.30-06 opinions

My son shooting my Czech Mauser 270 WCF with 150 grain bullets at about 2.600 fps. He doesn't like it! Alongside which he said gave less recoil (even with factory 180 grain Federal ammunition) is my Parker Hale M81 Classic in .30/06 with Zeiss 3-9x36 Diavari-C. It's all about the weight of the rifle. Both stocks fit well. Both have twenty-four inch barrel. Both use Mauser 98 type actions. The P-Hale as stocked and 'scoped just weighs more. So felt recoil is less.

NLRIFLE.jpg
 
I have:
Brno ZG-47, M98, blued and walnut stock and 24" barrel with open sights in 30-06.
Tikka T3, Stainless, fiberglass stock and 18" barrel with suppressor in 308.

308 recoils less, is shorter, less weight and as effective out to 300m.
But, would choose the 30-06 each time the weather is nice.
 
The case is the same (25-06 and 30-06) powder charge is close too so it's down to bullet wieght..
The heavier bullet of the 30-06 (165gr in my case) exiting at 2800fps give more recoil than the 117gr exiting my 25-06 @ 2900 fps.
It's not uncomfotable but it's more, the 180gr @ 2700 again feels very similar ie more than the 25-06
 
I have a Blaser R93 in 3006. If I was to buy again I would probably go 308. But, I’m not changing now.
As has been said, There is recoil but deer stalking I don’t notice it much, mine weights 6 to 7 kilos all in Including scope and moderator And I shoot 150 grain. I did look to go down to 120 grain but that was £20 more a box.
I got a stock made that fitted me because I am an awkward size, that helps ensure rifle is mounted accurately and avoids issues with recoil. Everybody focus's on shotgun fitting but we should really look at rifle fitting as well. Just my opinion of course.
 
My brother uses one in a tikka lite, a pal uses a 85 synthetic. I have shot several beasts with the former, and a lot of zeroing rounds (setting it up for him 😏). I find it more of a firm push than my 308 (sako 591) which is more snappy. It’s very manageable, I really don’t think ‘ought six’ recoil is a factor unless the user is very recoil shy. Yes you lose sight picture, but you do with 308 and likely much above 243 depending on the rifle weight/loading etc.

Needless to say a fine all rounder for uk deer, doesn’t blow roe up excessively (pin shots aside) and excellent on larger deer. The sika stags don’t seem to go far which is always an acid test.
 
I never liked 30-06. I've tried a few rifles chambered in it, the worst was a PH that kicked like a mule.
I find the .308 more manageable, and it's no less effective.
30-06 has been the most popular hunting cartridge in Germany for years, but they do tend to use it on driven boar, and for really big stags, where heavier bullets are an advantage.
 
I don't find the .30-06 too hard on the shoulder, especially not when moderated. It's a very good cartridge, capable of anything you're likely to want to shoot outside of a zoo in the UK.

I use a .35 Whelen as an everyday woodland stalking gun, basically the .30-06 necked up to .35 calibre and using a 200gr bullet. That's a Sako 75 with a Wildcat Evolution moderator on it - it's a lovely rifle.
 
Going back to the OP, he already has and shoots a 25-06. This is a lovely fast and flat shoot calibre ideal for longer range work on smaller animals, but will quite happily deal with large Red Stags.

30-06 and also the 7x64 or 280 Remington would be a perfect compliment giving you a rifle that would provide more authority on bigger tougher animals eg big Red Deer, Boar, African plains game etc but still plenty flat enough shooting for any mountain hunting with the correct bullet and load.

An argument could be made for stepping up to a 300 Magnum of some description. These add perhaps another 50m of point blank range and a bit more power but at expense of a lot more powder, recoil noise etc. and for longer range these point blank is much less of an issue, as range finders and good trajectory info takes the guesswork away. Wind is always and always will be an issue. Even long high BC bullets are blown around in the wind.

The beauty of the 30-06 is that it is a worldwide calibre and hunting ammo is pretty much available in most places.

Personally I really like the 7x64 and 7x65r just because, but a 30-06 is probably the more useful and easier to run choice.

A lot of the myths about 270s, 30-06 etc come from shooters who are new to rifle shooting and / have never been taught how to control recoil. Everyone seems to use the tactical crossarmed hold with the weight of the rifle taken on a bipod or bag, and then the free hand holds the butt into the shoulder. This works fine on a light recoiling rifle, especially one that has a thick heavy barrel. If you use a bipod on a heavy recoiling rifle and use you forehand as god intended to hold the forend, you hand just gets bitten by the bipod. Harris Bipods in particular seem to be designed to inflict as much damage as possible. Ditch the bipod, take a good grasp of the forend and rest your hand on a bag, on sticks etc and your forearm acts as a big recoil spring and takes a lot of sting out of any recoil. And this technique gives more consistency in recoiling sporting rifles across a whole range of shooting positions. Also wood, and wood laminate stocks soak up and don’t resonate recoil like many plastic / polymer type stocks.
Fantastic comment some very good points thank you very much. I forget to mention that I’m also left handed and this is a huge role in why I opt for certain calibers and I’m not spoilt for choice like a right handed shooter is ! I know there’s plenty of companies that make rifles in left hand however getting hold of them seems to be a different story ! I love my sako85 and it was the only one available left hand which is why I went for it in the .25-06 which I do love...my dream rifle was always a .270 but wanting a sako 85...and being told no special orders will be taken for the foreseeable future left me with little choice. I could get a tikka t3 in 5/8 months in left hand .270 but there’s something about the sako85 that just shines that bit more above the t3 for me...and there just so happens to be one available in .30-06 which is why I ask the question.
 
Fantastic comment some very good points thank you very much. I forget to mention that I’m also left handed and this is a huge role in why I opt for certain calibers and I’m not spoilt for choice like a right handed shooter is ! I know there’s plenty of companies that make rifles in left hand however getting hold of them seems to be a different story ! I love my sako85 and it was the only one available left hand which is why I went for it in the .25-06 which I do love...my dream rifle was always a .270 but wanting a sako 85...and being told no special orders will be taken for the foreseeable future left me with little choice. I could get a tikka t3 in 5/8 months in left hand .270 but there’s something about the sako85 that just shines that bit more above the t3 for me...and there just so happens to be one available in .30-06 which is why I ask the question.
Like you I am left handed and left handed rifles are so so much better. I would jump on that 30-06 without a second thought.

I do have a right handed Rigby 7x57. It belongs to a close family friend and I took over when he was no longer able to use it through ill health. I like it, but I tend ti use my 7x65r combination gun instead.

I don’t think there is a huge real world difference between 25-06 and 270. There is a bit but not enough to justify changing etc.

And a 30-06 will shoot 150ish grain monolithic bullet very well and that will be good enough for pretty much anything on this planet.

If not then you will be needing a 375 or 416
 
I don’t think there is a huge real world difference between 25-06 and 270. There is a bit but not enough to justify changing etc.

I read once the advice that the .25-06 doesn't do any better in 100 grain than does the .243 Winchester (or 6mm Remington) nor much better in 130 grain than the .270 WCF. But I guess in that narrow 117 grain "niche" it works, and works well. But as said, by HEYM SR20, it's too close to the .270 WCF to make that calibre a useful second rifle for the OP.
 
Hi all

As title suggests I’m looking for peoples FIRST HAND opinion of the legendary .30-06 I have done months of research into this Calibre so I’m quite familiar with its capabilities and ballistics/performance. It will primarily be used for reds in Scotland but also all U.K. deer species with the odd bore (hopefully) in there too. What I’m more wanting to specifically know is just how “bad” is the recoil of the .30-06 ?? To be even more specific...how harsh is it in the form of a sako85 classic with a moderator ??

With this being a fairly light rifle and overall light stalking set up I’m guessing the recoil will be toward the upper end of what the .30-06 can be...(given ammo choice and so on, let’s go with factory loads) I currently have a .25-06 as my go to deer rifle which is more than manageable and recently dropped me a lovely stag at just shy of 200 yards with a .117gr gamhead no problem 👍🏻

The .30-06 to me is the practical and logical upgrade...I just don’t know any one with one to use before committing to it...after hearing so many mixed reviews I’m hoping there’s a few people on here that will be using one regularly that can tell me exactly how it feels/performs.

Many thanks, Benny
I have a Remington 700 left hand in 30 06 , fine weapon / round 150gr bullets. On big reds just the job , check scope eye relief though. Happy days cheers Neil
 
Hi all

As title suggests I’m looking for peoples FIRST HAND opinion of the legendary .30-06 I have done months of research into this Calibre so I’m quite familiar with its capabilities and ballistics/performance. It will primarily be used for reds in Scotland but also all U.K. deer species with the odd bore (hopefully) in there too. What I’m more wanting to specifically know is just how “bad” is the recoil of the .30-06 ?? To be even more specific...how harsh is it in the form of a sako85 classic with a moderator ??

With this being a fairly light rifle and overall light stalking set up I’m guessing the recoil will be toward the upper end of what the .30-06 can be...(given ammo choice and so on, let’s go with factory loads) I currently have a .25-06 as my go to deer rifle which is more than manageable and recently dropped me a lovely stag at just shy of 200 yards with a .117gr gamhead no problem 👍🏻

The .30-06 to me is the practical and logical upgrade...I just don’t know any one with one to use before committing to it...after hearing so many mixed reviews I’m hoping there’s a few people on here that will be using one regularly that can tell me exactly how it feels/performs.

Many thanks, Benny
You could re-barrel your 25-06 in 30-06, if you find the cartridge acceptable.
 
I shoot a tikka t3 in 30-06 with a Boyd stock, moderated and limbsaver airtec recoil pad, with a 123 grn Sako round hardly any felt recoil, this covers most deer, I move up to 150grn for anything bigger, I love it
 
I've acquired a 30-06 earlier this year and love it.
It's a sako 75 action that was rebarreled, when I was doing my load developing with a 126.5 yew tree bullet and wildcat evo mod I also allowed my friend to shoot it to confirm the load after I'd finished.
When watching the rifle shoot off the bipod on a bench I noticed how it had zero muzzle flip an just pushed straight back into the shoulder.
Fantastic calibre and I have to confess to being a convert.
Jimmy.
 
I’ve shot a .30-06 as my second deer rifle ( as in more for special occasions than for work) for about 9 years now. I’ve shot moose, reds, fallow, sika and boar with it. I like it, it’s been around nearly 120 years and still tends to be in the top 5 most common calibres in the world. That should tell you all you need to know.
When I used it on moose I was using 220grn bonded round nose, mainly as there were bears and wolves around and I wanted a good stopping round. Dealt with a moose fine and a few reds too.
On the hill in Scotland I used 150grn copper and 165grn game kings. Perfect. My rifles a lightweight wooden stocked blued action Mauser with a small 2.5-10x44 leica up top.
Not many .308 will shoot 180grn or heavier accurately, but saying that not many .30-06 users ever need too. The question your asking is tricky, both have put a shed load of meat on the deck, one’s been doing it longer. Suspect they will both be doing it a good few years yet.
 
Back
Top