30-06 for everything. Talk me out of it.

[imnotrucknut]

I would not be without my Sako 85 30.06.

Accurate. Reliable. Mine throws a 180gr Barnes ttsx accurately out to 150m. Dropped Boar domestically, Kudu in Africa.

I cannot detect greater recoil on my 30.06 over any .308 I have fired.

Easy cartridge to reload. Results below are what work in my rifle shooting at a 1" target set at 100m:

View attachment 202066

Not a bad group zambezi.
This is 150g tsx with 57gn rl17.
30 06

 

[Brighty3006]

308.. 308....like lemmings. Follow my leader. 30.06 all day

 

[Limpet]

You may or may not have seen this for sale by a member on here

For Sale: - Browning BLR .30-06 - new unfired

Being sold by @njc110381

 

[zambezi]

Not a bad group zambezi.
This is 150g tsx with 57gn rl17.
30 06View attachment 202067

Do you know what MV your load is doing?

 

[njc110381]

You may or may not have seen this for sale by a member on here

For Sale: - Browning BLR .30-06 - new unfired

Being sold by @njc110381

Thanks for the tag, much appreciated.

Regarding the calibre, whether I was selling one or not I would say it'll take some beating. It's available nearly everywhere, hits hard, what's not to like? There are loads of cartridges out there to choose from and many of them will do the job you're asking, but I'm sure if you end up with a .30-06 you won't regret it.

 

[Magnificent 7]

I've decided to chop in my 300 H&H (can't get the ammo overseas easily), and my 7x64 (shoots too loose) and get a new rifle. Quarry will be UK deer, Euro Boar, and Plains game. I'm a stalker not a shooter, and so I don't favour long range, seldom over 150 metres.
Must be able to shoot copper accurately, and have decent ammo availability in case I get stuck. I've had 6.5x55, 270, 7x57, 8x57 and 375H&H. Never had a 30-06 before, but they just seem to work, according to the books. The only negative is being a former military cartridge I cannot use it in France.
Any good reason not to go ahead..?

If you want one and have reason for one go scratch that itch I have a few 30 cals and love them all for varying jobs

 

[Magnificent 7]

What is wrong with the 308?

K

Nothing my go to calibre for almost everything its a cracking calibre

 

[imnotrucknut]

I

Do you know what MV your load is doing?

Haven't put them through the chrony yet it was a bit of a rush I only made up 9 rounds starting from 56-58gns the higher load was also 3 touching in a vertical line same place on target in pic.once I've made some more ill crony them and post results.
Gary

 

[zambezi]

I

Haven't put them through the chrony yet it was a bit of a rush I only made up 9 rounds starting from 56-58gns the higher load was also 3 touching in a vertical line same place on target in pic.once I've made some more ill crony them and post results.
Gary

Why I ask is because I had the same "touching" accuracy you have at a lower charge weight ...


...but I had to sacrifice that tighter group to achieve a minimum MV that assures Barnes ttsx expansion beyond 180m. [Barnes bullets need 2000fps to expand]


Apologies to OP if the detail of this wonderful cartridge is taken as a digression. What the data shows is that it is a PHENOMENAL cartridge. It can lob a heavy projectile very accurately!

 

[stubear]

Cant go wrong with .30-06 TBH. Its an oldie but a goldie as well, and it'll do everything you want it to.

I'd personally go for the '06 over the .308 because of the extra case capacity. You're going to get an extra 100-150ft/s velocity in comparable bullet weights with the '06 as compared to the .308. That extra oomph will help with plains game and boar abroad, and will shoot flatter over distance as well.

 

[Heym SR20]

I would keep your 300 H&H as they are generally very nice rifles. The military calibre prohibition was dropped in France about 10 years ago. 7x64 is available throughout Europe.

308, or at least 7.62x51 is the military calibre in most of subsaharan Africa alongside the AK47 Ammo. 30-06 also widely used.

In Germany most common driven boar calibre is 308 or 30-06.

7x64, 308, 30-06 - plenty of good non-toxic loads available. 300 H&H will no doubt shoot non toxic well - it has a fast enoough twist rate to stabilise long 220 gn lead bullets, and if you reload would be no issue to reload. Or if you don't reload, then one of the specialist companies could no doubt produce a batch for you.

 

[nickjackson]

I would say nothing to deter you.

I recently bought a 30:06 for 1. Plains Game as (I'm told) it's flat, handles all PG species and is the most readily available PG ammo in Africa being a popular US caliber (where 85% of the Dark Continent's hunters come from) 2. European Driven Boar - some countries have a min .30 limit, you don't want anything that recoils to much for past recycling and some countries don't allow .308

I bought a 6.5x55 to use on all UK deer but when it's been having a new stock bedded, new scope fitted etc I have used the 30:06 on roe and found the carcass damage to be surprisingly minimal.

I gather quite a few people down south use the caliber on muntjac.

Non lead should be freely available over more obscure calibers.

 

[nickjackson]

A while ago I had a similar dilemma - Seems that in practical terms a .308 is so close that that is the way to go.

30.06 will shoot "flatter" for about 30 yards more but as your shooting is around 150 M you are better served by a .308 which will have far less felt recoil. Yes the 30.06 will shoot heavier bullets but a .308 will shoot 220 grain anyway so do you really need more?

Gun blue did a youtube video on this subject .....

PG often more then 150m unless you are in the mopane in my experience.

 

[RoccoBMozo]

I've decided to chop in my 300 H&H (can't get the ammo overseas easily), and my 7x64 (shoots too loose) and get a new rifle. Quarry will be UK deer, Euro Boar, and Plains game. I'm a stalker not a shooter, and so I don't favour long range, seldom over 150 metres.
Must be able to shoot copper accurately, and have decent ammo availability in case I get stuck. I've had 6.5x55, 270, 7x57, 8x57 and 375H&H. Never had a 30-06 before, but they just seem to work, according to the books. The only negative is being a former military cartridge I cannot use it in France.
Any good reason not to go ahead..?

Can't see you being disappointed with a 30-06. I don't think there is a more versatile cartridge and it is perfect for boar.

 

[Muir]

A while ago I had a similar dilemma - Seems that in practical terms a .308 is so close that that is the way to go.

30.06 will shoot "flatter" for about 30 yards more but as your shooting is around 150 M you are better served by a .308 which will have far less felt recoil. Yes the 30.06 will shoot heavier bullets but a .308 will shoot 220 grain anyway so do you really need more?

Gun blue did a youtube video on this subject .....

Not that it matters much, but the 30-06 will shoot a 215 or 220 about 200 fps faster than a 308. (Just under 2500 fps VS just under 2700 fps). That's a consideration in some instances.~Muir

 

[A Guy Out West]

Ground squirrels to Eland, a 30/06 works just fine.

 

[Captaincolonial]

I've decided to chop in my 300 H&H (can't get the ammo overseas easily), and my 7x64 (shoots too loose) and get a new rifle. Quarry will be UK deer, Euro Boar, and Plains game. I'm a stalker not a shooter, and so I don't favour long range, seldom over 150 metres.
Must be able to shoot copper accurately, and have decent ammo availability in case I get stuck. I've had 6.5x55, 270, 7x57, 8x57 and 375H&H. Never had a 30-06 before, but they just seem to work, according to the books. The only negative is being a former military cartridge I cannot use it in France.
Any good reason not to go ahead..?

The France problem resolved itself in 2019, that is no longer a problem. 30/06 is my go to rifle , I run 180 grain ballistic tips as my general purpose load and 220 grain Cariboo customs as my boar loads. It is so versatile that most other rifle never get out of the cabinet

 

[CarlW]

308, or at least 7.62x51 is the military calibre in most of subsaharan Africa alongside the AK47 Ammo.

An AK47 is generally 7.62x39. It wouldn't be smart to try to use that ammunition in a .308 or in a 7.62x51 NATO.

 

[Heym SR20]

An AK47 is generally 7.62x39. It wouldn't be smart to try to use that ammunition in a .308 or in a 7.62x51 NATO.

No it wouldn’t- i meant say 7.62x51 Nato / 308 is widely available alongside 7.62x39. Just about all police, game scouts, anti poaching patrols etc use one or the other.

 

[CarlW]

No it wouldn’t- i meant say 7.62x51 Nato / 308 is widely available alongside 7.62x39. Just about all police, game scouts, anti poaching patrols etc use one or the other.

The ratio is about 999 AKs to 1 any-other-platform. Can't remember when I last saw an FN-FAL.

Recommending a .308 because:

308, or at least 7.62x51 is the military calibre in most of subsaharan Africa

is not correct advice.