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

Bought my first '06 back in 1986 and quickly sold it after reading Jack O'Connors love of 270, then bought another one and sold it again for a 308 because it was lighter to carry .... 30 years later I have another Pre 64 Model 70 30-06 and I will never let it go.
It's accurate easy to find ammo and it's never let me down what more can I ask for??

JJ
 
I picked up a Remington Long Range Ought-6 this summer.
Its first landing pad was the gun bench.
Jewel Trigger, zero stress bedding, Remple F Class bypod rest, and target optics.

After the 3/clean, 3/clean, 3/clean it was off to the races.
6 shots and it was onto the 600m gong.

H-4350 @ 2770 ft-per second behind a Hornady ELD-X 178gr.
400m @ 1600 ft-lbs energy that is good for the thick skins.
700m @ 1000 ft-lbs energy for deer.
1700m @ 300 ft-lbs energy for vermin.

I did ok in the 1 k,,, and not bad at 1500m,,, deffinatly puts the shooter to task at 1700m's,,, about 150 ish ft-per seconds bellow the sonic line.
The 165/68gr bullets shine at that distance.

The 30/06/ 308's will always be out there along with the 270. Bullet manufactors have brought these age old cartrages back to life.

Over all average game harvests take place in the 300 ish yard range,,, some closer then this, some further.

Carlos Hathcock shot a few rifles in the Veitnam conflict,,, one of his favorite rifles was the Winchester Model 70 sporter heavy barrel in 30/06,,, it worked good.

My Remmy LR is about 11 lbs fully rigged up with 26" heavy barrel. Long Harrison bypod, ammo and ammo sleeve, bases rings and BDC optics for critter harvests.

Once the harvest season raps up it gets the Wildcat Vartec Composite stock, and a few inches off the barrel to keep it balanced.

8 to 8 1/2 ish lbs all in. It will be layed out in the PRS / Bush Hog platform for up close tactical with the option to hold its own to 900m's.

The Ought-6 is like a 308 on steroids,,, depending on the reloads used.

I'm non muzzle break dude,,, but after seeing them in operation this year, I see the benefits of them now.

A few folks I meet this year are in this category. Looking at their targets I see how those MB's turn them into tack drivers.


The best thing about 30/06 is that its for boring people that don't know any better,,, this is good since it limits the non boring dudes from entering into mix. LOL.

Boring is gooder as I await the sun to rise. I hope bland and boring critters find their way into my sights.
 
Last edited:
Philthy1 said:
I don't even shoot, 06 so I I'm no fanboy. Just gotta put the silly biases aside and do your homework. It's a much more versatile round than .308 or 300 winmag.
Click to expand...

depending where you live ..

I think .308 & 30'06 are equals in the versatile round department. The splitting hairs difference is local.

If I lived in open plains area or grizzly area 100% agree 30'06 is the best all around choice. However, it's just not necessary in my region, .308 is a far better decision.

And I agree with you on the .300wm. Love the round, but it's a more specific use hammer.
 
Philthy1 said:
If you reload, the 30-06 can do everything the .308 or .30 magnums can. Really is the only caliber you need.
Click to expand...

Can your 30-06s take a 190 LR Accubond up to 3150 fps? Mine won't but I've got a couple .300 Wins that can pull
off. Run the long range numbers of that against a 30-06 and they aren't even on the same
planet.
 
Dogleg said:
Can your 30-06s take a 190 LR Accubond up to 3150 fps? Mine won't but I've got a couple .300 Wins that can pull
off. Run the long range numbers of that against a 30-06 and they aren't even on the same
planet.
Click to expand...

Given that we are in the hunting forum and not the long range forum, it is all irrelevant. There is always something that will shoot a bullet faster, at some point enough is enough.
For many, it's the 3006, or the 308 or the 300 win or the whatever. One doesn't win with velocity.
 
Dogleg said:
I shoot and hunt at long range all the time. To
me that makes it entirely relevant.
Click to expand...

That's wonderful.
Then you'll realize this fact. That there is always a cartridge out there that will either shoot the same bullet faster or shoot a bigger bullet at the same speed. To constantly worry about a few fps is a fool's game.
 
Dogleg said:
450 is a few fps?
Click to expand...

Again you are missing the point.
If we all cared that much about maximizing velocity in a 30 cal we would shoot a 30-378 or whatever other wild cat exists. But it is just not that important.
To you maybe it is. But you're experience, as extensive as it is, is as pertinent to the average hunter as Tiger Woods to the local duffer.
 
Dogleg said:
Can your 30-06s take a 190 LR Accubond up to 3150 fps? Mine won't but I've got a couple .300 Wins that can pull
off. Run the long range numbers of that against a 30-06 and they aren't even on the same
planet.
Click to expand...

Given that 90+% of game is shot at under 300m, that is totally irrelevant. Other than a few specialized applications in wide open country, the 300WM is generally too powerful for most applications. If you're shooting deer at 100m, a 190gr LR Accubond going 3150fps is way overkill and is actually not desirable (and virtually all deer shot east of the great plains are in this category). Sure, if you're shooting Caribou at 600m yes you want that extra oomph, but that is a specialized application.
 
I know that I don't feel comfortable enough shooting at a game animal beyond or even up to the effective range of the 30-06 so I personally don't need a caliber faster or flatter shooting than my 30-06. If it's over 400 yds I just don't consider myself a good enough shot to be 100% certain that I can deliver a shot to put the animal down humanly without wounding it. I know that mistakes can happen at any distance for many reasons within and beyond our control. I know there's alot of guys out there that are crack shots and can humanly bring animals down at long distance and need the bigger magnum calibers to shoot effectively out to those distances and I wish I was 1 of them but I'm not, so my good old 06 does just what I need.
 
Last edited:
GMC403 said:
Telling someone that's just starting out, to "get a 30-06, it's all you'll need" is kinda like giving advice to a teenager. There may be an eye roll or "yeah yeah" response, but somewhere down the line they'll get it......

I could have saved A LOT of money if I would have just stopped fighting the ballistic demons in my mind and stuck with an '06.
Click to expand...

Me and two of my best friends (and one other guy I don't really like) all got into shooting at around the same time. Both of my best friends got 30-06 rifles, whereas I already had an Enfield so I wanted something not-30cal. Originally I wanted a 7mm08, but due to ammo availability I went with a 270.

The other guy went with a 300wm. He says it's the perfect 1 gun arsenal. He also can't shoot it worth a damn...

As a one gun arsenal, or a first do it all gun, hard to beat the 06. That said, I do find it too vanilla for my liking, and would rather shoot something else. Not much a 06 will do that a 303 won't with the hunting I do, so I don't see a fit in my collection for one. (I do love the 06 based stuff though. A 270 or 280 with a 338-08 or 35whelen would be a fantastic pair)
 
Ar180shooter said:
Given that 90+% of game is shot at under 300m, that is totally irrelevant. Other than a few specialized applications in wide open country, the 300WM is generally too powerful for most applications. If you're shooting deer at 100m, a 190gr LR Accubond going 3150fps is way overkill and is actually not desirable (and virtually all deer shot east of the great plains are in this category). Sure, if you're shooting Caribou at 600m yes you want that extra oomph, but that is a specialized application.
Click to expand...

Since 90%of game is shot at under 300, then the 308 would be a better choice than a 30-06 anyway. :)
 
Accuracy is more important than highest muzzle speed when developing loads. For example, I got superb tack-driving accuracy with Hornady 130gr SP bullets in my .300 WM at a lowly 3100 fps muzzle speed. Less than what a .30-06 can do.

Decided to stick with that load on a Bighorn Sheep hunt in spite of the low muzzle speed. More than sufficient power for taking my trophy Bighorn ram. 1 shot DRT at about 200 meters. :d
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom