30.06 for Long Range Hunting?

[Daniel_M]

As most of you know Roosevelt took one along on an africa and used it on over 50 different species including water buffalo. Many a Grizz have fallen to an .06 as well.

True. but you're using the above quoted comparison in a different context. Roosevelt wasn't out there thinking 1000yd shots

Just as the .44 was standard woods defense, as other calibers have come along it's no longer the "norm. Same with the 06. Great versatile caliber for many things, but better things are out there especially with advances in reloading. In many cases it's the shooter who isn't up to the task of fully utilizing a rifles potential. I'm an under 400yd kinda guy. Nothing in the state I can't close the gap on.

 

[Rucker61]

So over 500 yards we have hunting issues? Hmm interesting, you did say Elk out to 1000 yards in your post right?

No, he said 1000 yards at the range and elk at long range, which we can assume to be longer than the 575 yards he mentioned but we can't assume that he wants to shoot elk at 1000 yards, based on his statements.

 

[KMD]

IMHO, the limitation isn't in the cartridge, it's in the delivery system.
Factory ammo and ballistic turrets do not a long range rifle make...

Much as some companies would like to sell gimmicks to the uninformed, there are no short cuts to being proficient at long range. They might get you by at 5, 6 even 700yds, but the margin for error at distance is exponential. So, any 'holes' in your shooting system are amplified the further you want to engage a target, whether they be in your shooting form, the velocity swings (ES) of your ammo, or a shoddy tracking scope. Relying on a 'custom' ballistic turret to patch those potential 'holes' just doesn't happen in real life!

Sorry to be blunt, but that's how it be. As hunters/shooters, we owe it to the animal, and our fellow hunters/shooters to get learned up on what it takes to make a high % hit at long range. And that ain't even taking into account the 'voodoo' that needs learned about making a good wind call. That alone makes all the other stuff seem easily accounted for!!! There is no gimmick in the world gonna tell you how to read wind...

That all said, a turdy oh six built to launch the right bullet should have no problem being a capable 1000yd rifle. But, grandpas 760 pump, jammed
with CoreLokts....not so much!

 

[Ryan Avery]

No, he said 1000 yards at the range and elk at long range, which we can assume to be longer than the 575 yards he mentioned but we can't assume that he wants to shoot elk at 1000 yards, based on his statements.

If we have hunting issues past 500 yard then why ask the question at all?

 

[Beastmode]

So over 500 yards we have hunting issues? Hmm interesting, you did say Elk out to 1000 yards in your post right?

I wouldnt call it hunting issues. I think you need more shooting skill at 1000 yards than at 200 yards. But a lot more varibles for spooking an animal come in to play at 200 yards than 1000 yards. The closer you are the easier the shot and more spooky an animal is. The further you are the harder the shot the less spooky an animal is. An 06 is a great all around round that has killed many animals. Would it be in my top 5 long range (500+ yards), absolutely not. If that's what the OP has and can't get another gun it would work with a good load and lots of practice.

 

[gelton]

So over 500 yards we have hunting issues? Hmm interesting, you did say Elk out to 1000 yards in your post right?

I may have been misunderstood so allow me to retort: I would not be posting in the "long range hunting" section of this forum if I thought that long range hunters have issues. I admire long range hunters.

If you look back at the original post you will see that I said that many people will say the .06 lacks sufficient power for elk at 1,000 yds. What I should have said is - if you cant get within 500 yds of an elk with a 30.06 then you have some issues. I am not looking to wound game or be judged as unethical, just looking for the best load for a 30.06 for shots longer than 500 yds. I would never take a 1,000 yard shot by choice, or even a 750 yd shot. But if conditions were perfect and I had the training and it was the only choice, I am looking for the best option to be able to press the envelope for my particular caliber. Its pretty simple if you ask me.

 

[seand]

Check out the 155 scenar. And I'd look to h4350 for temp stability.

 

[Shrek]

Check out the 155 scenar. And I'd look to h4350 for temp stability.

The scenar bullet is not a hunting bullet and although you may get away with it you are setting yourself up for trouble. There are many MUCH better hunting bullets available.

 

[gelton]

Nahh I get it, not knockin it.

Perhaps it's time to step to a 388 Lapua.

I like the .338 but like the .300 win mag more.

 

[gelton]

IMHO, the limitation isn't in the cartridge, it's in the delivery system.
Factory ammo and ballistic turrets do not a long range rifle make...

Much as some companies would like to sell gimmicks to the uninformed, there are no short cuts to being proficient at long range. They might get you by at 5, 6 even 700yds, but the margin for error at distance is exponential. So, any 'holes' in your shooting system are amplified the further you want to engage a target, whether they be in your shooting form, the velocity swings (ES) of your ammo, or a shoddy tracking scope. Relying on a 'custom' ballistic turret to patch those potential 'holes' just doesn't happen in real life!

Sorry to be blunt, but that's how it be. As hunters/shooters, we owe it to the animal, and our fellow hunters/shooters to get learned up on what it takes to make a high % hit at long range. And that ain't even taking into account the 'voodoo' that needs learned about making a good wind call. That alone makes all the other stuff seem easily accounted for!!! There is no gimmick in the world gonna tell you how to read wind...

That all said, a turdy oh six built to launch the right bullet should have no problem being a capable 1000yd rifle. But, grandpas 760 pump, jammed
with CoreLokts....not so much!

Just to clarify, definitely not using factory ammunition, its handloaded. And while the CDS system will not patch all holes I find it more user friendly than either bringing along a shooter app, calculator or using fingers and toes to do the figuring. Also, even though I live at about 1,000 ft elevation, I had the CDS set at 7,000 ft and 30° which is much closer to the conditions that I will be hunting in and in my research is the happy median that works best in all around situations.

 

[pyroducksx3]

The CDS system is more friendly but not accurate enough to work at the extreme ranges. If you can't get the right equipment or don't want to then don't hunt past 600 yards, it's that simple! If you are hunting elk past 600 yards maybe even 700 you are doing more than pushing the envelope you are being unethical. I have a 7 rem mag that's been juiced up and is shooting 180 Bergers at 3060 fps and I consider 1000 yards "pushing the envelope". The 06 is going to work great for you shooting targets as far as you can range and dial your CDs. But! Animals require cold bore first round hits, no sighters or do overs. A ballistic app for a smart phone is not expensive, I use ballistic flight fte you can use it on iPhone or iPod touch, a kestrel, GPS and good rangefinder are the minimum equipment needed to hunt over 600 yards.

In requards to your bullet selection question start with a 180 grain bullet, I like Bergers, accubonds and ssts in that order. I usually buy all three and then shoot them and let the gun tell me which one it likes.

 

[gelton]

I hear ya and I knew that would be the overwhelming response when I made the post. You can read it in black and white. Out of this entire thread I think there may have been 3-4 responses that actually addresses the question. Everyone else does what guys who shoot magnums generally do. In fact you might want to check your 7 mag cuz I read on another forum that they are now inadequate for elk. Sometime between the development of the 7 mag and .338 Lapua the great wapiti has learned how to turn their hides into Kevlar.

 

[pyroducksx3]

You asked a question that it sounds like you knew the answer to then. Will a 30-06 kill an elk at 1000 yards? Yes I'm sure it can but I've heard of people hunting black bear with a 22 and shooting them in the head. Did that kill a black bear probably but it's just not a good choice. I've taken an elk at 934 yards with my seven, did it work? Yes but I feel it is the limit of the rifle. I'm getting stw velocities out if my seven. It's a custom rifle specifically built for this with a powered up throat. When I shoot this barrel out ill be stepping it up to a 338 edge. Is the 7 I have capable yes but I want the extra energy. I feel the 30-06 is a great round. It's the round I recommend most. It's a great elk killer and all around cartridge but it has limitations. Long range on elk being one of them. If someone want to hunt past 600 yards the 300 win mag is what I recommend. Past 1000 300 RUM to about 1200, 338 edge, 338 lapua and other similar chamberings.

 

[Shrek]

What I meant to convey is that there are a lot of unethical , push the limits things we can do and get away with often . I doesn't make it right. Go ahead and push the limits of your '06 but are you going home after you don't find the elk you hit at 1000 yards ? I think it would be wiser to limit the '06 to less than 600 yards or buy the appropriate rifle in an appropriate caliber and have at it.

 

[Shrek]

As for the original question the answer is non of the above for hunting elk at long range if long range is past 650 yards.

 

[gelton]

Time marches on.... From chuck hawks.com -

By Bruce Rutherford

It has come to my attention that it takes a much larger and more powerful cartridge to kill elk these days than it used to. Last time I checked, all the elk that I have shot with a .30-06, are still dead, but I fear that soon this will not be the case.

If what the gun writers say is true, then, in just a few short years the .30-06 will not be just "marginal," but totally inadequate for killing elk. It's just a short step from there to proclaiming that killing an elk with a .30-06 is "virtually impossible."

As you are probably aware, the elk was almost shot into extinction over most of the west before smokeless powder was invented. As you are also well aware, the elk population in the west is increasing and expanding into places where elk have not lived for a hundred years.

There can be only one explanation. Those elk that were killed in the 19th Century are coming back to life because they never could have been killed in the first place.

So far, this has not affected me personally, other than giving me more elk to shoot at but, as I said earlier, I fear that soon my antler collection will begin to slowly and mysteriously vanish, as if it never existed. What does this mean to the future of hunting?"

 

[Shrek]

As for the inherent greatness of the 30-06 , well not so great. The 30-06 is popular because the us military dumped a couple million springfield rifles for next to nothing into the civilian market along with millions of rounds of surplus ammo. The whole '06 case family owes it's popularity to the cheap actions and brass. The performance has been surpassed ten ways to Sunday but the market inertia keeps it going. I've come to despise it because it prevents more modern chambering from gaining a foothold in the market. In the case family the 280 ai is a much more efficient and capable round.

 

[gelton]

Just pointing out that time changes people's opinions and outlooks. There is a fairly informational post over at long range hunting that sorts it out best. At the end of the day I was looking for the most capable load that I could practice with at the range at 1,000 yds that would also be effective past 500 yds for elk. One of the posters in this forum gets it right when he says if people knew they could dust off grandpas .06 and wit modern powder ammo could turn it into an effective elk round at 6-800 yds it would probably get a lot more people interested in our sport. This guy is in the same boat as me but the response over there is a little different.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/fartherst-elk-shot-30-06-a-86019/

 

[seand]

The scenar bullet is not a hunting bullet and although you may get away with it you are setting yourself up for trouble. There are many MUCH better hunting bullets available.

Maybe. I usually use barnes. But there seems to be some guys having great success with the scenar pretty respectable ranges for 308/30-06.

http://24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/4986148/1

 

[gelton]

Maybe. I usually use barnes. But there seems to be some guys having great success with the scenar pretty respectable ranges for 308/30-06.

http://24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/4986148/1

Thanks man will take a look.