30-06 Brush Gun?

[8MMX57JS]

With today's modern powders and great bullet selection the 30-06's is definitely no slouch. I personally am a heavy for caliber type of guy so 200gr NAB, 200gr Speer hot-cors, 220gr NPT is something id use.

Last time i was playing with 200gr Nosler accubonds and speers my chronograph was telling me i was getting 2700 fps out my Alaskan M70 25" barrel. Put a CDS Leupold scope on that and you have yourself the king of the hill for non-magnum cartridge/preformance IMO.

 

[walkinhorseman]

I don't have a 30-06, nor have I ever wanted one. However, should we ever be forced to limit the number of registered rifles that we own, I would have to strongly consider the 30-06 a strong candidate for my hunting rifle. I have this fine old cartridge bracketed by 308's and a 300 Win Mag. For the reloader, the 30-06 is most versatile as it will handle a wide range of bullet weights impeccably well, when coupled with judicious handloading and powder burn rates appropriate to the task. As PJ pointed out, it can range from 30-30 power levels to its full heavy bullet potential. I respect the cartridge for the progeny that it has spawned. The 280 was always one of my top choices in long action cartridges as I am a 7mm advocate. I always told myself that if I found an irresistible Pre-64 Model 70 or a Belgium Browning Safari with an FN Supreme action in 30-06, I would have one.

In my hand, the hunting rifle has always been more about the handling of the rifle than the cartridge. Matching the correct bullet construction for the impact velocity to achieve the desired terminal performance is the key. Brush gun ranges are best served by moderate velocity loads and stoutly constructed bullets. [I had a 280 Rem that I loaded 140's to 3000+ fps in. I shot a deer in the ribs at 90 yards with that load. The entrance side was bloodshot from the shoulder to belly. .and. the deer just kind of stopped, rocked around on all fours as if punch drunk, until I put the second shot in the neck.]

Brush hunting equates to quick handling and pointing rifles. Barrel length has less to do with muzzle velocity at short ranges than it does to practical terminal ballistics. The 30-06 case can be effectively loaded with faster burn rate powders in the 4895 range to be efficient in shorter barrel lengths. Where I see the versatility in the 30-06 is to use the full case capacity with the 4350 burn rates to push 180-200 grain bullets. Barrel lengths should then be 22-24" to use this potential. With the long action length and typical factory barrel length for these 30-06 sporters, you are looking at 3 to 4" of additional overall length of the "brush" rifles whereas a 308 does the same job in a shorter package.

So what? I have long action hunting rifles and short actioned rifles, same calibers, different cartridges. Well, if you have a 30" inseam and a 32" sleeve length, why wouldn't you prefer slepping a 308 through the brush over a 30-06?

 

[ShadeTree]

Can't say I disagree with you WH. I often been of the opinion as a lighter game round, the 308 makes more sense. When you get into the heavies the 30-06 can give very respectable results without being pushed hard within its pressure limits.

If a person in today's world wants a 30 caliber and is not going to reload.........find yourself a 308. Factory ammo is even more prevalent than 30-06. I'd say by a wide margin around here. If you do reload......in my opinion get yourself a 30-06. You can make it a 308, a 300 Savage, or just under a magnum. And like the disparity of factory ammo in the 308, the choice of used rifles of your preference in 30-06 compared to 308 is noticeably greater by a wide margin. I don't think 10 to 1 is stretching it. Maybe more.

 

[ShadeTree]

Shot this 30-06 today. 200 yards just the way she sits. Group measures 2.5" H X 4.5" W. Not much as far as modern scope groups would go but a deer wouldn't like it none at 200. All easy fit inside a 10" plate. Might keep it unscoped......put a williams peep sight on the rear to make things easier and I'll be set.

 

[DrMike]

That'll work for deer!

 

[KinleyWater]

Shot this 30-06 today. 200 yards just the way she sits. Group measures 2.5" H X 4.5" W. Not much as far as modern scope groups would go but a deer wouldn't like it none at 200. All easy fit inside a 10" plate. Might keep it unscoped......put a williams peep sight on the rear to make things easier and I'll be set.

I absolutely love these rifles. The idea of a pump 30-06 is just crazy, but it's also just brilliant. If you want the -06 as a brush round, this is the way to go.

Oh - why the -06 as a close-in round, and not the 308? Maybe no reason other than just because... But the fact is the -06 can fling a bullet of a given weight faster - with more energy - than the 308. Might only make a small difference, but it also might make just enough difference.

 

[ShadeTree]

I absolutely love these rifles. The idea of a pump 30-06 is just crazy, but it's also just brilliant. If you want the -06 as a brush round, this is the way to go.

Oh - why the -06 as a close-in round, and not the 308? Maybe no reason other than just because... But the fact is the -06 can fling a bullet of a given weight faster - with more energy - than the 308. Might only make a small difference, but it also might make just enough difference.

I'm a fan. They work for me. Fit me well and feel like second nature. I have a 760 in 35 Remington that has always been a shooter. Honestly between those 2, that 35 Rem and this 30-06 would cover all I'd ever need and do it in fine fashion, pumps or not. Although to put this one in that category as all I'd ever need, it should be scoped. But I might have fun with it just the way it is as long as my eyes will let me.

 

[Guy Miner]

My son has often hunted with this sporterized Model of 1917, 30-06. It's got a 6x Leupold in this photo. Barrel is bobbed to 21" and as I recall it holds six in the magazine. Bell & Carlson stock.

I've also used it with a little 2.5x Leupold, along with 180, 200 and 220 grain Nosler Partitions... Figured it made an awfully rugged 30-06 for hunting in timber. It's always been decent at 300 + yards though. Son tagged a big ol' black bear some years ago with it at a bit over 300 yards. 165 gr Nosler Partition on that one.

Guy

 

[Wolfshead]

Don’t you know it has to have a cool new name to be any good? I’m surprised the bullets just don’t bounce off deer. Not knocking the 6.5 creed, it’s a fine little round, but its gotten to anytime I see a younger person at the range, I already know is a 6.5 Creed. And they’re gonna tell you all about it.

Or a 300 win mag….

 

[KinleyWater]

.338 Lapua - the minimum caliber for Dik Dik.

 

[Guy Miner]

Shot this 30-06 today. 200 yards just the way she sits. Group measures 2.5" H X 4.5" W. Not much as far as modern scope groups would go but a deer wouldn't like it none at 200. All easy fit inside a 10" plate. Might keep it unscoped......put a williams peep sight on the rear to make things easier and I'll be set.

Oh, I like that idea of a Williams receiver sight!

 

[SJB358]

I didn’t care for an 06 much but finally caved when I found a P64 Featherweight. Tried some of the 212 ELDs at 2700 with SB6.5 and I’ll be danged if it wasn’t a wonderful hunting rifle and tipped elk over tidily.

My buddy just did in a nice bull with some Remington 180 Round Nose CoreLokts..

I’m beginning to give it some more respect these days. It’s pretty darned good.







His was at the brush busting range of 325 while mine worked out to 390…. Not bad for the old codger.

 

[lefty315]

There was a day not too long ago that I said everyone should have an ‘06 in the safe. You could probably find a box of shells in most gas stations in the smaller western towns. Such a versatile cartridge whether you hand loaded or not. Really a one gun to do all your big game hunting.

I have some factory ammo only because a guy was selling it super cheap. Otherwise I’ve loaded for mine since I bought it 25 years ago, a used 700 ADL in Glasgow Montana. Yesterday I was in a local Sportsman’s Warehouse and I walked past the ammo shelves. I wasn’t looking for anything, just curious how expensive things were. I couldn’t believe how much .308 ammo they had and not just target ammo, mostly hunting ammo. I never thought I’d see a day where .308 was more plentiful than .30-06.

 

[KinleyWater]

There was a day not too long ago that I said everyone should have an ‘06 in the safe. You could probably find a box of shells in most gas stations in the smaller western towns. Such a versatile cartridge whether you hand loaded or not. Really a one gun to do all your big game hunting.

I have some factory ammo only because a guy was selling it super cheap. Otherwise I’ve loaded for mine since I bought it 25 years ago, a used 700 ADL in Glasgow Montana. Yesterday I was in a local Sportsman’s Warehouse and I walked past the ammo shelves. I wasn’t looking for anything, just curious how expensive things were. I couldn’t believe how much .308 ammo they had and not just target ammo, mostly hunting ammo. I never thought I’d see a day where .308 was more plentiful than .30-06.

Same here; not a box of -06 on the shelves of many stores.

 

[ShadeTree]

I didn’t care for an 06 much but finally caved when I found a P64 Featherweight. Tried some of the 212 ELDs at 2700 with SB6.5 and I’ll be danged if it wasn’t a wonderful hunting rifle and tipped elk over tidily.

My buddy just did in a nice bull with some Remington 180 Round Nose CoreLokts..

I’m beginning to give it some more respect these days. It’s pretty darned good.







His was at the brush busting range of 325 while mine worked out to 390…. Not bad for the old codger.

Yeah and if you run some quick numbers on that giving the RN CL a factory MV of 2700 and an optimistic .230 BC, it was cruising along at a blistering 1590 when it hit that elk but still holding onto 1000 ft lbs energy despite that low velocity. You boys pretty much used an 06 with a bullet outside its normal parameters and intention in my view, but you all made it work. Good on you and good on the ole 30-06.

 

[JD338]

Scotty,
Did the 180 gr SPCL bullets exit that bull?

JD338

 

[SJB358]

Scotty,
Did the 180 gr SPCL bullets exit that bull?

JD338

Yeah, had a pass thru Jim. Maybe about a 1/2 dollar'ish in size. Seemed like they expanded fine.

You could definitely hear the smack on touching down.

 

[preacher]

Peep sights and heavy round nose anything just fits my idea of "brush rifle". It "has" to penetrate deep on a hard angle, or powerful enough to break them down. While I have shot alot of game with the RN bullets, I have had "tremendous, eye popping penetration/break em down right there" results with Barnes X, XLC, XBT, TSX and TTSX....most was with 30, 338 and 35 caliber, but a "few" with .221 Fireball(50XLC) to 243 level (85XBT) I count the 240Wby and 6mm/284 right there with the .270 IF a mono is used. Granted, the smaller calibers have a smaller wound channel, but hey, they do run similar speeds and penetrate!

 

[Firebird]

Couple thoughts as I read the last two pages-
“Brush Busting” is a terrible idea if it refers to shooting through actual brush. You are begging for poor hits. But if it refers to shorter range shooting then I’m all in.

Last weekend me, a nephew and a farmer with a bad foot all sallied forth to fill doe mule deer tags. On the farmers property so he got to sit up front while I conformed to the back seat. I shot a rem 700 synthetic stainless that I refer to as “my loaner” and 165 gr Accubonds. Nephew shot a mossberg patriot in .270 and 130 gr grand slams. I set this up for one of my daughters and it was too big for her but the nephew wanted it. And lastly the farmer has a custom 6.5 prc and eld x 143 gr I believe built on an AR platform but with a bolt action. We all killed our two does. Farthest was 430 yards and closest was 40. At 430 yards the .270 grand slam went clean through the rib cage just behind the shoulder. Nephew shot it off sticks and it does have a custom shop turret on its leupold scope. One deer got spined but the rest ran about 40 yards and then dropped. My best shot was 220 yards straight on and the AccuBond was excellent, I did not dig through the stomach contents to find it but wish I had-it passed through the heart on its way and damaged both lungs and liver, after it hit bone on its entry. Even the custom farmers gun was flawless.
It would seem that if the bullets were put in the right place, they all worked just fine and even the spine hit was drt. All damaged some meat but nothing unexpected. I handled field duties on the farmers deer and was happy with what I saw his rifle/bullet had done.
I hate to see anyone knock the old 06 and that gas starion will have .270 ammo right next to the .30-06 and the .308. The 6.5 hasn’t converted me yet but I can’t hate them either. . . Just don’t shoot them through the branches!

 

[ShadeTree]

Couple thoughts as I read the last two pages-
“Brush Busting” is a terrible idea if it refers to shooting through actual brush. You are begging for poor hits. But if it refers to shorter range shooting then I’m all in.

Last weekend me, a nephew and a farmer with a bad foot all sallied forth to fill doe mule deer tags. On the farmers property so he got to sit up front while I conformed to the back seat. I shot a rem 700 synthetic stainless that I refer to as “my loaner” and 165 gr Accubonds. Nephew shot a mossberg patriot in .270 and 130 gr grand slams. I set this up for one of my daughters and it was too big for her but the nephew wanted it. And lastly the farmer has a custom 6.5 prc and eld x 143 gr I believe built on an AR platform but with a bolt action. We all killed our two does. Farthest was 430 yards and closest was 40. At 430 yards the .270 grand slam went clean through the rib cage just behind the shoulder. Nephew shot it off sticks and it does have a custom shop turret on its leupold scope. One deer got spined but the rest ran about 40 yards and then dropped. My best shot was 220 yards straight on and the AccuBond was excellent, I did not dig through the stomach contents to find it but wish I had-it passed through the heart on its way and damaged both lungs and liver, after it hit bone on its entry. Even the custom farmers gun was flawless.
It would seem that if the bullets were put in the right place, they all worked just fine and even the spine hit was drt. All damaged some meat but nothing unexpected. I handled field duties on the farmers deer and was happy with what I saw his rifle/bullet had done.
I hate to see anyone knock the old 06 and that gas starion will have .270 ammo right next to the .30-06 and the .308. The 6.5 hasn’t converted me yet but I can’t hate them either. . . Just don’t shoot them through the branches!

Gotta disagree on that one. Everybody has to know what shots to take and what shots not to, but at least a full 1/3 of my deer put in the freezer over the years were shots taken in heavy cover. I killed a deer some years back that I could literally just see the outline of the deer it was in that thick of fine brush, but I seen it go in there, and it was close and clear between me and where the deer was in the thick brush, so I took the shot and the bullet did it's job hitting up front and penetrating, although already somewhat expanded when it did so. Could give story after story of different but similar accounts. A good buck killed just last yr at around 100 yds. Later on I went back to where I shot from and looked over with binoculars where the deer was standing and can't say for sure how I got one snuck in there. I seen a hole and took the one shot I was gonna probably get but couldn't come up with that hole when I looked it over later. I knew it was tight.

On the flip side I've made poor shots or even misses on deer where the deer was seemingly in the clear. You do the best you can on a shot opportunity when it presents itself. I watch some of these hunting shows and don't know whether to laugh or scream. I would've killed that deer 27 times already and they wait until it's turned just right and close, then flip the safe off loud and the deer snaps to attention. What they don't show is all the times such foolery doesn't work out.