bullet
Handloader
- Dec 26, 2007
- 4,975
- 18
It might be my age or that I am a died in the wool American and loved showing foreigners how well the 30-06 killed game before their very eyes or just a nostalgic old fashion guy who likes the excitement and loves to shoot the 30-06. For so many years since I owned my first 06 as a teenager, I have watch my 06’s dispatch for me coyotes to the big ones and some up close stuff that made me draw up in places I can’t talk about. It has and I say has never failed me. May be it is because I was lucky at times or just used the right bullet or was a fair shot and hit the right place or the Lord was just good to me.
As Waters put it, "men like Warren Page, R.M. Hanson, Jim Stewart, Hosea Sarber, Grancel Fitz, Wendell Swank, Dr. George Petrides (who took everything from kob, wart hogs, hartebeest, lion, buffalo and hippo) Andy Russell, Myles Brown, Frank Golata, Alf Madsen, Jay Williams, Bill Rae and Bill Ruger also Stewart Edward White (who used it on lion), Fred Barnes, Colonel Whelen used the 06 for just about everything and for all but a few of the above mention men it was the rifle of choice in the field. Jack O’Connor said that much of the criticism of the 30-06 stems from the use of unsuitable bullets for the job at hand and if used on brown bear use 200gr and above bullets of proper construction."
Yes, I believe in the 30-06 and it’s ability considering it’s wide range of power, sufficiently flat trajectory, unquestioned accuracy, reasonable recoil and unusually broad variety of bullet choices and the fact that it is the world’s most versatile center-fire cartridge ever developed. With all the new powders, bullets and especially new light match grade rifles of today, I find it very questionable as to whether we can name any standard caliber or cartridge which is more versatile or better suited when all things are weighed to meet the requirements of a majority of American riflemen and hunters.
When I have traveled and people ask me what are you using on this hunt and I would say "the 30-06" they always have said, “good choice.” The 30-06 over the years has been a main stay in performance as one of our best and certainly most flexible all around cartridges for the hunter who hunts a variety of game. It’s potential today is enhanced by the new powders, bullets, primers and brass. It is a flat shooter today because with new steel in receivers and barrels the 30-06 can be loaded to the same pressures as the 25-06 and 270.
When hand loading the 06 is able to drive a 165gr bullet a 2900-2950fps allowing it to be flat shooting like some smaller calibers while hard hitting like the 300H&H and 300WSM. It will take game on which the smaller calibers are inadequate and when the 30-06 is loaded with it’s heaviest bullets, does not deliver anywhere near the recoil of the big magnums. The 30-06 has a wide range of power, good flat trajectory, unquestioned accuracy, reasonable recoil and unusually broad variety of bullets weights. Capable of even driving a 220gr bullet at 2500fps or a 240gr bullet at 2450fps.
No matter where you hunt in north America, Europe and even in Africa, the stores will have 30-06 ammo. There are many hunters every year who buy a 30-06 and as I said, "they are not doing so out of a lack of knowledge." The 30-06 is like a good horse, you ride him because he won’t surprise you or let you down and it is today a horse with a longer set of legs and the 30-06 can really be stretched out. You can take it into unexpected terrain or circumstances and it is so versatile in it’s performance that it will not let you down.
The 30-06 will be here until a completely new and radical way of killing game is developed. If the new radical way comes before I die, others can use it. As for me I have in my 30-06 all that I will generally need. The question or debate is not whether certain other cartridges will dispatch game more quickly. The point is, will any of the other cartridges do all these things better than the 30-06 of today? To be honest and truthful, one has to answer that it is doubtful.
What is so amazing is all the shooting advancements in bullets and powders with match grade rifles in 30-06 being manufactured by major gun makers and custom shops everywhere, the 30-06 just keeps getting better. Without a doubt it is truly the most versatile of all the cartridges one could consider if he could only pick one for North America.
As Waters put it, "men like Warren Page, R.M. Hanson, Jim Stewart, Hosea Sarber, Grancel Fitz, Wendell Swank, Dr. George Petrides (who took everything from kob, wart hogs, hartebeest, lion, buffalo and hippo) Andy Russell, Myles Brown, Frank Golata, Alf Madsen, Jay Williams, Bill Rae and Bill Ruger also Stewart Edward White (who used it on lion), Fred Barnes, Colonel Whelen used the 06 for just about everything and for all but a few of the above mention men it was the rifle of choice in the field. Jack O’Connor said that much of the criticism of the 30-06 stems from the use of unsuitable bullets for the job at hand and if used on brown bear use 200gr and above bullets of proper construction."
Yes, I believe in the 30-06 and it’s ability considering it’s wide range of power, sufficiently flat trajectory, unquestioned accuracy, reasonable recoil and unusually broad variety of bullet choices and the fact that it is the world’s most versatile center-fire cartridge ever developed. With all the new powders, bullets and especially new light match grade rifles of today, I find it very questionable as to whether we can name any standard caliber or cartridge which is more versatile or better suited when all things are weighed to meet the requirements of a majority of American riflemen and hunters.
When I have traveled and people ask me what are you using on this hunt and I would say "the 30-06" they always have said, “good choice.” The 30-06 over the years has been a main stay in performance as one of our best and certainly most flexible all around cartridges for the hunter who hunts a variety of game. It’s potential today is enhanced by the new powders, bullets, primers and brass. It is a flat shooter today because with new steel in receivers and barrels the 30-06 can be loaded to the same pressures as the 25-06 and 270.
When hand loading the 06 is able to drive a 165gr bullet a 2900-2950fps allowing it to be flat shooting like some smaller calibers while hard hitting like the 300H&H and 300WSM. It will take game on which the smaller calibers are inadequate and when the 30-06 is loaded with it’s heaviest bullets, does not deliver anywhere near the recoil of the big magnums. The 30-06 has a wide range of power, good flat trajectory, unquestioned accuracy, reasonable recoil and unusually broad variety of bullets weights. Capable of even driving a 220gr bullet at 2500fps or a 240gr bullet at 2450fps.
No matter where you hunt in north America, Europe and even in Africa, the stores will have 30-06 ammo. There are many hunters every year who buy a 30-06 and as I said, "they are not doing so out of a lack of knowledge." The 30-06 is like a good horse, you ride him because he won’t surprise you or let you down and it is today a horse with a longer set of legs and the 30-06 can really be stretched out. You can take it into unexpected terrain or circumstances and it is so versatile in it’s performance that it will not let you down.
The 30-06 will be here until a completely new and radical way of killing game is developed. If the new radical way comes before I die, others can use it. As for me I have in my 30-06 all that I will generally need. The question or debate is not whether certain other cartridges will dispatch game more quickly. The point is, will any of the other cartridges do all these things better than the 30-06 of today? To be honest and truthful, one has to answer that it is doubtful.
What is so amazing is all the shooting advancements in bullets and powders with match grade rifles in 30-06 being manufactured by major gun makers and custom shops everywhere, the 30-06 just keeps getting better. Without a doubt it is truly the most versatile of all the cartridges one could consider if he could only pick one for North America.
