The Venerable 30-06 and 1 Gun To Hunt N. America?

[hockeynick39]

Cut my teeth on a Remington 1903A3 built in 1943. It still has the butt number on it!! Still have it and shoot it on occasions. I then owned a Sako AIII in .30-06 SPR and had my longest shot with it, 1200 m, as well as an antelope and a few mule deer out in Colorado. I sold that and got a Tikka T3 Stainless Steel Light in .30-06 SPR that I have loaded up for 125 gr to 240 gr and everything in between. I have a bunch of other different caliber rifles that I pick to hunt with in different areas, but will ALWAYS have a .30-06 SPR of some type in the safe!!! Yes, I believe that if you were to "get by" with one rifle caliber, the .30-06 would be it.

[Dan Cash]

I am not a one gun for all critters/purposes guy. I have a varmint rifle (some kind of pre 700 Rem in -06), a long range light to medium game gun (M70 Win -06), an elk rifle and moose rifle (Springfield 03 action sporter -06), a battle rifle (M1) and a grab and go, do anything Browning remake of the 1895 Win -06. There are another one or two in there but can't think what they are just now.

Actually, my primary rifle is an 1895 Win (1900 vintage) in .30-40. This, like the -06 will do about anything you need done but the 06 does it just a little better. I do have a FN/FAL in .308 but would trade it in a heartbeat for a M48 FN in -06.

[500Linebaughbuck]

i, my son, brother, father, uncle, his kids and grandfather have all killed deer with the ought six. a factory 180gr remington round nose is all you need. the '06 is the gage that calibers must reach. everything from prairie dog up to grizzly has been killed. the '06 served in two world wars and korea. it was the snipers choice in vietnam.

unfortunately, i do not have one. although i did have the rem 760, adl and bdl, savage 110 and 116. i have handloaded 125 - 220gr. i've down loaded it to 30-30 velocity and upload to almost factory 300 win mag.

in 30 caliber, i have a 1898 spr armory in 30-40 krag. i use a 165gr ranch dog and h4198(1900fps+/-) to suit all my needs.

[OnHoPr]

The 06 is the supreme being for hunting in north america and most other places as well except for the big dangerous game species for the intended OP. It will even work on those species from blind or stalk. Though, I would want something more powerful for most of the big dangerous game species if I had to go into thick brush for possible wounded big dangerous game.

As an slight off topic, but still somewhat relevant to other extenuating reasons for something more powerful when it comes to the bigger game species, I wonder if the BAR or BLR or something similar would handle the 375 Ruger. There are some considerations something like that would have over the double rifle.

[Arisaka99]

As an slight off topic, but still somewhat relevant to other extenuating reasons for something more powerful when it comes to the bigger game species, I wonder if the BAR or BLR or something similar would handle the 375 Ruger. There are some considerations something like that would have over the double rifle.

There was a company building .458 Winchester M1 Garands (or M1A, can't remember).

[Omega]

When I was growing up in CO, the 06 was king, but when I joined the Army and was stationed on the east coast, I soon went with .270 and really haven't had the need for the 06. Now, my M1 is all I have in 06, but it's been years since the last time I went elk hunting back home, and that was with my .270.

[fightthenoise]

When I was growing up in CO, the 06 was king, but when I joined the Army and was stationed on the east coast, I soon went with .270 and really haven't had the need for the 06. Now, my M1 is all I have in 06, but it's been years since the last time I went elk hunting back home, and that was with my .270.

Honestly the majority of the praise that’s been heaped (deservedly so) on the ‘06 in this thread can be also applied to the .270. It’s why we still compare the two a hundred years later. They’re both legendary.

[Texas by God]

Ok, y'all brought up offspring. I nominate the 25-06 as the #1 deer cartridge in my mind.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[tazman]

The 30-06 is one of the finest cartridges ever devised and is the premier choice on this continent, for a one gun arsenal for the game hunted here.
That said, there is really no reason to restrict yourself that way.
With current rifle prices being as affordable as they are for "entry level" rifles, I see no need to restrict yourself to a single caliber for all your usage.
I would choose 3-4 rifles in different calibers which would cover all uses from chipmunks to moose and not worry if my rifle was suitable for the task at hand.
22lr, 243, 30-06, and 375H&H. You could even leave the 30-06 out of the list and still be well covered.

[izzyjoe]

As a good friend used to say, a 30-06 is like a 10" cresent wrench, everybody has one and it'll do almost anything! I have come back around to the '06, just waiting for better weather so I can burn some powder!

[sharps4590]

Good cartridge but no better than a couple dozen others. More popular than about anything in North America but takes a back seat to the 8 X 57 world wide I bet...and I bet if that's still true the gap is narrowing. Never owned one in a sporting rifle nor do I intend to, not needed as I have others that are just as good and some better. But, its loyalty and popularity will probably never be equaled as long as we are allowed to own firearms and hunt. I don't remember who first said it, "the 30-06 is never wrong". While I have no desires to own one, only a fool would argue with that assessment.

[Arisaka99]

The 30-06 is one of the finest cartridges ever devised and is the premier choice on this continent, for a one gun arsenal for the game hunted here.
That said, there is really no reason to restrict yourself that way.
With current rifle prices being as affordable as they are for "entry level" rifles, I see no need to restrict yourself to a single caliber for all your usage.
I would choose 3-4 rifles in different calibers which would cover all uses from chipmunks to moose and not worry if my rifle was suitable for the task at hand.
22lr, 243, 30-06, and 375H&H. You could even leave the 30-06 out of the list and still be well covered.

In an ideal world, I'd like to have many more than the ones listed. However, with two young children and a third on the way, my wife isn't too keen on gun purchases

I was looking at Gunbroker the other night and found an older left-handed Rem 700 BDL with iron sights and pretty good looking wood for $450. She says "don't you already have some like that?

[Wayne Smith]

I think you otta get her the 45-70 Encore first! Load for your 7.7-06 - it will do anything a 30-06 will do but you gotta load for it.

[Arisaka99]

Ok, y'all brought up offspring. I nominate the 25-06 as the #1 deer cartridge in my mind.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Why is that?

My current bolt gun is a 'last ditch' Arisaka Type 99 that was reamed to 30-06. Have to handload for it, so I have a 7.7-06. Ideally, I'd like to be able to buy ammo off the shelf. (Hence my interest in 30-06)

[Hossfly]

I would say it is the number one gun in North America because, its the one all others are compared to.

[Wayne Smith]

Long range capable, shoots up to 120gr boolits, low recoil, easy to shoot. My 25 Krag AI is between the 25-06 and the 257Roberts AI and has the same virtues. More than adequate for any deer.

But to tell the truth the #1 deer rifle in the US is probably still the old 30-30!

[Maine1]

while I am a 308 guy, if " all I had" was a 30-06 that I could feed off strippers, and the ability to load for it, i'd be a happy guy. throw in a handgun, and a 12 ga, and id be estatic.

We are a spoiled brat culture when it comes to firearms and knives, and as a rule most people never have to learn to really use what they have to its potential.

[Bigslug]

Local regulations aside, I'd call it the #1 gun for hunting Planet Earth. At the point you're hunting the Big Uglies - notably elephant and Cape buff - you're usually giving up on expansion in favor of a heavily-jacketed FMJ solid. At that point what is the difference between .308" and .375"? I'll tell you - it's exactly 0.067". There's little denying that the big boomers will do better at breaking shoulders to anchor the massive beasts, but as far as penetrating a skull or soft tissue to shut off the vital functions, a 220 grain round nose FMJ or even the old military black tip AP will do the trick. . .and it will do it without pounding the stuffing out of you.

And backing down from that, what else is going to give you the same combination of potential distance AND range of bullet weights?

[charlie b]

Yes. If I wanted an all around hunting rifle it would be in .30-06,

My 'black' rifle is an M1 Garand. It was also a rifle I used to hunt mule deer for a couple of years. I have stuck with the std mil load for it.

And, yes, I love the .308 as well. That's what my long range bolt rifle is chambered for.

I don't hunt anymore, just try to get small ragged holes with 10rnds.

[FergusonTO35]

One rifle and one cartridge to hunt everything. Some people are just allergic to having fun!