Sitka Gear Turkey Tool Belt

Best .30-06 parent case cartridge

Greyman

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2019
Messages
447
Location
South Texas
The great 30-06 parent case debate. All around, NA big game. .270 vs .280 vs .30-06 vs .35 Whelen. What's the best?
 
So many excellent rounds. Had a 270 win. for thirty years and recently rebored the barrel to .338-06. Hoping to add another elk to that rifle's story this fall.
 
I've got a couple 270s, 2-280s, a 30-06, 338-06 and 35 whelen... I've killed a fair number of animals (mostly elk) with all of them. I would say the 280 is my favorite, more so because the rifle is light and accurate. Can't really say one performs all that much better than the other. I kind of want to build a 400 whelen, but haven't talk myself into it just yet.
 
They’re all excellent. The .270 Wins is probably the best fit in terms of bore capacity, but the 7x64/280 Rem get a big win when it comes to projectiles. The .280AI really gives it the needed boost to handle the big 7mm bullets with ease.

I’m surprised at how little love the 6.5-06 gets. It’s basically a 25-06 with better bullets.
 
They’re all excellent. The .270 Wins is probably the best fit in terms of bore capacity, but the 7x64/280 Rem get a big win when it comes to projectiles. The .280AI really gives it the needed boost to handle the big 7mm bullets with ease.

I’m surprised at how little love the 6.5-06 gets. It’s basically a 25-06 with better bullets.
And your the first one to mention the 25-06.

Really, i don't see as there is a "best".
Everything from 25-06 to 35 Whelen performs admirably.
 
I have 2 25-06, 1 270 and a 30 gibbs. I use to have a 25 ai and a 25 gibbs, I do not think there is a bad 06 child, they all do a great job.
 
They’re all excellent. The .270 Wins is probably the best fit in terms of bore capacity, but the 7x64/280 Rem get a big win when it comes to projectiles. The .280AI really gives it the needed boost to handle the big 7mm bullets with ease.

I’m surprised at how little love the 6.5-06 gets. It’s basically a 25-06 with better bullets.

At one time the 6.5-06 was the most popular wildcat based on die sales at RCBS. Not sure if it still is. Great cartridge for antelope and deer.
 
Fortunately we all get to vote with our wallets, and choose what we want.

Personally, I haven't met a 30-06 based cartridge that I didn't like. They all seem to have merit.

My favorite is the original, the 30-06 itself. A couple of seasons ago I used mine, all with the 165 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip, to take: elk, black bear, mule deer & pronghorn. Only the muley required a second shot, he was down but not done.

Also took it to Alaska with 200 gr Nosler Partitions. Used that good old 30-06 to take grizzly and wolf.

Over the years I've also had great success with the 25-06, but I love the simplicity of one rifle, one scope, one load for the vast majority of my hunting, and the 30-06 does that just fine for me.

Here's a book, well worth reading for hunters:
FAeM6Dfl.jpg


The fellow, over a period of quite a few years, takes a simple Remington 700 30-06 and hunts most of the different big game species in North America, mostly with just the 165 gr Nosler Partition, though he bumped up to the 200 gr Nosler Partition for Alaskan brown bear and perhaps something else. Thirty some odd different species, all with one rifle. Mostly with one load. I think we sometimes make this way more complicated than necessary.

Regards, Guy
 
Back
Top