30-06 still relevant?

[Basher]

Ruined shoulder or not, why’d the dude take his ball and leave? Like he gave a big “F U” to the entire community, destined to die with all his secrets. His prerogative, but seems like a bit of a douchey move, IMO.

 

[GhostFace]

In his defense they did say he is an attorney....

 

[DRAGON64]

Is it relevant to say, that the 30-06 is a veteran through & through... the only US "RIFLE" cartridge that has helped to win not 1 but 2 World Wars. There is not another American made cartridge today that can boast those credentials... not even the venerable 308 Win!

 

[SanPatHogger]

Is it relevant to say, that the 30-06 is a veteran through & through... the only US round that has helped to win not 1 but 2 World Wars. There is not another American made cartridge today that can boast those credentials... not even the venerable 308 Win!

.45acp
.38 special
Not rifle ammo, but still back to back world war champs

 

[shoots100]

Is breathing relevant ?
The tried and true 06 is and will always be the most iconic .30 cal American hunting cartridge.
Much to chagrin of other cartridge fan boy's, It'll always be popular and available on gun shop shelves around the world until they ban firearms/hunting/shooting.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

Most shooters on this forum think the 30-06 is a magnum cartridge, lol. Thus, the 25-06 is magnum too. And that the .224 needs a brake. That someone is working one necked down to a .112 with a BC that will eliminate windage on the reticle and the knob all together but the brake stays.

 

[pmclaine]

They are dated.....

I mean it just had a birthday in August its friggen 88 years old......it could be Democrat candidate for President.

The "Quigley Down Under" sights are not for men past the half century mark.

You need tools to aim the damn things...

Weapons for a more civilized age......



Even the ammo is old but elegant...

Even back than 30-06 was "Barbie for Men"...

Old ass shit but it will lay down the hate.....

It still has a place in the sun...

 

[Brettmparker1]

06 over win mag any day. Yah I’m starting this fight

 

[Longrangeprecision762]

22” Hart barreled 30-06
This rifle is a hammer with 208 Amax bullets over Reloader 15.

 

[Longrangeprecision762]

24” Krieger SS barrel in 30-06
AI legacy chassis

I brought a project gun along for cool down periods. Fun banging steel out to 400 yards with 77 SMK hand loads.

 

[High H2o]

pmclaine,

One of the most beautiful rifles ever!

 

[pmclaine]

pmclaine,

One of the most beautiful rifles ever!

Making it some 48 grain 4064, 168 SMK, HXP 1X for feed....

More so for the Garand with this load.

I think the bolts will do better eating the I 4350 I have on hand.

 

[High H2o]

Making it some 48 grain 4064, 168 SMK, HXP 1X for feed....

View attachment 7425158

More so for the Garand with this load.

I think the bolts will do better eating the I 4350 I have on hand.

lol, Ok, are going to let the Mannequin Head Slide? Story? ex-target practice?

 

[pmclaine]

lol, Ok, are going to let the Mannequin Head Slide? Story? ex-target practice?

Got a call from someone on the highway that they saw a human head.......I thought that would be cool to check out.

Luckily it was just a hairdressers training aid.

Im taking it to friends farm for a target.

 

[pmclaine]

 

[bonesaw00001]

Relevant or not......from my cold dead fingers.....

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Didn't realize they still made those WW1 style scopes. Rifles are in great condition!

 

[Longrangeprecision762]

Had some fun in the rain with some Varget under a 175 Nosler RDF. 52 grains at 3.300 col gave me the below group. 48 grains produced nice little clover leafs, but didn't have enough zip.
I love having the range all to myself with a full thermos of coffee and a good shooting rifle

 

[onthex]

@Longrangeprecision762 That is a very impressive group! Which Vortex scope is that?

 

[Longrangeprecision762]

@Longrangeprecision762 That is a very impressive group! Which Vortex scope is that?

Thank you for the kind words. Every now and then I can get in the right head space and make something happen.
That is a 6-24 Diamondback Tactical.

- Jon

 

[Halfnutz]

Still relevant to me....grin

As soon as I saw the thread title, @MontanaMarine Was the first guy I thought of. IIRC hes been posting on this for years.

 

[Longrangeprecision762]

As soon as I saw the thread title, @MontanaMarine Was the first guy I thought of. IIRC hes been posting on this for years.

The Hide and MontanaMarine are the reason I now have two -06 builds instead of going the 300WM route. His experimenting with heavy for caliber bullets and modern powders was extremely interesting.

Thank you to him and all who post useful information and life experiences for us to enjoy. Oh ya and that Frank guy.
Keeper of the castle Hide, lord of the long range, and holder of the almighty ban hammer.

- Jon

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Ruined shoulder or not, why’d the dude take his ball and leave? Like he gave a big “F U” to the entire community, destined to die with all his secrets. His prerogative, but seems like a bit of a douchey move, IMO.

I'm sure he didn't want to pay hosting fees after he was unable to write. It's all still out there, I think we already posted the links.

 

[CNC-Dude]

I ordered the 308w in a 24" Barrel now I'm debating whether I want to go to the 6.5. As I'll be tempted to shoot out to 1000yards.

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.

Carlos Hathcock in Vietnam had a 700 yard shot kill with the 30-06. As already said, they have abilities out past 1000 yards. If you look at ballistics, for the same weight bullet compared to a 308, the '06 still has more muzzle energy and fps at every yard than the 308 has. I think the big switch in the military was more to make all the allies have common ammo versus anything being wrong with the '06!

 

[ShadowBear]

Forgive me if I already posted this- Savage 110 .30-06 Spr 29" Bartlein bull, 1:10"- "people keep asking if .30-06 is still relevant; yeah, I'm thinking it's still relevant"
(John Wick, I think)

 

[GrumpyOleFart]

The joys of cooking up a perfect load for your 30-06.
Enjoy!

 

[Jscb1b]

Still kills shit dead.

 

[GhostFace]

I need to get out to 1000 yard range soon, it’s been a while. My current position at work kills my schedule. Anyway here’s a pic of the old girl....

 

[BruntBronze]

it was relevant to when powders were junk. Now the short fat cartridges are the way to go.

that is until i got to my current state of 65 WSM and a 28 Nosler-ish. im using powders that are one step down from 50bmg...really slow stuff. this makes it hard to get repeat nodes when the whole powder goes off at once. So my thinking now is stretching the cartridge out to slow the progression of the powder burn.

Not looking for heavenly sent signs, but 30.08 keeps coming up when i go shopping.

 

[Jscb1b]

30.08?

 

[Aftermath]

View attachment 7426868

I realize I am dredging up some old posts but I just HAD to say that this rifle has some beautiful wood!!!

 

[pmclaine]

Still relevant enough to spend the better part of Turkey Day pumping out a few hundred 30-06, 168 SMK over 48 grains of I4064 in an HXP 69 once fired...........

Garlands need to be fed too..

The Dandy worked like a Dandy

This scale arrived yesterday....

Can't run it with the Dandy but it will be my go to for QC checks when I run powders suited to progressive.

 

[WilburW]

30-06 still relevant?
Ballistics say YES!

 

[Longrangeprecision762]

First 3 shots at 400y on a 35 degree afternoon. Just a single grey dot just north of center.

Great day at the range,

- Jon

 

[isofahunter]

Follow up, one shot two pigs = 2x relevant

 

[Hardpan]

I had 2 hand me down 30-06’s, one a semi auto (unsure of the maker)just lost recently in a fire in August. They are a blast to shoot still just like my .308 but their accuracy and range has been passed by newer technology and developments. My 6.5 creed gets used far more than my .308 and 30-06

 

[Aftermath]

Carlos Hathcock in Vietnam had a 700 yard shot kill with the 30-06. As already said, they have abilities out past 1000 yards. If you look at ballistics, for the same weight bullet compared to a 308, the '06 still has more muzzle energy and fps at every yard than the 308 has. I think the big switch in the military was more to make all the allies have common ammo versus anything being wrong with the '06!

I may be wrong (again) but the way I understand was the difference between the old powders and the newer ones. Using the newer powders, a .308 had the same or slightly better ballistics as the 30-06 using the old powders at a weight savings. Not much, but some savings in weight. This all came about at almost the same time as NATO was really gearing up and the member countries were trying to homogenize. The USA being the lead dog, said the .308 was the new shit.
As posted earlier, given the same bullet, the 30-06 having the larger case capacity, can hurl that projectile a bit faster.

 

[ShadowBear]

You don't suppose those improvements in powder and bullet design would benefit the .30-06 as much, or even more, than the .308, do you?

 

[pmclaine]

Made a test run of ammo with I 4350 yesterday.

Looked at a few references and went with Nosler reloading book recipes.

For a 175 SMK they had 56.5 of I4350 as their accuracy load for the various powders listed.

I went two steps above max. Ill read the brass before I fire those. Any experience would be appreciated.

Ill only be able to test with iron sights in an '03 for now. Still waiting for the return of my Model 70 sniper clone.

Post pending here to see how my efforts work out.

Hopefully i find relevance.

 

[wildcats]

06 over win mag any day. Yah I’m starting this fight

Adding to the fight....06 AI with the Flatline 180 or 198 will makes for a formable LR rnd, no doubt...working on building one.

 

[wildcats]

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Install one of this from Alley supply Company and your groups will shrink by half.

 

[pmclaine]

Install one of this from Alley supply Company and your groups will shrink by half.
View attachment 7495554

Héctor Cafferata kept over 200 Chinese from the restaurant trade using the standard post sight.....

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hector_A._Cafferata_Jr

.

 

[MoMopacksa45]

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!

I too am a fan of the 30.06 ackley improved I generally hunt with it and have never been let down. One shot DRT results are always the case using Barnes X-bullets. I have worked up a 190 grain SMK load that is extremely accurate, but have not shot it out past 500 yards. How far have you shot yours? Semper Fi! Mike

 

[gunsnjeeps]

I may be wrong (again) but the way I understand was the difference between the old powders and the newer ones. Using the newer powders, a .308 had the same or slightly better ballistics as the 30-06 using the old powders at a weight savings. Not much, but some savings in weight. This all came about at almost the same time as NATO was really gearing up and the member countries were trying to homogenize. The USA being the lead dog, said the .308 was the new shit.
As posted earlier, given the same bullet, the 30-06 having the larger case capacity, can hurl that projectile a bit faster.

You are right that side by side the commercial and hand loads foan 06 gennerally out perform the. 308 and 7.62x51. The .308 being newer has benefitted from more developments while the .30-06 is hampered by surplus actions. The 7.62x51 was loaded to the same velocity with the same bullet weight so that balistic tables and training didn't change for the military. As the 7.62 gained popularity as the .308 Winchester it was pushed to design limits. Modern, even by 60's standards, .30-06 loads and actions beat out mil spec loads. SAAMI specs are .308 62K psi and .30-06 60K psi max pressures but the longer case gives more powder volume for a longer pressure curve.

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Still relevant enough to spend the better part of Turkey Day pumping out a few hundred 30-06, 168 SMK over 48 grains of I4064 in an HXP 69 once fired...........

View attachment 7483278

Garlands need to be fed too..

The Dandy worked like a Dandy

View attachment 7483279

This scale arrived yesterday....

View attachment 7483280

Can't run it with the Dandy but it will be my go to for QC checks when I run powders suited to progressive.

Not to hijack the thread too far, I haven't tried the 10-10 with the Dandy but what keeps them from working together? I bought a used 10-10 to send for a tune up but due to wait times I never did but I still have it and my 505. The Dandy and 505 work great but not fast. My Autotrickler is still in the box so I am probably going to sell some older powder handling items. I was going to try the 10-10 with the Dandy that has the electric eye on the scale. Bought it and never got to play with it either. (Travel money is great but travel eats into shooting time.)

 

[pmclaine]

Not to hijack the thread too far, I haven't tried the 10-10 with the Dandy but what keeps them from working together? I bought a used 10-10 to send for a tune up but due to wait times I never did but I still have it and my 505. The Dandy and 505 work great but not fast. My Autotrickler is still in the box so I am probably going to sell some older powder handling items. I was going to try the 10-10 with the Dandy that has the electric eye on the scale. Bought it and never got to play with it either. (Travel money is great but travel eats into shooting time.)

The "fork" on the electric eye needs to fit over the balance somewhere.

I haven't played with it enough but with the "highwall" at the back of the 10-10 space is limited to access the balance bar and have the eye read it's position.

Look at the picture of the eye over my Dillon Ohaus than consider how the 10-10 is constructed.

I used the 10-10 for load development where charges change . It was great.

 

[gunsnjeeps]

The "fork" on the electric eye needs to fit over the balance somewhere.

I haven't played with it enough but with the "highwall" at the back of the 10-10 space is limited to access the balance bar and have the eye read it's position.

Look at the picture of the eye over my Dillon Ohaus than consider how the 10-10 is constructed.

I used the 10-10 for load development where charges change . It was great.

I saw the prism and the dispenser but missed the beam sensor in the picture. Makes sense to me now.

I bought the prism and 2 speed dispenser from them then saw the "automatic" trickler for sale used. I haven't used it yet. Somewhere in the reloading forum I compared manually throwing and trickling a load, throwing and trickling with the 2 speed Dandy, and using a PACT dispenser to throw 50 charges. I'll have to add the automatic Dandy and Autotrickler to it and repost it when my bench is done.

 

[pmclaine]

I saw the prism and the dispenser but missed the beam sensor in the picture. Makes sense to me now.

I bought the prism and 2 speed dispenser from them then saw the "automatic" trickler for sale used. I haven't used it yet. Somewhere in the reloading forum I compared manually throwing and trickling a load, throwing and trickling with the 2 speed Dandy, and using a PACT dispenser to throw 50 charges. I'll have to add the automatic Dandy and Autotrickler to it and repost it when my bench is done.

Im a cheap suck and got into the Dandy for $75.

The electric eye when set is great for getting to a few kernels from target than I tap the single feed once or twice to get to desired charge.

Faster than my Redding and spinning the dispenser between thumb and fore finger but pretty lame compared to the Area 419.

I really love the Dandy prism to watch the balance zero. No parallax concerns and I don't have to duck and bend.

 

[Olddognewtrix]

Thx OP, great thread for me

 

[CSMRedleg]

Yeah, 70+years ago. And as soon as prudent EVERY ARMY IN THE WORLD ditched long action rifle cartridges for short action rifle cartridges, then for “intermediate” cartridges like the 5.56, 7.62x39, and 5.45. Today, in 2018, who (other than the day-glow orange army) is fielding rifles in 30-06 or any other long action rifle cartridge as their main infantry weapon? Your rifle example betrays the lie of your words.

The 7.62 NATO was deemed better than the 30-06, then the 5.56 was deemed better than the 308 NATO- in no small part because the lower recoil reduces the strain of training.

I’ll go even further in saying that out to 300 y/m (further?) the 5.56 is better than 30-06 for combat as the low recoil and increased ammo load out more than makes up for the terminal ballistics of the venerable aught-six. And, where only the first shot counts in a long range engagement, the 30-06 is outclasses by the 300 WM and now the 30 PRC (what people say the 300wm wants to be when it grows up).

Any soldier in 1944 that would pass up a 2018 vintage ar15 to pick up a 1944 vintage garand (given equivalence of ammo logistics) was too stupid to serve.

Modern powders allow the 308win to achieve the same velocity and terminal energy as the 30-06 load used in the garand. The short action cartridge is at an advantage over the long action here. Likewise, the 300wm fits in the same long action footprint as the 30-06-advantage 300 wm.

Those same modern powders extend the legs of the 06 into the arena previously only reached by the magnum rifle cartridges.

Is the 30-06 still relevant? Sure, it will kill someone or some animal just as dead as any other rifle round. It carries more energy to the target than the prc flavor of the month cartridge, but is more difficult to shoot well- all else being equal. In a mountain rifle that gets carried all over hell and shot a hand full of times at a handful of game animals, I’d take the 06 over the 6creedmoor, given those two choices only. In a match weight rifle that is carried from stage to stage and is required to shoot relatively long strings of fire, under time constraint, for points, I’d take the 6creedmoor over the 06. Is one more relevant han the other? Yeah, but you need to define the purpose before deciding which is which.

Nope, the primary reason that cartridges scaled down was for weight and the ability to increase the number of rounds a troop could carry in the field. Balletically, none of the military calibers post '06' are superior. 100 rounds of "06" definitely weigh more than 100 rounds of 5.56...

 

[stanley_white]

I would love to see the 30-06 reintroduced as the 7.62x63mm with slogans like "Everything the 308 Winchester Lacks" posted on every gun forum everywhere to see how the ignorant react.

-Stan