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

[MountainBear]

Speed come a distant third. It comes after accuracy and the desire not to have to replace the op rod in my Garand. If I need a rifle to perform particularly well, I simply alter loads specifically for it. But I almost always stay within service rifle specs. Ammo for specific rifles goes in plastic labeled boxes rather than just in the ammo can.

 

[orygun]

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.

No doubt. With RL22 I've been very fortunate that I've been able to keep very good groups until I start really pushing the limits. Then I back it off a little.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Quick sidestep here guys. I have no personal experience with AI's, closest thing I have is a .22 K Hornet. Now on the K Hornet the bottleneck case is blown out to a nearly straight case with. 40* sholder! This provides space for enough powder to improve MV to about an additional 150fps. More importantly the new sholder prevents the heavy brass flow that shortens case life!

Now, to my question. When I fire form .22 Hornet rounds in my Kimber M-82, it still has excellent accuracy! Very nearly that of the hand loads.
Does this type of accuracy attend the, say the .30/06, or whatever the caliber that has the Accley improvement, during fire forming? Thanks!

 

[MountainBear]

I only have one AI .30-06 gun (for sale in the classifieds at the moment). I have never shot for accuracy when fireforming brass. It's an interesting question, I suppose I should take the gun to the range...

 

[orygun]

Does this type of accuracy attend the, say the .30/06, or whatever the caliber that has the Accley improvement, during fire forming? Thanks!

I am hoping to find out soon! I have a bunch of handloads I made for my 06 and will be using them, plus a small amount of factory ammo to make the cases for the AI version. I'll let you all know when I find out.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I have a Mauser 98 that has the A.I. Chamber .30/06 and it is every bit as accurate with factory case loads as it is with A.I. loads! The A.I. spec ammo increases velocity just above the hottest of my handloads using conventional brass, so my experience is that even during fire forming, mine certainly holds its accuracy! My .375 Weatherby Mag is much the same, I can use standard .375 H&H ammo, and it is very accurate, then the fire formed brass is loaded and used with quite a bit of increase in speed and energy, and it actually shoots 1/2 in higher to 170 yards with the same bullet weight!

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Thanks guys, I thought it was an interesting question!

 

[Jamie6.5]

Quick sidestep here guys. I have no personal experience with AI's, closest thing I have is a .22 K Hornet. Now on the K Hornet the bottleneck case is blown out to a nearly straight case with. 40* sholder! This provides space for enough powder to improve MV to about an additional 150fps. More importantly the new sholder prevents the heavy brass flow that shortens case life!

Now, to my question. When I fire form .22 Hornet rounds in my Kimber M-82, it still has excellent accuracy! Very nearly that of the hand loads.
Does this type of accuracy attend the, say the .30/06, or whatever the caliber that has the Accley improvement, during fire forming? Thanks!

That's a strange phenomenon reported by a lot of AI shooters, but especially first timers.
Being that the Hornet headspaces on the rim, headspace is not a problem, so fireforming is always easy. Same with the .30-30 versions.

But some AI chambers that are cut for rimless cartridges require creative methods to get the pre-fireformed round to headspace. Like creating a false shoulder or loading bullets to jam in the lands. For simple handloading and fireforming with a rimless cartridge it's important to choose a reamer that keeps the neck/shoulder juncture in the standard location, and let the gunsmith that cuts the chamber know that is the goal.
Then fireforming is as simple as shooting factory ammo.

But some "improved" case designs for rimless cartridges shorten the neck and move the entire shoulder so far forward that there's nothing for a standard case to headspace on, and that's when things get more complicated. Standard factory ammo can't be used to fireform in that scenario, and handloading with a modified casing/cartridge from the start (like the methods mentioned previously) is required. Pure Ackley designs rarely if ever require such steps.

But I'm always amazed at the number of people that report great accuracy/precision out of fireforming standard ammo to an Ackley chamber. In my experience it happens more often than not by a wide margin.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

A 30-06 and a 375 H&H would be my two gun battery of choice.

 

[orygun]

A 30-06 and a 375 H&H would be my two gun battery of choice.

I had a 375 Ruger to go with my 06 several years ago. A 270gr bullet out of the 375 matched the trajectory of the 180 out of the 06, only with a bunch more energy!

 

[MountainBear]

I have a Euro battery of rifles and a US battery. The euro has a 6.5x55, 7x57, 8x57, and soon, a 9.3x62.
The American has a .243, .30-06, .45-70, but it still needs the .375 H&H.

At the end of the day, I can do almost everything with the '06, but I do enjoy options. If I am ever limited to one rifle by finances or other issues, it will be a .30-06

 

[JRuby]

i really like the 9.3x62 it and a 7x57 would handle my hunting needs. Amazing that i have aquired the rifles i have i ciuld get by with just 2 each year
If i was a really smart man i would keep one fourth of my rifles and cincentrate on learning to shoot them really well but alas variety is the spice if life

 

[JRuby]

A 30-06 and a 375 H&H would be my two gun battery of choice.

i agree but would also like something like a 243 or 257 roberts added to those two to me that would be a perfect hunting battery.

 

[MountainBear]

Life would be boring without variety (at least in guns). All mine get shot, I have no safe queens.
Some simply get shot more than others. I probably go through around 1000 rounds plus of .30-06 per year. I doubt I shoot half that through other rifle calibers. But like I said, I like options...

 

[orygun]

If i was a really smart man i would keep one fourth of my rifles and cincentrate on learning to shoot them really well but alas variety is the spice if life

Due to the possibility of upcoming financial troubles when my wife wasn't working, I did sell a bunch of guns. Not counting the .22 and "family" guns, I decided that I only needed one rifle.
For the last couple of years I've spent a lot of time with my 06 and it's paid off. Not likely to ever have anything else that isn't just a spare.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

i agree but would also like something like a 243 or 257 roberts added to those two to me that would be a perfect hunting battery.

If I were looking at the .243 I'd take a hard look at the 6mm Remington and if the .257 Roberts was on that list then perhaps a look at the .25-06 would be an option.
Having owned all four I chose the 6 and the .25-06 as keepers, of which the .25-06 would do everything the others will do, just better.
It's not a .30-06, but man it's a neat round that doesn't get the attention it deserves.

 

[Caveman Jim]

No, the 06 is still the king of kings. Back in the day you didn't get bored with it because it worked. Nowadays people are after the latest & greatest, sad....

 

[MountainBear]

I'm all for variety, but I'm not sure you could call many of my calibers latest and greatest. .30-30, various Mauser calibers, .45-70, etc. All old men in the caliber game.

But you are correct, .30-06 is the undisputed king!

 

[Caveman Jim]

True Dat. The 3030 has killed more deer, elk and antelope back then than any caliber.

 

[Ura-Ki]

For my all round battery, The 06, the 375, and I add in the 6.5X55 Swede for my collection. I would also be happy with the 25/06 .264 and the Ol wild cat 6.5X06