Author Topic: Is the 30-06 too much gun for average deer? (Read 6655 times)

jhm · « **Reply #30 on:** October 18, 2009, 05:52:17 AM »

It is another one of those FORD or CHEVY questions, personally I believe every hunter needs a 30-06 that he is profitient with in their safe. Jim

RaySendero · « **Reply #31 on:** October 18, 2009, 12:21:03 PM »

Quote from: Graybeard on September 05, 2008, 01:33:17 PM

Too much? No.

More than necessary? Yes.

I agree but will add:

If one would put as much effort into improving their scouting and tracking skills as they worry about caliber they'd be better hunters!

Cottonwood · « **Reply #32 on:** October 22, 2009, 03:58:58 AM »

Quote from: Graybeard on September 05, 2008, 01:33:17 PM

Too much? No.

More than necessary? Yes.

Yep, what Bill said.

Brithunter · « **Reply #33 on:** October 23, 2009, 11:40:16 PM »

Quote from: rickt300 on September 05, 2008, 12:03:29 PM

I have used my 30-06 on plenty of deer but feel it is much more gun than needed for the job. Anyone else feel this way?

Nope

Bullet selection is the key

.

Tn Jim · « **Reply #34 on:** October 27, 2009, 06:00:46 PM »

Quote from: beemanbeme on September 07, 2008, 09:14:54 AM

If'n it ain't a 7-08, it's wrong, wrong, wrong. In documented case after case, it has been proven that the 30-06 kills the average deer much too dead.

I truley love my 7-08, and it does a heck of a job. But I used a '06 for many years before the '08. Both do the job with authority and I wouldn't hesitate to use either.

"Much to dead"?

skb2706 · « **Reply #35 on:** October 29, 2009, 04:37:41 AM »

Go figure..I hunt and shoot antelope (smaller than the average wt deer) with a .300 Win mag. I shoot 'em thru the ribs. The wasted meat amounts to less than 1/2#. There is only one kind of dead .....................who cares if I use more than needed. Nobody that hunts with me seems to care.

Mohawk · « **Reply #36 on:** October 30, 2009, 12:58:25 PM »

It is one of the best deer calibers created.

Drilling Man · « **Reply #37 on:** October 30, 2009, 03:42:02 PM »

Quote from: Mohawk on October 30, 2009, 12:58:25 PM

It is one of the best deer calibers created.

I'd say it's the best "all around" cartridge ever created for NA. There's no animal in NA, that a "properly loaded" 30-06 can't cleanly harvest, including brown bears.

Like was already said, just choose the proper bullet for the animal your hunting...

DM

BBF · « **Reply #38 on:** October 30, 2009, 04:26:39 PM »

Quote from: Brithunter on October 23, 2009, 11:40:16 PM

Nope

Bullet selection is the key

.
[/quote}

and if you handload you can tailor the energy.

Plinker · « **Reply #39 on:** November 12, 2009, 10:26:16 AM »

The 30/06 works for me,I've killed dozen's of deer with it,with no problems.

Besides I like the rifle, 700 Remington,and have a 22/250 to match for varmint's.

Empty Quiver · « **Reply #40 on:** November 12, 2009, 11:13:40 AM »

No doubt it is far too much for average. Average is probably something like 60 yds and 125 lbs. I don't arm myself for average though. I make do with a 300mag for everything, Antilope, Deer, Bear, and Elk. It's overkill on just about anything and thats fine. I don't care to recover bullets just under the skin on the off shoulder. Doesn't matter to me how far past the target a bullet flies.

Ten minutes of shooting light left on closing day and a two hundred fifty yd shot. 30-06 no big deal, .32 special means a speed stalk on that wall hanger, and its tag soup time.

Mohawk · « **Reply #41 on:** November 12, 2009, 05:35:58 PM »

I don't really believe any caliber is over-kill. I used to hunt in east Texas as a kid. There was a rancher that owned land we had to trek across to get to our property so we had constant contact, became friends, and had lots of time to chat. He used a .375 H&H Mag on his 85 lbs whitetail. His only excuse was that if he shot something, he wanted it dead, dead, dead. I agree with that. The deer was not blown in half, or any thing dramatic. I witnessed two of his deer and he exit hole was, at most, about 3". And this is a caliber much more powerful than factory .30-06. And to be honest, the deer I killed with 9-pellet 00 buck two years ago did more visible damage than the .375. The .30-06 is just fine. From the .243, .280, thru the .338 Win Mag, the difference in over-kill has had minimum impact on my selection in calibers.

mirage1988 · « **Reply #42 on:** November 12, 2009, 06:00:31 PM »

So many hunters think that the bigger the better regarding caliber. If the bullet went thru, its wasted energy, it doesn't make a lick of difference if its a .243 , a 270 short mag, a 30/06 or a 300 win. mag. I Have used the 30/06 for 20 years in 2 different rifles, the most a deer has ran has been 20 yards, and that was the only one that ran. I have shot a few with a 7 mm mag, that gun is now for sale, That is the worst cartridge ever dreamed up in my opinion.

charles p · « **Reply #43 on:** November 13, 2009, 03:43:12 AM »

If you have an 30-06, use it. With 150 grain bullets it will fill every whitetail situation you can encounter. I've taken about 50 with mine. The Remington Core-lokt is a good bullet to use.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #44 on:** November 13, 2009, 04:07:19 AM »

Nope it just right , a perfect gun for deer . It is just the tool to send the bullet out . Same bore as the 30-30 which some claim is the king of deer getters . So it would seem its the bullet that matters more . That said maybe a bullet in the 125 gr weight would be better than one weighing 180 gr for small deer , a 150-165 for med deer and 180 for the really big deer . Wait wind and distance could require a rise in bullet weight . And the bullet construction could cause a change . Don't forget the type woods or lack there of could require a certian bullet choice . How much recoil the shooter can stand might dictate load .
Point is a 3006 rifle can accomidate all the above with across the counter ammo . Yep its a good choice . Maybe the best choice . To much gun ? never saw anything that was to dead .

Swampman · « **Reply #45 on:** November 13, 2009, 05:35:10 AM »

The 180 grain Core-Lokt is better for about everything.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #46 on:** November 13, 2009, 05:52:03 AM »

Our deer are small an a 125 win pp seems to stop them . Never recover a bullet as they go thru. and leave a hole on the off side the size of a quarter . The only one i shot with a rem CL 180 wasted way to much meat . but like i say the deer here are small .

Halwg · « **Reply #47 on:** November 22, 2009, 02:57:52 PM »

In my opinion, there isn't such a thing as too much gun. On the other hand, there is definitely too little gun. Go with the former!

High Brass · « **Reply #48 on:** December 09, 2009, 07:32:13 AM »

I have killed two deer this year so far and both were taken with a 30-06 (Sporterized M1917 Enfield and Remington M760). One was a large doe here in NC in early November and a six point (eastern count) buck Thanksgiving week in WV. Ironically, both were shot at no more than 25 yards, more like 20, and neither went out of sight after the shot. I also didn't loose any meat to speak of. I never felt overgunned but yeah, probably more power than needed.

Swampman · « **Reply #49 on:** December 09, 2009, 07:36:40 AM »

Light fast bullets ruin more meat than heavy bullets.

mirage1988 · « **Reply #50 on:** December 09, 2009, 07:56:10 AM »

Poor shot placement is what ruins meat- not the caliber or the bullet.

yellowtail3 · « **Reply #51 on:** December 09, 2009, 08:32:22 AM »

Quote

IS the 30-06 too much gun for average deer?

Not too much, but most of the time it's more than you need.

The same could be said about the 30-30, but at different ranges

jmayton · « **Reply #52 on:** December 09, 2009, 08:53:16 AM »

Anything bigger than a .22 Hornet is too much and kills them way too well for my taste

skb2706 · « **Reply #53 on:** December 09, 2009, 09:31:03 AM »

Quote from: mirage1988 on December 09, 2009, 07:56:10 AM

Poor shot placement is what ruins meat- not the caliber or the bullet.

+1 on that..............

BUCKDUSTER · « **Reply #54 on:** December 09, 2009, 03:23:04 PM »

mogwai · « **Reply #55 on:** December 12, 2009, 05:14:01 PM »

Quote from: rickt300 on September 05, 2008, 03:39:20 PM

Recoil isn't really an issue but massive destruction caused by full power reloads and factory loads is. I have come to the conclusion that my 7x57 which I push a 150 grain bullet to 2700 fps is just about perfect for deer. I could load my old favorite 30-06 down a bit to this level easily or as I have been doing use heavier bullets at standard velocities. This approach also seems overkill on deer weighing less than 200 pounds at ranges less than 150 yards.

Either you just don't know how to use that '06 or you are trolling with stinky bait...again.

How is .284 w/150 gr @ 2700 different than .308 w/180 gr @2700?

You need to stop shooting deer in the hams.

Brithunter · « **Reply #56 on:** December 12, 2009, 10:06:48 PM »

Quote

Is the 30-06 too much gun for average deer?

Hmmmm I dunno

never having seen a deer shooting one I cannot say if the recoil would be too much for them

Now seriously :-

Quote

How is .284 w/150 gr @ 2700 different than .308 w/180 gr @2700?

Hmmm let's see

1) there is 30 grains in weight difference

2) there is 0.024" difference in diameter. Cannot be bothered to work the area out

.

So regardless that the velocities are the same the actual hitting power is quite different. The 0.308 bullet hits harder and due to it's larger diameter and frontal area it delivers more of a blow on impact than the 0.284 bullet. However changing the bullet type would also have an effect but if someone is happier with the 7mm verses the .30 cal then that's fine by me

Swampman · « **Reply #57 on:** December 13, 2009, 02:14:52 AM »

As of last week the only centerfire boltaction I still own is my Remington Model 700 .30-06. I just never hunted with the others.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #58 on:** December 13, 2009, 05:31:51 AM »

Nice looking rifle, fat buck, and a good ATV.

mrbigtexan · « **Reply #59 on:** December 13, 2009, 04:50:10 PM »

Quote from: Swampman on December 13, 2009, 02:14:52 AM

As of last week the only centerfire boltaction I still own is my Remington Model 700 .30-06. I just never hunted with the others.

what

why, you can never have too many rifles.