30-06

[LAH]

Loading them is a beautiful thing.

 

[Skyhunter]

Yes indeed.
Shooting them, even more so.

WYT-P
Skyhunter

 

[Electraclyde]

Shooting my home loaded 30.06 in my 1944 Winchester M1 Garand is always a good day.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Shooting my home loaded 30.06 in my 1944 Winchester M1 Garand is always a good day.

They sure are. I bought 6X ammo cans of Greek M1 ammo from CMP years ago. Two of the cans were 192 rounds in the enblocs and the other 4 were 240 rounds loose. I shot the 2 cans which contained the enbloc ammo and stored the rest. I have been loading those 384 cases for many years now and the ammo I produce makes me very happy with the accuracy and I never have to worry about damaging my Garands.

It's also nice to have so many Enbolcs to load up for the range. I load up 10 or 12 and bring those with me. I keep some loose for shooting my 03A3 and M1917.

Now you did it, that what I'm shooting this weekend lol. Thanks for the idea...

 

[cmj8591]

I load them the same way on my Dillon. I resize then tumble first and run them through for the rest of the process on the progressive. That way I don’t have to fool around with lube and the rounds come out clean and ready to box.

 

[Tex1001]

Back in the '60s I was a young pup wanting a first hunting
rifle. I considered all the whiz-bang calibers of the time.
I was taught to reload by an old, grizzled, native american
(Not kidding).
When I asked him for input he said "Boy, get a 30-06 and don't
look back". Then he gave me 400 30-06 empties.
That old codger has gone to his reward. I am now an old codger
that happily loads 30-06 for my 4 rifles, 2 of which are M1s.
Ah, the stories I could tell.

 

[venomballistics]

Back in the '60s I was a young pup wanting a first hunting
rifle. I considered all the whiz-bang calibers of the time.
I was taught to reload by an old, grizzled, native american
(Not kidding).
When I asked him for input he said "Boy, get a 30-06 and don't
look back". Then he gave me 400 30-06 empties.
That old codger has gone to his reward. I am now an old codger
that happily loads 30-06 for my 4 rifles, 2 of which are M1s.
Ah, the stories I could tell.

He was pretty much spot on.
you might like the velocity of the 22-250, but the 30-06 will work anywhere it does, and well beyond those applications where the 22-250 get's over taxed.
There is nothing in North America that can walk away from the 30-06

 

[Alk8944]

There is nothing in North America that can walk away from the 30-06

Or a .280 Remington, .270 Winchester, .35 Whelen, or, ...or, ...or... my sometime favorites 6.5 x 55mm Swedish, 7mm Mauser etc. In truth there are few, if any, of the new "Super Whiz Bang" cartridges introduced in the past fifty years or more that can really be justified as 'Needed" or offering any real advantage for medium to large game hunting anywhere in 95% of the World.

All that is really "needed" is a .22 Rim-Fire for small game, a .22 Hornet or Bee for varmints, .30-06 for medium-large game and a 12 Ga. shotgun for upland game and birds. Anything else is just window dressing. If the Hornet or Bee won't work for your varmints you are shooting from too far! And the .30-06 is versatile enough when reloading for all these jobs except for birds!

 

[venomballistics]

Or a .280 Remington, .270 Winchester, .35 Whelen, or, ...or, ...or... my sometime favorites 6.5 x 55mm Swedish, 7mm Mauser etc. In truth there are few, if any, of the new "Super Whiz Bang" cartridges introduced in the past fifty years or more that can really be justified as 'Needed" or offering any real advantage for medium to large game hunting anywhere in 95% of the World.

Affirmative ... As we allow wisdom to impose itself upon us, the gaps in the caliber list seem to get wider as we figure out how much territory a single good cartridge can cover.
Common and plentiful are traits not to be ignored.
Since your post got "value added", I'll say you're not wrong, though the 223 might be a contender for the 22 hornets slot. And with a good cast lead load or two in it, replace the rimfire as well.... At least mostly.
Where that leaves off, the 06 quite handily picks up with something like the Hornady 110 grain SP.
Shotgun.... 12 or 20. Some flavor of pistol. Pick a side in the 9 vs 45 debate and your have everything pretty much covered.
Just don't tell the wife that. A gun safe should invoke a bit of excitement as the door swings open.

 

[rwsmith]

Inded the 30-06 is one....

Back in the '60s I was a young pup wanting a first hunting
rifle. I considered all the whiz-bang calibers of the time.
I was taught to reload by an old, grizzled, native american
(Not kidding).
When I asked him for input he said "Boy, get a 30-06 and don't
look back". Then he gave me 400 30-06 empties.
That old codger has gone to his reward. I am now an old codger
that happily loads 30-06 for my 4 rifles, 2 of which are M1s.
Ah, the stories I could tell.

...extremely versatile round. And I've loaded it to both extremes. Mouse poot loads that squirt out a 100 grain bullets at pistol velocities to big full bore loads. I haven't messed with any sabots though. That's new stuff. That old Native American friend knew what he was talking about. I have different calibers now for various and sundry fun reasons, but if I wanted one gun a 30-06 would do it all.

PS I noted that the OP has the bullets seated a little behind the cannelure.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Some of use even load the little 100 gr "Plinker" at very low fps, to enjoy

for just 50 yard targets or for the childen in the family that are 12 years old
and don't have to worry about recoil or loud noise !!

Yes, it is a great round, no matter , how you load it.

 

[ChopperGuy]

Ever wonder why every new cartridge that's anywhere close to the 30-06, when reviewed by pretty much anyone, is ALWAYS compared to the good old 30-06?

For good reason.

It's my favorite cartridge for most anything. I've used it for plains game in Africa, New Zealand stag and tahr and of course everything but the big bears here in North America.

The only other one I really love to hunt with is my 9.3x62. If I need more than 200 grain bullets it's my go to. This cartridge was developed close to the time of the 30-06, the brass is interchangeable for reloading (with proper necking up or down) and just plain do the job when I do every time.

 

[RobertJ.]

The most accurate rifle I've ever owned was a 1903 Springfield. With 3031 and Speer 130 gr. HP's, it would group in a nickel all day.

 

[Tex1001]

I forgot about my 03-A3.
I have five 30-06s.

 

[LAH]

PS I noted that the OP has the bullets seated a little behind the cannelure.

Sharp eye. These are used in my bolt gun.

 

[jack the toad]

A poet and didn't know it...

Not many things a man can't fix,
with a good rifle in .30-06...

 

[Alk8944]

everything but the big bears here in North America. The only other one I really love to hunt with is my 9.3x62.

Why not the "big bears" Actually the .30-06 is completely adequate for all of the various "Brown Bear" varieties which include Polar, Kodiak, Brown and Grizzly. The .30-06 will take care of "American Bison" too.

For all these my first choice of what I own would be the 9x63mm instead of 9.3x62mm because of bullet availability. Hornady has a 250 gr. Spitzer, unfortunately they have discontinued the .358 250 gr. Round-Nose. If you want to shoot cast, molds are available to about 325 gr. from Accurate Molds.

To save the un-initiated the trouble of searching, 9x63mm is .35 Whelen.

 

[Luke Duke]

He was pretty much spot on.
you might like the velocity of the 22-250, but the 30-06 will work anywhere it does, and well beyond those applications where the 22-250 get's over taxed.
There is nothing in North America that can walk away from the 30-06

And that is no kidding! If you can't get it done with a '06 your either a terrible shot or a terrible hunter. Amen!

 

[tws3boys]

Got my Remington 700 30-06 back in 1974. Hunted with that thing at least 2 days per week during deer season ever since. I've had people ask me why I never tried something else. Because, No part ever repaired, No part ever replaced, No fail ever, No fail to fire ever for any reason. Never needed any other gun or caliber.
Still have that thing. Still going. Still no reason to change. Next year it will be 50 years old and I have no doubt it will go another 50 with my grandson.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

The 30-06 is my preferred "bigger" hunting choice.

I agree, A handful of different cartridges are all you really "need" for good hunting but as we know, what does need have to do with it?