The 30-06 Springfield is a tried and true big-game hunting cartridge that has been around for over 116 years. This round has remanded a favorite among big game hunters since its making. But what all can it ethically takedown, and what has it taken down in the past?

Here is the short answer

The 30-06 can kill every big game animal in North America but works best on game like pronghorn, deer, hogs, caribou, elk, moose, black bear, bison, African plains game, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, and Dall sheep.  

With the short answer out of the way, let’s take a closer look at the history of the cartridge, why it’s so good at killing animals, and why so many people like the cartridge.

History of the 30-06 cartridge

The 30-06 Springfield (pronounced thirty ought six) was invented in 1903 and was adopted by the military in 1906 hence the 06 in the name. The round was made for the 1903 Springfield rifle. Because there were a lot of these guns that were chambered in this cartridge after the world wars were over, a lot of people started to hunt with them. People started to realize how good of a round it was for hunting and firearm brands started to manufacture guns in this cartridge. With the advancements of powder and bullets in the 21st century, the 30-06 became one of the best hunting cartridges ever. 

Why it’s so good at killing animals?

The 30-06 is good at killing animals because of its high energy and wide range of grain weight. The energy of this round can reach 2800 foot-pounds at the muzzle, which is almost the same as a 300 Winchester, which is a much bigger cartridge. You can run bullet weights from 110 to 210 grains so you can shoot a light bullet for deer and a heavy bullet for elk, moose, or bison.

With a 210 grain bullet, you have enough momentum and energy to go through a big game like moose, and if you want to hunt deer or pronghorn and don’t want to destroy the meat you can use a 150-grain bullet. If you want a good balance of energy and flat shooting, you can use a 180-grain bullet that has the energy to kill a deer at 700 yards and elk at 500 yards. For 90 percent of shooters, 700 yards is too far to shoot. Most people think this much energy is a good thing, but if you are hunting deer where most shots are 100 yards with too heavy of a bullet you waste a lot of meat. So it may be a good idea to hunt with a lighter bullet or a smaller caliber.

Why do so many people like the cartridge?

The 30-06 is well-liked for many reasons. As mentioned, it can kill any big game animal in North America, which makes it a good cartridge for a do-all gun. It is well-liked among reloaders because you can use 110 to 210-grain bullets; Reloaders love this diversity because you can run 110-grain bullets for long-range shooting or varmint hunting, or use 210-grain bullets for big game.

Conclusion

The 30-06 is a great hunting round for all game animals in North America. This round has a wide range of grain weights you can use. You can get almost the same energy of a 300 Winchester magnum. Ammo is pretty cheap, and you can shoot long range with it. All in all, the 30-06 is a great cartridge that is capable of a lot.

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