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Old June 21, 2017, 09:36 PM   #1
Wildernesshunter
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The 'ole aught six.....

Ok....so help me understand here.......

You live in North America.....

You hunt about every tag you can draw......

If you only could have one gun.....

....what would it be?



I have been the down the road of....many a boutique caliber. Most I absolutely loved.

At the end of the day, my grand-dads.....Rem 721 that was handed down to me, seems to be the "do all" gun. I have named her, "meat in the pot".

I can run 110gr pills down her throat at coyotes.....or bulk her up to the 220's to pound bear and she likes them all.

What am I missing???????


........
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Old June 21, 2017, 09:55 PM   #2
kilimanjaro
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Nothing.

The .30-06 is a fine choice in a hunting caliber and you'll always find ammo for it anywhere.

Classic rounds are a good option, excellent then, excellent now.
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Old June 21, 2017, 10:05 PM   #3
john in jax
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It is a shopping mindset where people often (mistakenly) believe newer is better. Or the "I have to have the latest and greatest . . .", "keeping up with the Jones" cultural identity crisis.

American Rifleman, Guns and Ammo etc.... have degenerated to just cheap tabloid ad rags marketing to those gullable enough to ignore many decades of proven field performance and trust instead a quick and dirty range report. But you know it keeps the gun industry thriving and a significant number of people employed so I guess it can't be all bad.

But the .30-06 is way too old. I am of a much newer and better, modern cartridge called the ..308 Winchester. :-)))
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Old June 21, 2017, 10:43 PM   #4
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I just tell people my old P17 is chambered in an exotic wildcat called ".300 Whelen."
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Old June 21, 2017, 10:48 PM   #5
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Here we go again.
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Old June 22, 2017, 06:05 AM   #6
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last week in africa my friend shot a 56" kudu bull with a 3006 with a remington 180gr corelock factory bullet, it didn,t make 40 yards before going down for the count. eastbank.
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Old June 22, 2017, 06:33 AM   #7
GeauxTide
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I would want a 24" barrel to push 150s over 3000, 165s over 2900, and 180s over 2800. Craig Boddington said it best, " I always come back to the '06."
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Old June 22, 2017, 06:54 AM   #8
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I used a 30/06 exclusively for several years at the beginning of my hunting career. It was good for most everything. Then I found that there were far better options for specific uses. I still have several 06's but don't use them much anymore as the need for a "do-it-all" rifle is past.
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Old June 22, 2017, 07:06 AM   #9
Wyosmith
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My wife wants a "One rifle for all things" and so I made her a 30-06 on a Mauser.
I have a small safe full of guns. I like guns! So more is better.
But like so many others from all over the USA, as well as some in Europe and at least 4 I know in Australia and new Zealand, we all agree if you had to own only one rifle for hunting "everything", the closest one to cover the bases is the 30-06. If you live in Africa and in a nation where you can still hunt, the 375H&H or the 9.3X62 are probably the best "all round guns" but for the lower 48 States, and for Canada the 30-06 is it.
The 375 is excellent, but cost more to shoot and kicks harder. It's extra power is really only needed when hunting Buffalo or when facing a charge from a bear, both of which are shots most north American hunters will never need. So getting a gun that does everything including hit harder, and yet gives up economy so you can't afford to become an excellent marksman may be a poorer choice.

I have shot a barrel out of my 375H&H, and I know what it takes to do that. It's on it's 2nd one. I love that old rifle. But now, at 61 years old I have to admit that for most purposes, 99% of hunters would be better off with a 30-06.
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Old June 22, 2017, 07:19 AM   #10
agtman
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Gotta Love the '06!

Quote:
Ok....so help me understand here.......
You live in North America.....
You hunt about every tag you can draw......
If you only could have one gun.....
....what would it be?
I have been the down the road of....many a boutique caliber. Most I absolutely loved.
At the end of the day, my grand-dads.....Rem 721 that was handed down to me, seems to be the "do all" gun. I have named her, "meat in the pot".
I can run 110gr pills down her throat at coyotes.....or bulk her up to the 220's to pound bear and she likes them all.


What am I missing???????
Nothing to miss. The old '06 never misses ... unless you fugly the shot.

The 30.06, while beginning its life in military trim and gaining initial fame on the battlefield, is also America's most distinguished hunting cartridge. One might be tempted to amend that last to add: "in the lower 48" - but even in the wilds of Alaska, the ol' '06 can hold its own in most situations.

If I lived in Alaska, though, I'd surely have my BRNO 375H&H right there on the rack next to my old Ruger Express.

Ruger Express in 30.06.


And as was noted, the '06 cartridge imparts a high versatility of use, and can be loaded up or down for a wide range of hunting applications. Chambering platforms include bolt, pump, or semi-automatic actions.

All that said, up at our cabin in the boonies around here, an '06 rides right with me on our ATV, comfortably holstered in a side scabbard.

Based on a certain famous military action ( ), it's called a Mini-G. But I'd still have it with me even up in Alaska.

Mini-G in 30.06.



Last edited by agtman; June 22, 2017 at 05:25 PM.
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Old June 22, 2017, 07:27 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wildernesshunter
If you only could have one gun.....

....what would it be?
270 Winchester....Specifically my old model 70.

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Old June 22, 2017, 07:45 AM   #12
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I shot one deer with the 30-06, I loaded a 125 grain bullet, probably going over 3000 fps (it was before cheap chronographs) and it did the job. Range was less than fifty yards, probably 35 yards, not exactly a long range shot.

I have shot 30-06 barrels out in competition, it is an accurate cartridge though it kicks more than the 308 Win for the same velocity. I am primarily a paper puncher, but I would not hesitate to take the 30-06 out hunting medium to large game.

I bedded two pre 64 M70's in 30-06 and took them to CMP Talladega. I am very happy with the overall results, which gave round groups.

This rifle has a Weaver 4X scope from the 1950's. Not as good optically as the Burris 6X on the other rifle, that Burris is from the 1970's.




This is a 5.7 inch extreme spread, seventeen shot group at 300 yards. This rifle will hold within a pie pan at 300 yards, so I consider it good to go.



This one seems to have a slightly better barrel.











I decided to try the thing at 600 yards. It took me thirteen rounds before I got into the ten ring, some rounds were completely off target. This is a comment for those who think they can make long range shots using only book values. You have to zero the rifle and the load at distance, and even then, at distances around 500 to 600 yards, the slightest puff of wind between you and the target will blow the bullet out. Anyway, I was very surprised and pleased to find that this load and rifle shot seven shots in 7 and 3/4" at 600 yards. The ammunition had been loaded in the 1980's, the charges were thrown, and I was using Remington Core Lokt bullets. One very fortunate thing was that the winds were usually still when I was shooting. I have not figured out the wind patterns at CMP Talladega.

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Old June 22, 2017, 07:54 AM   #13
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I won't disagree with the logic. In fact that is the decision I made in 1975 and hunted with the same 30-06 rifle almost exclusively for most of the next 40 years. But as much as I like the round, I'd advise younger shooters to make a different choice today for a variety of reasons.

Back in the day most shooters were primarily hunters and the trend was to only have one rifle. Going to a range and shooting lots of rounds down range just wasn't something most shooters did. A couple of boxes a year was typical. And no one limits themselves to one rifle any more.

Today most shooters are primarily shooters at the range; many never hunt but even for those who do hunting is secondary. For firing hundreds or even thousands of rounds down range each year there are better options that cost a lot less to feed and don't recoil nearly as much.

The advancements in powder, bullets, optics, etc. have made all cartridges far more capable. In the 21st century the 30-06 is best used on game like large Alaskan bear, moose or elk. If that were the primary game hunted then a 30-06 would still be a top pick. But the fact is that most hunters NEVER hunt any of those game animals.

There are several options today that cost less to shoot, recoil less, and are much better suited for the game most of us actually hunt. And for that occasional chance on larger game they would be at least as effective as 30-06 loads from years ago. The best 308 loads beat WW-2 era 30-06 loads by at least 100 fps.

With todays bullets and loads there is nothing I'd hunt with a 30-06 that I'd not also hunt with any of the 6.5's, a 7-08, or 308. And there are only a handful I'd not hunt with a 243.
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Old June 22, 2017, 08:48 AM   #14
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The 30-06 old tho it may be is still the greatest thing since sliced bread.
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Old June 22, 2017, 11:25 AM   #15
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Odd, I have 7 30-06s. Two Garands, Model 1903A3, M1903A4, M1917, Pre-64 Model 70, and post 64 Model 70.

I don't hunt with an '06. For antelope/deer, I use my Model 70 Featherweight in 257 Rbts. Elk, its my Model 70 Featherweight in 270 Win.

However last year I got to playing with my Ruger American Predator in 6.5 CM. I drew an elk tag and I'll probably try the 6.5 for it.

However for an 'Only One" the 30-06 would be hard to beat. It was picked after all as the Alaskan State Rifle, that being a pre-64 Model 70 in 30-06.
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Old June 22, 2017, 11:27 AM   #16
Sure Shot Mc Gee
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Certainly not the 30-06.
My preferenced Cartridge: 270 Winchester. I'm a deer hunter. That's all I hunt and I do it well. No bear no elk no feral pig no mule deer. I stick to what I know best. White Tail Deer.
I eat what I kill. (No eatable meat is given away or taken to a dump or left to rot.) That gents is wanton waste in my book.

Rifle preferenced: Sig Sauer Model 202 Supreme Deluxe.
Reason: Its a Take Down {very accurate} bolt rifle. I have 3 barrels of different calibers for my 202 rifle. Such barrels can be purchased at whim from Sig Sauer without their need to be fitted to their receiver. (Takes less than 3-min to change out my rifles barrel to a different caliber.) Such hunting rifles of Sig design or similar? American rifle manufactures will never ever make.
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Old June 22, 2017, 11:53 AM   #17
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Everyone I know tells me how boring my 06 is.
They're right it is boringly accurate even though it was issued in 1942.
I have loads in 130, 150, 155, 165, and 180 grain bullets that all shoot sub MOA groups out to 200 yards. I can hunt anything from rabbit to elk with it. It is boring but it is also exciting to routinely down game.
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Old June 22, 2017, 12:02 PM   #18
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30-06 is awesome but the 308 is better on the shoulder the older you get. Mine fires 200GR NP just fine and it can do anything the 06 can. Boring and dependable is good so shoot what you are comfortable with.

The 7mm-08 is a sneaky good gun as well.
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Old June 22, 2017, 12:59 PM   #19
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You can always get a good butt pad and your shoulder issue is taken care of.

That said, the 30-06 hit the sweet spot caliber wise (maybe on the 6.5 comes close to bullet choices and can't come close to larger ones) .

Throw in another aspect, as it was a large cartridge, as powder has improved, you could also improve the limits.

What takes a compressed charge in a 308 to come close, the 30-06 does with aplomb.

You can load it to stay super sonic to 1000 yards. 308 has issues there.

Want to do to 1500 yards, 30-06 can do that.

The only cartridge I feel come close is the 7.5 Swiss, it has all the 06 has in a more efficient package. Sadly its too restricted to Switzerland to be a competitor. In a modern rifle, it will exceed the 06.

Candy and nuts aside, there is simply nothing as versatile as the 06.

I build one in a bench rest gun and love it (only one heavy barrel out there (Remington) and its designed for VLD bullets))
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Old June 22, 2017, 01:04 PM   #20
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Quote:
There are several options today that cost less to shoot, recoil less, and are much better suited for the game most of us actually hunt. And for that occasional chance on larger game they would be at least as effective as 30-06 loads from years ago. The best 308 loads beat WW-2 era 30-06 loads by at least 100 fps.
Flip the logic on its head.

How often is recoil and issue hunting? Frankly I never hear or felt the shot.

And a good butt pad negates the recoil when target shooting.

My dad hunted tiny Sitka Black tail deer to moose with his. My step dads father hunted moose, woods caribou (size of an Elk, we saw one once up at their old homestead) and took something like 8 really big brown bears to remove them from the living area (that area just was rife with larger than normal animals as it was fat city for them) .
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Old June 22, 2017, 02:15 PM   #21
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In North America, it's hard to beat the 30-06 for a "do-all rifle" chambering. In Europe, the 8X57 enjoys that spot. And in most places around the world, the 308 is rapidly becoming the "go-to" cartridge of choice. Me, I like a 7X57, but the '06 still works.
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Old June 22, 2017, 02:29 PM   #22
zipspyder
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You can make the 30-06 recoil pad as soft as you want but you're still getting 20Lbs+ of bark and jump that is just plain uncomfortable for a lot of people. And if I'm shooting at 1000 yards the 06 or 308 isn't what I'd recommend. That being said I do agree the 30-06 is the best over all gun capable of taking every NA game and most African. The 308 will do for all but the dangerous brown bears.
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Old June 22, 2017, 04:58 PM   #23
AllenJ
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Quote:
If you only could have one gun.....

....what would it be?
I don't like questions like this, they ask me to pretend I can only have one gun!

The 30-06 is a wonderful cartridge, the first rifle I ever purchased was chambered for it and I've missed it everyday since I sold the gun. It would be a great choice for the one gun guy but there are others out there that can compete with it. The 280 Remington, 270 and 308 Winchester are all great chamberings too. Some may say that those can't shoot as heavy a bullet as the 30-06, or in the 308's case can't shoot it as well, but I'd point out that lighter weight premium bullets and better powders have given handloaders an edge and they can be made as effective as the 30-06. In the end my opinion really is just that, my opinion, and if you like the 30-06 then that is what you should own. I still miss mine
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Old June 22, 2017, 07:54 PM   #24
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"How often is recoil and issue hunting? Frankly I never hear or felt the shot."
It's not the kill shot that causes flinching.
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Old June 22, 2017, 09:02 PM   #25
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Love the 06, my first centerfire. Still have a few.
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