.30-06 for deer

macnas

Anyone using a .30-06 for deer?

Considering replacing my .243 with a Tikka Hunter in '06, I know the .243 is more than adequate for the job but I'm itching to try somethin' different.



Experiences, good or bad?

CJhaughey

IMHO overkill, and a waste of meat will be the result.

TomBeckett

CJhaughey wrote:

IMHO overkill, and a waste of meat will be the result.

I would not agree with this..
A 30.06 Springfield is quite a superb caliber for deer and it is a very popular round for deer stalking.
I would say of the most popular calibers for deer eg..243win .270 30.06spring .308win .300win mag

of these calibers i would put the 30.06 as my choice i have a .308win and i find it a bit heavy on the recoil side but i would not say overkill and if you use the correct bullet. now a 300win-mag that would be overkill!!!:eek:

CJhaughey

Don't get me wrong I am not knocking the 30-06 as a cartridge I like it a lot.
But I feel that here in Ireland where most of your shots are not more than 200yds a 30-06 is too much for most deer.
For big reds it may be ok but for sika I think it is just too much.
Regarding the 300 Win Mag, it doesn't really do anything that the 30-06 can do and has a whole lot more muzzle blast and recoil to boot.
The .270 win would be another from the 30-06 family as well but again I think it is just a little too much for the sika.
Can you try a few calibres? it might give you an idea as to what exactly you want/need.
It would be a tough thing to have a rifle that you developed a flinch on and you just bought it.

macnas

I've been using a .243 for a few years now and I have fired a .270 before. I hope to shoot a few Reds this season and although the .243 is well capable of taking them, I feel a 180 gr bullet will be more appropriate for that size of animal.

Clare gunner

Well, that will drop anything in Ireland,and most big game in the US.
You might want to download the rounds abit for Fallow and Sika.Reds no problem and quite an appropriate caliber as well.

.243

its the same way back when nearly everyone had .270 "cause it was the biggest you could get",now that the laws have eased and a more wide range of calibers are available the gun shops are now full of .270's and the bounce has started again to "the bigger the better".The exact same has happened to the .223vsthe hornet since it came in,They all do the same job guys !!!!
its not the size,its how good you shoot will prove how good shot you are!!!

macnas

.243 wrote:

its not the size,its how good you shoot will prove how good shot you are!!!

Agreed, I have argued that same point here previously but I have shot Reds with my .243 where the bullet did not even cross the chest cavity when it had struck a rib on entry. Head/neck shots only thereafter. I think an '06 will make heart/lung shots on Reds a little more effective.

TomBeckett

I was talking to a dealer last night had a look around a mate of mine was looking at a .243 i was looking at a H&K 9mm:D anyway this man was saying that he has sold a lot of and for the type of deer in ireland a 25.06
he recons is the job it will make a clean kill and considering that most shots are from 100-150yds anyway there is no need for a cannon with a huge recoil.

Hezz700

The 6.5 x 55 would be a more suitable all rounder IMHO if ya just want to use one rifle for all yer stalking needs. but are any of us truly happy with just one rifle?:D ................ Be Honest!:p

Hezz.

Clare gunner

Hezz700 wrote:

The 6.5 x 55 would be a more suitable all rounder IMHO if ya just want to use one rifle for all yer stalking needs. but are any of us truly happy with just one rifle?:D ................ Be Honest!:p

Hezz.

Be wary of the one gun man for he will truely know how to use it to it's best ability.[Col Jeff Cooper?]
Agreed on the desire to own "many" rifles.BUT will this system and cost PA realistically allow it??Myself I would think a 7.62x39 with a proper non FMJ bullet would be an ideal Irish deer calibre.Mid range calibre,cheap,and if put into somthing like a ruger mini14 or National match AK[Basically an AK with a stretched barrel and tuned internals] or a AR15 upper type in 7.62.You would have quite a good deer killer.

macnas

Bought the .30-06, the recoil is certainly heavier than the .243 but not uncomfortable. I'm happy.

CJhaughey

Nice one, I hope you enjoy it!
I would certainly think that the recoil from a 30-06 is heavier than a .243