# 30-06??



## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

I've been looking at my rifles lately and I've been thinking that a .30 cal needs to round out the collection. I've got a B-day coming up and have been thinking that a rifle would be a fun gift to myself.  

I think I'm torn between a 30-06 and 300 WSM. I should also mention that I'm only 160 lbs and don't really want to kill myself with the big magnums. I'd like either to be an elk rifle and also bigger game (Alaska someday). I really don't see myself taking game anywhere past 500 yards at all. Most likely would be under 300, but it would be nice to have the option just in case. I have access to reloading equipment so cost wouldn't be a huge issue.

What caliber would you go with and why? 

Rifles I'm looking at: Tikka T3 and Rem 700 SPS. I've found both in town in 30-06 for $549 (tikka) and $599 (remmy) Both are stainless which isn't a huge selling point. 

Just curious to hear your thoughts!


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## Squigie (Aug 4, 2012)

If you're a reloader, bullet selection in 30 caliber will be nice.
But, it's also a curse.

My wife bought a .30-06 for me a few years back. (Didn't really need it... I already had a .30-40, .30-30, 7.62x39mm, 7.62x54R, .243 Win, and .270 Win in the "all purpose big game" category of rifles.)
Like any dedicated reloader, I bought some dies, bullets, and brass, and went to work.

Now 3 years later, I have more than 2,500 bullets, in about 30 different varieties, under my reloading bench .... bullets purchased _specifically_ for that .30-06. There was far too much "Oooh, let's try some of these" and "Oh, I've heard good things about this" ... for bullets and/or weights that don't work in the other rifles for various reasons, or aren't even available.

My wife thought she was doing me a favor by buying a .30-06, because it's such a popular cartridge with so much available. Little did she realize....

Nothing has changed, except for the money sunk into reloading components I've essentially given up on, and the .30-06 gathering dust. Still, today, when I need something 06-class for hunting, I grab the .270 (scoped) and/or 7.62x54R (iron sights). They work well, and the limited bullet selection keeps things simple. 

.30-06 is just too "all-purpose", too "utilitarian".
It does a lot of things fairly well, but doesn't do any ONE thing exceptionally well. It's a Jack-of-all-trades, but a Master of none. It's a great cartridge for the 'man with one rifle' ...but its lack of distinction just lets it get lost in the abyss for people with multiple rifles chambered in other cartridges -- particularly for reloaders, that can add utility to the other rifles by working up custom loads.

So... I guess that makes my vote .300 WSM, .35 Whelen, or something completely different (.280 Rem? .270 Win? .300 WM? .338 WM?).


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

You said you're not worried about cost, so I would go with the .300 WSM. A little more range in a lighter short action rifle (my 300 WSM is a Model Seven)

The T3 is a fine rifle. My daughter and granddaughter both have T3s.

The .300 WSM recoil isn't much, but it is noisier though

I use a .300 WSM as a backpacking rifle; something light, short, and fast handling. The short-action Remington Model Seven has a 20" barrel so by the time you subtract the loss in speed and energy for a barrel that short the ballistics of the .300 vs the 30-06 are not drastically different. But, it's got a lot of firepower compared to the other short-action calibers.


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

There isn’t enough real world difference to shake a stick at, like Goob just said while I was typing.  If it’s about filling a gap in the collection I’d watch for a rifle you like that happens to be a .30. Although if a 300 H&H ever comes my way the rifle it’s in won’t matter much. 8)


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Heck yeah on the 'ole .06 ! I have two of them and shoot them both.

I dont buy too much into the newer WSM's, WSSM's & WSSSSSMM's. I own a couple, but I always end up hunting with the old tried and true. Call me old fashion I guess.  

Not sayin' you can go wrong with a WSM.


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

Any collection without an .06 is incomplete. The .06 was the army's go-to rifle cartridge for half a decade. The .06 remains the single most popular big game caliber.

I've heard, (but can't verify), that the .06 was designed to be the largest caliber possible with the least recoil. I've used an .06 exclusively for decades. After a recent embarrassing incident, I've fired 120 rounds in the last week and my shoulder's black and blue. But still, I've faced the old meme that an .06 drops like a rock after 200 yards. Not true. In fact, what I've seen is that the .06 shoots flatter than most (including me) think...ever thought...whatever.

The .06 is the most versatile big game round out there, isn't it?


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I bought the -06 in the 700 ADL and like it. The recoil is about 35% higher in the WSM http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm


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## highcountryfever (Aug 24, 2009)

I have the Tikka T3 Lite in 300 WSM. I love it. It has a little more recoil than my dads Remington 30-06, but not too much. I too am around 150-160 pounds and I don't feel like it is too much. but like Goob said, it is louder. It has been a great gun for me for deer and elk, but then again so is the 06. Put it this way, my dad likes my gun so much he is thinking about getting one for himself.


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## Moostickles (Mar 11, 2010)

Finnegan said:


> The .06 was the army's go-to rifle cartridge for half a *decade*.


I think you mean century... :O||:

I agree though, the .06 is trusty old caliber. The ammo is easy to find anywhere ammo is sold, it's much less expensive than any of the short mags, and the bullet options are endless for factory loads and hand loads.

The 30.06 has my vote 100%


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Way I see it, since the 30-06 came out, many others have come and gone trying to imitate it and top it. And it remains the most popular for a reason. It is the best. Even Loke's 270 can't touch it. ;-) 

The way I see it is rifles are incredibly durable purchases. Most guys will NEVER wear out a hunting rifle. In fact, most can be handed down to sons a few times and never wear out. But rifle companies have to see more rifles. So creating "newer" rifles is the only way to do it. The 300 WSM is just another way of throwing out the same bullet. But is it really better? 

As for finding ammo and reloading parts for a cartridge that isn't the most popular - in my view that isn't nearly the issue it used to be. When you can get on-line and order components from a variety of suppliers, the days of only being able to get what the local sporting goods store are long gone. Internet shopping allows us to get whatever parts for whatever freaking thing we want. So don't let that deter you. And granted that EVERY brick and mortar store that carried ammo and reloading WILL have stuff for the '06, a few clicks and you can have any component shipped directly to your house.


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

Thanks for the input everyone! I just checked out a local store and the Tikka Stainless 30-06 is now marked $449 while the remmy 30-06 is still $599. I don't think I'll be able to find a 300 WSM in that set up for anywhere near that price.... I think that may have just made up my mind for me!


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

GaryFish said:


> Way I see it, since the 270 Winchester came out, many others have come and gone trying to imitate it and top it. And it remains the most popular for a reason. It is the best. Even the 30-06 can't touch it. ;-)


there, I fixed it for you.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I will never talk a guy out of a good or poor argument for buying another rifle, cant have too many. however, as you compare the latest and greatest invention with the standard for the industry, 30-06, you will find very little difference ballistically speaking, but again any excuse to add a new one to the collection is a good excuse.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

With 150 grain boat tails you can get about 35 extra yards of point blank distance out of a 300 WSM:

*Cartridge ([email protected]).......Bullet BC....100 yds....200 [email protected] (yds.) *
.30-06 (150 BT at 2910).........435.......+2.6"........+2.0"...... 3"@145yds.....287yds
.300 WSM (150 BT at 3300)....435.......+2.4"........+2.6"...... 3"@150yds.....321yds

MPBR = maximum point blank range (3" low max)

see: http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_trajectory_table.htm


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

Sorry to take so long to reply..... I really appreciate everyone's input! After thinking it over (many, many times), I decided that a new rifle wasn't really necessary at this point. I've got a cow elk hunt after Thanksgiving and I'm sure my 270 WSM will have no problem putting one down. A .30 cal will have to wait for a bit... I did however, decide to upgrade my Tikka stock to a new Bell and Carlson medalist! Should be here in a few days and I'll be sure to post up some pics. Thanks again!


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## Moostickles (Mar 11, 2010)

Think of all that brainpower spent on this thread, and it all went to waste...


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## mezner1 (Nov 19, 2007)

My 2 cents worth, is this I have seen more one shot kills on elk with the 30-06 then any other rifle. I love my 30-06.


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## Squigie (Aug 4, 2012)

mezner1 said:


> Mt 2 cents worth, is this I have seen more one shot kills on elk with the 30-06 then any other rifle. I love my 30-06.


That has much more to do with the number of .30-06 rifles being carried into the field, than it does with the cartridge's actual performance.

I'd be willing to bet a wide-dispersion survey would show that .300 Win Mag and .338 Win Mag are very much preferred for their "one shot" Elk kills in most western states. (But, again, that's due, in part, to the number of them being carried into the field, versus other cartridges like .375 H&H, .375 Ruger, .35 Whelen, .340 Weatherby, and other very effective Elk cartridges that just aren't out there in large numbers.)


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