Why do you "like" the 30.06?

[saddlebum]

Nice piece of wood on that Mauser!   

[rickt300]

My old O3A3 considerably sporterized into a nice rifle and topped with a 4 power Leupold has knocked off just about everything you can shoot in America except any sort of sheep. I used Speer 180 and 200 grain spitzers most of the time with top loads of H4831. Heck it is great for providing brass for my 35 Whelen too. I should get the old rifle out and use it more but I have new toys I play with more now.

[maddogg]

Could thousands of GIs been wrong?
M1 Garand
1903 A3

[jrchurch254a]

I like the .30-06 because growing up all the folks who lived in the neighborhood and hunted used the .30-06.  So when it was time for me to buy a rifle the first caliber I bought was a ........... .270 Winchester...go figure.  Since then I have owned a couple .06 the latest one I have owned for about 20 years.  It now wears a synthetic stock since the original walnut cracked.  I am looking to buy a new walnut stock from Boyd's to get her back to what she use to look like when I first bought her.  I like the .06 because I can hunt every single critter on the continent and if I ever decide to stop reloading I can always find ammo.  It doesnt kick like a mule and as a reloader it has never been very picky on bullets or the powder I use, but I now stick to 4350 and 165 grain bullets.

[Ron T.]

While I don't own a .30/06 and never have owned one, if a man was to own only one rifle for North American big game, I believe the .30/06 is "THE" perfect caliber to own.  It has the tremendous variety of bullet weights and types plus the powder capacity to  shoot the most popular bullet weights in a very flat manner out to 300 yards or further with some of the lighter .30 caliber bullets.

It has sufficient power to take all the North American non-dangerous game and, it a pinch, will also handle the "big bears" using deep penetrating bullets at reasonable ranges as long as the hunter has a guide backing him up with a .338 Win. Mag. or a .375 H&H Magnum.

And the experts who have s tudied recoil and it's effect on most hunters claim that the amount of recoil that a .30/06  generates is at the top of the recoil energy list that the vast majority of hunters can handle without developing a flinch.

All these facts and figures indicate how highly-qualified the .30/06 is to be  named the "Best All-Around Rifle Caliber For North American Big Game".

And if I had to choose ONLY one caliber and one rifle for that caliber use for ALL North American big game hunting, it would be a .30/06 in a Remington 700 BDL rifle due to the Remington 700 BDL's excellent accuracy and solid good looks.

Jus' my 2 ¢... 


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

[charles p]

This question can go on and on forever.  It has been my experience that many people purchase a 30-06 as their first rifle and then something else for future selections.  I know that was my case. 
The 30-06 is nearly perfect for anything in the US. It is accurate, efficcient, readily available, and gets the job done.  Nobody should ever be concerned with the effectiveness of the 30-06.  It is an excellent cartridge, and well balanced for many bullet weights.  I personally favor the 150 grain for whitetails but I see lots of people who like 165 and 180.  I've used them all and all are excellent.
It is hard to find something negative about the 30-06 unless it is that both of your neighbors have one and you want something different.

[Dalgo]

Savage_99, that's a real purdy gun you got there. Wow!  I have owned 10 .30-06s in my time (off and on that I can remember). I now own 2. Just bought one last week. I think I'll pass the other one on to my son-in-law. I love the gun, and it's been a real game producer for me. I've only had it since 2007, but I don't need two, and it is accurate! Been real lucky for me. Maybe for him, too. I think that everyone should have at least one '06' in their stable. Only other caliber that I've had a few of is the .270, but I think the .30-06 is a better caliber (for me). I don't think I'll ever be without one. Lovin' my new one.

[454Puma]

Well it was my first high power rifle.  Savage 110F that one went down the road for a Rem 7400 which is the only '06 I have now.  Love the cartridge it has done everything I've ask of it.  I have settled on the SEI 165 gr BT for just about everything I hunt, muley's mostly. and 4350 is my powder of choice though IMR 4895 seems to work better in the Rem 7400.   

[RWK]

I guess we like the cal. because it WORKS!

[goodconcretecolor]

I bought a used Mossberg/Howa 1500 for $285 with a 3x9x40  Charles Daley scope in 1991. Restocked and bedded action and barrel myself. Sub-MOA with good hand loads and a few factory loads. I have collected reduced load recipes that give good accurracy with "O" buck pellet at1300fps, a .30carbine replicating load that is a great practice load as well as full power hunting loads. My favorite powder is IMR 4350 as well. Use a charge of 56 grains with either 150 or 165 grain bullets.
It is one gun good for squirrels to moose(Rocky to Bullwinkle)

[RevJim]

 I'm stil waiting on my rebarreled Mod 700 Mountain Rifle. I have some of Hogdons Youth loads with Sierra 125's loaded up. These should be fine for my grandson or hunting out of a tree down in Texas.
 My riflestock was stripped, sanded, and is having new burl wood endcap/pistol grip cap, and an oil finish. All the metal will be painted/cured with black Duracoat. I will slap on this leupold 2.5x8 on it and have a ball this summer with it! I shot a bunch of Rockchucks with an '06 and the Nosler 125BT with a friend up in Yalima, WA, few years back. man oh man! It looked like it opended them up like a suitcase! ha.

[Dalgo]

Well, I've had my new .30-06 toy for about four weeks now, and I've taken it out every weekend to shoot. It's one of the new Sako Black Bears that recently came out.  Equipped it with a Z3 Swaro 3-9X in detachable mounts (it comes w/iron sights). Very balanced, and fairly light weight. Have put almost 3 boxes of 150 gr bullets through it. Seems to like Federal Fusions, shooting them about .75" to 1.25" but it's early, the gun's not broken in, and the experimenting just started. Have 165s and 180s of different flavors of cartridges to try. Sooo many good makers of cartridges out there for this great caliber. And then the fun with reloading for it will start. I will christen it this summer, with.... Woodchucks! Got enough of them here in NE PA, lol.


My love affair w/the .30-06 started, as many others have, because of my dad. He had a sporterized Springfield, with a Bishop stock, and it had a Weaver K-3 (if I remember correctly) scope on it. I was in awe of the gun. When he passed, my older brother got the gun.  When I was of college age, I got myself a .30-06, and I have never been without one, whether a bolt, auto, pump, lever or single shot. Wow, I just realized as I write this, that I've had a .30-06 in every action type, at one time or another in my life. Says something about how I feel about the caliber (my favorite action types now are bolts and single shots).  Nostalgic for sure, but it's worked for me, and I have total confidence that the .30-06 will just get the job done.


Dalgo.

[alsatian]

I like the .30-06 because it is a versatile, capable cartridge and because of its tradition.  I have a springfield .30-06 that my father made.  He bought a walnut stock blank and made a beautiful stock with a roll-over cheek piece.  The length of pull is 15.5 inches, which is perfect for me, as I am 6' 2" tall.  The barrel and action are original Springfield equipment.  I have put a Leopold 3.5-9x 40 mm scope on it.  This rifle shoots very accurately.  It is my go-to elk rifle, shooting 180 grain Remington Core-lokt bullets.  I've taken two Bull elk with single shots with this rifle.  It is a real thrill using this beautiful rifle to hunt elk at 11000' in SW Colorado.
I have two .30-06 rifles.  The Springfield I described above and a Remington 700 ADL in a synthetic stock.  I use the Remington as a backup rifle for my hunts.  For example, when I go on a pronghorn antelope hunt, my primary rifle is a .25-06, but if that rifle gets buggered up, I have the Remington .30-06 backup to use.  That rifle, that cartridge is up to any hunting I would ever do: pronghorn antelope, deer, elk, bighorn, mountain goat, moose, black bear.
It is amusing that at some point in my youth, before I was a big game hunter but merely read books and magazine articles, I disparaged the .30-06.  It wasn't flat enough.  Well, I guess it is true other cartridges are flatter.  But at the same time, for realistic hunting ranges -- out to 250 yards or out to 300 yards -- the .30-06 has got what it takes.  Just funny I was thinking of the .30-06 as a fuddy-duddy, a has been.  Far from it.  The .30-06 is the real deal, friends.  This doesn't mean I don't like other catridges, I do.  I like the .25-06, I like the .338 Winchester Magnum.  But the .30-06 is the real deal.  You could hunt your whole life in the US with nothing other than the .30-06 and not feel like you were not adequately or properly equiped.

[RevGeo]

Like the man said 'A 30-06 is never a mistake'. It kills anything in N. America and that is where I hunt. I use 50gr of H380 behind a 180gr Hornady Interlock for everything I hunt here in N. Idaho. That's a bit under max which suits me fine.
That load has worked just fine on deer, elk, moose and bear. Now I want to see what it does to a wolf...The recoil from a well stocked '06 is easily handled by most folks. My 12 year old grandson shoots my 8lb sporter Mauser 98 with no problems.
I don't think anyone has made a better cartridge for American big game hunting since 1906. Maybe some that are just as good, but none really better.
 
George

[tomtomz]

I like the price to performance. It is a low priced, high performer.

I like it in my 98 Mauser Parker Hale conversion. Very sweet rifle, that one.

I likes my Weatherbys in all of their high priced glory and gloss finish,
but the FN Mauser in 30-06 is just a fun shooter out to 500Y.

I handload, and everything you need is easy to get.

Try finding 257 Weatherby out in remote areas, and you'll figure out why we love the 30-06.

[Savage_99]

Well, I've had my new .30-06 toy for about four weeks now, and I've taken it out every weekend to shoot. It's one of the new Sako Black Bears that recently came out.  Equipped it with a Z3 Swaro 3-9X in detachable mounts (it comes w/iron sights). Very balanced, and fairly light weight. Have put almost 3 boxes of 150 gr bullets through it. Seems to like Federal Fusions, shooting them about .75" to 1.25" but it's early, the gun's not broken in, and the experimenting just started. Have 165s and 180s of different flavors of cartridges to try. Sooo many good makers of cartridges out there for this great caliber. And then the fun with reloading for it will start. I will christen it this summer, with.... Woodchucks! Got enough of them here in NE PA, lol.


My love affair w/the .30-06 started, as many others have, because of my dad. He had a sporterized Springfield, with a Bishop stock, and it had a Weaver K-3 (if I remember correctly) scope on it. I was in awe of the gun. When he passed, my older brother got the gun.  When I was of college age, I got myself a .30-06, and I have never been without one, whether a bolt, auto, pump, lever or single shot. Wow, I just realized as I write this, that I've had a .30-06 in every action type, at one time or another in my life. Says something about how I feel about the caliber (my favorite action types now are bolts and single shots).  Nostalgic for sure, but it's worked for me, and I have total confidence that the .30-06 will just get the job done.


Dalgo.

Dalgo,

You wrote you would hunt woodchucks in PA last summer.

Did you find any?

[44 Man]

Ahh, she's a grand old cartridge!  After a lifetime of hunting with pistols and not owning any rifles at all, I got into H&R single shots and had a lot of fun.  But I decided I needed a good 'all around' gun, so when I picked up a Win 70 featherwt in .270, I thought I had it made.  But then I ran into an old 1917 Remington in '06 and loved it but it was a bit nose heavy.  So I sold that (dumb) and bought another Winchester M70 featherwt in 30-06 and I love it.  After shooting the '06 for a while, I sold the .270 since the '06 felt to me like it could do most anything that the .270 would and so much more!  The .270 would be good for antelope but so is the '06 with a 125 gr BT.  So I'm a happy man except that I now want a single shot '06, maybe another H&R or one of the Rem Spartan single shots look kind of interesting.  As has been said, you can't go wrong with one!  44 Man