I agree. 130gr I use on the Fallow Bucks and if a Muntjac crops up it gets shot with the same. I personally have not noticed any difference in damage with 243,6.5 and 30-06 on Muntjac. It find it’s just shot placement with the little things being so important. How many have we shot thinking they are broadside only to got check and see they are not full.
30-06, unpopular?
- Thread starter wildfowler.250
- Start date
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
The 30-06 has always in the UK been considered on the large side for UK deer stalking. Indeed in the US it’s considered to have maximum recoil that most part time or occasional shooters can really withstand and shoot accurately. Of course competent and experienced shooters can shoot well with heavier recoiling cartridges such as the magnums.
During the wars the British did use many P17 Enfields from the US in 30-06, but they were mostly kept in reserve / issued to home guard. Partly from an ammo supply, but also because they were difficult to shoot well than the 303 rifles.
When the 270 and 243 Win became available in the UK they really took over from the 303, 6.5 MS and 7x57 as sporting cartridges. In the days before range finders, the high velocity of the 243 and 270 made hitting the kill zone of a deer very much easier, especially on more open ground. And both have relatively little recoil compared to 303 and 30-06 rifles. (303 doesn’t have much recoil, but in a brass butted ex military partially sporterised its more than enough).
270s were the Scottish Hill rifle. A 243 could do pretty much everything else.
In the UK most stalkers did not shoot more than a handful of cartridges a year. When I got my first rifle in 1996, there were very few options to practice with sporting rifles and thus get used to recoil. And nobody used moderators.
There were target clubs, but they had little interest in letting hunters practice
During the wars the British did use many P17 Enfields from the US in 30-06, but they were mostly kept in reserve / issued to home guard. Partly from an ammo supply, but also because they were difficult to shoot well than the 303 rifles.
When the 270 and 243 Win became available in the UK they really took over from the 303, 6.5 MS and 7x57 as sporting cartridges. In the days before range finders, the high velocity of the 243 and 270 made hitting the kill zone of a deer very much easier, especially on more open ground. And both have relatively little recoil compared to 303 and 30-06 rifles. (303 doesn’t have much recoil, but in a brass butted ex military partially sporterised its more than enough).
270s were the Scottish Hill rifle. A 243 could do pretty much everything else.
In the UK most stalkers did not shoot more than a handful of cartridges a year. When I got my first rifle in 1996, there were very few options to practice with sporting rifles and thus get used to recoil. And nobody used moderators.
There were target clubs, but they had little interest in letting hunters practice
It’s true you know….i was just cleaning both my creedmoors thinking that!
JohnCZ
Well-Known Member
Not in the UK but my thoughts are you can always slow down a 30-06 to 308 velocities but you can't go the other way. The 30-06 is simply a very good round that does deer killing stuff boringly well. I have 3 x 30-06 because it is just that good for medium game. 1 x Blaser R8, 1 x Blaser/Ulrich R93 & 1 x Mauser M12.
Sure the flat earth brigade will be along with the ".270 is the best" nonsense shortly.
The only Ackley gun I own is a 30-06 AI in a target rifle. When loaded to the original 30-06 pressures there wasn't enough difference to make it worth my time. I went back to my 1903 national match.
That said, i still have it (42 years now) because its beautifully set up and accurate -Muir
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
I would not disagree at all with you. Down in Australia you have much bigger deer than most of ours.
The biggest deer we have are red deer and the vast majority will have a maximum live weight of 200 kgs, many will be a lot less.
There are a few large stags about in certain parts of the country - Thetford and the New Forest for example, but they are the exception to the rule. Even on these a 243 in the right place does the job.
We also have strict licensing. Scotland seems to be easier, but of the English Police forces seem to get very excited and have hissy fits if you want anything bigger than a 243. A 270 or 7mm - lots of sucking of teeth and need to demonstrate that have access to big bits of ground. I think it has got a bit easier, especially as 308 Win is now I believe issue for all of Forestry England, and with the introduction of non lead for many the base is now the 6.5. Mind you the Military boffins and crelks have got their knickers in a not over the much superior ballistics of 6.5 high BC bullets compared to fat and dumpy 308 that they have banned them from use on military ranges.
But 30-06 - to you want an anti-tank calibre!!!
I used one in Africa and it was a pleasure to shoot. No recoil to speak of, less than my .270 (both moderated).
Everything I shot up to Zebra went down without any problems. Not sure what the loads were, they were home loads but whatever they were worked very nicely.
A friend who i stalk with uses one and is very accurate with it.
Everything I shot up to Zebra went down without any problems. Not sure what the loads were, they were home loads but whatever they were worked very nicely.
A friend who i stalk with uses one and is very accurate with it.
Just what I was going to say....but haven't shot that many.
Fwiw.
I have a 30-06AI stalking rifle. 26" Lilja barrel.
It shoots a 168 grain bullet at a genuine 3,000fps with N160. No pressure signs. I could have pushed it further but it is so accurate i stayed with that load. It was shooting 155 grain at 3200fps.
I have never needed to trim a case, one of the benefits of AI.
Scipio
Well-Known Member
weeeeeeeeeell, i was down at the range this week, and most of the empty cartridges that i found lying about was 30-06. So either it isnt as unfashionable a cartridge as some think, at least at that range, or whoever are shooting 30-06s really dont like cleaning up, after themselves lol.
Scipio
Well-Known Member
how does the whole AI thing work, - do you need special dies and chambers made, and what about brass, - do you need to buy regular 30-06 brass and then fireform it, before then resizing with your AI die?
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Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
The 30-06 is very popular on the continent and in Scandinavia. Post War there were lots of US military about with 30-06 rifles. I think some of Scandinavian military used 30-06 rifles after the war till Nato adopted the 7.62. Red Deer in Europe are substantially bigger that those in the UK. There also good numbers of Wild Boar and in Scandinavia, Moose and Bears. The 30-06 provides the thump for such big animals.
The 30-06 with the heavier bullets does provide more thump than the 308, hence probably why it is still very popular.
Besides its a good looking cartridge
Scipio
Well-Known Member
so why do you rarely shoot them?
150 Grain in my sporter is a pleasure to target shoot. My go to 6.5x55 is a bit timid by comparison 120 Grains.
BC.
BC.
Hi.
When building the rifle your smith will need a 30-06AI reamer. The AI differs from the parent 30-06 by having less body taper and a 40 degree shoulder.
To full size the cases you will need dedicated 30-06AI dies. They are available but not cheap.
Standard 30-06 brass is fired in the AI chamber and the pressure blows the case out to the new dimensions. It is perfectly safe to shoot 30-06 ammunition in the AI chamber.
germanforester
Member
In Germany, the most commonly used caliber is the .308, followed closely by the .30-06. Both cartridges are sufficient for everything here, even for the biggest red stag. I recently went hunting in Scotland, and my stalker was using an S404 in .270. I was very impressed.
Scipio
Well-Known Member
Cheers Yorkie
Hello @germanforester What impressed you so about it? .-) And how is the 7x64 doing in Germany?
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