Calling all .30-06's!
- Thread starter Wyatt Burp
- Start date
Frank46
US Veteran
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
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
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Fat Frank
US Veteran
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.
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.
williamlayton
Member
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
That silly ol bill just flat made a boy out of me when I was younger .
Blessings
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.
vonn
US Veteran
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
BearBio
Member
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 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)
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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!
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.
CH47gunner
US Veteran
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
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
mike from st pete
Member
Nico Testosteros
Member
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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
model70hunter
Member
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.
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.
Brian41
Member
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.
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.
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.
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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Comments on Shooting my 30-06s.
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 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.
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