Calling all .30-06's!

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Wyatt Burp

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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.

 
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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.


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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.

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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.

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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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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.
 
427mach1 said:
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.


springfield%2030-06%20and%20remington%2034%2022_zpsurinqp4y.jpg
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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.
 
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:

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

Some others:

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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!
 
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
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Early 80s Rem 742 with M70
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1949 Commercial FN Mauser
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53 FN action with rocker safety behind the 49
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Scope mounted and load developed for the 49 FN
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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.
 
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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.
 
Texas Star said:
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.
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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.
 
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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