I have a 1903a3 that I bought from a coworker about 12 years ago. I have killed numerous deer with it and an untold number of wild hogs. I never had to wonder what the outcome would be when I pulled the trigger. I started reloading for it, put in a Timney trigger and a decent scope. It will now shoot 1 inch or under. Not bad for a $80.00 gun.
Who's using the 30-06
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silvertip-co
Well-Known Member
I got a nice old Rem 721 30-06 24" with 4-16X40 I'll sell ya if you need one.
I have a 30-06 built on a Remington model 700 BDL action by Mark Bansner with a 24" Lilja fluted barrel wearing a 3x10x42 Swarovski scope in medium-low Leupold dual dove tail mounts. It is a superbly accurate sporter that weighs 8 pounds with sling and loaded with 4 shells in the chamber and magazine. I use only hand-loads that can be loaded up to at least 270 pressures. I can get almost 3100 fps out of 150 grain Nosler Partitions and a compressed load of RL 22 gives me about 2700 with 200 grain Nosler Partitions. Moose, elk, black bears, and deer all fall down dead when hit in the chest with any one of these bullets. This is my go-to rifle more often than not when I don't use a specialized super 300 magnum bean-field rifle.
My go-to load is a hot dose of H4350 using 165 grain Nosler Partitions between 2950 and 3000 fps. I can get between 2850 and 2900 fps out of the 180 grain Partitions at the price of more recoil and I have not seen any difference in terminal performance on game up through the size of elk, so I mostly use 165s. With my normal go-to load, I am really comfortable hitting balloons or gallon jugs of water up to 425 yards.
47 grains of DuPont 4895 gives me +2700 fps with 150 grain Accubond bullets and this is the mild, "managed recoil" load for trigger time practice or a nice load for junior hunters or women to hunt with at ranges less than 250 yards. This is still faster than a 300 Savage.
These are absolutely the best of times with regard to the hunting bullets we shoot. As I try to remind my heavy recoil absorbing, magnum hunting buddies, the bullet kills the animal, not the rifle! Other than grizzlies, the majority of the big game we hunt is normally safely taken by bow and arrow hunters so any well constructed, modern 25 caliber bullet and up driven into the chest of North America's game animals, ends the hunt every time. It is 100% about bullet placement best done with milder recoiling rifles and the 30-06 has been doing this for over a century.
Any of the cartridges, up or down in bullet diameter, that are based on the 30-06 case are excellent choices because the amount of powder they hold makes them easy to shoot in the field and with today's deadly bullets, lethal on game.
My go-to load is a hot dose of H4350 using 165 grain Nosler Partitions between 2950 and 3000 fps. I can get between 2850 and 2900 fps out of the 180 grain Partitions at the price of more recoil and I have not seen any difference in terminal performance on game up through the size of elk, so I mostly use 165s. With my normal go-to load, I am really comfortable hitting balloons or gallon jugs of water up to 425 yards.
47 grains of DuPont 4895 gives me +2700 fps with 150 grain Accubond bullets and this is the mild, "managed recoil" load for trigger time practice or a nice load for junior hunters or women to hunt with at ranges less than 250 yards. This is still faster than a 300 Savage.
These are absolutely the best of times with regard to the hunting bullets we shoot. As I try to remind my heavy recoil absorbing, magnum hunting buddies, the bullet kills the animal, not the rifle! Other than grizzlies, the majority of the big game we hunt is normally safely taken by bow and arrow hunters so any well constructed, modern 25 caliber bullet and up driven into the chest of North America's game animals, ends the hunt every time. It is 100% about bullet placement best done with milder recoiling rifles and the 30-06 has been doing this for over a century.
Any of the cartridges, up or down in bullet diameter, that are based on the 30-06 case are excellent choices because the amount of powder they hold makes them easy to shoot in the field and with today's deadly bullets, lethal on game.
The 03a3 is no where near original. The barrel was turned down to reduce weight and the bolt handle was milled to clear a scope. Also it has a sporter stock. but still for what I paid for it compared to the number of animals it has taken, I don't think there could be a greater value out there. I just wish I had started reloading sooner and replaced the trigger right off the bat. Those two changes reuced the groups from 2-2.5 to <1.
I have a sako, pre-garcia, 06. its was my dads first. I have a few different loads for it. the gun will shoot 1/2-3/4 for all loads. my son wanted to buy a 338rum for long range. 400-600yds for us. after showing him the difference on my 06 load 180bullet vs a 250bullet he bought a 300win mag. 
oh well I'll keep using the 06. Im glad we never notched the stock for all the animals taken. my longest shot with a witness was a 660yd on a cow elk. got both lungs, she went 200yds then stopped. That was a long walk in and out. truth is all other shots have been at 400 or less.
oh well I'll keep using the 06. Im glad we never notched the stock for all the animals taken. my longest shot with a witness was a 660yd on a cow elk. got both lungs, she went 200yds then stopped. That was a long walk in and out. truth is all other shots have been at 400 or less.justgoto
Well-Known Member
I was going to use my Eddystone for hunting long distance but my scope wasn't stable enough and I didn't want to drill into it. But I did get good groups from it for a time.
Now I am stuck with my 30-30 until I get a Marlin bolt action for cheap. :/
BigUglyMan
Well-Known Member
My current 30-06 was bought as a go to hunting rig. It's completely stock with only the trigger adjusted. Damned thing shoots 180 NPTs into 1/2" regularly with 4350 and CCI 250s. Velocity right around 2750. I should look for a nice open spot to stretch it out to see how it behaves. How's things in Northern Québec?
mtelkhntr78
Well-Known Member
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In the early sixties my Grandpa bought a Win Model 70 in 30-06. In the early 70s he put a weaver 4X scope in it. He hunted with that gun for 35 years and took countless antelope, deer and elk with it. So he aptly named it "Meat in the Pot". When I was about 16 I needed a gun to go Elk hunting with. So he let me borrow "Meat". I shot my first elk with that gun. Shortly after that he recognized his hunting days were past and he handed the gun down to me. I shot my first elk, first Whitetail, first antelope and first handloaded sub-MOA group with that rifle.
I love that gun about as much as a human can love a non-human object. My only hope is that someday I have a Grandson that loves to hunt and I can give it to him. In the last 3 years I have retired "Meat" for a Remington 700 in 06' but not for lack of function. I have it in a safe place because I wouldnt be able to live with myself if it got stole, beat up or horse stomped. It is still the "Yard stick" that I compare all other bolt action rifles too. I have never felt as smooth of an action in my life.
In 2007 I killed my first Bull Elk with my Remington 30-06. I recognize that there are some newer calibers out there that preform well but I find it very hard to break away from a caliber that has been personally tried and true.
I love that gun about as much as a human can love a non-human object. My only hope is that someday I have a Grandson that loves to hunt and I can give it to him. In the last 3 years I have retired "Meat" for a Remington 700 in 06' but not for lack of function. I have it in a safe place because I wouldnt be able to live with myself if it got stole, beat up or horse stomped. It is still the "Yard stick" that I compare all other bolt action rifles too. I have never felt as smooth of an action in my life.
In 2007 I killed my first Bull Elk with my Remington 30-06. I recognize that there are some newer calibers out there that preform well but I find it very hard to break away from a caliber that has been personally tried and true.
