Are there any cartridges better than the .30-06?

[Lilhigbee]

It seems unfortunate that we can't get the last "word" on this subject.

 

[Jamie6.5]

The .280 AI is an excellent choice lending approx 100 FPS over the .280 or the .270.
Neither of which would be quite the same without its mother, the 06.
Neither the .270 (which old jack later admitted he was paid handsomely to fib about) nor the .280 AI or it's sibling do what the 06 does from lighter weight to upper weight bullets across the board.
This has been beaten to death by far more experienced shooter/reloaders than I, and the verdict was long ago reached.
From 55 grain to 220 there has never been a more versatile cartridge designed.
Hmmm

But the Ackley rule applies to all three of those cartridges.
I have a friend with a .270 Ackley that shoots 150's at slightly higher speeds than mine will shoot 130s, almost 3100fps.
He also has an 0-6 that shoots 180s as fast as my ol' 0-6 would shoot 165s.

But all this amounts to "paper whipping," pure and simple.
A few years back I was about to jump on the .280 Ackley train with one of my old .270s. But when I penciled out what it was going to cost to shoot bullets .007 larger, that weight 10 grains more, at the same speed as what I was replacing, to gain 1" of elevation at 400yds, I had an epiphany,...
It ain't freakin' WORTH IT!
The limiting factor of both would still be me, and my eyes, and how good of a rest I had.

 

[orygun]

My decision to change my 06 to an Ackley Improved has nothing to do with practicality, it just sounds fun.

Jamie stated what I've heard before, the AO versions will usually shoot a bullet at the same speed the non-improved version will shoot the next step lighter bullet.
I know what I can get out of the 180gr with the 06. If I can bump that 200 fps more I will be thrilled.

 

[3MTA3]

My decision to change my 06 to an Ackley Improved has nothing to do with practicality, it just sounds fun.

Jamie stated what I've heard before, the AO versions will usually shoot a bullet at the same speed the non-improved version will shoot the next step lighter bullet.
I know what I can get out of the 180gr with the 06. If I can bump that 200 fps more I will be thrilled.

The .280 AI is only about 100 fps slower than the 7mm RM, with less powder, recoil, and barrel erosion. It's an outstanding cartridge.

 

[Jamie6.5]

My decision to change my 06 to an Ackley Improved has nothing to do with practicality, it just sounds fun.

Jamie stated what I've heard before, the AO versions will usually shoot a bullet at the same speed the non-improved version will shoot the next step lighter bullet.
I know what I can get out of the 180gr with the 06. If I can bump that 200 fps more I will be thrilled.

The 0-6 Ackley with 180s is pretty damned impressive from what I've seen. The one my bud has, has a long throat so he loads round's COAL to mag length, and gains powder room with slow powder without excessive pressures.
As a result it approaches .300WM performance.
But it does have a 26" barrel.

 

[JRuby]

i have loaded and shot 8mm-06 AI, 35 whelen AI, 35 weatherby, 30-338 magnum. and 6mm-284. i have also had 35 whelen and 8mm-06; 358 norma, 300 win, and 6mm remington. i am not a good enough shot to notice the difference and i certaimly did not find the.extra case forming work worth it
I also feel that if i need more umph out of a cartridge i can go to another factory cartridge. i simply dont have the time to mess with wildcats. I have a 338-06 which is the exception. i am happy that others play with wildcats as many good factory cartridges started that way

 

[Jamie6.5]

I have a 338-06 which is the exception.

The day I decide to get/build a new rifle, that will be the chambering.
Everyone I know that has one says nothing but good things about it.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I have always been in with the great debate between .30/06 vs .300 wm. I own a few of both, and simply cannot find any reasonable difference in performance between the two that would drive me to one or the other! Honestly, the .300 has what, 20% more power for 2% increase in range and penetration, if that!!! With the 06 hand loaded hot, I can get that gap much closer! The other discussion I always get a kick out of is the 7mm mag vs .270 or 06! All three are SO close that it really comes down to the rifle and more importantly, the shooter! In all honesty, I have never came across a shot that I couldn't make with the old 06 that I could with any of the others! I will admit, the 7 mm mag does pique my interest due to it's ballistics, but again, I find that I don't really benefit from one, I just WANT ONE!!!

 

[MountainBear]

people talk about being able to shoot all these different loads how many of those shoot to the same point of impact. Seems to me that each time you change bullet weights you get to site in all over again. i have always believed in one load per rifle. Makes life easier shooting is suppose to be fun.

I have nine different .30-06's, so no need to resight in, just switch guns. New York reload...

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Until you get to the magnums, the old skin buster and hide breaker is king.
All others aspire the throne that it built over a century ago and there have been a couple of "closes" but no cigar.

 

[JRuby]

I have nine different .30-06's, so no need to resight in, just switch guns. New York reload...

Vety nice i use primarily hornady 165 interlok bullets for huntong and have found that 168 gr match bullets shoot to the same point imside 300 yards. I dont hardly use my 30-06 as it is.

 

[MountainBear]

Honestly, even with all the great load options for the '06, I tend to stick with either m2 ball or a 168gr load. I load everything to be safe in my Garand.

I do occasionally use commercial offerings for hunting or light loads for plinking. But that's only on one or two rifles, so it's an easy quick resight.

 

[orygun]

I've always relied on 180gr bullets in my 06, with the occasional thought to using some 168s. I've shot it in a couple of Appleseeds with a 180gr bullet and at the velocity that I would when hunting. What a great way to know your gun.

 

[JRuby]

i tried some of that superevolution powder behind those 168 match bullets. Very accurate in my 06. Mostly use 57g of imr4350 behind 165gr hornady in my 06. It has shot well in many different 06s through the years.

 

[orygun]

For the last many years I used RL22. Usually around 59-60gr behind a 180 Sierra or Nosler.
That always worked very well and was accurate in any 06 I had, even that Kimber...

Now I can't seem to find any RL22.

 

[MountainBear]

I mostly use IMR4064 behind 168gr.

 

[orygun]

I mostly use IMR4064 behind 168gr.

I want SPEED, Damn it! RL22 has been the king for that. I did buy a couple of pounds of H4831 and have some RL19 left over so I do have something to play with. I'll be working with 180 and 200gr bullets. At least that's where I'll start.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Versatile, Just as it always has been! I use a lot of old WW2 and post surplus ammo ( when I could still find it) and it always worked very well and is as accurate as a lot of modern loading's! I got into a lot of the Steel core 165gr (?) and have carefully pulled the bullets and re loaded them to see how much of an improvement I could get, They are some of the most accurate loads I have found in that weight! Even in a .300 wm, they really fly strait! Not as good as some of the newer and better designs, but still good enough for range work! Even loaded for a .308 win, they do really well! Wish I could find a bunch more of these bullets, The Garand's and 03's love them!

 

[orygun]

There's a couple of batches of CMP ammo on here for sale right now. I was tempted, but passed.

 

[JRuby]

to me accuracy will always be my first priority after accuracy comes speed. if i cant hit it speed is unimportant. The best of course is the best of both speed and accuracy.