I love the 06

[Lloyd Smale]

here we go another I love the 06 post. shot a big doe last night doing crop damage shooting with my favorite 06 its a sps that I fitted a cdl stock to. It shoots cheap bulk ww power point 150s into 3/4 of an inch for 5 at a 100 all day long. One of the most consistently accurate deer rifles ive owned. Deer was at a ranged 340 yards. Held about 4 inches high and dropped it in its tracks. That's the kind of performance that keeps the old o6 right at the top of my list of favorites. Bullet went in right behind the shoulder, shredded the lungs and had about a 50 cent piece sized exit wound. I used to be a small bore (24 and 25 cal) fanatic but just found through the years that the good old o6 smacks them a bit better. Especially out past 200 yards. Now I'm sure you can argue that your 2506 would do the same and ive done it myself and even have done it this year, but it just seems that I get more tracking dutys with the smaller bores then I do with the .30s. Call me boring but I could probably get by with that o6 and my 4 5/8s 44 mag super Blackhawk for all my hunting dutys till I died. I know for a fact they would be the last two guns that would leave this house if I had to sell.

[ubetcha]

here we go another I love the 06 post. shot a big doe last night doing crop damage shooting with my favorite 06 its a sps that I fitted a cdl stock to. It shoots cheap bulk ww power point 150s into 3/4 of an inch for 5 at a 100 all day long. One of the most consistently accurate deer rifles ive owned. Deer was at a ranged 340 yards. Held about 4 inches high and dropped it in its tracks. That's the kind of performance that keeps the old o6 right at the top of my list of favorites. Bullet went in right behind the shoulder, shredded the lungs and had about a 50 cent piece sized exit wound. I used to be a small bore (24 and 25 cal) fanatic but just found through the years that the good old o6 smacks them a bit better. Especially out past 200 yards. Now I'm sure you can argue that your 2506 would do the same and ive done it myself and even have done it this year, but it just seems that I get more tracking dutys with the smaller bores then I do with the .30s. Call me boring but I could probably get by with that o6 and my 4 5/8s 44 mag super Blackhawk for all my hunting dutys till I died. I know for a fact they would be the last two guns that would leave this house if I had to sell.

Wasn't it Townsen that said one can never go wrong with a 30-06? Just had mine at the range a few weeks ago and fell in love with it again.

[square butte]

Boring is Good

[Iron Whittler]

I agree. The old standby 30-06 and it's big brother, the 35 Whelan, are quite capable of taking on most anything that inhabits the USA and Canada. Just keep range to respectable distances, do your part, and they will put the meat in the freezer.

[frankenfab]

I love the .30-06. It's what my 1903 and Garand shoot.

I need to put a modern scoped bolt gun together

[Ithaca Gunner]

It's been my #1 rifle cartridge since I was about 10-12. It just works, and works well. What's not to like?

[CastingFool]

-06 was my first centerfire rifle. As long as I have known about guns, I have liked the -06. Like the 308W, too. Something about the short action I like.

[cpileri]

Agree.
Lloyd, have you tried any of the VLD bullets for long range shooting?

[opos]

I'm from a time when there were far fewer calibers to choose from and the /06 was always my choice...sure I had others and shot them and enjoyed them..but everytime I took my trusted 06 into the mountains I had the assurance that should something happen to my ammo for some strange reason...I could walk into any store in any small town and probably get a box of 06 to finish out my trip....in the 50's if you asked for 25-06 you might as well be asking for unicorns.

[Char-Gar]

Wasn't it Townsen that said one can never go wrong with a 30-06? Just had mine at the range a few weeks ago and fell in love with it again.

It was Townsend Whelen who wrote an article in the December 1947 issue of The American Rifleman, entitled "The 30-06 Is Never A Mistake".

He was dead right then, and he is still dead right now.

[Texas by God]

I love the 30-06. I love DASH cartridges.(22-250,25-06,30-30 etc.) I currently don't own one but I miss the 721 Remington the most of the ones i had. I wish my .270 was a 30-06! THAT oughta get a response! Best, Thomas.

[Lloyd Smale]

nope I usually limit my o6 shooting to 300 yards. Unless like last night where I had a rock solid rest and lots of time. No need for fancy bullets for that. If I want to shoot farther its time for a magnum of some sort. I have heard good things about them on the long range forum though. Just a bit to costly for me.

Agree.
Lloyd, have you tried any of the VLD bullets for long range shooting?

[Lloyd Smale]

not a fan of the 270 but have used the 2506 and 280 a lot. I like them too but they just don't have a soft spot for me like the 06. They kind of make me chuckle. When they came out they were toted as better long range rounds then the 06 and honestly at any range they will work well the 06 works as well or better.

[toallmy]

When I'm serious about putting meat in the freezer , the 3006 comes along .

[shredder]

Seems with all the new cartridges to choose from that this is an unpopular thing to admit, but I too just love the '06.

I have only 1 rifle so chambered now, but it is my own custom build and it will never leave my possession until it is handed down to my son. My most accurate rifle and the one that comes out for anything important. This year I will bring her out to throw some old 200 grain partitions at a moose. I have been saving those bullets since my first year as a hunting guide. That box of partitions and Nosler's number 4 manual were my first tip from a hunter. Oct 1st I will be attempting to talk a big bull moose over to our side of the South Sask river. IF he is willing to play I just might get a chance to use a couple of those partitions!

[OnHoPr]

nope I usually limit my o6 shooting to 300 yards. Unless like last night where I had a rock solid rest and lots of time. No need for fancy bullets for that. If I want to shoot farther its time for a magnum of some sort. I have heard good things about them on the long range forum though. Just a bit to costly for me.

Agree.
Lloyd, have you tried any of the VLD bullets for long range shooting?

I think that is where some of the old time misconceptions come into play. There was the 06 then it was neck down to the 270 and 25-06 as well as the 280 and 6.5 to give better trajectory ballistics from bullets in the hey day. With some of the newer 165 to 180 bullets being made today the 06 can really shine over the aforementioned cals when 1/4 mi shots are made with wind, trajectory, or energy. A lot of them make the 06 a two range gun. Bullets for 200 to 250 yd and under and shots for longer than that. Where the shorter range bullets may be to stout or have bad BC they are good woods killers. When the powerline, clear cut, or cut corn field come into play then these longer range bullets can perform very well, but they might not be the best bullet for woods shooting. With a good tracking scope the two different loads can be used on one gun for the intended purposes. After adjustment just a couple two or three rounds to confirm and then go hunt. Or have two 06s

[Hardcast416taylor]

Lloyd, there is an old saying that pertains to the `06 mighty handily `If it ain`t broke - DON`T FIX IT`!Robert

[fivegunner]

who said , A person can handle anything with 7 hundred dollars and a 30/06???

[Lead Fred]

I hand built one for over two grand. Its real boring to shoot.
Sittin on 12k Lake City virgin brass, I can shoot all I want to, and screw on a new barrel every couple years.
and there be more odd sixes in the safe.
We will never be hungry

[richhodg66]

who said , A person can handle anything with 7 hundred dollars and a 30/06???

That was a poem Jeff Cooper published;

"But...there ain't too many problems that a man cain't fix, with seven hundred dollars and his .30-06."

I've been playing around with a lot of different calibers that past few years for deer hunting, mostly in lever guns it seems. But the fact is, when you consider all the bases it covers well, and how long it's been doing it, then add in the fact that it does all those things more efficiently than most, the .30-06 is the best cartridge development of all time. Everything is a compromise, but nothing is a better all around gun.