This might be a stupid question but this is the correct place for it I guess. Is the 30-06 even a thing in the long range community anymore? I see .300 Win Mag, 6.5 CRD, .260, and .308 a lot but I don’t see anyone using a 30-06. I just figured with the use of the 30-06 in WW2 and it’s good BC that more people would use it. I’m new to this so this is probably a dumb question.
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30-06 still relevant?
- Thread starter Blount8
- Start date
3006 is still a very good caliber. With newer powder and bullets (not talking about solids) today’s 3006 is really close to to a “year” 1990 300 winmag.
12-1300 yards is well with in reach with a 3006.
Is it the most accurate, newest, most efficient ....nope.
Will it do the job as well as you can shoot it...yup.
The 308 is just a more accurate round. When it started out in competition in the 60’s it started breaking the 3006 service records.
300 win mag is the same bullet just more horse power.
6.5/260 get close to matching the drop and wind ballistics (not energy) as the 300 win mag.
Very generic answers but it’s still a great round, and with the newest bullets it holds its own.
12-1300 yards is well with in reach with a 3006.
Is it the most accurate, newest, most efficient ....nope.
Will it do the job as well as you can shoot it...yup.
The 308 is just a more accurate round. When it started out in competition in the 60’s it started breaking the 3006 service records.
300 win mag is the same bullet just more horse power.
6.5/260 get close to matching the drop and wind ballistics (not energy) as the 300 win mag.
Very generic answers but it’s still a great round, and with the newest bullets it holds its own.
Relevant or not......from my cold dead fingers.....
I have 8 rifles in 06, very relevant in my mind. If I could have only one rifle Win 70 Featherweight in 06.
The 30-06 is still a great round, I feel there is so much flavor of the month rounds now it is just over shadowed. I don’t see a lot of 30-06 out at the range much but then again 308 is going away also. Lot of 223 brass due to costs I suppose and 6.5CM. Tons of 270 when deer season comes around.
I would take another 30-06 in a minute. Have one in a converted Mauser action.
I would take another 30-06 in a minute. Have one in a converted Mauser action.
Still extremely popular in hunt camps around here. I use 30-06 for all my 4 legged hunting. Getting ready to try my hand with it at longer range, at least for me. Most of my hunting has always been 100 yards or less. I have a few good looking coyote sets that go up to 600. Going to give that a try after a few range trips to see what factory Ammo i can group with up to that distance.
I’ve been thinking about getting a used Remington Model 700 Long Range 30-06 and putting it in ideally an AICS chassis but I’ve struggled to find a chassis to fit the 30-06. Anyone got some suggestions?
I believe mark and Sam after work have some cool 30-06 vids on YouTube . Just type mark and Sam 30-06 on YouTube
In the past 3 years a...
-Doe mule deer at 250 yards
-Cow elk at 360 yards
-Antelope at 375 yards
-Buck mule deer at 75 yards
Have all found 30-06 very relevant.
-Doe mule deer at 250 yards
-Cow elk at 360 yards
-Antelope at 375 yards
-Buck mule deer at 75 yards
Have all found 30-06 very relevant.
I guess the first thing I would want to know is OP's definition of "relevant". If he means the best military cartridge,, then no, the 30-06 is probably not relevant. If he means will it kill deer, antelope, pigs, and similar animals, then yes, it is still relevant. Of course, there are always going to be both better and lesser cartridges for a specific purpose, so perhaps it would also be helpful if OP would let us know the purpose for which the cartridge will be used.
If all OP wants to know if the round still goes "bang" and generally kills stuff, then sure, it is relevant. If OP wants to know if it is the best cartridge for practical rifle, and 3 gun matches, it probably isn't as relevant as other rounds.
The 30-06 is a fine cartridge, and there are better, and lesser rounds. For general purposes it is a pretty good round.
As Jeff Cooper said:
"Ain't many problems
that a man can't fix,
with seven hundred dollars,
and a 30-06."
If all OP wants to know if the round still goes "bang" and generally kills stuff, then sure, it is relevant. If OP wants to know if it is the best cartridge for practical rifle, and 3 gun matches, it probably isn't as relevant as other rounds.
The 30-06 is a fine cartridge, and there are better, and lesser rounds. For general purposes it is a pretty good round.
As Jeff Cooper said:
"Ain't many problems
that a man can't fix,
with seven hundred dollars,
and a 30-06."
The 30-06 loaded properly in a modern rifle will trump most all of the Gucci shit thats out there. The one I had would run with in 75 fps of my rock creek barreled 300wm's w/o pressure signs with anything up to an including 190 smks.
With modern powders and projectiles, there is no reason to favor 30-06 over 308 for a practical/tactical rifle. Hunting is another animal though; walk into a corner store in a small town or rural gas station and see what ammo is on the shelf - 30-30, 30-06, 38 spl are just about guaranteed to be there. It is nice to be able to fall back on this if for some reason you and your ammo get separated in a hunting situation.
My medium weight 30-06 hunter with a 26" barrel can push 200gr game kings and match kings to magnum velocities using RL22, so yes I went out of my way to build a rifle around this chambering.
308 is a handicapped cartridge for tactical shooting compared to the 6 and 6.5mm offerings out there.
30-06 can be plenty accurate, yes, but the shorter fatter powder column and the more steep neck angle of the 308 favor both accuracy and efficiency, albeit at a slight velocity cost with heavies and long barrels.
My medium weight 30-06 hunter with a 26" barrel can push 200gr game kings and match kings to magnum velocities using RL22, so yes I went out of my way to build a rifle around this chambering.
308 is a handicapped cartridge for tactical shooting compared to the 6 and 6.5mm offerings out there.
30-06 can be plenty accurate, yes, but the shorter fatter powder column and the more steep neck angle of the 308 favor both accuracy and efficiency, albeit at a slight velocity cost with heavies and long barrels.
My 30-06 hunting rifle launching Berger 168 Hunting VLD’s. Drop wise it is running neck and neck with my fast lighter 155 lapua Scenars but has a slight edge in the wind. A target bullet with a better BC would be much better.
Because its been around for so long, as been quite cheap and military rounds tend to take hold in the public firearms sectors. The wide number of bullets and different strengths you can set it help too. Also helps that in the past military surplus rifles were far cheaper than commercial ones so people went with what they could afford alot.
Its also most likely the same reason you have alot of .303 British is so common in some parts of the world, or why people like using .223 or .308 rounds.
Its also most likely the same reason you have alot of .303 British is so common in some parts of the world, or why people like using .223 or .308 rounds.
D
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If a 308 is still relevant, and the 300 Win is still relevant, then why would the '06 not be as well?
I'm inclined to believe that a cartridge that will get you to 1200 yards supersonic and do it with a high BC , heavy bullet would definitely qualify as relevant.
I'm inclined to believe that a cartridge that will get you to 1200 yards supersonic and do it with a high BC , heavy bullet would definitely qualify as relevant.
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Easiest answer is the KRG Bravo coupled with the magpul magazine
https://www.magpul.com/products/pmag-5-ac-l-standard-aics-long-action
i love the .30-06,it is so awesome i bumped it up a step to ackley improved .30-06AI which handles 180-200gr pills to dang near 300wsm/300wm mag class(almost).with all the recoil i want without a break.
no way i was stepping down to the .308!
no way i was stepping down to the .308!
This...
I read on another post here on the hide of someone running 200+ pills in a longer barrel at speeds that really compare it to a 300WM. I don't recall who posted or what thread it was so I could look for more info but still, pretty much the 30-06 can definitely hang!!!
@stello1001,
The poster you are thinking of is @MontanaMarine , he got impressive results with 208 amaxs in an'06.
The new 200gr. SMK with a BC over .7 would be the bullet I would look at making my chamber reamer around
The poster you are thinking of is @MontanaMarine , he got impressive results with 208 amaxs in an'06.
The new 200gr. SMK with a BC over .7 would be the bullet I would look at making my chamber reamer around
Almost makes me want to build a 30-06 with performances of a magnum.
Sick stuff for sure!!!
Still relevant to me....grin
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I’m really talking about in competition. In Alabama I don’t know of a person who doesn’t own a 30-06 for hunting. It will never be irrelevant for that purpose. But in the competition world it seems like all you see are the .308, 6.5 Crd, .300 Mag and .338 Lapua.
It is relevant enough for me to spend a fair bit of money on a 30-06 match remage barrel just recently. Serengeti chamber and 26". I plan to try RL23 and H4831SC and H4350. One of those should get me up around 2800 fps with 208 grain bullets. I ran the numbers and if I can get a 212 ELDX to 2750 it will stay supersonic to a mile.
Anything I shoot with a load like that will damn sure think that it is relevant.
Anything I shoot with a load like that will damn sure think that it is relevant.
I'm looking at upping my game to the 225gr ELD, and RL-26. Looks like 2625 fps at about 60K psi is realistic in my 22.5" barrel. That would hold 1200 fps out to 1900 yards in local atmo.
Blue printed 700 by Saltzman Gunworks
22.5 inch M40 Rock 1/10 Obermyer chamber
PTG one piece bolt with M16 extractor
Geissele 2 stage trigger
SAS can
22.5 inch M40 Rock 1/10 Obermyer chamber
PTG one piece bolt with M16 extractor
Geissele 2 stage trigger
SAS can
I wish you hadn’t shown me this, I’ve been trying to decide between getting a .300WM or a 30-06 LR hunting rig done up. Been heavily leaning towards the
30-06.
Get the 06. I dealt with the belt of the 300wm and it is not worth it. Modern powders and bullets make the 06 sing.
Or go 300 PRC. No belt.
Or go 300 PRC. No belt.
Really appreciate the advice on that. Think this thread has got me convinced.
What kind of powder and bullets are you using? I’ve been looking into the Hogdens 4831. Not sure which bullet to use yet. I’ve heard good things about the Begera bullets though.
Anyone else have any good load data they’d like to share for a Precision LR 30-06?? Much appreciated @Eddystone ??
@Blount8 I do not believe there was a single shooter in the PRS Top 100 in the last few years shootings an '06. Maybe not ever. Some would say that based upon that fact the venerable '06 is irrelevant as a competition round. I'm not sure they are correct.
In today's world we all get wrapped up in the "flavor of the month" (myself often included). I believe that it is possible that we may see this old reliable round comeback someday in a revised incarnation.
Regardless of whether that happens or not, I will always love the 30-06. I have killed coyote, bobcat, deer, antelope, mountain goat, sheep, elk and bear with a Rem 7400 and a Browning BAR in 30-06, and if I had to pick only one gun to hunt with for the rest of my life it would be the Safari grade BAR 30-06 my dad gave me decades ago.
Most people can not separate fact from fiction, or real from play, when talking about guns.
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