whats wrong with 30-06? am I missing something?

[jonbearman]

Yea you guys are right,the 06 is past its prime.Thats why I own 7 rifles in the caliber.It couldnt do any more than the 30-30,what is he smokin.LOL Come on the 06 is one of a select few that have stood the test of timelike the 45acp which was derived off the shotened 06 case and the .280,.270.25-06 and a myriad of others.Give credit where credit is due. The 06 rocks and will never disappear.Others have tried to copy it and come up with variations to outdate it and it hasnt worked has it.It wont period.

 

[GermanS1]

Jon, you said it all!

Boltman, build it and enjoy it. The lack of Palma acceptance really galls me because the .30-06 is the quintessential American cartridge and the Palma is "our" match. At least domestically we should allow the .30-06. However, don't let the NRA's foolishness stand in your way of enjoying a great rifle in a great cartridge.

I'm working on some loads with the 210 Berger that should be interesting. It's taken me a while to find the combination of components I was looking for, but I think I'm there. I'll write it up after some testing. In the meantime, the 190 and 200 Sierra and the 190 VLD Berger with H4350 in Lapua, Winchester or Lake City brass is doing just fine week in and week out for long-range. For some of our 500 yard matches I've been using the 168 Sierra and 4895, essentially duplicating the ballistics of M72 with a slightly better bullet - last two matches with that combo were 599-41 and 598-44 (all irons as always). It works...

 

[btm_54]

I have been thinking about a 30-06 and I have decided to get one and I have placed my order.
Now the scope and mounts.

 

[Erik Cortina]

Now the scope and mounts.

That's what German needs as well! ;D

 

[GermanS1]

I have a great scope - Kowa 661 on a Ray-Vin stand (mount)

 

[Kenny474]

When John Browning needed a .50 caliber round, he took the 30-06 and made it bigger. If one of the greatest minds in firearms history thought enough of it to scale it up and put his name on it, then it's surely good enough for me.

First rifle I ever owned was a 30-06, I still have it today. It's my favorite round and likely always will be. I do have others that catch my interest as well, but the 30-06 is one I will always like. Most others are just passing fads.

I does anything that any hunter in the US could possibly need. It's accurate enough to win matches and has for 100+ years. It has a barrel life that is nearly four times that of the new alphabet magnums. It can effectively use bullets that range from 100grs to as heavy as you can find.

I don't know of any other round that is nearly as versatile, new or old.

In over 100 years it has yet to be truly bested, that says more than I ever could.

Kenny

 

[CZ93X62]

I think anyone trying to sell the idea that the 30-06 is obsolete has taken on a tough contract. My own uses for the caliber focus on hunting more than target work, but the 30-06 was the first center-fire rifle caliber I purchased--and would be the last one I'd part with. I use and enjoy a lot of other chamberings, but the '06 is the baseline and standard for utility and flexibility.

 

[hogan]

What's wrong with the .30-06?
Only that it isn't a .338... at least for my purposes.

Have also really pondered over doing a .284win necked up to .338; or a 6.5x55AI necked up.

What is really "wrong" with rifle and brass manufacturers is nobody markets brass of varying diameter bodies in standard boltface sizes. Would be rather wonderful to be able to buy case stock in .473 or .532 in a variety of body widths, with or without a rim; and form neck and shoulder on some large press swaging operation...

What really is "wrong" with the .30-06 is that the .30/284 gives same capacity but in long action a much longer bullet seating potential. Powder not as dispersed in the longer 06 case and bullet seating to base of neck even if using heaviest VLD designs...

Nice to have 5 or maybe 6 rd capacity with the .027" smaller diameter 06 case, but what could you gain in accuracy from more condensed powder charge and bullet seating that don't protrude into the case?

Pity the 7.5x55 doesn't have a standard case head dimension.. The 6.5x55 AI blown forward to limit neck oal to .31" could be the real ticket to a necked up round. Mick McPherson wrote that the .284 case could realistically be necked up through .375" cal. and still have plenty of shoulder. Sure there are Gibbs case designs that go further.

May as well mention the .308 Gibbs with an AI shoulder of maybe 35deg. Can always ream the chamber a bit shy of full Gibbs to retain more neck area...


Would sure be sweet if a brass maker would adapt the non-standard brass to standard boltface sizes. Also wonder why if reamer mfrs can make floating designs, why not make a screw in throating component that would allow same basic reamer body to do a variety of throat dimensions. Use reamer with floating collar to do chamber first, then remove collar and ream throat. Could essentially start short and expand your dimension until you achieved what you wanted from your bullet or bullet choices...

Nothing wrong with the O6. Yet how much better would you perform if density/packing of your powder load did not have as much deviation and you had more room in magazine to seat bullet out without protruding into the case shoulder or body?

Nothing wrong, but maybe the .30/284 offers more performance from same powder charge and runs fine using same powders??

 

[jraney]

Yea you guys are right,the 06 is past its prime.Thats why I own 7 rifles in the caliber.It couldnt do any more than the 30-30,what is he smokin.LOL Come on the 06 is one of a select few that have stood the test of timelike the 45acp which was derived off the shotened 06 case and the .280,.270.25-06 and a myriad of others.Give credit where credit is due. The 06 rocks and will never disappear.Others have tried to copy it and come up with variations to outdate it and it hasnt worked has it.It wont period.

i don't know much about the '06 but i did have a .270 and i loved it, but what really cuaght my attention is in the quote all the calibers mention are still very much in use and talked about it seems. ( to me at least anyhow) i know if i would not have lost my mod 70 .270 in a house fire i would still have it, in my oppinion the '06 platform or case work well for most everything.

 

[JabaliHunter]

So German - when are you going to write a .30-06 Cartridge Guide for this site? ;D ;D ;D

 

[BoydAllen]

I am not afraid of the '06's recoil. I just find that in selecting a caliber, history has little to do with the process. If you need to stick with one caliber, for hunting a variety of non dangerous game animals, I think that it is a good choice for distances that most hunters should limit themselves to. But if I could afford, and wanted to hunt Alaskan Brown bear, or elk at an extended range, it would not be my first, or even second choice. Similarly, for recreational shooting from the bench the recoil is more than I enjoy for a large number of shots from a light rifle.

This all reminds me of the experience of a friend, who after reading some gun scribe's glowing account of that fine old caliber, the 45-70,went out and bought one, a lever action, and some factory ammo. He found out that those heavy bullets,and the old stock design added up to more recoil than he liked. So much for nostalgia. On the other hand, he picked up a clean .257 Roberts AI from an estate that he loved to shoot. I have had several 30-06s. For some strange reason, they keep leaving. I wish them well.

 

[300Ultra]

There's nothing wrong with the old otter6. It has done exactly what it was supposed to do from the time of it's initial development. I'm not a big history buff either. I'm a here and now sort of fella. What I will give the otter is a good out look for the future though. It's here to stay. Barring any new legislation anyway. I've been a gun nut for well over 35 years now. If I had the money I spent in that time on a multitude of publications regarding the subject,I could fill another gun safe. It's been a good experiance though. In that time I've seen more new cartridges comparred to the otter6 than I can count. It is without doubt THE yardstick by which all other cartridges are measured. I'm not saying it's right. Just that it is so. I do it myself every time I get the hair brained idea that I need a new rifle in a new to me chambering. There is another fella that frequents this forum that knows me. Has for over 20 years. He can attest to my mania. He is in fact poised to build my next dream gun. A 700 Remmy 284 heavy sporter. Oh, I did the usual comparisons. Found out all the things I already knew too. This new rifle,though "better" in that it is a custom build, isn't any better in the performance dept. I'm quite excited about the new baby. It is to be my "pet" rifle. To bond with me for the next 20 or so years. Except for one thing. I'm not giving up my M70 Classic Stainless 30-06 just yet. Why? Because it will do more,especially with bullets over 175gr,than the new baby. It's nobody's fault. Just a cold hard fact of life. My 300 RUM will stomp the pants off anything else in my safe. Short, long, or anywhere in between. Doesn't make it "better" than the 284 or the otter6. Just another tool of the trade. There isn't anything wrong with the otter. You aren't missing anything. If you have tried it and don't like it, move on and never look back. If you haven't tried one yet. You really should. I've had several. I'll always have one around too. It makes a good yardstick.

 

[roninflag]

like john browning's gun genius ; the 30-06 has really stood the test of time.

 

[45bpcr]

We started the New Year off with a bang yesterday, actually many MANY bangs.

I decided to shoot, come hell or high water. Hell never showed, but we're having a Jan thaw so the snow's going fast. The temps. almost hit 50 here yesterday and it was a sunny windless day.

Two of my employee's and I hit the range with - you guessed it - a few 30-06's.
2 Garands my old 1952 M-70 and a Savage 12BVSS re-chambered to 30-06AI.
I was shooting at 200 and Pete was fire forming brass at 100. My son and I were shooting 500 at steel with the Garand.


I was using RL 19 for the first time in the M-70. Here's the load data

Once fired Lapua brass, neck sized with Forrester dies. I left .20 unsized to center the case in the chamber.

Sierra 175 MK's seated to an OAL of 4.32 which is 1/2 turn in on the seating stem from touching the lands.
Bullets were seated with a Forester seating die.

CCI bench rest primers.
RL-19 starting at 55.2 grains and ending at 57.2 grains
All charges were weighed with my POS Lyman 1200 and double checked with my un-failingly accurate Dillon D-terminator scale.

The Unertl scope works great when I wear my glasses and can see the cross hairs.
My front rest is an old blue midway one, and I use Protecktor leather bags front and rear.

We had great fun with the Garands. We burned up quite a bit of M-2 ball ( greek )We were just play shooting with them. Ringing steel.
The "Old Man " (me) kicked the young whelps butts with the most off hand hits in a row on a 500 yd. ram
Some time you just gotta Stand up and shoot it like a man !!!!

Happy New Years All,

Craig

 

[artbosco]

Is there any real reason the 100+ year old caliber is being ignored by so many people?

Of course there is. Here's one reason: http://www.accurateshooter.com/cartridge-guides/308win/

Better still, here's the best reason of all, and my preference: http://www.accurateshooter.com/cartridge-guides/30br/

 

[BBTC48]

Hey '06 gang! Is there definite bullet weights to consentrate on with a 12" twist 30-06 ? This is a build with a 26" Walther on a Sako action. Will this twist pretty much keep me in the 150-175 grain bracket? Are 180s do-able ? For a decent NO-TURN neck, what should the reamer be....and how much throat ?? German...and others out there with 30-06 savy, are ya listening ?? Help please !! Thanks..Bill

 

[GermanS1]

Bill, take a look at the reamer print I have at the bottom of this article http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2009/11/cartridges-logical-30-06.html

That one works very well with bullets from 155 to 200 and is OK with 210. A 0.340" chamber neck is fine for no-turn with any modern brass I can think of and is, in fact, the SAAMI standard for .30-06. I use that even with turned necks with no hesitation.

Your 1:12" twist should handle the 190 Sierra well, other 190's that are longer might not be as accurate in it - although they might, it depends on a few factors including atmospheric conditions.

 

[Griffiga]

Bringing to life an old thread. For me the main reason I don't use the .30-06 as much (and I have 3), is because it's too common. I'm mainly an odd or old caliber guy. Realistically, If I could only keep one cartridge to hunt everything with I'd have to choose the '06. Based on the fact that ammo is everywhere and usually at a good price, it's stupid to ignore it. I'm just glad I don't have to make that choice.

 

[MikeT]

So nice to re read a post by the late great German Salazar! I was fortunate to be able to shoot and pull targets next to German and shared an ongoing discussion of all things .30-'06 during the all too short relays pulling targets. Miss him I do.

 

[ELR LVR]

Is there any real reason for the 100+ year old caliber is being ignored by so many people? Maybe people are scared of the recoil? Or there is something I dont know that everyone else knows about the 30-06.

has it not been around for over 100 years?

is it not able to kill everything that walks, including big game?

is it not accurate?

is it not able to be bought at every gun shop that you walk into?

I will keep on shooting the 30-06, I will Keep hitting my targets, killing my targets and buying my 30-06 everywhere that has ammo! Wesley

30-06 is fine, I like it with a good muzzle brake on
Very accurate if loaded right
Served the US military well during Vietnam
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Just not the latest and greatest whizbang improved is all
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Oh Geez! I didnt notice the first post date on this one lol
It was outddated even 15 yrs ago?