This great cartridge has been taken for granted too long. We wouldn't be so great if we didn't strive for bigger and better things. But let's back up a ways and appreciate this most common round. My two are a sporterized 1903-A3, and an arsenal reconditioned four digit serial number 1903. It has the receiver supposedly not safe to shoot, even though it was a favorite long range plinking gun for me for years with a bunch of military ammo I had on hand. Let's see your 30-06's, old or new.

My all time favorite round and I am away from my guns, so I cant post. I hope no wives are on this forum as I am about to utter the best kept secret that no wives need to know. A man needs but a few guns. A nice 12 gauge, a 22 rifle, a 38 special and a 30/06. With these a man could survive quite nicely. After decades of hunting big game with varying large calibers, I stumbled upon a transitional model 70 in 30-06. Afterwards I found I need no other big game rifle. For 30 years my 30-06 has taken truck loads of deer, elk and antelope.

Hey Wyatt, nice rifles! What kind of stock did you put on your sporterized rifle? Here's my 1903 that I inherited from my grandfather, who passed away 8 years before I was born. He purchased it as a WWII surplus and I have the magazine article he followed to convert it for hunting purposes. I've thought about replacing the stock but it has Elmer Keith's cartouche so I am a little reluctant...... I've never even shot this rifle but plan to in the near future. My son and I loaded up some minimum charged 125 grain bullets to start with.

On and off over the last 50 years I have had a few 30.06s

As of now the only two I have are a late WW2 era Springfield and a 1917 Enfield. Both are not sportirized and are very good shooters and seem to attract people when I show up at a public range!

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

Late 1944/early 1945 springfield M1 garand

got this in the 1990's, CMP service rifle.
back then, they were $275 without wood.
bought the walnut from a gunshow local for $50
cleaned it up.

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NRA Life
USPSA/IPSC

Of the many rifles I hunt with I am most successful with my Ruger M77 MKII All Weather in .30-06. This one has put meat in the freezer every time I've pulled the trigger on game.



My favorite .30-06's, though, are my three M1 Rifles. The one pictured below is a 1943 Springfield and I've taken several whitetail deer with it.




I'm also fond of my M1903 Springfield rifle. This one is actually a Remington made rifle manufactured in 1942 before Remington transitioned to the M1903A3. I love the clean lines and butter smooth action of the M1903, but I don't shoot this one much.

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- Change it back -

Got to admit that I am a total failure. I don't hold up the manly idea that more is better. I have one hunting rifle.

Winchester M70 30-06.

I bought a M70 30-06 in 1959, didn't do much with it and sold when the prices were high. Played with a M700BDL in 270, (great rifle), sold it and then had a string of others that I just didn't like.

Finally found a Win. M70 30-06 from the end of Winchester days in about 2008. A plain Jane, swapped their cheap stock with original, had a friend touch up the checkering and do some enhancements to it, put on a super nice scope, loaded some ammo and I was home free.

Sold all my others cuz I just don't need anything else.

Gotta agree with Wyatt Burp, you just don't need anything else.

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Slim, U.S. Army, Ret.

I don't know who made the stock. I traded a freind out of it because it was better than the sporter stock it had on it. I once had a Sedgely stock but let it go like a dummy.

Here's a few. All military but I've had a few sporter models over the years.

Restored Springfield:


Winchester 1917:


1943 Garand:


"Artsy-Phartsy" pics:

Boys of 1917:


Faux 1903A4:

One of my all-time favorite cartridges. I've used it on everything from prairie dogs to elk and it's never let me down. Here's a few:



Garands from each manufacturer. From the top: International Harvester, Springfield, H&R, Winchester.

Some others:



From the top: 1942 Remington 03, mid-50's Model 70 Target Rifle, 1948 Model 70 Transitional, 1952 Husqvarna built on an FN Supreme Mauser action. The target rifle will hold under 2" at 200 yds. with the loads it likes, and the Husqvarna is a working rifle that has taken a lot of game. I think it's the best all-round cartridge out there!

I've heard it said "you cant go wrong with a 30-06" I agree!

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Stay safe people!

The Aught6 my favorite centerfire rifle cartridge. I have had the privilege to have quite a few pass through my grubby little mitts.

1972 Win M70


Early 80s Rem 742 with M70


1949 Commercial FN Mauser


53 FN action with rocker safety behind the 49


Scope mounted and load developed for the 49 FN

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

I love the .30-06 and the .30-06 Short.

I have an '03 Springfield, 1917 Eddystone, a Garand, and a Model 70 Featherweight. The M1A likes hanging out with his big brothers.

Don't many states limit magazine capacity to five rounds? How do you use these 8-shot M-1's to hunt? Are there special clips that hold just five?

Bear in mind that the .30/06 has taken a lot of big bears and African game, but I'd rather have a bit more punch for some species. African countries sometimes have caliber limits for the really big animals, .375 H&H being the usual minimum. Kenya used to require a .400 or more for elephant, maybe rhino. But unless one can hunt where this applies, the .30/06 will suffice in expert hands.

I can see why some want a .338, a .340 Weatherby, a .375.

On the other end of the scale, if you can afford a .243 and a .30/06, why shoot coyotes with the latter? And some who are sensitive to recoil are better off with a .270 or 7mm.

Still, if you have just one rifle, I agree that the .30/06 is as good a choice as any and better than most.

I know one man who has a M-70 Fwt. Classic and it shoots like a target rifle. Has a Zeiss 3-9X 'scope that gives it all-round potential, too.

Hay, There is a 5 round clip , and I think a 3 round, that fit in just as the 8 round normally would. You could also load just 1 round and make sure to carry only loose rounds when u hunt. If it fits too many they can confiscate it. VA has no limit for rifles but a 3 round limit on shotguns.

Love my .30-06 milsurps.

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My freind, not especially sensitive to recoil, shoots and reloads for an old Remington 721 .300 H&H Magnum. He casually mentioned a couple times that is was more powerful than most of his purposes. So I gave him an Ithaca .270 and that was the compromise he need between his .30-30 and the .300. But that classic, and very utilitarian looking .300 is still his favorite.

Here are the only two I have at the moment. To me, the 30-06 is the perfect all 'round cartridge.

We have two of them in the household, neither are really picture-worthy.

First one is my father-in-laws old Springfield M1903 that was given to my wife when he passed. Neither of us has taken it out.

Second one is a Winchester model 70 with a lightweight synthetic stock and a 3-9x40. I picked it up used last fall for cheap. My first rifle with a synthetic stock. It's light weight, and I won't care much if it gets dinged up hunting, but it packs a wallup. Don't know if I'll keep it or not. Hopefully it's a tack driver.

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-Roger

30/06
The old 30/06 is my favorite deer cartridge. I have a pre 64 model 70 that
I bought new when I was a kid. My favorite deer rifle is a M-1895 win. It's
a little on heavy side but seems to float in my hands in deer woods.ImageUploadedByTapatalk1425871289.774853.jpg


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Center is a Kimber of Oregon BGR in 30.06. Great shooting rifle.

I'll play.


03-a3
03
1922 Springfield .22lr
Model of 1917

LTC

Excellent tread. And my most favorite cartridge. Have owned a bunch of them during the years.
Post 64 match rifle
sportered 1943 springfield
Sportered 1917 enfield with 22" bbl
1943 springfield armory garand
sako 75 hunter
The sako and the garand have a love affair with Lake City 67 match ammo. You can never have enough 30-06's Frank

I've owned a lot of rifles in many different calibers and models, but now that I think about it, I've only ever owned one rifle chambered in .30-06. It was a Winchester Model 54 with original iron sights. Only shot it a few times at the range. It was a nice rifle, but I've always found myself carrying something a little out of the ordinary when going shooting.

I guess I always considered it a little too mainstream for my tastes. Kinda like a 350 Chevy. Good engine, but everybody and their brother has one. Nothing really special about it.

Call me different. I guess that's my point.

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Been up since before breakfast

All I can say is that anybody that shoots that ol steel butt plate 06 Springfield without a little padding is not somebody I want to fight.
That silly ol bill just flat made a boy out of me when I was younger .
Blessings

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TEXAS, by GOD

I've owned over a hundred guns and never a 30-06. I have mostly handguns, but during this last Black Friday we were driving by a Walmart and my wife said she needed something. So we pulled in and I walked by the sporting goods and they had a Remington 700 BDL 30-06 with beautiful walnut marked down to $377 so I had to snag it. I actually prefer Winchesters but they don't come with iron sights and I like the Remington safety better. I put a Redfield 2-7X on it but its been so cold I haven't tried it out yet. Best part about the 06', while I was at Walmart they had several boxes of Federal ammo for under 15 bucks a box. It has got to be the best bang for the buck in rifle cartridges.

You just can not find a more versatile caliber . Even if you don't reload you can find a load for almost anything you might want to use a rifle for. I have a Garand,03A3,and the first new rifle I ever bought an early 70's Ruger Model 77 that has taken at least 100 deer over many years

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Hue 68 noli me tangere

Last week I fell off a ladder and injured my left elbow (ruptured the bursa), separated my collarbone and sprained my neck. Fortunately, I am right handed but I expect, at age 65 next month, I won't be healing as fast as I used to. I may have to give up my 300 mag and 338 mag and opt for a 30-06, for something lighter to carry.

I agree, for a one rifle hunter, you can't beat a 30-06!.

Regarding using a Garand for hunting, military ammo has a different power curve than commercial ammo (except for some loaded specially for M-1s). This can result in bent operating rods as they will slam back more forcefully. You can get an adjustable gas trap (nut), a heavy duty operating rod (but then you can't use military ammo), or buy premium ammo loaded just for the M-1.

There is also a single-load clip (used for target shooting)

I have only owned one '06. It was a Weatherby Vanguard. It was a good shooter @ around 1.5 moa. Handsome lines and nicely figured wood but the wood had a greenish tint which I just couldn't stand. Now in retrospect I guess I could have had in stained. Oh well!

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Regards, Ron
USASA 1965/69

I have a Remington 760 bicentennial edition that I hunt with most of the time. An M1 Garand, 2-1903 Springfields, one from 1918 and the other 1930, 2-1903 A3 Springfields, one a sporter, and dad's old Remington 721. All in 30-06. There is arguable no caliber more versatile.

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

Good enough for Pops, it's good enough for me -
I don't believe there's a better all round cartridge, for North American big game, than the '06.

Sako Finnbear AIII in .30-06 w/ Nikon Monarch 4-12x42AO

A Remington and a Springfield in .30'06 and some ammunition.

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[QUOTE=BearBio;138427555]Last week I fell off a ladder and injured my left elbow (ruptured the bursa), separated my collarbone and sprained my neck. Fortunately, I am right handed but I expect, at age 65 next month, I won't be healing as fast as I used to. I may have to give up my 300 mag and 338 mag and opt for a 30-06, for something lighter to carry.

I agree, for a one rifle hunter, you can't beat a 30-06!.

BearBio - Sorry to hear about your injury.
I had a shoulder injury a few years ago and hunted with my .30-'06 using Remington Managed-Recoil ammo, 125 gr. Core-Lokt PSP. It is good ammo out to about 200yards.
I believe they also make it in .300 Rem Ultra Mag.
It will make shooting your rifle less painful.
Hope you have a speedy recovery.

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"Life is short, hunt hard"

My only .30-'06 is a Remington 721 from 1949. I haven't shot it yet. Now that I think about it I also have a Garand from 1941 I also haven't shot yet. I need to remedy that situation

I've owned lots of '06's, pre 64 Winchesters, 3 or 4 pre war and a very low number SG pre war, at most 2nd year manufacture. A few post war pre 64's an FN Sears, a Browning and a Sako Forester. The Sako was the gun with which I made my 1st 400 plus shot on game. It was plenty heavy.


I like it but it's number one son is my favorite. I still have 3 pre 64's in it. 1 custom, my dad's old standard and a Lightweight. They and the 30-06's have brought home lots of deer.

J.c. Higgins Mauser... Shoot 3/4 moa or better ( that's the bes my eyes/scope can see)
Remington 760 pump.

Love the '06!

My first real deer rifle was a Remington 700 BDL in that caliber I bought NIB from a guy for $200.00. I shot my first deer with that gun and many since then. Still have it and several other 700s in different calibers but that one will remain favorite.
I have a Garand as well now and love that one too.

The 30-06 certainly is one of the finest hunting cartridges but it first made a name for itelf for accuracy and power in military rifles.

My first military rifle is a 1903 Sprigfield, the double heat treat version, very strong and also very slick. It was made in 1922 with a barrel with that date. It's in very fine condition, but unfortunately it was fired with corrosive ammo and not cleaned, so the barrel is not caable of the fine accuracy it once had. Still great fun to shoot, and I have a P. J. O'Hare sight adjuster that will permit precise and repeatable sight settings.

Next are my two Model 1917s; I can't decide which one to sell so I've kept them both. The top is a Remington with the original 1918 five groove barrel. It has the original blued finish and wears a Kerr NoBuckl sling. The lower one is a real mixmaster; a Remington receiver, serial number 1493, with a Winchester bolt and stock and an Eddystone 4-18 barrel. It's marked with the Canadian 'broad arrow C' on the stock and was rebuilt in Canada during WW II. Canada reblued their rebuilds instead of parkerizing them as the US did. It has a British OD sling from World War II. Both have good bores and shoot very well with good loads. Because of the serial number I could wish they had left it alone,, but at that time putting rifles in thands of troops was much more important than future collectability.

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My World War Ii rifles start with a DCM Garand. Wen I got it in the 1980s, President Carter didn't like the DCM program; you had to shoot in competition and then wait about six months for delivery. It was worth it. Mine came partially glass bedded although it has no National Match parts. It also came with the BII which I've never seen before. Needless to say I havent opened the BII container, although I have acquired the correct pieces and installed them on the Garand as I have done for my other US service rifles. The bore is perfect and it shoots pretty well.

The 03-A3 is a Smith-Corona, although it's been rebuilt with a Remington bolt. I've thought of installing a Smith Corona bolt, but the headspace question make me keep the Remington bolt. The two groove barrel is marked SC although they were mde by Hi-Standard. It shoots better than I can hold or see off a bench.

I found a sporterized Remington 03-A3. The stock had been cut, the front sight removed, the bolt handle turned down and the receiver drilled and tapped for a scope. The barrel has two grooves. It was a perfect base for my 03-A4gery. I hung a Weaver K-10 on it and took it to the range. Although I was shooting good match ammo the accuracy was disappointing. I took it out again with the same results. Then I dug through the trash barrel and came up with a cardboard box. I tore off a strip of cardboard, loosened the rifle guard screws, slid the cardboard between the barrel and forend and tightened her up again. My group shrank to 1 1/4 inches and my eyes bugged. I found an 03-A4 stock, not the right one as the snipers were originally fitted with a half pistol grip stock. I dropped the metal into the stock, tightened it down and it shot as well as in the half stock. For fun I shoot it with the Weaver K-10 in the Redfield mount, but for show I have a post war Weaver 29S that looks like the original Weaver 330 at about 10% of the price.

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i found, somehwhat to my surprise, that each of my US military rifles liked a different load. I stayed with IMR 4895 powder, the best powder for the M1, but for my bolt rifles, I've been thinking IMR 4064 might be better. Because of all these different loads I got a military cartridge belt for each rifle, when web gear was cheap. I have plenty of stripper clips and M1 chargers, so when a partricular recipe gets low, I just load up another 100 rounds (80 for the M1) and keep on shooting.

1. The 1903 has a distinct preference for the 172 gr military match bullet even over the 168 gr Sierra Match King. I wonder how well it would shoot with the 175 or 190 gr Sierra Match?
2. The 1917s both have their original 5 groove barrels with Enfield rifling which does not like boat tailed bullets for some reason. Both of mine shoot best with 150 gr Sierra soft point hunting bullets with flat bases.
3. The M1 seems to like lighter bullets. The best bullets I've found for it are the flat based 150 gr Prvi Partizan.
4. Both my 03-A3 and 03-A4gery shoot best with the 168 gr Sierra Match King. The latter rifle, with Weaver K10 scope, will keep 10 rounds in 1 1/2 inches. Much of this disperson is lateral, and probably the fault of the shooter. If I could get the lateral dispersion out of the groups, they would be eye-popping.

I seem to be garrulous today.

I have the usual suspects. I had 5 M1s, now down to 4. Traded one for a fine custom recurve bow a couple of years ago. Mine are all WW2 vintage and one has original receive/barrel combo.



A WW2 era Remington 1903.



A Winchester Model of 1917



One of those M1s could shoot except for that one Oooops.

Because of that rear sight shroud, weird shaped bolt handle, and stepped pistol grip, I think the 1917 is a homely rifle. But I actually like it because of all these features more than the 1903 (which I have). It's hard to explain but there's just something solid about it. I'm not a fan of the gun cocking when closing the bolt, but if it was good enough for Alvin York.....When I say homely, keep in mind one of my favorite rifles ain't winning any beauty contests. BTW, it uses the '03 stripper clips , too, for .300 Savage...

If I can get a minute I need to take a picture of my 'Bubbaized' Savage 110 30-06 with a cheap scope. It cost less than $200 many years ago and I didn't want to put any money into it. I sawed off the stock in my garage and put on a recoil pad held in place by a band of duct tape. It's great for a plinker and that's all I need it for so what the heck? I've been shooting super reduced loads in it that are gangs of fun to shoot.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

The beauty of the 1917 was its shootability. Ugly but they could flat out shoot.

My one remaining .30-06 is an FN Mauser deluxe with 24" barrel and a Redfield 2-7X scope. I acquired the rifle around 1962 and it now rests comfortably in my gun safe as I no longer hunt. On a number of occasions with this rifle, I've put three rounds under a nickel on the 100-yard bench.

I've been wanting to find or build a spoorterized 1903 for sometime. I have always been fond of the 30-06, but after reading Elmer's books, I still have a hankering to build a .338-06 and I can't shake it. The Griffin & Howe, Sedgley, and a few others, they all seem to be the perfect rifle. I never hear of anybody having anything bad to say about them. Elmer had one, Sharpe had one, Skelton had one. I guess I just as well get me one too!! Come on, show me a few more pictures !!!!

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and everything Kentucky !!

Love .30 Cal M1. Best shot was a one shot hit on a steel ram at 500yds. An August 1942 Garand. When I fired my friend was spotting and yelled hit! I said " youve got to be ******* me" he told me to look in the spotting scope, it`s still swinging.
I knew the drop at 500, went up 5 clicks and it worked.
Great rifle, great cartridge.
Jim

I absolutely love the .30-06 and is always my "go to" caliber when I can't decide what other caliber/rifle option to take on a hunt.

Here's my oldest and my newest together. Remington 03 CMP gun and an HCAR (modern day BAR). There's a sprinkling of Garands, M70s and even a Colt Light Rifle all in .30-06 that share the house with these two. That HCAR has really won me over. Shoots like an .06, but recoils less than a .308 and plenty accurate.

All my M1917 and M1 Garands are gone. I do still have my Remington 03A3 and Large Marge to feed.



I hate to admit it but she and I don't go out as much as we used to. She's a big girl and likes to eat a lot.

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BCCI Life Member #2068

1947 Winchester Model 70, transition, with 2 3/4x Unertl scope