natedog
Member
With proper shot placement, good bullet selection, and resonable range (within 200 yards) will a .30-06 take elk? What about moose, brown bear, grizzly bear, etc?
.30-06 for big North American game
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Tropical Z
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Regardless of all the magnum hype running around these days,.30-06 is enough for ANY North American game as far im concerned.If you cant get it with .30-06 you arent hunting in the real world.
Mannlicher
Member
General purpose, yes, but can the 30/06 handle anything on the continent, yes. No question at all.
The rifle will do it. The cartridge will do it. Anything in the lower 48 I'd take after with an '06. I use handloaded 165 gr sierra game king btsp bullets for deer/elk/antelope/black bear.
If I was going to add moose to my list I have a couple of boxes of 220gr round nose soft points I'm planning to load up at around 2400-2500fps, those bullets are as long as a 38 special case
they should do the job.
For big bears I'd rather pack a bigger rifle. .375 H&H magnum.
If I was going to add moose to my list I have a couple of boxes of 220gr round nose soft points I'm planning to load up at around 2400-2500fps, those bullets are as long as a 38 special case
they should do the job.For big bears I'd rather pack a bigger rifle. .375 H&H magnum.
Wildalaska
member
Cant even tell ya the number of bear guides that still use 30-06
WildoldreliableAlaska
WildoldreliableAlaska
James Bondrock
Member
It will work on any of them, although I have read that some Alaskan guides prefer you use at least a .30 magnum on the really big salmon-fed bears. But I have never been to Alaska, either.
Vern Humphrey
Member
The great advantage of the .30-06 is that the average guy can shoot it well, and shoot it a lot (imagine if recruits would start flinching halfway through the qualification course!!)
In modern "Lite Magnum" and "Hi Energy" loads, I've seen published velocity figures for 3,000 fps for a 180 grain Nosler Partition Jacket bullet. I've not put any of those loads over the chronograph, but I will tell you that a 180 grain Nosler PJ will flatten anything on this continent, if you do your part.
In modern "Lite Magnum" and "Hi Energy" loads, I've seen published velocity figures for 3,000 fps for a 180 grain Nosler Partition Jacket bullet. I've not put any of those loads over the chronograph, but I will tell you that a 180 grain Nosler PJ will flatten anything on this continent, if you do your part.
Smokey Joe
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.30-'06, Hurray!
Vern makes a telling point. While using enough gun is important, it is equally important to be able to hit what you aim at. The venerable '06 doesn't beat you up so much that you won't get out there and shoot it on the range, A LOT. A brown bear or a moose is going to be much more impressed with a well-placed '06 round through his boiler room, than with any number of .300 whoop-te-doo rounds flung over his shoulder and between his legs.
I too have had real good results with the Sierra 165 gr game king. And the Nosler Partition Jacket is yet a step up in performance beyond that.
Vern makes a telling point. While using enough gun is important, it is equally important to be able to hit what you aim at. The venerable '06 doesn't beat you up so much that you won't get out there and shoot it on the range, A LOT. A brown bear or a moose is going to be much more impressed with a well-placed '06 round through his boiler room, than with any number of .300 whoop-te-doo rounds flung over his shoulder and between his legs.
I too have had real good results with the Sierra 165 gr game king. And the Nosler Partition Jacket is yet a step up in performance beyond that.
Smokey Joe
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Why the question ?
Because new shooters keep coming up, and new this-week's-new-miracle rounds keep coming up, and ya can't sit back on yer laurels. Agreed, the '06 has been proven for a century. That's true of the Win M94 carbine in .30-30, too, and that round has probably taken more legal deer than any other, but age and veneration don't make it the best rifle or cartridge for the job.
Heck, although my dear old '06, in the form of a sporterized O3A3 Springfield, 60 yrs. old, is still my main hunting rifleÑgot it a new set of optics this year, and it's doing better than everÑI too got a .300 whoop-te-do this year. But you can bet I practice with it. It's heavy enough not to beat me up, and if I ever, ever should be afforded that once-in-a-lifetime 450 yd. shot...
Because new shooters keep coming up, and new this-week's-new-miracle rounds keep coming up, and ya can't sit back on yer laurels. Agreed, the '06 has been proven for a century. That's true of the Win M94 carbine in .30-30, too, and that round has probably taken more legal deer than any other, but age and veneration don't make it the best rifle or cartridge for the job.
Heck, although my dear old '06, in the form of a sporterized O3A3 Springfield, 60 yrs. old, is still my main hunting rifleÑgot it a new set of optics this year, and it's doing better than everÑI too got a .300 whoop-te-do this year. But you can bet I practice with it. It's heavy enough not to beat me up, and if I ever, ever should be afforded that once-in-a-lifetime 450 yd. shot...
Smokey , I understand the newbies but they should do a search on the forum and read some books first. Then we could answer some of more detailed questions. Mine by the way is a sporterized Mark I, of 1918 vintage. It's got two ejection ports !!
To me, the way to go is to look at a reloading manual, or go to one of the powder companies websites and compare the numbers of the '06 against the others. Take a given weight of bullet and see what the '06 does vs. other calibers when shooting the same weight bullet.
I realize this doesn't tell the whole story, but it will probably renew your respect for the '06 or give you new found respect for it. The old '06 doesn't get a lot of press these days, but that doesn't take anything away from it.
I realize this doesn't tell the whole story, but it will probably renew your respect for the '06 or give you new found respect for it. The old '06 doesn't get a lot of press these days, but that doesn't take anything away from it.
Don't discount the 30-06. My son at 16 shot an elk at 250-300 yards with a handloaded 30-06 using a Barnes "X" 180 grain bullet with 55g of H-4350. Elk ran about 50 yards and collapsed. The other guy in our group was shooting 300 Win Mag. Got nothing but shot plenty. Shot placement is the key. Now if I could just get the kid to quit bragging how he is 2 kills with 2 bullets!
HankB
Member
I've used my .30'06 on kudu, zebra, wildebeest, etc. with no problems, so elk and moose would be fine - no need to look further.
I'd really prefer something like a .338 or .375 if I were going after a polar bear or a big Kodiak, but with the right bullet and good shot placement the old '06 will still do the job, just as it has for the better part of a century.
I'd really prefer something like a .338 or .375 if I were going after a polar bear or a big Kodiak, but with the right bullet and good shot placement the old '06 will still do the job, just as it has for the better part of a century.
Benton
Member
I agree that the .30-06 is adequate for taking all North American large animals (though I'd prefer something larger for elk and brown bears). I never got a full understanding of why Elmer Keith had such a low opinion of the round. His book on hunting North American big game takes a number of opportunities to relate the cartridges failures in putting down even medium sized animals, such as white tail deer. While he had more hunting experience than I'll ever dream of, his observations on the .30-06 do not bear resemblance to those I or many others have accumulated.
MLC
Member.
No wonder my shoulder hurt!
My first bolt gun was a sporterized 1917 complete with metal buttplate.
I took it to the range with the complementary 25 round box of Federal high energy 180's.
I have no doubt that a 180g 30 cal at '06 velocities will knock the stuffing out of anything in the US within reasonable range.
Sunray
Member
"...Alaskan guides prefer you use at least a .30 magnum..." They'd rather see you hunting with a rifle you can shoot well over any magnum round. Too many people think a magnum round will make up for sloppy shooting. It won't. It'll make it worse and just pound them into next week.
The .30-06 will take any game in North America. Moose and big bears included. Using the right bullet and placing the shot into the vitals.
The .30-06 will take any game in North America. Moose and big bears included. Using the right bullet and placing the shot into the vitals.
Smokey Joe
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Newbies, Elmer Kieth, and the '06
I think there were 2 major reasons, to whit: 1. Kieth was the kind of man who made up his mind and that was that, don't confuse him with more facts, and if you dare to disagree with him you wear lace underwear, and, 2. The excellent bullets of today that make every cartridge much more versatile just didn't exist in Kieth's day, let alone chronographs and many other modern tools of the reloader.
BTW, I grant you that Kieth had a ton of practical experience, and a lot of what he advised, taken with a grain of salt, is still valid. But. . .
For newbiesÑAND ANYONE for that matterÑthere is nothing like information and more information, when trying to make a decision like what cartridge to plan to use in a given situation. Today we have a welter of reloading manuals, technical info from manufacturers, and of course the I'net, with sources like THR. Granted some of it is mere opinion, and some of it conflicts, but on the whole, more information is better than less information, from which you can sift and winnow what you need.
I think there were 2 major reasons, to whit: 1. Kieth was the kind of man who made up his mind and that was that, don't confuse him with more facts, and if you dare to disagree with him you wear lace underwear, and, 2. The excellent bullets of today that make every cartridge much more versatile just didn't exist in Kieth's day, let alone chronographs and many other modern tools of the reloader.
BTW, I grant you that Kieth had a ton of practical experience, and a lot of what he advised, taken with a grain of salt, is still valid. But. . .
For newbiesÑAND ANYONE for that matterÑthere is nothing like information and more information, when trying to make a decision like what cartridge to plan to use in a given situation. Today we have a welter of reloading manuals, technical info from manufacturers, and of course the I'net, with sources like THR. Granted some of it is mere opinion, and some of it conflicts, but on the whole, more information is better than less information, from which you can sift and winnow what you need.
WonderNine
member
Cripes, alot of people have taken Elk with .243.
A .30-06 is almost overkill on most game if you don't want a mess.
A .30-06 is almost overkill on most game if you don't want a mess.
ojibweindian
Member
I used a .30-06 last year for deer. Got rid of it for some reloading equipment because the rifle was too darn light.
Now I am using a Yugo for all my hunting needs. The 8x57 is in the same power class as the .30-06, the Yugo is heavy enough to not punish my shoulder, and I am confident in the 8x57's ability to cleanly kill anything I'd likely to into contact.
Now I am using a Yugo for all my hunting needs. The 8x57 is in the same power class as the .30-06, the Yugo is heavy enough to not punish my shoulder, and I am confident in the 8x57's ability to cleanly kill anything I'd likely to into contact.
Elmer Keith & the 30.06 ...
Just a thought ...
I've read Elmer's book, "Big Game Rifles & Cartridges," and it was quickly obvious that he wasn't a fan of the 30.06. My impression, admittedly subjective, was that his complaints about its apparent marginal killing-power on larger game resulted from the performance of indequate/poorly-constructed bullets, leading him to blame the cartridge instead of the projectile.
Today, that problem has been all but eliminated, both for the handloader, who's got a huge selection of high-grade, "custom" bullets from which to choose, and even for those who don't reload, because the major ammo-makers all offer 30.06 loads topped with some type of premium-grade bullet (Nosler, Barnes, Swift, Speer, etc). Shot placement with a 30.06 on larger game is still critical, but we now have the benefit of the finest bullets available, while Elmer's generation didn't.
Were Elmer writing today on the basis of hunting experience with such bullets, his opinion on the killing power of the 30.06 would probably be far different.
Just a thought ...
I've read Elmer's book, "Big Game Rifles & Cartridges," and it was quickly obvious that he wasn't a fan of the 30.06. My impression, admittedly subjective, was that his complaints about its apparent marginal killing-power on larger game resulted from the performance of indequate/poorly-constructed bullets, leading him to blame the cartridge instead of the projectile.
Today, that problem has been all but eliminated, both for the handloader, who's got a huge selection of high-grade, "custom" bullets from which to choose, and even for those who don't reload, because the major ammo-makers all offer 30.06 loads topped with some type of premium-grade bullet (Nosler, Barnes, Swift, Speer, etc). Shot placement with a 30.06 on larger game is still critical, but we now have the benefit of the finest bullets available, while Elmer's generation didn't.
Were Elmer writing today on the basis of hunting experience with such bullets, his opinion on the killing power of the 30.06 would probably be far different.
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