not a short action. True, but having owned rifles of all three action lengths I still don't understand what the perceived benefit of shorter actions might be, I can run a magnum Mauser like my Brno 602 just as quickly if hitting a target is considered an important element of the exercise.

Versatility is often touted as the .30/06's greatest asset, and while I agree to a point, its not only due to the vast array of factory loads the way most folks think. Anyone who handloads can gain great versatility from any centerfire cartridge from the 6.5s on up, and the advantages of inexpensive Mexican match loads have mostly disappeared since military surplus .30/06 is no longer commonly available. But the .30/06 can do most of the things required of a centerfire rifle with just a 180 gr bullet, and single load versatility is not easily attributed to other cartridges. Similarly, a .375 can do most things with just a 300 gr bullet, but most folks find the big case .375s to be an acquired taste. Now and then I hear that anything a .30/06 can do, a .300 magnum can do better . . . but not without recoil, in similar weight rifles, becoming a bit of a nuisance to the uninitiated. Finally, lets dispense with the claim that the .30/06 is boring. If you find rifle shooting boring, you'll get more out of challenging yourself with more difficult shooting scenarios, than you will by switching cartridges. "There ain't many problems a man can't fix with $700 and a .30/06."
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Quoted for truth. I concur with Boomer. I have owned at least 1 30-06 [usually more, lol] all my shooting/hunting life. While I have many rifles in various chamberings,and I am not recoil shy by any means, the 30-06 still accompanies me often enough to keep me appreciating it's capabilities. Factory ammo is available in most
parts of the world, and if one reloads, it is even better. The 30-06 and a good 180 grain bullet is a classic combo that will get the job done if the shooter does his part. EE.
 
i was not able to legally hunt with a 30-06 for decades. when we moved to Canada i had to get a 30-06 which i did ... love the caliber easy to reload and very accurate, better than me ...

even if i really like bigger calibers there is nothing wrong with 30-06 and more than once that will be the caliber i ll have in hand even in the Yukon ...
 
I've been reading Hemingways Green Hills of Africa. Had no idea that his African gun was an old Springfield 3006.
I understand expectations have changed, but if the chambering can tip over a bull rhino, I am not too worried about it's ability to tip over a bull moose.
I have three.
A semi I run factory in
A bolt with 180 grain partitions
And a plastic stocked bolt with 220 grain round nose.
Covers me on every base.
 
Slamfire said:
...anything a .30-06 can do the .300 WM can do way better. ;)
Click to expand...

CPO Chris Kyle thought highly of the .300 WM. :cool:

...It’s an excellent all-around cartridge, whose performance allows for superb accuracy as well as stopping power. The .300 is a little heavier gun by design. It shoots like a laser. Anything from 1,000 yards and out, you’re just plain nailing it. And on closer targets, you don’t have to worry about too much correction for your come-ups. You can dial in your 500 yard dope and still hit a target from 100-700 yards without worrying too much about making minute adjustments.”

http://precisionrifleblog.com/2015/01/17/american-sniper-chris-kyle-rifles/
 
I started off loving them, then spent my 30's wanting to trying every damn boutique calibre known to man except the tired and true classics, and then in my 40's I found myself wanting another (and 7x57 and 6.5x55). It's a great all-around cartridge that can be loaded to serious near-magnum power levels or down to comfortable 30-30 power levels, handles everything from 150-220 grain projectiles, and commercial ammo is found everywhere. What's not to like?
 
The first rifle I bought was a pre '64 (1955) 30-06 Winchester Model 70 Featherweight. That '06 eventually got traded for a 300WM but I've never been without at least one '06 in the field or the safe.

This is my current one.

Browning A Bolt II Stainless Hunter.

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The 30-06 is a great rifle but I seldom use it on Whitetail deer... It's too much gun and puts big holes in the animal. It's not so bad at 250 yards but inside of that it's too much gun. It was once the only rifle I had with a scope. The 30-30 was the other piece that did field work up to about 150 yards - with open sights when the eyes were younger. The 06 is good for moose and so is the 300 WSM.
 
I like the ‘06 but rarely use it now because I’m mostly a deer hunter and prefer my 6.5 Swede, old Winchesters, etc. If moose or larger black bears were a common game for me then the ‘06 would likely be more of a contender however if i need something larger than my Swede then I’ll like move up to my .300 H&H or 9.3x62. I used to have a pre-64 model 70 that shot really well and still have a great Husky ‘98 in that caliber. There is no big game situation that i have ever hunted where a good ‘06 wouldn’t have been a good choice. That’s the attraction of the caliber to me.
 
Several ‘06s here. Started with FW pre-64, still have after 28 years. Largely shoot 150-165 grains. No need for more than 165 x-bullets. Loves power points. Have others, sold others. Another cherry pre-64, Grade II BAR, ....

If I thin the herd, there will always be an ‘06.

P.
 
Not a fan of the '06, I think it over rated nowadays and there isn't anything that it can do better for the hunting I do, and probably ever will do, that my .308 or .270 won't do with less recoil and report. The only 2 guns I would buy in that caliber are the M1 Garand and 1903 Springfield. Now, if someone were to give me one I would take it...
 
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