30-06 brass awol. Why? Military?

[huntinlever]

Recently started reloading for son's 30-06. Last time I loaded the caliber was 2015, when everything was plentifully available. Like everything, looking for components, at least I find, is tough. Understandable it's almost impossible to find .338 WM brass, but 30-06? Why? Military first?

[ascast]

not sure how " hard", but gunbroker has tons of 06 brass. about 38 cents each for once fired and going on up. good luck in your search

[SSGOldfart]

how much brass are you looking for? cost has gone crazy last year or so. I think we reload / handload for the hobby it's self not the savings at today's price's. Still a lot cheaper if your casting your own boolits.

[Winger Ed.]

Surplus .30-06 is about gone. The govt. isn't using it, or at least not much in a long time.
There's a fair about out there, but 'new releases' of it were getting pretty rare 30 years ago.
In the old days, .30-06 was the most common (factory)rifle ammo and rifle reloading dies sold.
As a kid, during hunting season I remember it and 3-4 other favorite calibers being sold almost everywhere
in the Texas Hill Country. You could even buy it at gas stations and small grocery stores.

Now days----As far as civilian range brass being on the market:
Next time you're on a range--- look how many people are shooting it compared other cartridges.

.30-06 is not a dead caliber by any means,,,,,,, but it is starting to develop somewhat a limp.

[toallmy]

I picked up a few hundred pieces of 06 brass recently from a member hear , quite reasonably priced .
Possibly post a want to buy thread ......

[Hick]

You could also try the once-fired web sites (Diamond k and others)

[HodakaGA]

Check the CMP forum. Lots of HXP and LC usually available. Both are good brass to reload.

[GregLaROCHE]

I used to say I liked 30.06 because it was the most available ammo. Times have changed.

[huntinlever]

Guys, I can see my post was misleading - sorry.

Thanks everyone for coming forward with information and offers for sale. I don't have a ton, but what I do have is once fired from commercial Winchester, and that's what I'm using for load development for my son. Never had this happen before. About 30% of Winchester Powerpoint 150's wouldn't feed in his new Savage 110. I've checked over his rifle and all is OK with it. So just harvesting the WW brass from the stock in ammo he has. So I'm not currently looking for brass, but will be down the road. I prefer new brass, rightly or wrongly.

I should have said, why aren't stores like Graf's, Midsouth, Midway, Natchezz, etc., carrying new brass? I can see like most things reloading I'm behind the curve. I'd hate to think what I thought was one of the most plentifully available cartridges to reload is on its way out. Seems like that might be exactly the case.

Anyway, again sorry for confusing people, if I did. And thanks again.

[frkelly74]

Looks like we have the market about cornered among us here on castboolits,

[Bigslug]

Starline is offering it new - what they have in stock at any given moment is the real question.

The military usage of .30-06 is probably down to not much more than the blanks for the surplus M1's that they distribute VFW, police departments, etc... for honor guard details, and who knows how often a run of THAT is produced? Entirely possible the last lot was done decades ago.

The fact is that the recoil is a bit much for the average snowflake of today; most of the rifles are manual actions that require too much effort from them to cycle; and it doesn't fit in the AR they want to build in the salons where they coiff their man-buns. The upside to this is that there will be "tactical" shooters out there willing to part with the family heirloom rifles and ammo.

[huntinlever]

Starline is offering it new - what they have in stock at any given moment is the real question.

The military usage of .30-06 is probably down to not much more than the blanks for the surplus M1's that they distribute VFW, police departments, etc... for honor guard details, and who knows how often a run of THAT is produced? Entirely possible the last lot was done decades ago.

The fact is that the recoil is a bit much for the average snowflake of today; most of the rifles are manual actions that require too much effort from them to cycle; and it doesn't fit in the AR they want to build in the salons where they coiff their man-buns. The upside to this is that there will be "tactical" shooters out there willing to part with the family heirloom rifles and ammo.

Ha! I have to say, forget the calibers - shooting only levers and bolts at the range, I feel like a dinosaur.

On the other hand, dang...I AM a dinosaur.

[405grain]

A couple of years ago I lucked into a chance to buy hundreds of rounds of unfired LC 30-06 brass from pulled down ammo at bargain basement prices. I picked up enough to last for years, but now I kick myself for not buying more. If I'd known then what I know now I'd have bought all they had. Then again, if I had a crystal ball I probably would have bought primers instead.

[charlie b]

Not all gone. A couple months ago there was a box of Lapua .30-06 brass on the shelf. I didn't buy it as I still have my box of LC ammo. Don't shoot it much.

[Winger Ed.]

A couple of years ago I lucked into a chance to buy hundreds of rounds of unfired LC 30-06 brass from pulled down ammo at bargain basement prices.

Years ago Mr. Bartlett had .30-06 LC Match pull downs at a real deal.
I got 500 cases and about 1,000 of the match FMJs too.

I guess when the military went away from M1 Garands for Service Rifle competition a big load of the match ammo got disposed of.

If I for saw the future, I guess I'd have gotten more just to hold onto and sell.
I've seen a little bit of LC Match .30-06 cases on S&S and it went for some crazy price.

[huntinlever]

Not all gone. A couple months ago there was a box of Lapua .30-06 brass on the shelf. I didn't buy it as I still have my box of LC ammo. Don't shoot it much.

Just picked up some components at my LGS, and though he's out right now, he's expecting both Hornady and Lapua 30-06 brass coming in. He said Lapua has been the most consistent supplier lately.

Also talked of the new (2022) primer plant (Ammo Inc.) in Manitowoc, WI. Not sure of its production status.

[huntinlever]

Thanks for the further info, guys. I have a lot of experience reloading straight wall cases (45-70,, .44 mag), but comparably a lot less in bottleneck cases.

I have several hundred 4X-fired 30-06 cases. I think I was being overly cautious in that I was going to retire them after one more firing, regardless of any signs (i.e., regardless of whether they showed no signs of incipient head separation, primer pocket enlargement, or neck splitting). They actually show no signs of any of these. Plan is to continue and watch accordingly, not scrap them.

Once again, appreciate the contributions, and what I learned. Mods, feel free to close the thread now, though open to any further posts, as members desire, of course.

Edit: Sorry, I can't remember where I have seen this. Might have even been my post - memory is dodgy, unfortunately. For my son's 30-06 and my own .338, we're shooting Interlocks, with their cannelures. Never used bolt action bullets with cannelures before, but Hornady rep strongly suggested I crimp lightly, which is what I'm doing - very lightly, actually, and with the LFCD. Because of the crimp, I am trimming and chamfering (easy touch on the chamfer), however. I know this will challenge the brass more than if I didn't crimp and trim.

I anneal every time. Any thoughts given this regime, how much life I might be looking at? Just monitor for signs, same as uncrimped/trimmer bottleneck brass?

[Stewbaby]

The CMP is about to release some more surplus next month supposedly. We’ll see plenty of surplus 1x fired brass then. Hoping it’s HXP.

[Winger Ed.]

I anneal every time. Any thoughts given this regime,

That's way more often than most.

---Don't make extra work for yourself. Other people are more than glad to do that for you.

[huntinlever]

That's way more often than most.

---Don't make extra work for yourself. Other people are more than glad to do that for you.

I'd thought that was sort of a "thing" with bottleneck cases. I only do every 4th time with my 45-70. Hate extra work - takes time away from shooting!

How often would you recommend, Ed?