Why a 30-06 is like your ex-girlfriend...

[RMulhern]

Over many years I won lots of 'junk' shooting the 30/06 in NRA Competition and I've got a target rifle today made up by Jon Beanland that amazes me each time I go to the range with it shooting these bullets:

The Ole Warhorse by Rick Mulhern, on Flickr

Mighty hard to beat in my opinion!

 

[MudRunner2005]

Rick, that's the same bullets I shoot out of my .30-06 AI 40-degree.

 

[RMulhern]

MudRunner

Those dudes really shoot well out of my rifle all the way to 1200 yards. Haven't shot much the previous 4 months as it's been hotter than hades here in North Louisiana. It's cooling down a little but the finer days of Fall haven't quite arrived yet.

If my memory hasn't failed me....think I'm shooting 55 grs. H4350, Lapua brass, and a Federal 210M primer.

What part Alabama? I've killed lots of bucks down in Dale County over the years! Both rifle and shotgun when we were running dogs! Great folks all over Alabama! Got kin down at a little place called Clayhatchee, Alabama!

That 40 degree shoulder looks great!

 

[MudRunner2005]

MudRunner

Those dudes really shoot well out of my rifle all the way to 1200 yards. Haven't shot much the previous 4 months as it's been hotter than hades here in North Louisiana. It's cooling down a little but the finer days of Fall haven't quite arrived yet.

If my memory hasn't failed me....think I'm shooting 55 grs. H4350, Lapua brass, and a Federal 210M primer.

What part Alabama? I've killed lots of bucks down in Dale County over the years! Both rifle and shotgun when we were running dogs! Great folks all over Alabama! Got kin down at a little place called Clayhatchee, Alabama!

That 40 degree shoulder looks great!

I'm in central AL. Yeah, they shoot great out of mine. I have a 1:12 twist, so those are about the heaviest bullets I can use, since we're at around 250' elevation.

My best load so far is 62gr IMR 7828 SSC, Fed 210M, Rem brass (random range pickups), and seated .015" off the lands. Should be right around the 2,900-3,000 fps and produces about a 97% burn with my 26" barrel. So the efficiency is definitely there.

 

[The Oregonian]

When I ordered my custom I didn't hand load, so I chose the 30-06. I had a pretty good wait for it and started hand loading during that time...and soon I began to regret the choice of the 30-06, thinking I should have gone for a 280AI...goal is 500 and in with game from antelope to elk, with whitetail by far the most frequent target.

I am now thrilled with my choice and don't think I would change a thing. It is commonly .5 MOA and has shot plenty below that, moving at 2840 with a 180 BT.

 

[waltercrouse]

Yeah, yeah, yeah - but my '06 is still **** accurate, and gets the job done. QED.

The 30'06 was the caliber for military for two World Wars and Koera . I think about every gun manufacture has a 30'06 their line up models.

 

[RMulhern]

This configuration shoots really well!

'06 Long Range Rifle by Rick Mulhern, on Flickr

 

[Chopperguy]

This configuration shoots really well!

And the bolt is on the proper side.

 

[RMulhern]

And the bolt is on the proper side.

For me it is!

 

[savatage]

I usually dont take it to the range like my .223`s or .243, but when I need to drop something in its tracks my `06 is one of my go to`s for sure. Has yet to let me down. 2 buffalo, 2 elk, and many deer . I think I`ll keep her .

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

I'm going to start playing with mine again. I really want to take it on vacation to Wyoming in a couple years. I dug it out of the safe Saturday morning just to hold it. It brought back a lot of memories. I even told the wife about it, and she didn't seem to mind.

 

[ba19500]

I used a M77 30/06 Ruger on elk, mule deer, Alaskan moose, pronghorn, coyotes and whatever else needed doing.

My 30/06 target rifle gets used for 1000 yard targets when the corn is out.

I see the Tikka Varmint comes in a left hand 30/06. This would be something I would use for tactical/long range shooting. That way I don't mess up my refinished wood stock on the target rifle. Thought about a 260 but they seem to be losing favor to the 6.5 Creedmore. Don't have to worry about that with the '06.

Anyone know how the Tikka 30/06 varmint rifle shoots?

 

[MudRunner2005]

Thought about a 260 but they seem to be losing favor to the 6.5 Creedmore. Don't have to worry about that with the '06.

The .260 loses nothing to the Creedmoor, other than a recent popularity contest, because the CM is "new and cool" and the .260 is "old and yesterday's news"...

I'll still take a .260/.260 AI over a CM any day.

 

[Chopperguy]

I have a couple left handed Tikka T3 rifles. All shoot very well right out of the box.

I've never heard of a lefty Varmint model being sold in the USA. They do produce them and they are sold all over the world, but never ever have I seen or heard of one being sold in the US.

Good luck if you can find one. The who are shooting right handed versions do really like them.