The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - .30-06: Still a great choice?

Paul B. · March 5, 2000, 02:21 AM

Huntschool. I like your attitude. One shooters rule!

I have #1's in 7x57, .270, 30-06,.300 Win. Mag. .375 H&H, and 45-70.
However the question concerns the 30-06. As he already has a .308 Win.,I would have to agree that an 06 would be a bit superflous.
But, if he used one of the high powered loads By Hornady or Federal in his .308, he would be so close to what the 06 is supposed to put out, that having an 06 would be redundancy. Using the same type ammo in an 06 would be pushing the .300 magnums. Well, I have both. The best of both worlds.
I'm not too big a fan of the super magnums like the .300 RUM or 7MM STW. I like to get close to my quarry. Long shots don't thrill me. I prefer to shoot at 200 yards or less, and preferably, much less. In 40 years of hunting, I have made only two shots past 200 yards. One, a deer at about 250 yards and a deer that was getting away wounded at 427 paces. Both shots were made with a .308 Win., so this proves to me at least, that the .308 is fine for antelope. The 150 gr. Sierra was used on the longer shot, and the 165 gr. Speer on the shorter of the two. I have settled on the 165 gr. Speer for all my hunting, from antelope to elk with my .308's.
Don't get me wrong. I use .338 mags, .35Whelans, .375x338 Mag., and a few other large caliber rifles. Try varminting with a .375 H&H sometime. Ground squirrels with 300 gr Silvertips. It was great practice for an elk hunt in open timber. The rifle was new and it was the best way to get used to it. Hell on the squirrels too.
Let's face it. .270, .308, .280, 30-06; these rifles are basically all in the same class. The 06 might give you maybe 50 yards over the .308. The .300 mag. about 100 yards more usable range than an 06, if you are capable of shooting that far. Most of us, if we are honest, are not. Yes, I made a shot at 427 paces. I'll be the first one to admit itthough, it was a luck shot. Good luck for me, and bad luck for the deer. Or maybe it was good luck for the deer at that. It did end his suffering.
I don't have much love for the 7MM mag. A .270 or .280 with proper reloads will come close to thje 7MM mag., especially the .280 Rem. with proper reloads, and it will handle the same bullet weighs as the 7 mag. up to 175 gr. Wasn't much help, was I?
JMHO.
Paul B.

March 5, 2000, 02:21 AM	#6
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,802	Huntschool. I like your attitude. One shooters rule! I have #1's in 7x57, .270, 30-06,.300 Win. Mag. .375 H&H, and 45-70. However the question concerns the 30-06. As he already has a .308 Win.,I would have to agree that an 06 would be a bit superflous. But, if he used one of the high powered loads By Hornady or Federal in his .308, he would be so close to what the 06 is supposed to put out, that having an 06 would be redundancy. Using the same type ammo in an 06 would be pushing the .300 magnums. Well, I have both. The best of both worlds. I'm not too big a fan of the super magnums like the .300 RUM or 7MM STW. I like to get close to my quarry. Long shots don't thrill me. I prefer to shoot at 200 yards or less, and preferably, much less. In 40 years of hunting, I have made only two shots past 200 yards. One, a deer at about 250 yards and a deer that was getting away wounded at 427 paces. Both shots were made with a .308 Win., so this proves to me at least, that the .308 is fine for antelope. The 150 gr. Sierra was used on the longer shot, and the 165 gr. Speer on the shorter of the two. I have settled on the 165 gr. Speer for all my hunting, from antelope to elk with my .308's. Don't get me wrong. I use .338 mags, .35Whelans, .375x338 Mag., and a few other large caliber rifles. Try varminting with a .375 H&H sometime. Ground squirrels with 300 gr Silvertips. It was great practice for an elk hunt in open timber. The rifle was new and it was the best way to get used to it. Hell on the squirrels too. Let's face it. .270, .308, .280, 30-06; these rifles are basically all in the same class. The 06 might give you maybe 50 yards over the .308. The .300 mag. about 100 yards more usable range than an 06, if you are capable of shooting that far. Most of us, if we are honest, are not. Yes, I made a shot at 427 paces. I'll be the first one to admit itthough, it was a luck shot. Good luck for me, and bad luck for the deer. Or maybe it was good luck for the deer at that. It did end his suffering. I don't have much love for the 7MM mag. A .270 or .280 with proper reloads will come close to thje 7MM mag., especially the .280 Rem. with proper reloads, and it will handle the same bullet weighs as the 7 mag. up to 175 gr. Wasn't much help, was I? JMHO. Paul B.