Best .30-06 parent case cartridge

[Greybeard]

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?

 

[elkduds]

Depends on the purpose, eh? I have a 270, would love a 30-338 06. Elk, exclusively.

 

[mtmuley]

There is no "best". mtmuley

 

[Scott85]

My number 1 pick would be the 280AI followed by the 338-06.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Pretty hard to beat the ballistics and energy of the 280 AI. .270 is also a great choice.

 

[Sawtooth]

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.

 

[Bambistew]

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.

 

[Aussie_hunter_JD]

30-06 is still a kid, 7x57 all the way!

 

[ImBillT]

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.

 

[std7mag]

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.

 

[sbhooper]

I would pick the 6.5-06. I have become a real fan of the 6.5 bullets.

 

[Walkathon]

I like the .270 win

 

[oleefish2]

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.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I love my 25-06.

 

[hank4elk]

I love my 30-06.................LOL

 

[D4570]

I'm going to go with 6mm/06, anything but bear and bison....

 

[Don Fischer]

Best is a figment of your imagination!

 

[AssawomanGunsmith]

I like them all, and Im on a quest to have them all. only missing a couple of the wildcats now

 

[antelopedundee]

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.

 

[Guy]

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:

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