Where is the 8x57? It has fought the same world wars, and taken down millions of deer, moose, wild boars, bears and more. It’s not American, so availability in the US isn’t great. But look in Europe. Very available.
We’ve been harping on him for almost a year now since he started the cartridge wars line of videos about why the -06 isn’t winning out when it really should. He tossed us a bone.
He did it because he has to. Because people just won't let it die. It speaks nothing to the non-existent greatness of the cartridge. It speaks to the fact that people cling to Nostalgia and emotion over fact and performance. Don't get me wrong, I think 100 years ago it was great for what it was. I mean it won two world wars. But let's face the fact just like everything else technology has advanced far beyond what this cartridge ever dreamed of!
You know, I hunt almost exclusively with "obsolete" cartridges: 30-06, 33WCF, 35 Rem, 30 Rem. Never once have I had a deer stand up, brush itself off, sneer at my "obsolete" cartridge, and casually walk away. Modern Cartridges are cute, sure, but they too, will (for the most part) be sneered at like the 6.8 SPC. Remember when that was going to rule them all? I do, and it came, and mostly went.
I got my Rem 700 30-06 from Christmas 42 years ago. This year I upgraded to a MagPul stock with detachable magazines. I have used Nosler partitions for decades, 150s for deer and 180 for elk. I am upgrading the scope this year and plan to keep using it until I am to old to hike in and out.
Totally agree nobody NEEDS anything other than something like the 30-06. However if I was going to buy a rifle to hand down a few generations I may get something like a 7 PRC with all of the advantages in chamber design, barrel twist rate and internal ballistics.
The more I read and hear, I think if your in the market to purchase that one rifle that does it all. It sounds like the 7 PRC is the best cartridge get for the range and out in the field! Still have to appreciate the 30-06 for everything it has done and will continue to do for hunters!
It's too bad that the quality of remington rifles has gone down so much. I have a Remington 700 in 308, but it was manufactured in the last 6 years, and can't compare to the older models.
30-06 is king in my book! Why? Because I inherited my sporterized 1903 from my Father and I’ve had it over 60 years, it will be passed along in our family after I’m gone. In its military days it helped protect our freedom and as a young boy I took my first deer with it. When I got interested in long range precision shooting, the old 1903 hit a 4” disc at 600 yards with factory ammo! These days she’s spends her time in the safe but that rifle will always hold the top spot in my heart. Yep.. 30-06 is King!
I was a young man when I bought my sporterized 1903, and when I laid out a line of rifles for my sons to choose from, my younger son took the Springfield .30-06, and my older son took my Husqvarna .30-06. If I can only have one rifle, it would be a .30-06!
In all the hunting that I have ever done I have never needed anything more than a .30-06. I don’t shoot at ridiculously long ranges I get close enough to make the shot if I can’t get close enough I don’t take the shot. I have a limit of 400 yards. I think too many people these days wanna shoot too far and don’t wanna hunt and get close. I understand there are some situation where you can’t but maybe should pass up the shot.
@@308guy8 Yeah they wanna shoot long range so they tell you you gotta have a 300 super X double magnum whatever and they think they can ethically shoot in animals it’s super long range. I like the guys that learn how to hunt and get close.
As much as I understand what you are getting at, I have personally taken long shots, over 500 yards, that there was absolutely no way of getting closer. I took a whitetail 2 seasons ago at a touch under 550, 20 minutes of light left and last day of season across a canyon. No way to drop down and maintain sight and not enough time to get across before dark. 2 shots and I had meat in my freezer, first shot did the trick but if the animal is still on its feet I shoot again. I'm not advocating for everyone to take those shots but saying that someone who does take those shots, ethically and confidently, is less of a hunter just isn't true. I've killed deer inside 20 yards with a compound and a recurve bow, taken deer with traditional muzzleloaders and iron sight lever guns inside 75. I've snuck into 50 with a rifle just because I was curious if I could but guys still say folks like myself are unethical in how we hunt because we are capable of shooting past the capability of 120 year old technology.
@@WyitAlan 308 150 grain CLT can make that shot I just pulled up a ballistics calculator and with an 18" barrel the shots you described are doable. I'd like to go up to a 20" tho bc it's getting a hair anemic at that distance but still doable
My Grandfather was a WW2 vet. And though i never got to hunt with him as i didn't begin hunting until after he passed, anytime i go into the woods with my 30-06, it feels like he's right there with me. I think its reasonable to say there are better cartridges out there today but it will always be an extremely versatile and capable cartridge.
It’s all you need for all edible game for food unless you hunt Water Buffalo in Africa. I have a Tikka T3 stainless steel 30-06 and I love it very much. I also have a Remington 7600 pump-action 30-06.
Think I will stick to my 30-06. Everything I have shot, from beaver to moose, tend to fall down dead with one shot. Also, does not hurt the shoulder or the pocketbook when at the range, and as I don't re-load, never have problems finding ammo.
@@mrmaphousa4349 ~Great!! Yes I have the older T3 (in stainless steel, 30-06), not the newer T3x. I love everything about it. The only two “cons” is the single stack 5 shot magazine sticks out too far and the magazine release trigger also sticks out which could be accidentally hit on a tree branch or twig losing the magazine on the ground.
30-06 just has soul, I recently bought my forever rifle a browning x bolt medallion in 30-06 and I don’t regret it one bit, just feels right, plus with newer bullets I can shoot as far as I want to with it and be just fine
Nice job on the video review! I still love my 30 '06 and especially love reloading both 150 and 165-grain quality bullets. I've shot and loaded 180 and 200 grain as well. I'm lucky enough to own both a .270 and a .300 Weatherby, so I have essentially a supercharged .300 Win Mag! Yes, I'd love a light weight mountain rifle in 7mm 08 or .308, but I have enough rifles at this stage of my life!
Recently, I bought a brand new 30-06 and started reloading as a hobby for it. I know it can do about anything I would ever want and its history is impossible to ignore. No regrets here!
Thanks for the video! I've been looking for a hunting rifle with a 22" long, threaded barrel, stainless finish, chambered in 270 winchester! It's like a damn unicorn but it's my dream mountain rifle. Been shooting 308 for years but the 270's ballistics are fantastic for reaching out a little farther.
I just got my hands on a used Kimber Montana .280AI and topped it with a used Leupold VX5HD 2-10 and Backcountry ring mounts. I must say, it’s a great setup! I cannot wait to try it out in the Pennsylvania mountains and hopefully on my first western hunt in the next few years
As a hand loader the 280ai is the goldilocks zone. Will do everything a 30-06 will do and 98% what a 7rem mag will with less recoil. I love this cartridge. Out of a browning X bolt with 1:8 twist you can shoot up to 195gr bullet but works way better in the 160-175gr range.
Thumbs up! I come from a long line of deer hunters. A family that the most important sport was hunting. Growing up we used the basic calibers. 30/30 and 3006. My grandpaw used a 30/30 his whole life, and my dad moved up to a 3006 once he gave me the 30/30 he had hunted with for so many years. I thought my daddy was a man's man for shooting it, lol. My pawpaw said it was too much gun, lol. If i cant kill it with my bow or 3006 i dont need to kill it!!!
It's not available right now, but if/when the 277 fury / 6.8x51 becomes common, that is a round with trimendous potential versatility. The normal brass stuff is about 308 level, but the hybrid ammo will give you 7 rem mag performance out of a 16in barrel. That's quite the party trick for a single caliber. Of course that's all assuming the military doesn't change its mind, and that it becomes widely commercially available.
The potential for that hybrid technology is enormous! Imagine a 5.56 hybrid cartridge pushed to the same 80k psi!?!? You’d be pushing 22 Creedmoor/22-250 velocities from a standard rifle. Would definitely have to make some modifications so that it couldn’t be chambered in a normal 556/223 gun, but still.
@@soonerfrac4611 yes, Sig has said as much when I've spoken with them. They want to work with SAAMI to release hybrid specs for major calibers, 223 and 308 likely to be the first ones - whenever that ends up happening
30-06 all day, everyday. There’s a reason that this cartridge is picked for comparison purposes-that speaks volumes about its performance and versatility.
We don’t always see eye to eye but I always enjoy your videos. (Except that I usually end up spending the next hour or so digging through reloading manuals and old magazine articles😉). Being a bit of a rifle crank myself I truly appreciate the time and effort you put into these videos. Keep them coming please.
Sounds like 3006 isn't going anywhere. It's just too good at everything. Not great at one specific time n place like the prc anything. Those only matter at crazy long distance. At whitetail woods distance I'd rather have the 3006 over any PRC. It's just a classic that's good at killing things and dosent kick your shoulder off in the process. Timeless is the 3006
In the bush here in the lowveld where I live and hunt, a 30-06 in a 20" barrel, loaded with 220gr round nose bullets is absolutely phenomenal. We rarely shoot past 250m, and most of the time it's closer to 50m, and that heavy bullet penetrates the bush nicely. Shooting through brush is the biggest benefit to that setup, but I still hunt everything with my .308 and I've dropped everything with it, even though I pass on one or two shots where the brush is a bit thick, when I'd take that shot with the 30-06
270 wsm has treated me very well for 20 yrs , just started hunting with a kimber 308 love the light weight and seems to kill just as dead but much easier to hike around with!
I really enjoy your blog cause you give the nuts and bolts about the realities of hunting scenarios. I have smoked deer and elk and axis with the 308, 30/06, 300 win. mag. Can't tell any difference except for the fact that the magnum has a point blank range of 350 yards instead of 250. The longest shot I have ever made was with the 308 Remington 700 ADL firing an older berger semi Spitzer 150 gr. @ 2750. At 430 yds. I took aim with the top of the bottom post of the dual x cross hair on the 44 mag scope on 7 power and that 9 point never knew what hit him smack dab in his ribcage. I find it ironic that my old 308 still has the record since my 300 shoots better at longer distances. Just haven't been as lucky with seeing em with the 300.
I’ve never had my 30-06 fail to drop anything I’ve taken with it and yet watched many a hunter shoot 300 winmag and had to put multiple shots on to drop. I’m sticking with tried and true 30-06 keep your winmag
Great video!! When I saw the title, I immediately knew you were going to call on the 300 Win Mag, the 270, the 7mm, and the .308. The others, too, are very excellent choices. But for my money, and for the reasons you stated, I'd choose the .30-06 all day long. That's not to say anybody could go wrong with any of the other cartridges. I'm just saying that I'd stick with the aught-six to do everything that I could foresee needing.
I'm 73 now. When I was young, the 30-06 reigned supreme in bolt actions. Today it seems the .308 has eclipsed it. I have used both. The .308 with 150 grains will pretty much do anything an 06 will do if you are a deer/black bear hunter and the. .308 has a little less recoil, and a shorter action. Also, in my area, the .308 is more available.
There are way to many versions of the 308 in any kind of rifle( Bolt/Auto/Lever, etc) pluss it is quite common all over the world because it was military. But the 30-06 isn't about to fade away. The only big game rifle I have, is a 1917 Enfield. Hard to figure how to improve. A 300 Win Mag, a 7 mm Rem Mag. A BLR in 308 for close brush. There is always some gun out there you crave for but do not need🤣
@@WillyK51 ~Wow a 1917 Lee Enfield 303!! Yes it has the power to kill deer, moose, and elk. I have a Jungle Carbine 1947 303, and a Tikka T3 stainless steel. ~My dream rifle is a Browning BLR ‘81 Takedown stainless steel. They were still made in Japan when I contacted the Browning distributor but none available (in stock) to purchase, he said they’re built to order. So I regretingly bought a Remington 7600 Carbine pump-action instead. ~Now I would like to have a 7 PRC but like you explained, something I do not need 😂!!
@@royjohnson465 Mine is a US 1917 30-06 made by Rem. Had a BLR in 7-08, light, sleek and fast. Would like a BLR in 358 Win, Stil listed in Browning. Check firearms web sites like GunBroker. When I get a chance will have the Enfield rebarreled probably to 35 Whelen. And for long range(Never had to shot over 150 Yds 😂) will stick with a 7 Rem Mag for my grandson(availability and I reload) Wish wallet could afford buying one. My cheap long range is buying one in 6.5-300 Wby or 300 Wby (used $500 and rebarrel for 7 RM 1/8 twist $500 Magum magazine long bullets , 7 PRC Performance affordable ammo. To much time for dreaming🤣
@@WillyK51 ~Sorry I just realized I didn’t reply back to you. Very good report that you wrote. Yes my dream rifle is still the >>lever-action Browning BLR ‘81 Takedown in stainless steel
Great video Jim! Glad you are healing up from the pickle ball incident. Thanks for the comparison on these! Would love to see a 300 Win mag vs. 7mm rem mag as those two are common for non hand loaders and folks out west.
I seem to go smaller every year. Started hunting whitetail with the 30.06, then moved on to a .270. Decided both were overkill, and started using a 6.5 creedmoor. Last year I built a 6mm creedmoor, and dropped a doe at 120 yards right where she stood. It was a 90 grain Sierra hand loaded to 3300 fps. But a.243 bullet may be as small as I wanna go, even for our little Texas deer.
I love the .300 WSM. It's wonderful in the AR platform. But factory premium cartridge options are ridiculously expensive or unavailable. Last time I saw precision hunter was when I ordered it in July. Ammo seek has only shown it available once since then and it was gone in minutes of me checking out. If you reload its likely much better, but the availability is killing me.
You should reload it. Components are rough to come by, but a hell of a lot cheaper to make your own even as high as everything is. I can load 168 A-Max for $1.31 per round versus paying about $3.30 per round for Hornady factory ammo.
I got a good deal on a used Browning A bolt in 300 WSM. It took about 3 months just to get some brass for the damn thing. Now I'm fine as I have a stash of brass I already had all the other components I really was going for a 300 WM but the price on this one was hard to beat.
I have had the 300 win mag, the 300 weatherby mag, the .284 win, the 6.5--284. the 6.5--06, the 7mm rem mag and now I am getting a 30--06 Ackley improved. I still own a 300 weatherby and, three 7mm rem mags. I do a lot of competition shooting at 1000 yards and find the 7mm rem mag is hard to beat, however I find the 7mm mag too hard on barrels. That is why I have ordered the 30--06 Ackley, which will not shoot as flat as a 7mm mag, but it will be easier on barrels and able to take the extremely high BC projectile of 215 or 220 grains that the 7mm will not take. All things being equal, the 7mm rem mag is a better long range gun than the 30--06 Ackley, but that extra diameter of the 30 cal, allowes the hot gas clear the barrel more easily and this does allow for a cooler barrel and thus less wear and tear. One gun I forget to mention is the 300 Norma, which is a brilliant 30 cal cartridge, which I chose to sell at the time, not to be confused with the 308 Norma. Another gun I am considering is the Ackley improved 280, which will leave a cooler barrel than any magnum.
This is the video I have been waiting for. It is truly amazing that ammo engineers developed a cartridge 117 years ago that simply has not been replaced despite advanced computers, metallurgy, CNC machines and advances with smokeless powder. The story is the same with the 1911. The reason, best I can tell, is the .30-06 and 1911 were both developed with the primary purpose of defending freedom and defending the free world. That is a high order to fill compared to modern cartridges that are designed primarily to sell more guns by appealing to marketing trends.
Well the engineers back then, specifically back then, were looking at what is now .45 ACP because they replaced the .45 Long Colt with the .38 Long Colt and it failed spectacularly. I think that the .45 ACP can be considered almost perfect because a heavy slow bullet with a large diameter is perfect for a handgun cartridge. On the other hand, as it was actually loaded during WW1 and WW2, the 8x57 Mauser was the higher performing cartridge for whatever reason vs the 30-06. The standard 30-06 load back then was a 150 gr bullet at 2700 fps. Nowadays the 30-06 is pushing 2900+ fps with 150gr and 2700 fps with 180 gr. The advances in modern technology have improved the 30-06 to be better then it was when it was created 117 years ago. That's why the .308 Winchester was/is and always will be slightly lower performing then the 30-06, because it was engineered to replicate the performance of the WW2 30-06 in a smaller cartridge using better technology.
As this is a hunting review, .30-06 for me! Of cartridges presented in the video, I'd choose .308W as 2nd best (shorter action but a bit less velocity) and 7 Rem Mag as 3rd best (a bit more velocity but needs a longer barre). The others' advantages don't come into effect until after viable hunting ranges (~500+ yards) or fall short overall.
I bought my first high powered rifle with my Great Uncle Lewis 40 years ago. It is a Remington BDL Custom Deluxe 30.06 with a 20" barrel. I hand load everything and was able to create a load that consistently shoots .5 MOA from the bench. With the newer powders I've been able to increase the velocity by 100 ft/sec and still maintain that .5 MOA accuracy and get better downfield velocity, less drop, and less wind drift thanks to the higher ballistic efficiency bullets, e.g. Hornady ELD. When my great Uncle passed away I inherited his Winchester Model 70 300 Win Mag. The same differences in powder and bullets apply to the 300 Win Mag with the same level of accuracy. Higher velocity, better down range velocity, less drop, and less wind drift. The bottom line, the "old" cartridges easily compete with the "new" cartridges when loaded using comparable powders and bullets used in the "new" cartridges. I've found no need to invest in a new rifle or a new cartridge and can shoot with the best of the "new" cartridges.
If we talk about handloading, then we can argue that the 30-06 is better than its ever been, given modern propellants and more effecient bullet designs. It's not uncommon to push a 180gr .308 bullet in a 30-06 pass 2800ft p/s these days. Then the 30-06 comes into it's own. Honestly, a good all copper 165gr bullet going at 2900ft p/s will take down any big game animal in and at 400 yds, period. The 30-06 may not be the fastest, highest BC, flattest, most efficient, least amount of recoil and cost effective of the bunch, but it sets the standard for every one of these other cartridges and more to come up against, and that says a lot about the old 30-06 because, even after 117 years, companies feel the need to compare it to an old cartridge that accordibg to them has no place in the modern world of shooting. Yet, they cannot design they're new cartridge without thinking about comparing it to the 30-06. Its old, but it works, and as my grand daddy always told me "Don't try and fix something that ain't broken, boy. You're just gonna waste your money on something you never needed." Truer words never spoken.
As a northern New England whitetail tracker who runs an 18" 7600, iron sights and 220 gr -06 pills, and sees no reason to switch... may the Fudd be with you.
Good.!! I bought a brand new Remington 7600 Carbine (18” barrel) in 30-06 with iron sights but I’ve never shot it yet but looking forward to. How did you attach the shoulder sling strap on the front of that rifle.?? On the barrel “or” on the front of the pump-action fore stock.??
@Roy Johnson congrats! I've only ever seen the sling mount on the barrel... I carry a sling with me when hunting, but only use it if I get lucky and have to drag something out. Otherwise I'm carrying it, and you'll see it's really handy for that.
The advantage, almost insurmountable, of both the 30-06 and 308 Win is the factory loadings in a broad range of bullet weights. That the former has over a century of worldwide use and the latter's nearly 70 years of the same put them far ahead of the contenders. Each was/is also factory loaded in "lite" loads to ease newcomers into the cartridge. I wish all the contenders as long a life.
Hand loading the venerable ‘06, as I do, narrows any gaps you have exposed in your thought-provoking video. Dad was a WWII vet…I inherited his ‘06…can’t say that about any of these other cartridges or the rifles that shoot them.
The 30/ 06 and 7mm rem mag are 2 cartridges that have stood the test of time and taken on all challengers to their thrones. The 280AI, 28 nosler and 7 PRC have decades of work to do before they can even begin to even be considered even close to those 2 superb cartridges. Just because someone CLAIMS they are better doesnt mean they are.Just the FACT that the 3006 & 7 mag are the STANDARD every new cartridge aspires to be shows how intact their LEGACY,S will continue to be .
My answer comes from a Backfire article from 2021 called "cheapest cartridges to shoot (in a handy table)". I used to love experimenting with different calibers but now I pretty much go with the calibers that I can find at a good price. These are 308, 30-06, and 6.5x55. That last one might seem like a surprise, but you can find it at a real good price thanks to Norma, S&B, and PPU.
There might be faster and flatter but during the height of Covid19 and the ammo shortage the only ammo readily available locally were 06, 308 and 30/30 ... any other cartridge was a pipe dream. Think I will stick with proven whats avalable everything at any time. 30/06 in hand is better than say a 270WSM that you cant get ammo for.
We absolutely have better cartridges, but.... The .30-06 was made about the time there was an enormous leap in cartridge technology. And there have only been incremental improvements since. Some of the improvements are in bullets, powder, and manufacturing precision, and the 30-06 gets to take advantage of all those things too. LOl bringing up the 270, which is also 100 years old. Proves my point, the improvements are really small. So the advantages other cartridges have aren't enough that the average shooter will even notice let alone utilize.
I think I will stick with my upgraded, accurized 43 year-old Remington Model 700 BDL .30-06. Shoots about everything under one MOA and with handholds around 1/2 MOA. Everything I have shot at with it dropped with one shot. I have never and have no plans to ever shoot at any game animal over 300 yards. If I cannot get closer I will not take the shot and risk a wounded magnificent animal. Is the .30-06 the "one and only" for everyone? No. And I certainly have nothing against any of the other calibers mentioned. All fine cartridges.
I’m a big 308/350 legend fan for hunting. I also own 7.62x54r and 30-06 hunting rifles. I think you hit the nail on the head. 30-06 is still very relevant and versatile.
Cost Per Round and Readily Available needs to be factored into these conversations too. I think some advanced/dedicated hunters might be okay with a higher cost per round and having to search out ammo locally or order the ammo online, but for the average hunter they like to be able to pick up the ammo for a decent price locally.
I just can't wait for 338 Winmag to come back into style. Every alaskan grocery store, sporting goods store, and ammo shop has it in stock year-round and it's being used constantly. Such a cool round.
I love the 30-06 and have killed a lot of deer with them. That said I also will use a 308, 6.5 Creedmoor or 6.5 PRC, 7mm-08 for hunting. I am seriously considering a 7mm PRC. Keep the content coming!
Don't care it doesn't justify buying another rifle,back in the Early days there quite a few cartridge "better" than the 3006 like the 30 Gibbs,300 H&H mag,shot placement is always the key
For a hand loader the 30 06 you can load it to shoot small game all the way up to large game and whatever is in between. I have my that I can load 00 buck shot for small game all up to the 220 gr for large games. Next would be the 308 win . But not as heavy like the 30 06 .Just what works for me.
Do you have some research that suggests that "just about everybody is shooting with either a suppressor or a muzzle break"? I hunt in Kentucky and personally have never seen someone with a muzzle device on their hunting rifle. Maybe people in precision rifle competitions would use them but for hunting rifles id be shocked if that were true.
Been doing work for a guy that is getting rid of some of his rifles. He’s got neuropathy and is pretty much bedridden and can’t get out and Shoot anymore let alone hunt. He has what I’m guessing is about a 25-year-old Remington 700 in 30-06. It is in pristine condition. Says it has been shot less than 30 times. Beautiful wood stock. I’m not a hunter, but I’m seriously considering getting it. I’m not a hunter yet. Not a fan of most wild game but I would like to go wild boar hunting someday. And I’ve heard the meat is good. Plus they are mean and ugly and cause severe damage so I wouldn’t have a problem taking one down. The guy has offered to sell it to me for 600 bones.Don’t think I could go wrong in getting it. Biggest hurdle will be convincing my wife. Good educational video. Been trying to learn more about them and this provide a lot of information. As well as learning from other comments.
@@FullArmorE6 i’m leaning heavily that way. Don’t necessarily need the wife’s permission, but it keeps the peace if I get her blessing. This may call for a little wining and dining action!
30-06 is the one to compare to and that says a lot. It used to trump all the other cartridges by availability, grain range of bullets, manufacturer and price ect. But it does seem like the 6.5 creedmoore is starting to take that roll. But compared to 30-06 It's just not enough gun if your only going to have one hunting rifle .As I'm not generally poking holes in paper at a long distance and I already own my 30-06 I'm never gonna kick it to the curb just to go buy the next shiny thing that is just a bit better.
Strictly from a performance standpoint the 338 rcm or the 338 a square are slightly better but overall not as versatile. In 55 years of hunting , I've never had a rifle that performs like the 20 inch ruger guide rifle in 338 rcm. If you want one now it's the skunkwerks saberlite suppressed. Just a thought.
I think the 338-06 is underrated. That ablr 225gr 550 bc with good velocity, i was suprised just how much energy it retains at distance excellent powder efficiency, not as versatile long range but more versatile for heavy game to 350ish 😊. Shame its handload only limited to us handloaders
30-06 30 caliber. 30 cal generally kills big game better than 7mm. Others say this, and so does my experience. So, for versatility and general hunting, the 06 is still the King! What's better? 300 RUM class cartridges, but really only for more range. A well placed shot on an elk at say 150 yards with either results in dead elk. But to find a really more versatile general hunting round step up to the 338 Win Mag. It usually numbs big game and noticeably more than any 30! I've experienced this over and over. Most are afraid of recoil. I don't get it? When shooting at big game, I've never recalled any recoil, and I refuse to use Sniping sissy slots while hunting. I'm experimenting with 28 Nosler, 300 RUM, and 375 Ruger builds. For normal hunting ranges, say out to 400 yards, the 375 Ruger can do a whole lot more than the 06! The 375 Ruger loaded up or down can pretty much hunt the world. That's versatility! Like a big brother to the 06. Personally, I do prefer the 300 Win to the 06. The 338 over the 300 and the 375 over the 338. 416s are in their own class. My current thinking revolves around my 2 custom hobby builds. Both with carbon barrels. The 375 Ruger as my go-to, do lots, and the 300 RUM for stretching things out a bit. The 28 Nosler? Well, that seems like an ultimate Mountan game rifle. Still, hunting with an 06 or 7 Rem Mag, would cover lots of ground.
Almost 50yrs of hunting and owning about 90 rifles in all kinds of calibers. I’ve gone back to the 30-06 and 270. But all the calibers mentioned here are all great and useful. I wouldn’t disparage any one of them.
308 is my "Goldie Locks" round. After suffering a stroke a few years ago, I lack the physical capabilities for the more powerful rounds. My 308, sighted to MPBR, is perfect for me. I have a 300WSM, but is far more capable than myself.
Considering the increased efficiency that we see coming from the. 35 Whelen over the 30-06, has anyone tried a wildcat .35-300 Win Mag? Seems to me it would be an awesome big bear, moose, elk, & even an African game cartridge.
Nothing like good ole classic caliber arguments! I don't know that we've seen a new caliber that can dethrone the .30-06 for North America yet - but the modern new hotness rounds sure are trying. Mark me down as one who just likes to sit back and see the innovation coming out of all the corners of the industry.
Many cartridges have been designed to top another, that’s the whole point of sales and marketing. Reality is after a 117 years the 30-06 Springfield is still in the fight. With modern powders and bullets honestly it’s better then it every was. 110 gr - 220gr gives a wide spread, that’s hard to beat and that’s where others lack. But what man would be crazy enough to say he only needs one. That’s sure not information you want to fall into your wife’s hands. 🤫
The 06 is perfect for most hunting situations.The 06 can be used in a gun that loaded with a sling and a scope comes on at around 8 pounds. I've used the 300 win mag in various manufacturers.I found the best one is one with a fiberglass straight stock.The Winchester Extreme with a good scope coming in at around 10 pounds loaded is something you have to be willing to pack all day if needed. Those are my pros and cons.What would I do but have one of each,2 guns.1 is never enough
While I am aquiring a collection of rifles. Of my long range easy shoot rifles. I see the .270 Win, the 6.8 Western, and the 7 PRC seem to have characteristics that people will prefer in the futuwerre. The .270 Win with a faster twist barrel may be the best rifle of the bunch. I have a 308 Win. And the lower power is still good enough. The lower cost and the better availability of ammo may help the 308 Win to be more popular. But I find the 270 Win to be the same cost in my area. And with a faster twist barrel. The longer bullets may rival the 30-06 in effectiveness, especially in copper. But barrel life may matter more to those on a budget. To get a very nice lifetime rifle.
The cool thing about Ackley, if my ancient brain recalls, it also pushed the case shoulder forward just enough that all you needed to convert a rifle was a quicker pass with a reamer and re-headspace without even taking the barrel off the action
I live out west and both the 308 and 3006 have over 1100 bullet selections with factory and handloads. They outsell all others. A 30-06 with say loaded to 2820 and an ELDX or similar bullet is an extremely capable load but the list goes on. I use Hornady Highperformance 150 SST in my 308 24 inch sniper grade and get 1540 FPE at 400 yds and 20 inches of drop. The Creedmoore 6.5 is returned the most to the used gun racks here and a 308 or 06 which sell heavily new never make to the used racks or rarely. I saw a row of Creedmores used at a shop last week in Aberdeen SD. Real like is keeping the 308 and 06 on top here. Yes fad calibers sell but the main ones stay the same. I load a Barnes TTSX 130 in my 308 to 3250 FPS and the Expert from Vortex Nation turned me on to this load and with 1 8n 10 twist is a tack driver and even faster in 06 of the charts killing power and flatness. New gun writers flock to trash the 06 and 308 and will find the majority of shooters are intelligent about these calibers and they remain popular. The gun writers will not.
I love hunting with my 30-06, but I also love hunting with it's nemesis the 8x57 which is a wonderful critter getter when loaded with a good bullet at a decent velocity. That said if I were to limit myself to a single cartridge the 300WSM and 7PRC would be high on the list, but thankfully it is nice to have the option to pick the cartridge and/or rifle for the hunt based on needs and conditions other than "it is all I got..."
The.30-06 being so common is its strength. When the airline confiscates your cartridges as fly into Canada for the hunt of a lifetime, rest assured that the backwoods country store will have several boxes of.30-06 on the shelf.
308 is king, and here's why.. Once you have enough power, once that box is checked, everything else becomes the difference maker. The old 30-06 was considered good enough to kill anything in North America back in the day. Modern 308, especially hand loaded, surpasses the old 30-06 performance of just 20 years ago and beyond. 308 is now a cartridge that's slightly better than good enough for anything in North America, and it's commonly offered in rifles with threaded 20 inch carbon fiber 1/10 barrels. This makes it the most versatile, compact, light weight and efficient real big game hunting rifle cartridge available.
Most of what you're saying about the .308 Win. being "good enough" and more efficient than the '06 is accurate. There are two areas that I would bring up though that the '06 will outperform the .308. Heavy for caliber bullets or/and at distances beyond 300 yards. In both of those scenarios the '06 is going to outperform the .308 Win. If either of those scenarios are a possibility though, there are plenty of cartridges out there better either the .30-06 or the .308 for those applications.
@Dominic 30-06 does usually edge out 308 in performance. But not always, and never by much. You can take advantage of all the 308 has to offer in available rifles, and then cheat the performance by going with some hot buffalo bore, superformance or hand loaded ammo. There are definitely better cartridges for past 300 yds, but you can also cheat that with your ammo. A box of factory precision hunter with heavy eldx will be effective easily out to 500 yards. 30-06 often won't have the barrel twist fast enough to support an apples to apples with that kind of a bullet.
@@Guadalupeaencinas You're on point again. As I stated earlier, in both of those scenarios I mentioned I would either jump to a .30 caliber magnum at that point or shift away from .30 cal. I very much personally prefer the .308 to the '06. I really like the .308 Win in any scenario where the shot is 300 yards or less unless it involves the big bears or dangerous game. Beyond that 350 yard or so mark, my preference would be away from the .308, but at that point I most certainly would choose something ballistically superior to an '06 as well!!!
@@danielrouw2593 Me too, which brings me to ask, if you're in grizzly or polar bear territory, why in the world are you choosing the .30-06 when there are undeniably superior choices for those larger dangerous animals? If you're going to carry the weight and the recoil of the '06, you may as well get the ballistic superiority of other cartridges to go with it!!!!
@Dominic Yup. 308 is the all around king IMO. I'm with you though, if I ever go to into brown bear country, I'll be taking something significantly more powerful than 308 or 30-06.
117 years later and the venerable '06 is still available in almost every place that sells ammunition - in far more than just its nation of origin. Yes, if you wind up in Cape Town, Africa for your hunt of a lifetime and your ammo winds up in B.F. Egypt on "Where'd It go?" airlines,, you can still get ammo for your '06 as well as your Safari Grade "Loudenboomer". And, if you hand load, there's just so many other calibers that use the '06 case as their parent case that, if you run out of one you probably can resize what brass you have on hand to at least have enough to shoot until you can stock up on the caliber you've run out of.. Personally I like my 1948 Winchester Model 70 Super Grade with a 24" barrel (back when that was the standard length for most bolt action hunting rifles.) in ".30 GOVT. '06" (as it says on the barrel) and my 1909 Argentine Mauser made in Berlin (that was customized before I got it) re-chambered and re-bored in .35 Whelen, barrel shortened to 24", custom trigger and safety, etc.. The Whelen is suitable for all but the largest bears (Kodiak/Brown and Polar in North America and I have no desire for moose meat, but I'm not going to be hunting those. I do think, based on brass availability I may find a very good Mauser action and have a .25-06 built as a plains hunting (not long range target shooting at living flesh and blood) rifle.. After all, just like fishing isn't called "Catching", hunting isn't called "Bagging". Its all about testing your skills as an outdoors-man. (If you're starving get on food stamps and go to Safeway.)
I chose the 6.5 PRC. Availability and price of the rifles and ammunition in my location were a huge factor in deciding. The 6.5 PRC isn’t as tried and true as the 06’. But the 6.5 does beat it in lower recoil, velocity and energy. Comparing a 147gr. 6.5 PRC to a 150gr 06’
The only thing I would add to what you are saying. If someone could get ahold of one of them custom ammo companies and have them load ammo for a 30 o6 like HSM. I think the gap would be a little closer. 30, 06 is not my favorite but it's still a great contender.
The .308 is far easier to find worldwide, works in short actions, is chambered in a much wider range of guns including battle rifles like the SCAR, greatly outperforms the original .30-06 loads (drives a 150-gr. bullet 300 fps faster). A 600 yard deer round that will take down elephants, rhino and cape buffalo with 220 grain solids.
It is a great cartridge. In fact, probably my favorite cartridge all time. However, it's starting to fall in the same category as the '06. The .280 AI, 7mm SAUM and now the 7mm PRC offer almost all the benefits of the 7mm Rem Mag. as well as some improvements with little or no negatives. I'm not going to sell my 7 Rem Mag to buy one of the newer cartridges, but if I were already buying a new rifle in that cartridge class, I certainly would lean towards one of the design improved cartridges.
Yes but other hunters back in the day used other things like the 220 swift, 6.5x55, and .270 win to the same effect with many others if you read the old hunting books. Plenty of the old cullers preferred things like the 220 swift claiming it was by far the best at 1 shot kills, and these are guys that used every rifle offers on thousands of animals. Not saying the 06 isn’t effective, it’s just not alone in being effective with an experienced marksman behind the trigger.
@@jaydunbar7538 yep, Ron Spomer did a video on the .220 swift with some people who swore by it. He also talked about some who said it wasn't effective one large game. It all boils down to personal preference but at the end of the day I can find a box of 30-06 just about any big box store or mom and pop shop. The likes of .220 swift and a lot of these newer boutique cartridges that are "better" not so much so. Not to mention the price.
The advantages you lend to the reloader for the 280 AI. Also extend to the 30-06 reloader. Berger Elite Hunter 180gr pill with a .576 G1 BC. A top a full charge of Win. 6.5 StaBall powder. Nets 2857 fps and 3260 ft lbs of energy. That is no slouch by any measure.
I guess the main advantage I see in loading 280AI is (1) the 40 degree shoulder which drastically reduces how often you have to trim and (2) The higher BC 7mm bullets available.
@@backfire Nothing wrong with the 280AI. High BC bullets are out there for the .308 crowd and they are really shining with the new powders coming out. That was my main point. Each tool for it's purpose.
@@mot0rhe4d40 The .284 same weight bullets will always outperform .308 cal bullets pushed at the same velocity in ballistic coefficient, wind drag and drop. That's unless you're comparing bullets of significantly different shape (like round nose to spire point) That's not you, Jim or I's opinion. It's a physics-based fact!!!!
@@dominic2802 Very true. Same wt. Pills between 280. & 30 cal, will always give the edge to the 7mm bullets where BC is concerned. 7s lose the edge in the heavier bullets the 30-06 can utilize
@@mot0rhe4d40 With the improvements in bullet technology there's an awful lot more emphasis put on mass of the bullet than there should be. It's personal preference, but I'll give up a few grains of bullet mass for increased ballistic performance and velocity all day long. Less velocity means less hydrostatic shock. Now on extremely fatty animals (bears for example), I do prefer the larger diameter bullet, for no other reason than to poke a bigger hole.
Let's have this discussion again in 117 years and see what is left. My money is on the 30-06. Outside the Big 5 there is nothing in Africa I would not hunt with a 30-06 even though it has been done many times. It has served me well for 20+ years of hunting in my country South Africa. Not much a 165gr Nosler Accubond at around 295pfps won't kill. Good enough for longer shots on plains game and closer shots in the bush. Step up to 180gr+ bullets and you have a great bush gun. It is my go to hunting cartridge.
I think the 6.5 PRC could give it a run for it's money, especially considering ranges beyond 300 yards. In 4-5 years once the 7 PRC is established, it'll steal the show. You just don't see that many new rifles made in 30-06 anymore, and a lot of that is because of the outdated specs. New cartridges take advantage of modern machining capabilities.
Every major rifle manufacturer produces rifles chambered in the 30-06. All the most popular hunting rifles in the world are chambered in 30-06. I read one time, that the last rifle ever made and the last cartridge ever produced would probably be in 30-06. Unless you handload, there is only one company producing 7PRC ammo (Hornady) and the cheapest I've seen it was about $4 per round. There are precious few manufacturers that don't produce rifles and ammo for the 30-06, also precious few are producing rifles chambered in 7PRC.
@@mikemelina7395 Speaking about the PRC, I said, "In 4-5 years..." for a reason. It'll take time to get adopted just like everything else, but there's just so much up side to it. Yes, everyone makes the 30-06 and probably always will, but I also don't see very many NEW ones on the shelves anymore. Just because it'll always be there doesn't make it the "best." I have both a 30-06 and a 6.5 PRC, and the 6.5 is by far my go to these days. It's as good or better in all aspects, except ammo cost, but I reload so I don't care.
@@pogeegitz By "NEW rifles", what do you mean? European rifle makers like Mauser, Sako and Tikka make new rifles in 30-06, Japanese and Turkish manufacturers make new rifles in 30-06, Every major American manufacturer makes 30-06 rifles, the only company that released a new rifle in recent times that didn't off 30-06 right out of the gate was ironically Springfield, and they got roasted for it. If you are referring to what on the racks, it goes without saying that there are more 6.5CM rifles on them than all the rest combined, because they've been hyping the daylights out of them for 15 years. Now, they're hyping Hornady's PRC cartridges, so guess what's on the racks at the store? This is all hype. "New and Improved!" "Try the new PRC, it's better than this and more efficient than that..." For all the hype they generated with the 6.5CM, how many existing 6.5 cartridges were already as good or better? Now the new hotness is the 6.5 PRC, 7PRC, 300PRC...they're selling something you just don't need. The reason everyone compares themselves to cartridges like the 30-06, or the 7/300mag or 270 is because they've been getting it done since before we were born. Target shooting isn't a "practical application", there isn't a situation where a hunter lining up a shot with a 7mmMag is going to be thinking in the back of his head: 'I sure wish I had a 6.5PRC right now...', there just isn't. When 7PRC ammo is available everywhere for $1.50round, that's when it becomes a viable alternative to the 7RM. Until then, it's all hype. 95+% of hunters are taking shots at large game within 300yds, is there anything the 6.5/7mm/300PRC does better within those ranges than the 30-06/.270/7RM/300WM? It's all hype swirling around LR target shooting. You welcome to it, but all it is, is reinventing the wheel, creating a need, then filling it with "New and Improved!"
So i stumbled on this video while looking up other cartridges that are not in this video. Not sure how that happened. But here is some food for thought. With super heavy for caliber bullets the 8x57 with a 220 gr bullet clocks in at 2,400 fps muzzle velocity which gives it the same sectional density and almost exactly the same ballistic coefficient as a 200 grain 30-06. If you go to the lighter side, the 30-06 with a 180 gr bullet is clocking in around 2,700 fps while the 8x57 is doing about 2,550 with a 196 gr bullet. I don't have any load data in front of me for anything lighter then that for the 8mm, but it has always seemed to me playing around with my Yugo M48 that, well as long as your not using watered down American factory ammo the 8x57 would make a better elk and moose option inside of 400 yards, and also be a better "minimum" bear cartridge with its .323 diameter vs .308 You are also using less powder then the .300 and 7mm magnums, the downside being that you are limiting your effective range. I would never take a 400+ yard shot because I don't have the skill, nor do I hunt with my milsurp rifle, I hunt .270 Winchester, but if I could afford to have a custom rifle built for me 8x57 would certainly be an option I would consider. Things to consider. The 8x57 case is 6mm shorter then the 30-06 case and is 6mm longer then the .308 Winchester case but suffers none of the performance drop-off of the .308 for whatever reason. 57mm seems like the ideal case length for a standard .470 rim diameter case which I like because it doesn't limit magazine capacify like the short magnums do. I love what Hornady did taking the .308 and optimizing it and turning it into the 6.5 Creedmore. I wish they would do the same with a 57mm case and 8mm. 63,000 psi vs 56,000 psi and with an improved shoulder, I really do believe a 7mm or 8mm version of that would top the 30-06 and remain economical.
The .300 WSM is my favorite. I like the short action, reloading versatility and low SDs. Though the '06 is a close second, being the caliber of my first high power rifle some sixty years ago. It sure did knock down those big wild hogs!
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Where is the 8x57? It has fought the same world wars, and taken down millions of deer, moose, wild boars, bears and more. It’s not American, so availability in the US isn’t great. But look in Europe. Very available.
Just the fact that you're using it for comparison's sake speaks volumes about the greatness of the cartridge.
We’ve been harping on him for almost a year now since he started the cartridge wars line of videos about why the -06 isn’t winning out when it really should.
He tossed us a bone.
He did it because he has to. Because people just won't let it die. It speaks nothing to the non-existent greatness of the cartridge. It speaks to the fact that people cling to Nostalgia and emotion over fact and performance. Don't get me wrong, I think 100 years ago it was great for what it was. I mean it won two world wars. But let's face the fact just like everything else technology has advanced far beyond what this cartridge ever dreamed of!
You know, I hunt almost exclusively with "obsolete" cartridges: 30-06, 33WCF, 35 Rem, 30 Rem. Never once have I had a deer stand up, brush itself off, sneer at my "obsolete" cartridge, and casually walk away.
Modern Cartridges are cute, sure, but they too, will (for the most part) be sneered at like the 6.8 SPC. Remember when that was going to rule them all? I do, and it came, and mostly went.
I got my Rem 700 30-06 from Christmas 42 years ago. This year I upgraded to a MagPul stock with detachable magazines. I have used Nosler partitions for decades, 150s for deer and 180 for elk. I am upgrading the scope this year and plan to keep using it until I am to old to hike in and out.
I’m 18 and it’s awesome to hear about guys using one gun their whole life, but I love guns too much to do the same
Totally agree nobody NEEDS anything other than something like the 30-06. However if I was going to buy a rifle to hand down a few generations I may get something like a 7 PRC with all of the advantages in chamber design, barrel twist rate and internal ballistics.
The more I read and hear, I think if your in the market to purchase that one rifle that does it all. It sounds like the 7 PRC is the best cartridge get for the range and out in the field! Still have to appreciate the 30-06 for everything it has done and will continue to do for hunters!
It's too bad that the quality of remington rifles has gone down so much. I have a Remington 700 in 308, but it was manufactured in the last 6 years, and can't compare to the older models.
@@aerialexcursions ~I 100% agree with you, I have two 30-06’s, but if I was going to buy another rifle then the 7 PRC would be my very first choice.
30-06 is king in my book! Why? Because I inherited my sporterized 1903 from my Father and I’ve had it over 60 years, it will be passed along in our family after I’m gone. In its military days it helped protect our freedom and as a young boy I took my first deer with it. When I got interested in long range precision shooting, the old 1903 hit a 4” disc at 600 yards with factory ammo! These days she’s spends her time in the safe but that rifle will always hold the top spot in my heart. Yep.. 30-06 is King!
I was a young man when I bought my sporterized 1903, and when I laid out a line of rifles for my sons to choose from, my younger son took the Springfield .30-06, and my older son took my Husqvarna .30-06. If I can only have one rifle, it would be a .30-06!
30 06 is the big daddy of all of them almost all the brass cartridges is designed from the 30 -06
In all the hunting that I have ever done I have never needed anything more than a .30-06. I don’t shoot at ridiculously long ranges I get close enough to make the shot if I can’t get close enough I don’t take the shot. I have a limit of 400 yards. I think too many people these days wanna shoot too far and don’t wanna hunt and get close. I understand there are some situation where you can’t but maybe should pass up the shot.
@@308guy8 Yeah they wanna shoot long range so they tell you you gotta have a 300 super X double magnum whatever and they think they can ethically shoot in animals it’s super long range. I like the guys that learn how to hunt and get close.
30-06 aint joking around, .308 is my jam though. Its perfect for me. Not to big, not to small
I've been using 308 a lot and 150gr core lokt tipped ammo is amazing. I like it more than 06
As much as I understand what you are getting at, I have personally taken long shots, over 500 yards, that there was absolutely no way of getting closer. I took a whitetail 2 seasons ago at a touch under 550, 20 minutes of light left and last day of season across a canyon. No way to drop down and maintain sight and not enough time to get across before dark. 2 shots and I had meat in my freezer, first shot did the trick but if the animal is still on its feet I shoot again. I'm not advocating for everyone to take those shots but saying that someone who does take those shots, ethically and confidently, is less of a hunter just isn't true. I've killed deer inside 20 yards with a compound and a recurve bow, taken deer with traditional muzzleloaders and iron sight lever guns inside 75. I've snuck into 50 with a rifle just because I was curious if I could but guys still say folks like myself are unethical in how we hunt because we are capable of shooting past the capability of 120 year old technology.
@@WyitAlan 308 150 grain CLT can make that shot I just pulled up a ballistics calculator and with an 18" barrel the shots you described are doable. I'd like to go up to a 20" tho bc it's getting a hair anemic at that distance but still doable
My Grandfather was a WW2 vet. And though i never got to hunt with him as i didn't begin hunting until after he passed, anytime i go into the woods with my 30-06, it feels like he's right there with me.
I think its reasonable to say there are better cartridges out there today but it will always be an extremely versatile and capable cartridge.
I love all calibers equally…
Except .30-06. I love that one far more than all others
I’m not going to change my 30-06 for anything else in foreseeable future….it’s just so good and versatile
It’s all you need for all edible game for food unless you hunt Water Buffalo in Africa. I have a Tikka T3 stainless steel 30-06 and I love it very much. I also have a Remington 7600 pump-action 30-06.
The 30-06 is a old tried and true workhorse. It can do many things depending on the load. I believe it will be around forever.
Think I will stick to my 30-06. Everything I have shot, from beaver to moose, tend to fall down dead with one shot. Also, does not hurt the shoulder or the pocketbook when at the range, and as I don't re-load, never have problems finding ammo.
I totally agree, very well said.!! I have a Tikka T3 stainless steel 30-06 rifle that I love.
@@royjohnson465 I have the same gun, love it.
@@mrmaphousa4349 ~Great!! Yes I have the older T3 (in stainless steel, 30-06), not the newer T3x. I love everything about it. The only two “cons” is the single stack 5 shot magazine sticks out too far and the magazine release trigger also sticks out which could be accidentally hit on a tree branch or twig losing the magazine on the ground.
308 and 30-06 will always be the best just due to availability, variety of loads, and guns of every value level being available chambered in them
You are absofreakinglutely right!
also the 308 really shines in the northeast where long open shots aren't as common for most hunters.
270 win does everything 30-06 does, better lol
30-06 just has soul, I recently bought my forever rifle a browning x bolt medallion in 30-06 and I don’t regret it one bit, just feels right, plus with newer bullets I can shoot as far as I want to with it and be just fine
Nice job on the video review! I still love my 30 '06 and especially love reloading both 150 and 165-grain quality bullets. I've shot and loaded 180 and 200 grain as well. I'm lucky enough to own both a .270 and a .300 Weatherby, so I have essentially a supercharged .300 Win Mag! Yes, I'd love a light weight mountain rifle in 7mm 08 or .308, but I have enough rifles at this stage of my life!
I see!! I want a Browning BLR ‘81 Takedown stainless steel.
Recently, I bought a brand new 30-06 and started reloading as a hobby for it. I know it can do about anything I would ever want and its history is impossible to ignore. No regrets here!
Thanks for the video! I've been looking for a hunting rifle with a 22" long, threaded barrel, stainless finish, chambered in 270 winchester! It's like a damn unicorn but it's my dream mountain rifle. Been shooting 308 for years but the 270's ballistics are fantastic for reaching out a little farther.
Looks at the Weatherbys
I just got my hands on a used Kimber Montana .280AI and topped it with a used Leupold VX5HD 2-10 and Backcountry ring mounts. I must say, it’s a great setup! I cannot wait to try it out in the Pennsylvania mountains and hopefully on my first western hunt in the next few years
As a hand loader the 280ai is the goldilocks zone. Will do everything a 30-06 will do and 98% what a 7rem mag will with less recoil. I love this cartridge. Out of a browning X bolt with 1:8 twist you can shoot up to 195gr bullet but works way better in the 160-175gr range.
Like hell it will. Can the 280AI shoot 200 or 220 gr bullets. And no it cant do near what the 7mm rem mag can do. I dont call 200 fps , 98 percent.
Thumbs up! I come from a long line of deer hunters. A family that the most important sport was hunting. Growing up we used the basic calibers. 30/30 and 3006. My grandpaw used a 30/30 his whole life, and my dad moved up to a 3006 once he gave me the 30/30 he had hunted with for so many years. I thought my daddy was a man's man for shooting it, lol. My pawpaw said it was too much gun, lol. If i cant kill it with my bow or 3006 i dont need to kill it!!!
It's not available right now, but if/when the 277 fury / 6.8x51 becomes common, that is a round with trimendous potential versatility. The normal brass stuff is about 308 level, but the hybrid ammo will give you 7 rem mag performance out of a 16in barrel. That's quite the party trick for a single caliber. Of course that's all assuming the military doesn't change its mind, and that it becomes widely commercially available.
They may change their mind about the XM7 I hope not, but the XM250 I think that’s here to stay and if that’s here the ammo will be to.
The potential for that hybrid technology is enormous! Imagine a 5.56 hybrid cartridge pushed to the same 80k psi!?!? You’d be pushing 22 Creedmoor/22-250 velocities from a standard rifle. Would definitely have to make some modifications so that it couldn’t be chambered in a normal 556/223 gun, but still.
@@soonerfrac4611 yes, Sig has said as much when I've spoken with them. They want to work with SAAMI to release hybrid specs for major calibers, 223 and 308 likely to be the first ones - whenever that ends up happening
30-06 all day, everyday. There’s a reason that this cartridge is picked for comparison purposes-that speaks volumes about its performance and versatility.
💯 PERCENT
We don’t always see eye to eye but I always enjoy your videos. (Except that I usually end up spending the next hour or so digging through reloading manuals and old magazine articles😉). Being a bit of a rifle crank myself I truly appreciate the time and effort you put into these videos. Keep them coming please.
I use the Hornady SST 150 grain for deer! Remington 700BDL! Leupold scope! I have had all of the others and always come back to the 30-06!
Sounds like 3006 isn't going anywhere. It's just too good at everything. Not great at one specific time n place like the prc anything. Those only matter at crazy long distance. At whitetail woods distance I'd rather have the 3006 over any PRC. It's just a classic that's good at killing things and dosent kick your shoulder off in the process. Timeless is the 3006
The 30-06 is God's caliber. I will be taking my 30-06 to South Africa for the plains game this June. I feel more than confident with it!
Or save the transportation hassle and instead borrow a rifle from the safari outfitter guide.
5 shots five animals. Blessebuck @ 302 yds, dead in his tracks! Using Nosler partition 150 gr. Never had to track. I took a water buck at 200 yds.
In the bush here in the lowveld where I live and hunt, a 30-06 in a 20" barrel, loaded with 220gr round nose bullets is absolutely phenomenal. We rarely shoot past 250m, and most of the time it's closer to 50m, and that heavy bullet penetrates the bush nicely. Shooting through brush is the biggest benefit to that setup, but I still hunt everything with my .308 and I've dropped everything with it, even though I pass on one or two shots where the brush is a bit thick, when I'd take that shot with the 30-06
270 wsm has treated me very well for 20 yrs , just started hunting with a kimber 308 love the light weight and seems to kill just as dead but much easier to hike around with!
Within 350 yards, I don’t think that the ballistic superiority that some cartridges have to the venerable.30-06 show up.
@patchitwood7428 no deer or moose is gonna know or care what cartridge it is. But I like the 300WM it just gives me the warm fuzzies.
The 300 win mag uses 30 grains more powder to gain 200 fps.
Depending on bullet and rifle barrel. My reloads run a 180gn interlock at 3050fps from a 24 inch bergara. Not sure what the 06 does.
@@albertlemont5471About 2800 without pushing the limits.
I really enjoy your blog cause you give the nuts and bolts about the realities of hunting scenarios. I have smoked deer and elk and axis with the 308, 30/06, 300 win. mag. Can't tell any difference except for the fact that the magnum has a point blank range of 350 yards instead of 250. The longest shot I have ever made was with the 308 Remington 700 ADL firing an older berger semi Spitzer 150 gr. @ 2750.
At 430 yds. I took aim with the top of the bottom post of the dual x cross hair on the 44 mag scope on 7 power and that 9 point never knew what hit him smack dab in his ribcage. I find it ironic that my old 308 still has the record since my 300 shoots better at longer distances.
Just haven't been as lucky with seeing em with the 300.
I’ve never had my 30-06 fail to drop anything I’ve taken with it and yet watched many a hunter shoot 300 winmag and had to put multiple shots on to drop. I’m sticking with tried and true 30-06 keep your winmag
Great video!! When I saw the title, I immediately knew you were going to call on the 300 Win Mag, the 270, the 7mm, and the .308. The others, too, are very excellent choices. But for my money, and for the reasons you stated, I'd choose the .30-06 all day long. That's not to say anybody could go wrong with any of the other cartridges. I'm just saying that I'd stick with the aught-six to do everything that I could foresee needing.
I'm 73 now. When I was young, the 30-06 reigned supreme in bolt actions. Today it seems the .308 has eclipsed it. I have used both. The .308 with 150 grains will pretty much do anything an 06 will do if you are a deer/black bear hunter and the. .308 has a little less recoil, and a shorter action. Also, in my area, the .308 is more available.
There are way to many versions of the 308 in any kind of rifle( Bolt/Auto/Lever, etc) pluss it is quite common all over the world because it was military. But the 30-06 isn't about to fade away. The only big game rifle I have, is a 1917 Enfield. Hard to figure how to improve. A 300 Win Mag, a 7 mm Rem Mag. A BLR in 308 for close brush. There is always some gun out there you crave for but do not need🤣
@@WillyK51 ~Wow a 1917 Lee Enfield 303!! Yes it has the power to kill deer, moose, and elk. I have a Jungle Carbine 1947 303, and a Tikka T3 stainless steel.
~My dream rifle is a Browning BLR ‘81 Takedown stainless steel. They were still made in Japan when I contacted the Browning distributor but none available (in stock) to purchase, he said they’re built to order. So I regretingly bought a Remington 7600 Carbine pump-action instead.
~Now I would like to have a 7 PRC but like you explained, something I do not need 😂!!
@@royjohnson465 Mine is a US 1917 30-06 made by Rem. Had a BLR in 7-08, light, sleek and fast. Would like a BLR in 358 Win, Stil listed in Browning. Check firearms web sites like GunBroker. When I get a chance will have the Enfield rebarreled probably to 35 Whelen. And for long range(Never had to shot over 150 Yds 😂) will stick with a 7 Rem Mag for my grandson(availability and I reload) Wish wallet could afford buying one. My cheap long range is buying one in 6.5-300 Wby or 300 Wby (used $500 and rebarrel for 7 RM 1/8 twist $500 Magum magazine long bullets , 7 PRC Performance affordable ammo. To much time for dreaming🤣
The .308 stays fairly close with its elder until you get to heavy bullets. 180 grains & heavier, the '06 has a significant advantage.
@@WillyK51 ~Sorry I just realized I didn’t reply back to you. Very good report that you wrote. Yes my dream rifle is still the >>lever-action Browning BLR ‘81 Takedown in stainless steel
Great video Jim! Glad you are healing up from the pickle ball incident.
Thanks for the comparison on these! Would love to see a 300 Win mag vs. 7mm rem mag as those two are common for non hand loaders and folks out west.
~The 300 Win Mag “IS BETTER THAN” the 7mm Rem Mag, has better ballistics compared with the same bullet weights.
~But the 7 PRC is my first choice.
I seem to go smaller every year. Started hunting whitetail with the 30.06, then moved on to a .270. Decided both were overkill, and started using a 6.5 creedmoor. Last year I built a 6mm creedmoor, and dropped a doe at 120 yards right where she stood. It was a 90 grain Sierra hand loaded to 3300 fps. But a.243 bullet may be as small as I wanna go, even for our little Texas deer.
A 7mm-08 is a very first choice also.
I've dropped many deer like a hammer , and 3 moose with a 300wsm still love my 270 🤠
I love the .300 WSM. It's wonderful in the AR platform. But factory premium cartridge options are ridiculously expensive or unavailable. Last time I saw precision hunter was when I ordered it in July. Ammo seek has only shown it available once since then and it was gone in minutes of me checking out.
If you reload its likely much better, but the availability is killing me.
You should reload it. Components are rough to come by, but a hell of a lot cheaper to make your own even as high as everything is.
I can load 168 A-Max for $1.31 per round versus paying about $3.30 per round for Hornady factory ammo.
I got a good deal on a used Browning A bolt in 300 WSM. It took about 3 months just to get some brass for the damn thing. Now I'm fine as I have a stash of brass I already had all the other components I really was going for a 300 WM but the price on this one was hard to beat.
I have had the 300 win mag, the 300 weatherby mag, the .284 win, the 6.5--284. the 6.5--06, the 7mm rem mag and now I am getting a 30--06 Ackley improved. I still own a 300 weatherby and, three 7mm rem mags. I do a lot of competition shooting at 1000 yards and find the 7mm rem mag is hard to beat, however I find the 7mm mag too hard on barrels. That is why I have ordered the 30--06 Ackley, which will not shoot as flat as a 7mm mag, but it will be easier on barrels and able to take the extremely high BC projectile of 215 or 220 grains that the 7mm will not take. All things being equal, the 7mm rem mag is a better long range gun than the 30--06 Ackley, but that extra diameter of the 30 cal, allowes the hot gas clear the barrel more easily and this does allow for a cooler barrel and thus less wear and tear. One gun I forget to mention is the 300 Norma, which is a brilliant 30 cal cartridge, which I chose to sell at the time, not to be confused with the 308 Norma. Another gun I am considering is the Ackley improved 280, which will leave a cooler barrel than any magnum.
This is the video I have been waiting for. It is truly amazing that ammo engineers developed a cartridge 117 years ago that simply has not been replaced despite advanced computers, metallurgy, CNC machines and advances with smokeless powder. The story is the same with the 1911. The reason, best I can tell, is the .30-06 and 1911 were both developed with the primary purpose of defending freedom and defending the free world. That is a high order to fill compared to modern cartridges that are designed primarily to sell more guns by appealing to marketing trends.
Well the engineers back then, specifically back then, were looking at what is now .45 ACP because they replaced the .45 Long Colt with the .38 Long Colt and it failed spectacularly. I think that the .45 ACP can be considered almost perfect because a heavy slow bullet with a large diameter is perfect for a handgun cartridge. On the other hand, as it was actually loaded during WW1 and WW2, the 8x57 Mauser was the higher performing cartridge for whatever reason vs the 30-06. The standard 30-06 load back then was a 150 gr bullet at 2700 fps. Nowadays the 30-06 is pushing 2900+ fps with 150gr and 2700 fps with 180 gr. The advances in modern technology have improved the 30-06 to be better then it was when it was created 117 years ago. That's why the .308 Winchester was/is and always will be slightly lower performing then the 30-06, because it was engineered to replicate the performance of the WW2 30-06 in a smaller cartridge using better technology.
As this is a hunting review, .30-06 for me! Of cartridges presented in the video, I'd choose .308W as 2nd best (shorter action but a bit less velocity) and 7 Rem Mag as 3rd best (a bit more velocity but needs a longer barre). The others' advantages don't come into effect until after viable hunting ranges (~500+ yards) or fall short overall.
I bought my first high powered rifle with my Great Uncle Lewis 40 years ago. It is a Remington BDL Custom Deluxe 30.06 with a 20" barrel. I hand load everything and was able to create a load that consistently shoots .5 MOA from the bench. With the newer powders I've been able to increase the velocity by 100 ft/sec and still maintain that .5 MOA accuracy and get better downfield velocity, less drop, and less wind drift thanks to the higher ballistic efficiency bullets, e.g. Hornady ELD.
When my great Uncle passed away I inherited his Winchester Model 70 300 Win Mag. The same differences in powder and bullets apply to the 300 Win Mag with the same level of accuracy. Higher velocity, better down range velocity, less drop, and less wind drift.
The bottom line, the "old" cartridges easily compete with the "new" cartridges when loaded using comparable powders and bullets used in the "new" cartridges.
I've found no need to invest in a new rifle or a new cartridge and can shoot with the best of the "new" cartridges.
If we talk about handloading, then we can argue that the 30-06 is better than its ever been, given modern propellants and more effecient bullet designs. It's not uncommon to push a 180gr .308 bullet in a 30-06 pass 2800ft p/s these days. Then the 30-06 comes into it's own. Honestly, a good all copper 165gr bullet going at 2900ft p/s will take down any big game animal in and at 400 yds, period. The 30-06 may not be the fastest, highest BC, flattest, most efficient, least amount of recoil and cost effective of the bunch, but it sets the standard for every one of these other cartridges and more to come up against, and that says a lot about the old 30-06 because, even after 117 years, companies feel the need to compare it to an old cartridge that accordibg to them has no place in the modern world of shooting. Yet, they cannot design they're new cartridge without thinking about comparing it to the 30-06. Its old, but it works, and as my grand daddy always told me "Don't try and fix something that ain't broken, boy. You're just gonna waste your money on something you never needed." Truer words never spoken.
As a northern New England whitetail tracker who runs an 18" 7600, iron sights and 220 gr -06 pills, and sees no reason to switch... may the Fudd be with you.
Good.!! I bought a brand new Remington 7600 Carbine (18” barrel) in 30-06 with iron sights but I’ve never shot it yet but looking forward to. How did you attach the shoulder sling strap on the front of that rifle.?? On the barrel “or” on the front of the pump-action fore stock.??
@Roy Johnson congrats! I've only ever seen the sling mount on the barrel... I carry a sling with me when hunting, but only use it if I get lucky and have to drag something out. Otherwise I'm carrying it, and you'll see it's really handy for that.
The advantage, almost insurmountable, of both the 30-06 and 308 Win is the factory loadings in a broad range of bullet weights. That the former has over a century of worldwide use and the latter's nearly 70 years of the same put them far ahead of the contenders. Each was/is also factory loaded in "lite" loads to ease newcomers into the cartridge. I wish all the contenders as long a life.
Hand loading the venerable ‘06, as I do, narrows any gaps you have exposed in your thought-provoking video. Dad was a WWII vet…I inherited his ‘06…can’t say that about any of these other cartridges or the rifles that shoot them.
The 30/ 06 and 7mm rem mag are 2 cartridges that have stood the test of time and taken on all challengers to their thrones. The 280AI, 28 nosler and 7 PRC have decades of work to do before they can even begin to even be considered even close to those 2 superb cartridges. Just because someone CLAIMS they are better doesnt mean they are.Just the FACT that the 3006 & 7 mag are the STANDARD every new cartridge aspires to be shows how intact their LEGACY,S will continue to be .
30-06 is just timeless & always will be ...in the Midwest, whitetail country , the ol 06 is the go to for so so many whitetail hunters ....
My answer comes from a Backfire article from 2021 called "cheapest cartridges to shoot (in a handy table)". I used to love experimenting with different calibers but now I pretty much go with the calibers that I can find at a good price. These are 308, 30-06, and 6.5x55. That last one might seem like a surprise, but you can find it at a real good price thanks to Norma, S&B, and PPU.
There might be faster and flatter but during the height of Covid19 and the ammo shortage the only ammo readily available locally were 06, 308 and 30/30 ... any other cartridge was a pipe dream. Think I will stick with proven whats avalable everything at any time. 30/06 in hand is better than say a 270WSM that you cant get ammo for.
We absolutely have better cartridges, but.... The .30-06 was made about the time there was an enormous leap in cartridge technology. And there have only been incremental improvements since. Some of the improvements are in bullets, powder, and manufacturing precision, and the 30-06 gets to take advantage of all those things too. LOl bringing up the 270, which is also 100 years old. Proves my point, the improvements are really small. So the advantages other cartridges have aren't enough that the average shooter will even notice let alone utilize.
The 30-06 was used in the Vietnam War also as a sniper rifle.
I think I will stick with my upgraded, accurized 43 year-old Remington Model 700 BDL .30-06. Shoots about everything under one MOA and with handholds around 1/2 MOA. Everything I have shot at with it dropped with one shot. I have never and have no plans to ever shoot at any game animal over 300 yards. If I cannot get closer I will not take the shot and risk a wounded magnificent animal. Is the .30-06 the "one and only" for everyone? No. And I certainly have nothing against any of the other calibers mentioned. All fine cartridges.
I’m a big 308/350 legend fan for hunting. I also own 7.62x54r and 30-06 hunting rifles. I think you hit the nail on the head. 30-06 is still very relevant and versatile.
Great video love my 30 - 06 in a pinch in a bind you can always find ammo for it
Cost Per Round and Readily Available needs to be factored into these conversations too. I think some advanced/dedicated hunters might be okay with a higher cost per round and having to search out ammo locally or order the ammo online, but for the average hunter they like to be able to pick up the ammo for a decent price locally.
I just can't wait for 338 Winmag to come back into style. Every alaskan grocery store, sporting goods store, and ammo shop has it in stock year-round and it's being used constantly.
Such a cool round.
I had one damm thing only shot 200 grain pills w varget. Sold it and built a 300 wsm. That’s my 06 1:12 twist krieger 5 barrel
I love the 30-06 and have killed a lot of deer with them. That said I also will use a 308, 6.5 Creedmoor or 6.5 PRC, 7mm-08 for hunting. I am seriously considering a 7mm PRC. Keep the content coming!
I really Like my savage 6.5 Creedmoor Rifle.
Don't care it doesn't justify buying another rifle,back in the Early days there quite a few cartridge "better" than the 3006 like the 30 Gibbs,300 H&H mag,shot placement is always the key
For a hand loader the 30 06 you can load it to shoot small game all the way up to large game and whatever is in between. I have my that I can load 00 buck shot for small game all up to the 220 gr for large games. Next would be the 308 win . But not as heavy like the 30 06 .Just what works for me.
300WSM and 308 will always be my favorite. 6ARC is my favorite gas gun hunting platform .
Do you have some research that suggests that "just about everybody is shooting with either a suppressor or a muzzle break"? I hunt in Kentucky and personally have never seen someone with a muzzle device on their hunting rifle. Maybe people in precision rifle competitions would use them but for hunting rifles id be shocked if that were true.
Great video! I think I'll stick with 30-06.Can pick up ammo anywhere, cheaper too. Agreed
Been doing work for a guy that is getting rid of some of his rifles. He’s got neuropathy and is pretty much bedridden and can’t get out and
Shoot anymore let alone hunt. He has what I’m guessing is about a 25-year-old Remington 700 in 30-06. It is in pristine condition. Says it has been shot less than 30 times. Beautiful wood stock. I’m not a hunter, but I’m seriously considering getting it. I’m not a hunter yet. Not a fan of most wild game but I would like to go wild boar hunting someday. And I’ve heard the meat is good. Plus they are mean and ugly and cause severe damage so I wouldn’t have a problem taking one down. The guy has offered to sell it to me for 600 bones.Don’t think I could go wrong in getting it. Biggest hurdle will be convincing my wife. Good educational video. Been trying to learn more about them and this provide a lot of information. As well as learning from other comments.
Everyone should own a 30 06
Purchase that rifle today!
@@FullArmorE6 i’m leaning heavily that way. Don’t necessarily need the wife’s permission, but it keeps the peace if I get her blessing. This may call for a little wining and dining action!
Personally, I like the .270, but the 7mm PRC looks really good even if I haven't yet shot it.
30-06 is the one to compare to and that says a lot. It used to trump all the other cartridges by availability, grain range of bullets, manufacturer and price ect. But it does seem like the 6.5 creedmoore is starting to take that roll. But compared to 30-06 It's just not enough gun if your only going to have one hunting rifle .As I'm not generally poking holes in paper at a long distance and I already own my 30-06 I'm never gonna kick it to the curb just to go buy the next shiny thing that is just a bit better.
A 30-06 is much better than a 6.5 Creedmore for Moose and Elk unless you have a recipe to cook long range target paper 😂!!
We use the 30-06 165 gr to take elk when we get a shot. Mule deer, same round. That is the caliber I have bought for my whole family as first guns.
Strictly from a performance standpoint the 338 rcm or the 338 a square are slightly better but overall not as versatile. In 55 years of hunting , I've never had a rifle that performs like the 20 inch ruger guide rifle in 338 rcm. If you want one now it's the skunkwerks saberlite suppressed. Just a thought.
The .30-06 and .270 got a lot right, a long time ago. Which is why they're still around. The 6.8 western is a pretty impressive cartridge though.
I think the 338-06 is underrated. That ablr 225gr 550 bc with good velocity, i was suprised just how much energy it retains at distance excellent powder efficiency, not as versatile long range but more versatile for heavy game to 350ish 😊. Shame its handload only limited to us handloaders
30-06 30 caliber. 30 cal generally kills big game better than 7mm. Others say this, and so does my experience. So, for versatility and general hunting, the 06 is still the King! What's better? 300 RUM class cartridges, but really only for more range. A well placed shot on an elk at say 150 yards with either results in dead elk. But to find a really more versatile general hunting round step up to the 338 Win Mag. It usually numbs big game and noticeably more than any 30! I've experienced this over and over. Most are afraid of recoil. I don't get it? When shooting at big game, I've never recalled any recoil, and I refuse to use Sniping sissy slots while hunting. I'm experimenting with 28 Nosler, 300 RUM, and 375 Ruger builds. For normal hunting ranges, say out to 400 yards, the 375 Ruger can do a whole lot more than the 06! The 375 Ruger loaded up or down can pretty much hunt the world. That's versatility! Like a big brother to the 06. Personally, I do prefer the 300 Win to the 06. The 338 over the 300 and the 375 over the 338. 416s are in their own class. My current thinking revolves around my 2 custom hobby builds. Both with carbon barrels. The 375 Ruger as my go-to, do lots, and the 300 RUM for stretching things out a bit. The 28 Nosler? Well, that seems like an ultimate Mountan game rifle. Still, hunting with an 06 or 7 Rem Mag, would cover lots of ground.
Almost 50yrs of hunting and owning about 90 rifles in all kinds of calibers. I’ve gone back to the 30-06 and 270. But all the calibers mentioned here are all great and useful. I wouldn’t disparage any one of them.
Been hunting with my .30-06 for 55 years. It has always served me well (deer, pronghorn, elk). I'm not going to change.
Yeah, I went with 30-06. Availability and versatile ruled my decision. 300win mag and 7mm mag second and third
308 is my "Goldie Locks" round. After suffering a stroke a few years ago, I lack the physical capabilities for the more powerful rounds. My 308, sighted to MPBR, is perfect for me. I have a 300WSM, but is far more capable than myself.
Considering the increased efficiency that we see coming from the. 35 Whelen over the 30-06, has anyone tried a wildcat .35-300 Win Mag? Seems to me it would be an awesome big bear, moose, elk, & even an African game cartridge.
Nothing like good ole classic caliber arguments! I don't know that we've seen a new caliber that can dethrone the .30-06 for North America yet - but the modern new hotness rounds sure are trying. Mark me down as one who just likes to sit back and see the innovation coming out of all the corners of the industry.
Many cartridges have been designed to top another, that’s the whole point of sales and marketing. Reality is after a 117 years the 30-06 Springfield is still in the fight. With modern powders and bullets honestly it’s better then it every was. 110 gr - 220gr gives a wide spread, that’s hard to beat and that’s where others lack. But what man would be crazy enough to say he only needs one. That’s sure not information you want to fall into your wife’s hands. 🤫
Ha, ha, ha 😂, or my dad really did get angry at me when I bought a new rifle when I already had a beautiful Tikka T3 stainless steel 30-06 rifle!
I'll stick with my '06, I've taken everything from bunnies to buffalo with it here in Australia
The 06 is perfect for most hunting situations.The 06 can be used in a gun that loaded with a sling and a scope comes on at around 8 pounds.
I've used the 300 win mag in various manufacturers.I found the best one is one with a fiberglass straight stock.The Winchester Extreme with a good scope coming in at around 10 pounds loaded is something you have to be willing to pack all day if needed.
Those are my pros and cons.What would I do but have one of each,2 guns.1 is never enough
While I am aquiring a collection of rifles. Of my long range easy shoot rifles. I see the .270 Win, the 6.8 Western, and the 7 PRC seem to have characteristics that people will prefer in the futuwerre. The .270 Win with a faster twist barrel may be the best rifle of the bunch.
I have a 308 Win. And the lower power is still good enough. The lower cost and the better availability of ammo may help the 308 Win to be more popular. But I find the 270 Win to be the same cost in my area. And with a faster twist barrel. The longer bullets may rival the 30-06 in effectiveness, especially in copper. But barrel life may matter more to those on a budget. To get a very nice lifetime rifle.
06 is solid go to cartridge. For the the lower 48s game size, I would be pretty comfortable with 308win up to 400yrds.
The cool thing about Ackley, if my ancient brain recalls, it also pushed the case shoulder forward just enough that all you needed to convert a rifle was a quicker pass with a reamer and re-headspace without even taking the barrel off the action
I live out west and both the 308 and 3006 have over 1100 bullet selections with factory and handloads. They outsell all others. A 30-06 with say loaded to 2820 and an ELDX or similar bullet is an extremely capable load but the list goes on. I use Hornady Highperformance 150 SST in my 308 24 inch sniper grade and get 1540 FPE at 400 yds and 20 inches of drop. The Creedmoore 6.5 is returned the most to the used gun racks here and a 308 or 06 which sell heavily new never make to the used racks or rarely. I saw a row of Creedmores used at a shop last week in Aberdeen SD. Real like is keeping the 308 and 06 on top here. Yes fad calibers sell but the main ones stay the same. I load a Barnes TTSX 130 in my 308 to 3250 FPS and the Expert from Vortex Nation turned me on to this load and with 1 8n 10 twist is a tack driver and even faster in 06 of the charts killing power and flatness. New gun writers flock to trash the 06 and 308 and will find the majority of shooters are intelligent about these calibers and they remain popular. The gun writers will not.
I love hunting with my 30-06, but I also love hunting with it's nemesis the 8x57 which is a wonderful critter getter when loaded with a good bullet at a decent velocity. That said if I were to limit myself to a single cartridge the 300WSM and 7PRC would be high on the list, but thankfully it is nice to have the option to pick the cartridge and/or rifle for the hunt based on needs and conditions other than "it is all I got..."
The.30-06 being so common is its strength. When the airline confiscates your cartridges as fly into Canada for the hunt of a lifetime, rest assured that the backwoods country store will have several boxes of.30-06 on the shelf.
308 is king, and here's why..
Once you have enough power, once that box is checked, everything else becomes the difference maker. The old 30-06 was considered good enough to kill anything in North America back in the day.
Modern 308, especially hand loaded, surpasses the old 30-06 performance of just 20 years ago and beyond.
308 is now a cartridge that's slightly better than good enough for anything in North America, and it's commonly offered in rifles with threaded 20 inch carbon fiber 1/10 barrels. This makes it the most versatile, compact, light weight and efficient real big game hunting rifle cartridge available.
Most of what you're saying about the .308 Win. being "good enough" and more efficient than the '06 is accurate. There are two areas that I would bring up though that the '06 will outperform the .308. Heavy for caliber bullets or/and at distances beyond 300 yards. In both of those scenarios the '06 is going to outperform the .308 Win. If either of those scenarios are a possibility though, there are plenty of cartridges out there better either the .30-06 or the .308 for those applications.
@Dominic 30-06 does usually edge out 308 in performance. But not always, and never by much. You can take advantage of all the 308 has to offer in available rifles, and then cheat the performance by going with some hot buffalo bore, superformance or hand loaded ammo.
There are definitely better cartridges for past 300 yds, but you can also cheat that with your ammo. A box of factory precision hunter with heavy eldx will be effective easily out to 500 yards. 30-06 often won't have the barrel twist fast enough to support an apples to apples with that kind of a bullet.
@@Guadalupeaencinas You're on point again. As I stated earlier, in both of those scenarios I mentioned I would either jump to a .30 caliber magnum at that point or shift away from .30 cal. I very much personally prefer the .308 to the '06. I really like the .308 Win in any scenario where the shot is 300 yards or less unless it involves the big bears or dangerous game. Beyond that 350 yard or so mark, my preference would be away from the .308, but at that point I most certainly would choose something ballistically superior to an '06 as well!!!
@@danielrouw2593 Me too, which brings me to ask, if you're in grizzly or polar bear territory, why in the world are you choosing the .30-06 when there are undeniably superior choices for those larger dangerous animals? If you're going to carry the weight and the recoil of the '06, you may as well get the ballistic superiority of other cartridges to go with it!!!!
@Dominic Yup. 308 is the all around king IMO. I'm with you though, if I ever go to into brown bear country, I'll be taking something significantly more powerful than 308 or 30-06.
117 years later and the venerable '06 is still available in almost every place that sells ammunition - in far more than just its nation of origin. Yes, if you wind up in Cape Town, Africa for your hunt of a lifetime and your ammo winds up in B.F. Egypt on "Where'd It go?" airlines,, you can still get ammo for your '06 as well as your Safari Grade "Loudenboomer". And, if you hand load, there's just so many other calibers that use the '06 case as their parent case that, if you run out of one you probably can resize what brass you have on hand to at least have enough to shoot until you can stock up on the caliber you've run out of.. Personally I like my 1948 Winchester Model 70 Super Grade with a 24" barrel (back when that was the standard length for most bolt action hunting rifles.) in ".30 GOVT. '06" (as it says on the barrel) and my 1909 Argentine Mauser made in Berlin (that was customized before I got it) re-chambered and re-bored in .35 Whelen, barrel shortened to 24", custom trigger and safety, etc.. The Whelen is suitable for all but the largest bears (Kodiak/Brown and Polar in North America and I have no desire for moose meat, but I'm not going to be hunting those. I do think, based on brass availability I may find a very good Mauser action and have a .25-06 built as a plains hunting (not long range target shooting at living flesh and blood) rifle.. After all, just like fishing isn't called "Catching", hunting isn't called "Bagging". Its all about testing your skills as an outdoors-man. (If you're starving get on food stamps and go to Safeway.)
I chose the 6.5 PRC. Availability and price of the rifles and ammunition in my location were a huge factor in deciding. The 6.5 PRC isn’t as tried and true as the 06’. But the 6.5 does beat it in lower recoil, velocity and energy. Comparing a 147gr. 6.5 PRC to a 150gr 06’
1 issue with a 6.5. It is a barrel eater.
The only thing I would add to what you are saying. If someone could get ahold of one of them custom ammo companies and have them load ammo for a 30 o6 like HSM. I think the gap would be a little closer. 30, 06 is not my favorite but it's still a great contender.
I think in time the 7prc is going to be on top. As soon as ammo is more available and you can actually find the firearm on the shelves
Exactly correct!!
The .308 is far easier to find worldwide, works in short actions, is chambered in a much wider range of guns including battle rifles like the SCAR, greatly outperforms the original .30-06 loads (drives a 150-gr. bullet 300 fps faster). A 600 yard deer round that will take down elephants, rhino and cape buffalo with 220 grain solids.
Look at the 7 MAG. It seems like this cartridge is great all around in ballistics.
It is a great cartridge. In fact, probably my favorite cartridge all time. However, it's starting to fall in the same category as the '06. The .280 AI, 7mm SAUM and now the 7mm PRC offer almost all the benefits of the 7mm Rem Mag. as well as some improvements with little or no negatives. I'm not going to sell my 7 Rem Mag to buy one of the newer cartridges, but if I were already buying a new rifle in that cartridge class, I certainly would lean towards one of the design improved cartridges.
30-06 is just awesome. It can literally do just about everything. Teddy Roosevelt proved that, even with dangerous African game.
Yes but other hunters back in the day used other things like the 220 swift, 6.5x55, and .270 win to the same effect with many others if you read the old hunting books. Plenty of the old cullers preferred things like the 220 swift claiming it was by far the best at 1 shot kills, and these are guys that used every rifle offers on thousands of animals. Not saying the 06 isn’t effective, it’s just not alone in being effective with an experienced marksman behind the trigger.
@@jaydunbar7538 yep, Ron Spomer did a video on the .220 swift with some people who swore by it. He also talked about some who said it wasn't effective one large game. It all boils down to personal preference but at the end of the day I can find a box of 30-06 just about any big box store or mom and pop shop. The likes of .220 swift and a lot of these newer boutique cartridges that are "better" not so much so. Not to mention the price.
The advantages you lend to the reloader for the 280 AI. Also extend to the 30-06 reloader.
Berger Elite Hunter 180gr pill with a .576 G1 BC. A top a full charge of Win. 6.5 StaBall powder. Nets 2857 fps and 3260 ft lbs of energy. That is no slouch by any measure.
I guess the main advantage I see in loading 280AI is (1) the 40 degree shoulder which drastically reduces how often you have to trim and (2) The higher BC 7mm bullets available.
@@backfire Nothing wrong with the 280AI. High BC bullets are out there for the .308 crowd and they are really shining with the new powders coming out. That was my main point. Each tool for it's purpose.
@@mot0rhe4d40 The .284 same weight bullets will always outperform .308 cal bullets pushed at the same velocity in ballistic coefficient, wind drag and drop. That's unless you're comparing bullets of significantly different shape (like round nose to spire point) That's not you, Jim or I's opinion. It's a physics-based fact!!!!
@@dominic2802 Very true. Same wt. Pills between 280. & 30 cal, will always give the edge to the 7mm bullets where BC is concerned. 7s lose the edge in the heavier bullets the 30-06 can utilize
@@mot0rhe4d40 With the improvements in bullet technology there's an awful lot more emphasis put on mass of the bullet than there should be. It's personal preference, but I'll give up a few grains of bullet mass for increased ballistic performance and velocity all day long. Less velocity means less hydrostatic shock. Now on extremely fatty animals (bears for example), I do prefer the larger diameter bullet, for no other reason than to poke a bigger hole.
Let's have this discussion again in 117 years and see what is left. My money is on the 30-06.
Outside the Big 5 there is nothing in Africa I would not hunt with a 30-06 even though it has been done many times.
It has served me well for 20+ years of hunting in my country South Africa.
Not much a 165gr Nosler Accubond at around 295pfps won't kill. Good enough for longer shots on plains game and closer shots in the bush.
Step up to 180gr+ bullets and you have a great bush gun.
It is my go to hunting cartridge.
Scoped 308 ar 10 marlin 30 30 with iron sights. Remington 1100 takes care of all my Alabama hunting needs
I think the 6.5 PRC could give it a run for it's money, especially considering ranges beyond 300 yards. In 4-5 years once the 7 PRC is established, it'll steal the show. You just don't see that many new rifles made in 30-06 anymore, and a lot of that is because of the outdated specs. New cartridges take advantage of modern machining capabilities.
Every major rifle manufacturer produces rifles chambered in the 30-06. All the most popular hunting rifles in the world are chambered in 30-06. I read one time, that the last rifle ever made and the last cartridge ever produced would probably be in 30-06. Unless you handload, there is only one company producing 7PRC ammo (Hornady) and the cheapest I've seen it was about $4 per round. There are precious few manufacturers that don't produce rifles and ammo for the 30-06, also precious few are producing rifles chambered in 7PRC.
@@mikemelina7395 Speaking about the PRC, I said, "In 4-5 years..." for a reason. It'll take time to get adopted just like everything else, but there's just so much up side to it. Yes, everyone makes the 30-06 and probably always will, but I also don't see very many NEW ones on the shelves anymore. Just because it'll always be there doesn't make it the "best." I have both a 30-06 and a 6.5 PRC, and the 6.5 is by far my go to these days. It's as good or better in all aspects, except ammo cost, but I reload so I don't care.
@@pogeegitz By "NEW rifles", what do you mean? European rifle makers like Mauser, Sako and Tikka make new rifles in 30-06, Japanese and Turkish manufacturers make new rifles in 30-06, Every major American manufacturer makes 30-06 rifles, the only company that released a new rifle in recent times that didn't off 30-06 right out of the gate was ironically Springfield, and they got roasted for it. If you are referring to what on the racks, it goes without saying that there are more 6.5CM rifles on them than all the rest combined, because they've been hyping the daylights out of them for 15 years. Now, they're hyping Hornady's PRC cartridges, so guess what's on the racks at the store? This is all hype. "New and Improved!" "Try the new PRC, it's better than this and more efficient than that..." For all the hype they generated with the 6.5CM, how many existing 6.5 cartridges were already as good or better? Now the new hotness is the 6.5 PRC, 7PRC, 300PRC...they're selling something you just don't need. The reason everyone compares themselves to cartridges like the 30-06, or the 7/300mag or 270 is because they've been getting it done since before we were born. Target shooting isn't a "practical application", there isn't a situation where a hunter lining up a shot with a 7mmMag is going to be thinking in the back of his head: 'I sure wish I had a 6.5PRC right now...', there just isn't. When 7PRC ammo is available everywhere for $1.50round, that's when it becomes a viable alternative to the 7RM. Until then, it's all hype. 95+% of hunters are taking shots at large game within 300yds, is there anything the 6.5/7mm/300PRC does better within those ranges than the 30-06/.270/7RM/300WM? It's all hype swirling around LR target shooting. You welcome to it, but all it is, is reinventing the wheel, creating a need, then filling it with "New and Improved!"
So i stumbled on this video while looking up other cartridges that are not in this video. Not sure how that happened. But here is some food for thought. With super heavy for caliber bullets the 8x57 with a 220 gr bullet clocks in at 2,400 fps muzzle velocity which gives it the same sectional density and almost exactly the same ballistic coefficient as a 200 grain 30-06. If you go to the lighter side, the 30-06 with a 180 gr bullet is clocking in around 2,700 fps while the 8x57 is doing about 2,550 with a 196 gr bullet. I don't have any load data in front of me for anything lighter then that for the 8mm, but it has always seemed to me playing around with my Yugo M48 that, well as long as your not using watered down American factory ammo the 8x57 would make a better elk and moose option inside of 400 yards, and also be a better "minimum" bear cartridge with its .323 diameter vs .308 You are also using less powder then the .300 and 7mm magnums, the downside being that you are limiting your effective range. I would never take a 400+ yard shot because I don't have the skill, nor do I hunt with my milsurp rifle, I hunt .270 Winchester, but if I could afford to have a custom rifle built for me 8x57 would certainly be an option I would consider. Things to consider. The 8x57 case is 6mm shorter then the 30-06 case and is 6mm longer then the .308 Winchester case but suffers none of the performance drop-off of the .308 for whatever reason. 57mm seems like the ideal case length for a standard .470 rim diameter case which I like because it doesn't limit magazine capacify like the short magnums do. I love what Hornady did taking the .308 and optimizing it and turning it into the 6.5 Creedmore. I wish they would do the same with a 57mm case and 8mm. 63,000 psi vs 56,000 psi and with an improved shoulder, I really do believe a 7mm or 8mm version of that would top the 30-06 and remain economical.
The .300 WSM is my favorite. I like the short action, reloading versatility and low SDs. Though the '06 is a close second, being the caliber of my first high power rifle some sixty years ago. It sure did knock down those big wild hogs!
30-06 still gets the job done with style for over 100 years so why would i choose another cartridge?
The new 6.8 Western is a contender as well. Surprised you didn’t mention it.