30-06 - The WWII Cartridge

In this episode, I answer questions about handgun hunting, the 6.5 PRC, and more!

Never hear much about the 30-06 anymore. Wasn't it a big round in world war II?

The 30-06 was, was made in 1906, obviously. And it was our official us military cartridge in world war. I, used the bold action Springfield rifle. Then by the time world war, II came around, it was in the Garand or the grand autoloading rifle. That was the 30-06. So it one, two wars, as they like to say, certainly helped contributed to it a lot.

So, yeah, it was big deal. And it kind of the seminal cartridge that got us away from the traditional lever action, flat nose, bullet cartridges, like the 30-30, the 45-70 and a whole bunch more from that era, that 1890s into the world war I, and then that world war I era or slightly before, they were starting to develop a lot faster cartridges.

Um, like the two 53,000 Savage around 1912 and the 30-06 of course, was a big one. And once the doughboys, the soldiers came back from world war I, and they had fired a bolt action rifle, They said, you know, those old lever action, 30-30s don't quite match up anymore. So that the bolt action, 30-06, really started to grow in popularity because it had so much more reach, so much more energy in the bullets that was effective on elk and moose and all sorts of stuff.

And that sort of started it. That was where we got. The switch from the lever action, tubular fed magazines, and the blunt bullets to the vertically stacked magazines and the bold actions and the high-velocity bullets in those with much more down range reach. So, yeah, that was a big round in world war II.

And it still is because we have a lot of cartridges that were made from the 30-06 case. The best known is probably the 270 Winchester. There's the 25-06 Remington. And there's the 35 Waylon. There's actually a 3 75 Waylon. That one you rarely hear of. That's a 65-06, the 280 Remington.

That's now evolved into the 280 Ackley improved Remington. So there are a lot of those, and then they. Pretty much shortened it to make the 3 0 8 Winchester. And all your short action cartridges got started there. And then that one became the 260 Remington, the 7mm 08 Remington, the 243 Winchester, the 338 federal, the 358 Winchester, just all kinds of them.

And they all came out of that 30-06. So it's a pretty cool cartridge, and it's pretty important.

[shootingthebreeze]

Still arguably the best all around hunting cartridge in existence.

[larryeddings]

The grand old 30-'06 was, and still is an excellent cartridge.

[MovieMaker]

Years and years I heard how much guys love the 30-06 for whitetail. My dream rifle is a M1 Garand which Im proud to say I have now. I got to take a whitetail here in northern Michigan at 100 yards a couple years back and now I totally get why people like this cartridge.

[Don_Frahn]

I just picked up a Henry in 45/70 and I’m super pumped to hunt with it.

[jeffcryptohulkstewart]

The 30/06 is the most iconic round not just because it was such an amazing hunting round but the parent case to so many amazing rounds. Without the 06 we wouldn't have so many others.

[edwardabrams]

30-06 better then ever with the newer bullets! It just works!

[Seabang]

It's still my go to hunting round

[thomasdaum]

The 3006, 270 and 300 win mag not to mention the 300 WBY will still be around taking deer and Elk long after all these new wiz bang new cartridges are long gone and forgotten ! The truth is not always pleasant !……. Thanks Ron !

[cypresvalleyboys]

It was in the BAR (stinky 20rnd mags though) and we had it on some planes like the warkhawk and kittyhawk

[dennisjnovotny]

I wish news anchors were as clear and concise, likable and open minded as Ron.

[DCA]

The 30.06 is extremely versatile. Todays modern version of it make arguably the best all around hunting cartridge. If it won two wars, how can one argue its ballistics.

[badgrfan]

There are also in the Korean War and possibly the beginning of Vietnam as well.

[nichevo]

IIRC, the Springfield '03 was chambered in this round, but with a round nose bullet, and the updated spitzer loading became what we now know and love as the .30-06.

[johnparker]

Gunny Hathcock used a Winchester model 70 in 3006 for his sniper rifle

[serkancambudak]

very versatile cartridge…definitely my go to!

[howardmcadams]

Thanks Sir for Sharing this Information with us

[Josephdoes]

got my first “big boy” rifle chambered in .30-06.

[nmuskier]

Also in the Browning .30 cal machine gun and BAR.

[joshjosh]

I love telling guys I work with who have used the cartridge for years and don't worry about all the silly new cartridges that are constantly being released what 30 06 means.
They always look so surprised.

[georgesakellaropoulos]

Lever guns are excellent tools. A bolt gun in .30-'06 will do anything you need it to, in a pinch. Match the gun to the game, and the type of hunting that you do. That being said, there isn't too much that the old '06 can't handle.