30 06 for elk and the ilk

[Don Fischer]

Can anyone come up with any legitimate reason not to get a 30 06 for elk and mulies?

My friend says .308, but my research shows that the .308 is a shorter version of a 30 06. More range, a little more powder, a little more MV, maybe a little more hitting power.

Easy, ya don't want one!

 

[teej89]

The bull I killed last year with my 30-06 went above 20 paces before dropping over. On top of the pronghorn and deer it's dropped in their tracks I'm not sure I need a reason to purchase a different caliber.

 

[ImBillT]

The only reasons I can come up with would be-

“I already own a .280AI”
“I already own .284”, or .308, or .338” magnum”

No flies on a 30-06. With factory ammo it’s advanatge over a .308 Win is reasonably small(but it is there) because it’s SAAMI pressure spec is lower than the .308Win as well as all of the cases based on the 30-06. If you handload, the advantages of the 30-06 over the 308Win can become greater. If you ever want to shoot bullets over 200gr, consider that a 30-06 usually comes with a 1-10” twist, but a .308” usually comes with a 1-12” twist. The same goes for long solid-copper bullets.

 

[Losing_Sanity]

I’ve owned both and I prefer the 30-06 over the .308. Either will kill elk. A little more velocity and energy in the 30-06.

I agree...

 

[kgm1276]

Well, I hope it doesn't any time soon. I am learning something here. I could have learned this stuff from my dad, but then he would have seen another opportunity to force me to sit at a table in the basement and learn (or try to learn) every little detail about ballistics, MV, etc. Then I would hate hunting and shooting like I did with advanced electronics.

You guys are a much better teacher.

Same here, I wanted a ham radio and my dad told me I had to go through the Southwestern Bell electronics intro course to get one. I was 7-8 years old. I still don't have a ham at 42, and I don't know where those Ma Bell books are......

 

[UncleRick]

Anybody telling you not to get a 30-06, is trying to sell you a different rifle.

 

[Preacher shaner]

The one thing I have learned by reading here on htf. That there are a lot of great rounds out there and for most of us all of them will do the job we are after. Like 243 for little light but it would do the job within reason and 338 mag will kill ground hogs but maybe a little much.
I personally think it's all about what peaks you interest. I love my 6.5 man bun it is no better than a 308 but it interested me I have and live it.
Most of the time when we are looking at a round and we ask people what they think all we get is why what they like is best. Or why that don't like that round. And most of the time it a couple hundred fps deferent.
The only real reason to go with one over another is what peaks your interest. And have at it.
And y'all can tell me all the places in I am wrong and that fine.

 

[Mark K]

Man bun?

 

[noharleyyet]

Man bun?

Ur kiddin right?

 

[rideold]

When I started hunting (adult onset, didn't grow up in a hunting family) my father-in-law offered to lend me a rifle. He's a hand gun guy but not a hunter so I had no idea he even had a rifle. It turned out to be a Remmy 700 in 30-06. He ended up loaning it to me on a semi-permanent basis. I've wanted to actually buy my own rifle for a while but the more I look the more I've come to the conclusion that what I've got is a perfect rifle for me being a Western deer and elk hunter.

 

[elkduds]

When I was about 20 my dad gave me full access to his open sighted Rem 721 in 30-06, after he shot his spike bull w it. He had the generic wood stock upgraded by a gunsmith. In spite of his bias against optics, he let me put a scope on it. I took a # of deer and my 1st elk w it. Then I started reading up on magnum calibers, and decided I needed to have one of my own. I found a scruffy Mark X Mauser in 7 rem mag, in a pawnshop, got into handloading, refinished the stock, upgraded the trigger, and got to know it. The old 721 handed down to my nephew, then considering a youth elk hunt. I worked up an elk load of 190 grain BTSPs for the '06. I watched over his shoulder as he used it to fill his youth tag w a cow from a herd of 40. 3rd generation taking his 1st elk w that old plain jane, a proud day for all concerned excepting the elk. Looking back on 30 years w the 7rm, everything I did w it would have come out the same if I had the 721 instead. That would have been better.

 

[30338]

Have an old B series Remington 700 BDL that I bedded into a McMillan stock. Could have saved a lot of money using that rig the last 25 years. Had to tinker though. But while others have come and gone, that one keeps getting grabbed for hunts. Using 155 Scenars in it now and its killing quite well.