I've kinda grown tired.....

[M14AMU]

lately of visiting on a few forums (not this one) where guys were 'head bashing' in a way the Old Warhorse aka 30/06; some saying it is outdated, too old to run with the new horses, just not fast enough, and on and on etc. etc! Well...I almost kinda take that as a slap in the face because this Ole Warhorse took me through my military years and was real good to me the entire time I used it. My first NRA HP Match Rifle was chambered for the 30/06; had me a fine competition stock made up and bought it from Al Freeland up Rock Island, Illinois way. When I stopped shooting competition about 15 years ago I pulled the barreled action out of the match stock, stuck it down into a discarded .458 Win Mag hunting style stock, pillar bedded the dude and used it as a LR hunting rifle. Today I took it to the range and fired 20 shots from 600 yards and the results can be seen in below photo. If I had this dude in a Tac Stock configuration I do believe I could shoot the through-bolt on this plate completely away! White bull is 20" diameter. Sometimes I think 'young whippersnappers' don't eat the right foods and must be drinkin bad whiskey!!

UPDATE

Sorry guys...don't know what happened to the original photo I put here; guess I must have deleted it messing around in Flickr! Here's 11 rounds I shot this morning from 1000 yds. as I was establishing a zero for the Ole Warhorse. Total vertical is 7" by 6 1/2 horizontal. Was shooting Berger 190 VLDs with 53.6 grs. H4350 and Russian primers. First round hit slightly off ten ring plate at 10 o/clock and others clustered pretty much to center wind-wise but slightly low. I'll correct that this afternoon provided a thunderstorm doesn't run my azz off! My new pillar bedding job I did couple weeks ago seems to be working OK.


Warhorse1 by Sharps45 2 7/8, on Flickr

 

[jbpmidas]

I love the .30-06! It would have been my new Open build but I had a short action, so I went with .284 Shehane.

 

[GermanS1]

Nice work, Rick!

106 years old and never better - Long live the .30-06!

 

[M14AMU]

Nice work, Rick!

106 years old and never better - Long live the .30-06!

German

I have misplaced my old '06 comp data books but I knew I always shot either the 190 or 200 gr. Sierra HPBT and being as how I have a FEW of these 'on hand' I loaded up 24 rounds with 54.6 grs. RL-19...stuck 'em on the lands and went and shot so this isn't a load that I knew about or have had time lately to work with! By the way....the bullets were 40 year old Sierra 190s!! ;D I bought these bullets BEFORE I started making my own which were marketed under Delta Precision Bullets and I've never found any other 30 caliber that out-shot them! This was just at the beginning of the VLD comeuppance!

Take care!

 

[Nodak7mm]

the Old Warhorse aka 30/06; some saying it is outdated, too old to run with the new horses, just not fast enough, and on and on etc. etc! Sometimes I think 'young whippersnappers' don't eat the right foods and must be drinkin bad whiskey!!

Too Funny.. Ever notice who many 300 Whizmags and 338 Lawompers are on the used racks, vs 3/08's & ought 6's.. Seems like 12:1

The young whippersnappers succumb to creative marketing stories.... Easily done with brains nurtured with fast food, cell phones and facebook....

Great shooting and great post But gotta ask, where the heck are you to have corn that high this time of yr?

Rod

 

[TheSnake]

The 06 took me from youth to manhood and I still have it. Good post and the corn is that high down here in Texas too.

 

[M14AMU]

Nodak7MM

I'm in Northeast Louisiana, Richland Parish....about 18 miles 120 degrees off the Monroe, La. Regional Airport! Corn is doing good but the boys are watering the heck out of it...no rain for several weeks now! Soybeans looking good also! I don't farm...rent the land out! My 'gig' was agricultural aviation for 40 years. Son has it now! Google up Evergreen Flying Service, Inc., Rayville, La.! http://www.evergreenflying.com/index_H.asp

Take care!

 

[Nodak7mm]

Six AT-802's? WOW!!!! Awesome!!!!

Rod

 

[wvscorpio]

Now THAT looks like a work horse of a rifle!!! Especially the paint and cheek piece. If I had to lay'em all down but one to survive, It'd be a 30-06. Neat rig with a good shooter behind it, looks like big trouble for anything on the wrong side of it

 

[M14AMU]

Now THAT looks like a work horse of a rifle!!! Especially the paint and cheek piece. If I had to lay'em all down but one to survive, It'd be a 30-06. Neat rig with a good shooter behind it, looks like big trouble for anything on the wrong side of it

wvscorpio

;D Yes sir....a tuff piece of sponge rubber I found lying in the roadway!! Just stapled it to the stock! I'm thinking about trying to find me an M40 A1 (A-3) stock to stick this dude in! I've got a 2" piece of galvanized pipe rolled up in that shooting mat seen on the bench because I've got a Caldwell front rest that is, for all practical purposes as useless as tits on a boar hog! When I put a front bag into the thing it's way to high! I'm beginning to see why some of the F/Open Class guys are spending upwards of $750 bucks for a front rest!! : ???

 

[45bpcr]

Yep the 30-06 is all used up and no longer capable of accurate long distance shooting.

That being said, last month I was shooting at Ridgway. In pratice on sat. I was shooting my 45-90 at the silhouttes and was half listening to a couple of guys shooting near me.
I started paying a little more attention after hearing 32.xx grains of 5744. Hmmmm I thought, must be shooting cast bullets.

After putting about 12 lbs of lead down range I decided to take a break and watched them shoot through my spotting scope.

They were using modern scoped bolt guns and knocking over targets from 200 meters to 1000 yds.
They were also laughing, having a ball AND calling thier shots.
I wandered over to see what they were shooting and one of the rifles was a 700 in 30-06 with a medium weight barrel and a 24 power scope, nothing fancy.
I can't remember what bullet they were using, a Lyman 311 something in the 200 grain range.
About 1-2 in the afternoon the wind calmed down and these 2 went to work on the silhouttes out at 700 to 1000yds.
It was pretty cool to watch them knocking down steel at those ranges using cast bullets and a 30-06
The 1st 3 pics are the 1000 yd range. You can see the highpower silhouttes to the right of the 500 meter rams.
The 2nd pic is 900 yds and the last pic is looking back at the firing line from 1K
Oh and a couple of pics of my old M-70 Marksman

Makes me want to cast some up for my 1952 M-70. I don't shoot it much as it's all original, but with cast bullets----------
Just one more thing to do

45bpcr

 

[45bpcr]

Couldn't post all the pics at once, here's some more

45bpcr

 

[Shynloco]

RMulhern,
Nice shootin! Try not to let "opinions" on other sites or even this one get under your skin. I know the feeling and try like heck to stay off some sites where the BS flows. IMHO, in over 50 years of shooting rifles of all calibers (including military service) there has not been a more reliable caliber made. I still load 30-06 for my son's rifle which he uses for hunting and target shooting as well. In fact, during my hunting days of the past, that was the caliber of choice for me. I tend NOT to shoot 30-06 much anymore because of the "impression" it leave on my shoulder for days after shooting, whereas I can shoot for hours with my .308 or 6.5 X 55 with no residual effects. But to say that the 30-06 caliber is outdated is like saying that only SOME people were created with navels or other parts of the anatomy. In fact, I dare say someone was feeling some pressure and must have been blowing it out of their tailpipes when making such a statement. So don't sweat the BS and keep shootin like you do. That target should be living proof to any "reasonable" person that that caliber is alive and well.

Alex

 

[kentuckytroutbum]

Nice work, Rick!

106 years old and never better - Long live the .30-06!

German-
Loved your 3 articles on 30/06 accuracy tips that are on your May 2012 blog. Have 3-30/06's and wouldn't part with them. Keep up your good work on the articles, look forward to reading them every month, and this forum also.

I like Nodak's first post about the Mags that are on the racks in gun stores. The gun manufacturers, ammo companies, and reloading components love the '06 because they sell boatloads of these on a yearly basis. Look at the industry sales figures for verification.

Bill

 

[steelhead king]

the 06 is the go to rifle

 

[jonbearman]

Any person that can demean the 06 doesnt know anything at all about guns in general.In my opinion this round really started it all along with the 8mm german round,but the 06 gained such popularity after the first world war that it surpassed anything there was period. And one other thing,it can kill any game on this continent. Col Townsend whelan loved it so much,he made a improved version,the 35 whelan. He couldnt say enough good about it.Long live the finest all around cartridge ever invented. German you are the man.Still shootin it and taking names.

 

[stretch308]

I see the "ole workhorse" happens to be southpaw. Bet ya Mr. Salazar smiled when he paged down on those pics. This post may make me look this direction for my first build. I already load for an '03 and a Mauser for hunting. Thank you for the inspiration.

 

[GermanS1]

Nothing beats the sound of a booming .30-06 on a Saturday morning! If it's a lefty, well, that's just frosting on the frosting!!!

All the .30-06 fans coming on to this thread have me working on something that will be fun for everyone.... stay tuned.

 

[SierraCJ5]

What a great thread, I've enjoyed reading others stories so I thought I'd add my own.

The wonderful 30-06, it was the first centerfire rifle I purchased when I was finally of age and had money enough for a new one. That very same rifle has been used on every hunting trip for game larger than coyotes; last year it accounted for an antelope and mule deer and filled our freezer. It's been taken on hunts along side others fielding "superior" calibers and occasionally it becomes the target of disparaging comments about it's age and "slow" velocity...I just chuckle and say it seems to get the job done.

About a year ago I thought I needed a 30 caliber target rifle so I ordered a 26" 10 twist barrel and I asked the gentleman to chamber it in 30-06. His response was almost comical; I respectfully declined the 260 he recommended instead. Once the barrel arrived, I screwed it into a Savage 110 action, installed a nice trigger, and attached a decent stock. That rifle has also been the butt of others jokes concerning the "superiority" of their 308s, at least until we line up on the 1000 yard line. Once they have a chance to see how well the "old" 30-06 works with the 208gr A-Max they take note and the comments slow and eventually stop. Usually they come by for a second look when the shooting stops.

My take is this: the 30-06 will never disappear. It will always be a popular choice among those that appreciate efficient, reliable performance. Unfortunately, those of us that fall into this crowd would rather let our rifles do the talking. Maybe this is why others don't fully appreciate the 30-06, because we're too quiet.

Regardless, I love the 30-06; the performance, history, flexibility, and just maybe I enjoy shooting a caliber others underestimate. 8)

 

[dickn52]

Evergreen Air, thought they went under? Sounds oddly familiar. Great shooting as well. I am impressed when I see fine shooting like this. It must be nice to have a wind lane like tall corn to shoot in too. Where I shoot we have a lane carved out of second growth pine that about 25 feet tall now. That protects pretty good too.