30-06 is a great all-around cartridge for North America. Doesn't kick too much and can go from 140 grain up to 220 grain - and esasily good out to 350 yards fairly flat.
30-06??
- Thread starter R-Dog
- Start date
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Wolf01
Well-Known Member
You will do fine w 3006. Welcome to the forum.
You're going to be very happy with that grand 'ole cartridge.
Enjoy it and don't second guess a great decision.
I highly recommend the 175 grain Terminal Ascent factory load from Federal.
Go for it - just take some good walks ahead of time with whatever you plan to carry. If you are climbing hills - even better.
As the one and only Col. Townsend Whelen said, "The .30-06 is never a mistake." Coming from the man who said "Only accurate rifles are interesting", I'd tend to listen. Excellent choice in firearm and cartridge. Enjoy.
HangNail
Active Member
Great choice and welcome. At 56 I'm thinking I will build a .30 cal bench gun in the next few years. I hunt and shoot a .270 win and a 7 mm rem mag pretty well out to 500 yards. Might do a .338 Lapua.
john k
Well-Known Member
Good for you! Take care of yourself, learn from competent hunters/shooters, and always remember: there are 2 seasons, 1) Hunting season. 2) Hunting Preparation Season. Welcome aboard! Molon Labe!
I started shooting 50+ years ago with a 30-06 O3A3 Springfield rifle in its normal configuration, steel but plate and all. Hunted with some form of 06 for decades. Now I am 65 and just built a custom 6.5 Creedmoor for deer hunting and silhouette matches. The 6.5 Creedmoor for fun shooting, targets and deer and the 30-06 for Elk. The 06 does kick and not that pleasant for targets and fun shooting as the 6.5C.
StumpGrinder
Well-Known Member
30-06 is a great choice. Ammo can usually be found anywhere, and there are a wide range of bullet choices. For the reloader you can go from 100 grain plinkers to 220 grain game king. And with the heavy for caliber craze there are probably eldx options. It has good range capabilities and terminal performance. It has a little more recoil than the 308 which is why I switched, however my first deer rifle was a Remington 700 BDL in 30-06 and with handloads I could drive nails at 100 yards. And that is not a metaphor! I took a deer with it at 500 yards. I sold it to a friend who still has it when I switched to 308. If I could have only one rifle it would be 30-06 or 308. If your Weatherby is of the Vanguard variety it is a Howa 1500 and they are very well built and accurate.
Welcome @R-Dog! Don't listen to the negativity and I'd personally not jump into the deep end of the pool just yet with some of that. We kind of put the cart before the horse with the reloading and bullet suggestions, Hammer bullet threads, etc.
Of your original listed choices, I would say 6.5 CM as it is the "new" 30-06 in a way. It's an extremely popular and versatile round. I swore I wouldn't drink that cool-aid but I finally caved and have one for myself and youngest son. Both are Kimbers and great little rifles. I would stay away from the 6.8 and 270 Weatherby just from the popularity standpoint. The life of the 6.8 is yet to be seen and I would lay some serious cash that it never touches the 6.5 CM or the 30-06 in popularity.
For "shooting for fun and mostly targets." 6.5 CM no question. The occasional Elk with reasonable expectations would be fine too. Can you make the 30-06 work for that? Absolutely but I think you would enjoy the 6.5 CM more with what you are describing.
