As a South African hunter blessed to be able to hunt in South Africa and neighboring countries it's my experience that the 3006 is really all we need as long as we're not going after dangerous game. Personally I own a 3006, 375H&H and my moment of madness rifle the 460 Weatherby I had custom built about 20 years ago. I love the rifle and caliber but it's an expensive proposition here in Africa. This corrupt government we had was talking about limiting the number of firearms we may legally own. They did reduce the number to 4 but put in a proviso we may own more if we obtain dedicated hunter or dedicated sportsman status. Before that though there was talk of only allowing one rifle so I decided to go 460 Weatherby to allow me to hunt anything from Springhare in the Eastern Cape to maybe one day meeting a T-Rex😂. But this was a good and informative video to watch. Keep them coming!
I knew a guy that was hit twice in the chest with '06 rounds in WW2. It didn't kill him. Even when he was very old, people didn't mess with him. He was 98 when he passed in his sleep. He was hard to get to know, but he was a good guy.
So many good points, and I agree that 30-06 is the king of versatility. I have an older production Remington 700 CDL in 30-06 that will never leave my collection as my all around go-to.
Good information guy. Well done. I am a college trained Gunsmith, Stock maker, and metal Smith. I have been advocating the standard rifle cartridges for years. They perform very well at 500 yards or less. 30-06 Springfield, 270 Winchester, 308Win, 25-06, 7x57, 6.5x55 Swedish are my go tos with the last two being primarily stalking rifles.
@@jasnonya3005 It's a fine cartridge indeed. I did not leave it out, because I have yet to chamber a rifle in .300 Savage for myself. It isn't my go to.
My friend uses his 30-06 for North America, and he loves it I use my 7 mm on elk , white tail , moose, Mule deer ( live in the prairie) 7 mm works good in long distance
Daniel I agree if you reload this cartridge can go from flat shooting to being able to walk up to a full grown brown bear and blow his head off. For deer hunting I like the 125 Sierra 55 grains of 4320. It shoves this bullet about 3100 fps and in my rifle shoot under a inch at 109 yds.
@@robhill7513 .300wsm 125gr @3640fps 1"groups at 100 yards. MPBR- 2" high @ 100yards 2" low at 460yards. No hold over on fox, coyotes or deer out to 550yards. In my .30-06 they start wobbling after 400 and loose there accuracy.
Very good information. Some words of wisdom coming from experience. I particularly liked the advise big bullets for big game and fast bullets for same game at longer distances. Makes sense.
I know everyone has their pet peeves and personal preferences and that is perfectly acceptable. I have several different rifles in different calibers for different purposes but the 3006 is tried and proven for over 100 years and still going strong and many more will come and go but the 3006 is hard to beat all around .
Great video as usual. You are one of the few channels who are giving usable advise; recently found your channel, you deserve many more subscribers. Keep up the good work.
I chose the 30.06 50 years ago because of range of bullets easily available, from 55 grain to 220 grain. Hunt small game to large game other than elephants, rhino, hippo.
@@jonathanechols9985 It is a .224 caliber sabot round called Accelerators, a 55 gr bullet at a published 4000 fps. Problem is that is it largely a gimmick because the accuracy from most rifles is so lackluster as to be pretty useless. A lot of .30-06 aficionados like to talk about the range of bullet weights for the .30-06 like it makes it more versatile than it actually is. Problem is, the .30-06 isn't anybody's idea of a varmint or small game round. To the degree that you can use it as such, there isn't anything you can do with a 110 gr .30 cal round that you can't do with a 100 gr 7mm, for example. And the .30-06 lacks the ass to really make use of the heavy weights. In truth, the .30-06 is best with the most common bullet weights in the 150 to 180 gr range. It can do pretty much any non-dangerous game species in North America with them, but so can a lot of other cartridges, and some offer better performance for similar recoil. The .30-06 is a decent, good performing round, but is not an exceptional performer nor does it do anything that numerous other cartridges can't do, sometimes even better than the .30-06.
Very good sensible video. I agree about the 30-06 and also your observations about people who take extreme long range shots on a wing and a prayer and call it hunting. New sub!
i have watched a lot of these videos trying to get good info to make a decision and your video was extremely helpful. probably the video that helped me the most and you made really good points about ethic hunting. Cool video. Thanks.
10 hunters will name 10 different cartridges and they will all be right. If if if... I'm a crippled old man these days. I've learned how to hunt and stalk and have found the 7mm-08 fits the bill perfectly at this stage of my life. Thanks for the vid.
You said what I think most hunters that grew up hunting with their Grandfather and their Dad and even their Uncles will always tell you from experience once you get enough of it: the 30/06 with the right bullet weight and powder charge is probably the most flexible round out there and has been since it's introduction. It has been the American bullet for a long time now. Thank God for the M1 Garand. Talk to the greatest generation and I'm sure they would tell you.
@@TexanUSMC8089 Yeah I got that. I just thought I'd remind him that the cartridge and rifles that use them is still one of the best ever devised no matter what you use. Myself I like the .270 autoloader for all around, it has enough speed and weight for just about anything you want to shoot with it with the right bullet, etc. Do you know what I have been hunting with for the past twenty years? A paratrooper model SKS that takes any AK-47 magazine. Once you get use to shooting that rifle you get hooked, it's a lot more accurate than a regular AK with all of the same conveniences of a box magazine, and I'm not talking about a conversion, I'm talking about a rifle that comes ready to accept an AK-47 magazine. The gun came with two 5 round magazines, but I usually put a 20 or 30 round magazine in it after I get into the woods real deep. I have been in some tight spots that the capacity kept me alive. I would probably have been dead if I would have had one of the 5 rd magazines in it.
Sportized Springfield Armory M1903 30-06 bolt-action rifles - brought back from the war (WWI, WWII, Korea, etc.) or purchased as surplus and modified - have probably taken as many deer and other games species as any other rifle, with the possible exception of 30-30 lever guns. President Theodore Roosevelt got the second custom-made M1903 sporter made - and he used it with great success on his African safari in 1909-1910. Especially with modern projectile and propellant technology, this already superb cartridge has gotten even better. The venerable 30-06 does everything well, and some things very well. It has many strengths and few vices.
@@TBullCajunbreadmaker curious, what were you hunting and/or what kind of situation did you get into in the woods that the high capacity magazine kept you alive? Just curious.
@@TBullCajunbreadmakeryou do know that you can change out your empty magazine for a full one, or reload your rifle, right? Maybe if you used a more capable cartridge and learned to shoot better, you wouldn't have to "spray and pray".
Well done! It's nice to see someone make very logical cartridge choices for game. Seems like many on here just want to promote their favorite cartridge. Thank you.
Your "opinion" and "experience" make a hell of a lot of sense and I hope it reaches the new hunters that need solid advice in this day and age of "Marketeers and Internet Wonders"... For coyotes, where I come from, we like our 22-250s and 25-06s! ;)
I really like this channel. Ive seen a few of your vids so far and really enjoyed the effort in detail on each topic. The tool analogy was perfect also.
Excellent informative video! I live and hunt interior AK. I use the 130gr TTSX in .270 Win for game from Sitka blacktails up to caribou. For larger game such as moose and bears, I use 180gr TTSX in .300 H &H magnum.
One of the best videos out there on the subject. Very bias and informative. Living in the Northeast I like the 30-06 because it is flat enough shooting for varmints but big enough for deer and black bear. It would even work well for moose if I decided to hunt them. If I was in Grizzly country I would prefer something with a little more thump. We have a lot of deer shot with 30-30, 270, and 308 as well. I think the 25-06 is a great all around cartridge for the northeast as well. One thing that I like the 30-06 for as well is they make managed recoil ammo for them so you can purchase a rifle for a youngster they will be able to use for the rest of their lives.
Thank you for a dose of real world hunting advice, I have a 25-06 and love it got mine when 17 years old and I am 50 now great gun taken many deer also have a 308 model 7 for hunting the timber when a shot is 50 yards to 100 and that also has put a lot of game in the freezer. I went threw a time of thinking i needed a 300 win mag and still have one but as you get older and gain wisdom you know good bullet choice and keeping range to ware you are 200 or 300 yards and ware i live in up state NY its farm land or heavy timber most shots are 50 yards in woods or less and out to 300 in the farm land i just do not need the big magnum , of the old timers i hunt with use 243 ,308 ,3006 and 3030 . Thank you again and i will be passing your videos on to the young hunters i know.
I had a number of 308's with barrel lengths from 16 to 22 inches. Finally settled on a savage 99F with a 22 inch barrel. Light, slim, relatively compact, a joy to carry handle and shoot. I originally had a 99C that I loved, but life happens and I had to sell it. But I was able to replace it with the 99F.
Agree with this fully I'm hunt much whit 30-06 whit 150-220gr And for bear or African big game I'm use 375 H&H On a bit of distance I'm use 300 win-mag
Very well stated and presented. Picking a proper cartridge for the hunt should not be like picking light tackle to fish with. There is no catch and release with hunting. The cartridge chosen should do the job reliably and quickly. We owe that to the animal who’s life we are taking.
My go-to rifle is a Winchester Model 70 (Featherweight) in .270, with a 3X9 Burris scope. I have taken many a-deer with this gun from one coast to the other. I am also careful about when I shoot, many times I have passed on a shot for various reason (Brush, too far, ect). I would rather pass on a shot rather attempt a shot and wound the animal only to have it die a slow death - your quarry deserves better than that.
Agreed. I have a Remington model 700 .270 and I’ve dropped more elk with it than my old 30-06. Great round but everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
I never felt under powered with a .270 Win Ruger M77 round top model for most North American big game, everything but the big bears and perhaps big moose & elk, but I really love for that purpose the 30-06, the 7 mm Rem Mag and the 300 Rem Mag, in that order. these calibers are the ones that I would feel more comfortable with.
Yep. I've taken everything from Pronghorn to Moose with my one "pet" load; 160gr Nosler Partition/53.5gr IMR 4350. Yep, it's an "over" load but I have zero signs of over pressure and it's MOA out to at least 300yds.
@@TakeDeadAim nice my grandpa just built his 280 rem. Thanks to him I'm addicted to the 280 and 280 ai I will try the partition in my 280 ai when I get all the parts. My load ill use hunting are the barnes 168 lrx. But the partitions will be back up
Used a Remington 7600 in 30-06 since 1985. Had a 300 win mag once. Didn't like it. Your right about the flexibility of the 30-06. But, lately I've been getting in to pistol caliber lever actions like 44 mag and 357 mag. I have a 30-30 but I've never used it. I might give that a try. I'm pushing 60 yeas old and I find the older I get the shorter distances I've been shooting. Even with the 30-06 I stay inside 200 yards any more.
@@anthonyspanjich2772 The guys I know in oz are very fond of the 25-06. Shoots much flatter than the 243, hits harder, with about the same recoil. But, 243 ammo is probably more available where you live.
Had a .25-06 for years and loved it (and wish now I didn't get rid of it!) perfect for game up to mule deer size game (300 lbs/140 kg) out to 300+ yards. With reasonably good placement never had one run more than about 50 yards. This video brings up an excellent point on calibers...but also know these hunters/guides will also have some opinions on bullet design, which becomes very important with large game like elk or red stag, or if you hunt exotics like Nilgai. Pay very close attention when they talk about soft points, spitzer, jacketed bullets and the like on larger game.
Considered a nitro Express rifle of the smaller of the bigger cartridges in Africa and does its magic every time.. also the most commonly available cartridge with every grain and type every where in southern Africa
I found you. Awesome. I found the reincarnation of Jack O’Connor. He wrote and published. You do videos and publish. I saw you video about all the famous gun writer’s favorite caliber. I saw all the books you have. Many I have. Many I do not have (but will). What I came away from that video with is that you read all that material. That has made you cartridge smart. I am too. But your vids are great explanations. Practical and logical. Oh. And you have some BEAUTIFUL rifles man. Thanks much. I enjoy your videos.
Wow....for the first time I totally agree with an American hunter. I hunt with various calibers such as .222, .223, 6xc, 260, 6.5x55, 30-06, 300wm, 338wm, 9.3x62 and 458Lott and I must say that the most versatile and most used cartridge that I use is 30-06 and 9.3x62. Great video by the way 👍
Ingvar you'd probably find the majority of older Americans are more traditional! The internet is saturated with ignorant geniuses who are selling something and those like the gents on this thread just do their thing and bring home the venison in an ethical manner and show good manners. Fortunately now and again someone like Desert Dog speaks for the silent majority. Wish you good moose hunting!
@@dmitrismeliov5240 it kicks ALOT harder and that's ok. It depends on what your hunting. African dangerous game I would go bigger 338 or 375 win mags. But for pigs and deer,goats and dogs the 30/06 is brilliant. The most important thing is the projectile weight and construction. I SHOOT 130grn woodliegh for all these species at 3400fps. You can go 200grn barnes TSX for max penetration. It will pass through 95% of all hunted animals. But seriously if you can't KILL it with a 30/06 you need to learn how to shoot and hunt properly. I have friends that have 2 30/06 rifles one for lighter bullets and one for heavy bullets and that works too.
I started with .308 (50%) of my hunting / shooting was in PA, deer and bear / and (50%) breaking paper with my family n friends... I did do custom reloads, but always hunted with factory ammo... I had access to many weapons, including the M1... When hitting the rifle range at Camp Lejeune I was delighted to discover the M14... a combo of my early experiences... I am proud to say, yep first time out, shot expert...
Great video!! one of the best comparisons i have seen...well i was stuck on 6.5 for deer to elk maybe and who ever knows ,but after that i may step up to 30-06!! he was right that the best American gun overall !!now im gettin a 30-06 )
My .308 has served me well from Coyote to Elk within 500 yards, which is about as far as I can ethically shoot with my experience. Thanks for the video, very well done.
I’m 42 now and I’ve used a 30/06 for the 25 plus years and love it plenty of stopping power. In my mind nothing better but I hunt whitetail deer elk a few times. Both animals quick kills really not much tracking at all they go down really fast. But that’s my preference great video.
I love this guy He speaks from incredible experience, doesn’t pretend to be an expert (even though he is), and boils everything down to simple logic and a few basic rules. It’s a formula that works for everything from hunting to auto technology, trading stocks, real estate investing, even politics. Once you cut through and insulate yourself from the mountains of bullshit that gets thrown at you every day, life is simple and good. Keep it up buddy.
here in northern Italy, and in Europe in general, people absolutely love the 7x64, which is a great caliber. the 8x57 is of course another "champion" with 196-200-220 gr projectiles. The "american" calibers that I find great are the 308 and the 270 win. Let's admit it though: almost all the standard cartridges can do pretty much the same (except for big and dangerous game), especially with modern bullet technology, as long as the shooter does his part; even the magnum loads won't do the job with a bad shot placement. Eventually it all goes back to local laws and personal preference
While I agree with you, I would say availability and price also take a major part (larger then preference, by the way, since you can only try something you can borrow from someone). Here in Brazil, I heard of a guy who imported a rifle for shooting in the range and maybe take down some buffaloes he bred (hunting wild animals was forbidden about 20 years ago, except for the boar. But, even then, it was legal only in one state anyway). However, unfortunately, his joy was shortlived as he had no ammo for it. The largest cartridge at sale is (and was at the time) the .308 win, so he imported dyes along with the gun for reloading his ammo. What he didn't anticipate is that he couldn't find supplies in the market for reloading either. And what cartridge was that? Some old, obscure, exotic round? Nope, the .375 H&H ! It was 15 years ago, and since then, when I hear about some cartridge or gun, the first thing that comes to my mind is: how difficult is finding this ammunition/ammo for it?
Good disclaimer at the start of the video. A lot of people ask what will kill the animal and not necessarily what SHOULD be used to kill the animal. Im between the 30-06 and a 308 for what I hunt. I love the versatility of these rounds.
Man I love your channel. I've been hunting since I was 10yrs old and I still learn something new every time I watch your channel. Let me give my top 5 hunting calibers excluding 30-06, 7mm, 270, 300win mag...i love odd calibers and these are the ones I hunt with. 35 Whelen, 450 bushmaster, 35 Remington, 45/70, and the .460 s&w, now don't get me wrong, I love the first four I named, I've had them all, but the odd calibers I own just work for me. The best deer 🦌 rifle is the one you are comfortable with and drop your deer with!.
Thank you for the information! I have just picked up my 1st hunting rifle after 15 years of consistent shooting! I have deer on my property and I need to control coyote, so I went for a Ruger American in 300 Win. I may try my hand at a moose one day but for now, I think this will serve me well.
Just came from hunting in S. Africa. Took 12 plains game from Impala to a massive 10 yr old bull eland. Some animals with a 30-06 using 168 g Barnes ttsx and the larger ones with a 300 wby using 180 g Barnes ttsx. Took 10 of the 12 with one shot. It was awesome. Kirabo Safaris in the Limpopo province. I highly recommend them.
Greetings from Canada i love my 30 06 i do have 243 + 257 weatherby 7 mm remington mag yes if I was to have one round only I would take the 30 06 For ever
I feel that it is most wise to have a variety of rifles chambered for different cartridges so you can match the rifle to the hunt. That having been said, if you can only afford one rifle, picking a rifle that utilizes any of the 30-06 based cartridges (25-06, 270, 280, etc) will serve most North American hunters very well.
There is also a wide range of commercial 30-06 even if you don't reload. I've seen 130 to 220 grain at the store. Hornaday makes some great long rang ammo with superformance. The 165 grains have 3210 ft lbs of energy and 2960 fps at the muzzle with great long range ballistics.
The analogies of the golf bag and toolkit are spot on and honest. Riflemen bore each other senseless with their favourite 'interior wall paper colour' design calibre debates.... 'Mirror mirror on the wall which is the fairest calibre of them all?' From which the mirror retorts, 'For what purpose does thou desire it to be the fairest of the land?'
I noticed your reference to the 2506 imo any of the quarter bores ie 250 3000 or the almost perfect 257 Roberts are excellent deer sized cartridges. I wouldn't be afraid to take a white tail or mule or black tail with one . Plus as a bonus my 60 year old shoulder likes them to . My m77 250 3000 will be taking a walk with me in couple weeks .
About seventeen years ago I had a moderate heavy North American game and plains rifle built. The caliber I chose was 8mm Remington Mag because I figured for a custom built rifle I would want something unique. Of course there was some inspiration from Craig Boddington. The backup (foul weather) was a factory Weatherby chambered in 300 Weatherby mag.
I just got back from Africa. 3006 180g Remington corlok is what I used on all the plains game. I prefer 257 Robert's and 2506 for deer and 8mm mauser / 300 win mag for elk in eastern OR.
I bought my first hunting rifle in a Winchester model 670 in 30-06 because of the different grain of bullets too choose from and you can find 3030 270 3006 in a small village hardware store or gas station
