Where does the .30-06 fit into the LRH Pantheon of cartridges?

I have a 760 my dad handed down to me maybe 25 years ago. (See through scope mount, got his eyebrough) He bought it in the late 50's I think. He got a 760, 243 win to replace it. Both will shoot 1 1/2 groups on hand loads.
 
I have a minimum spec chamber on my factory Saco with a 24 inch barrel. My load is 59grs Ramshot hunter which is two grains under max. My other load is 59 grains of h4350 which is book max, at 2950. That's the benifet of modern powders, higher velocity while staining within max pressure. That velocity is over two chronographs one been a lab radar. That's for a twenty shot string.
 
I made this up a while ago. I am certain some might say that their chambering can get more velocity etc with longer barrels and/or more pressure but these should be close:


Case capacities and velocity for 215 berger

308 56 2515

30-06 69 2633 worked up to 54 gr of RL-17 yielded 2640 from springfield

30-06AI 72.5 2664

300 SAUM 73.6 ?

30-280AI 76 2690

300 RCM 79 27??

300 WSM 79- 81 2700-2750

308 norma 86.5 2770

300 win mag 87.5 2800-2875 Broz:2800-2850 28" barrel velocity would be 3000-3050

30 Nosler 89.8 2850-2900 Broz:2800-2850 28" barrel vel could be 3075-3100

300 PRC 99 2900-2950

300 Wby 99-100 2900-2950

300 RUM 110 3000-3100
 
I loved the way Carlos Hatchcock used the 30-06 to "hunt/shoot " LR Rice Burners. :) Sorry, but "that kind" of LR always appealed to me as a soldier. Fate saw a guy who beat me "by one point" in Boot Camp who "got my slot" at Sniper School. "If" I had hunkered down a little more, then I would have had some great schooling/training on LR shooting that would have affected my entire civilian life! But...one point...and went back home to the Big Thicket of East Texas, took me 20 yrs to get a 276yd shot. ha then, when I came out West, I was "intimidated" by the distances and the "invisible" wind! I still use an M1 Garand and a tweaked/scoped M1A to "shoot rocks" with my Marine SIL out past 900. You guys that can kill game way out there impress the heck out of me! :)
 
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I made this up a while ago. I am certain some might say that their chambering can get more velocity etc with longer barrels and/or more pressure but these should be close:


Case capacities and velocity for 215 berger

308 56 2515

30-06 69 2633 worked up to 54 gr of RL-17 yielded 2640 from springfield

30-06AI 72.5 2664

300 SAUM 73.6 ?

30-280AI 76 2690

300 RCM 79 27??

300 WSM 79- 81 2700-2750

308 norma 86.5 2770

300 win mag 87.5 2800-2875 Broz:2800-2850 28" barrel velocity would be 3000-3050

30 Nosler 89.8 2850-2900 Broz:2800-2850 28" barrel vel could be 3075-3100

300 PRC 99 2900-2950

300 Wby 99-100 2900-2950

300 RUM 110 3000-3100
If you run that much in a 308 Norma let alone a300 win mag you'll be way over pressure. I run that much with a 168, 80 grains with the 180,and 78 with a 200 grain. Been loading the 308 Norma and 300 win mag for over thirty years now, and have always achieved 3100 with a 165, 3000 with a 180, and 2900 with a 200gr. All in a 24 inch barrel.
 
There are lots of other 30 cal's that out perform the old school 30-ought-6,,, how ever,,, the age old cartrage holds its own in the critter getter category as well as reaching out there on the targets.

Many a shooters have spent time behind this platform,,, some shooters up'ed the game plan as others remained,,, I still have one in my collection since it has always filled my needs.

Remmy LR 700 shooting 178gr'ers,,, the time has come when the body said it's time to scale back,,, so I've moved down to the next school of hard knocks,,, LOL

Short case 30/06,,, most folks know them as 308 winchester,,, yes I know that the good old Ought 6 is better in every way over the 08,,, it reaches out there, more Oompa,,, and furry critter "Pa-Pack Sound" in the game of tag. Nothing like rattling the furry rapper you know.

My new 308 comes in short of the 30/06,,, all of my hunting now days is close range, so why not take advantage of burning less powder, a fraction less recoil,,, and burn up the pails of empty brass in the reloading room.

Don't get me right or wrong,,, I like my 30/06,,, the time has come for change in my world.
 
I've always wondered where this "old work horse" fits in the LRH totem pole? In both WWI & WWII it was the most powerful cartridge for main battle rifles. It's still one of the most popular hunting cartridges in North America. But where does it lie with long range hunters?
It still has it's place for sure and will still have a large and dedicated following a hundred years from now but from a velocity/energy standpoint it simply can't compete with the modern .30 cal magnums.

It still works as well or better than it has for over a hundred years now and is "all the rifle" 95% of medium and large game hunters will ever need.
 
jlreff,


Case capacities and velocity for 215 berger


The 86.5 mentioned for the 308 Norma mag is the CASE CAPACITY in water NOT THE AMOUNT OF POWDER...….
 
Yuppers, it ain't to sharpest pencil in the pack, nor is it the dullest.

The good old Turdy Ought 6 fits into its own class of to small for this,,, to big for that. People either like them or don't,,, nothing wrong with that since the world is full of "Veriaty",,, that's what really counts. Wouldn't us humans look funny if everyone had them on the go.

Can the 6 pop game with in the normal hunters needs ,,, recon so. Can it reach out there in the target shooting sports,,, sure,,, why not.

There are many cartridges that can flatten the tires of the old girl,,, of course the old unit can hold its own with the right shooter behind the trigger. There are a few out there that can shoot pin holes with them,,, I could push the limits of my land canon Ought 6,,, but I have a another old school cartridge all ready doing that for me.

The old work horse will be around long after I leave the stage,,, many of our past shooters road off into the Sun Sets as they left behind a legacy of firsts in many shooting competions around the world and on the battle fields,,, that's part of the mix that comes with this stone age cartridge. Kinda like history in the making one might think.

Someone once said that there are millions of 30/06's out there,,, in all reality this might be true,,, purhaps there is 4 to 500 million of them around the globe.
 
I've always wondered where this "old work horse" fits in the LRH totem pole? In both WWI & WWII it was the most powerful cartridge for main battle rifles. It's still one of the most popular hunting cartridges in North America. But where does it lie with long range hunters?
I understand that at one time it held the record as the most accurate 1000 yard rifle at camp Perry ! It couldn't have much energy left at that range and would have to be dropping like a rock ! I shot a buck the last day of the season one year that was by my Tasco range finding scope about 600 yards away ! I put the elevation on and used a little three step stool and some 2X4 pieces to shoot from, he was quartering to me with his left side facing me. When I shot the first shot he ran down the far mountain maybe 30 yards and went behind some pines . I thought I had missed, then he came out from behind the pines limping and I quick shot a second shot, and he did a barrel roll ! Then it was try to find him ! I was alone and had to line trees up as I went down my mountain and up the one he was on ! I got up to an opening that looked like it was where he had been and I looked to my left and back down the mountain and there he was wrapped around a small pine tree ! The first shot had entered just behind his left shoulder and lodged in his right hind quarter, that's why he was limping, the second shot hit just behind his right shoulder and came out about 2" from the first bullets entry hole ! I was using a 190 grain Sierra Match king bullet, upon recovery of the bullet that lodged in his hip it was determined to have never opened up, you could see the lands marks the length of the bullet and the very tip was slightly bent ! I do not know at what speed that bullet will open up, but I would say that it was traveling less than 1000 feet per second when it hit the deer !
 

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