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The Best .30-06 Based Cartridge? The Answer Will Surprise You!

Posted By Aleksandar on December 5, 2017

.30-06 Family Virtual Shootout

Wondering about the world’s most popular sporting cartridge? That would be the .30-06 Springfield. We are speaking about versatile, accurate, and plentiful cartridge every hunter or shooter would love. It is not surprising why every rifle maker offers at least one of their models chambered for this old warhorse.

As an improvement of the .30-03 which actually was designed as a replacement of the somewhat under-powered .30-40 Krag, in 1906, the military adopted the .30-06. His spurs, the .30-06 earned during the World War One. Most of the U.S veterans simply fell in love with this cartridge, so as their serving days finished, they wanted to hunt with it as civilians.

Post-War Baby (Cartridge) Boom
Also, they began to experiment with the then-new cartridge and noticed it reacted well to modifications. Soon after, all the cartridges were developed based on the .30-06’s 62mm-long case, since it has a higher powder capacity compared to rivals( for example the 57mm Mauser case).

How do the .30-06 ’s descendants compare to their parent, and to each other?
Here we analyzed six .30-06 based cartridges for trajectory, the effective range, and recoil with modern ballistic software (which actually is available free online from shooterscalculator.com). Calculations were adjusted to standard temperature (15C) and pressure (29.92 inHg) at sea level.

Trajectory
Trajectory widely is defined as Maximum Point Blank Range (MPBR) which is the distance over who a bullet rises 3” above sight line and then drops 3″ inches below to hit within a 6″ kill box ( an average vital zone for big game). Just imagine a bullet moving through a 6″ diameter pipe for a safe distance.

Effective Range

Here, the effective range is the minimum impact energy recommended for a humane kill on a medium and large game, as well as the minimum velocity which most of the hunting bullets require for a reliable expansion (1800 fps). In a case the minimum energy range exceeds the given minimum expansion range, then the minimum expansion range will become the maximum effective range due to the fact that unexpanded bullets are less effective despite the energy they possess.

Recoil

Recoil calculations we have are all based on a nine-pound rifle weight, since it is an average for most scoped and loaded sporter-type rifles.

Standardized Test Methodology

Unless otherwise noticed, all calculations here are based on the heaviest Nosler AccuBond™ bullet available in each caliber. The AccuBond™ is a good all-around hunting cartridge with high ballistic coefficients (BCs) and terminal achievement similar to the time-tested Nosler Partition™. Both of them are noted for each bullet tested. BC quantifies a bullet’s aerodynamic efficiency, while the SD predicts corresponding ability to enter into a game animal; the larger each number, the better.

Specific long range bullets used as they are unnecessary for most hunting circumstances, and the muzzle velocities are the nominal industry measure of the tested bullet weight in each caliber.

Scoring System

Points were awarded as follows:

One point was given for every 25 yards beyond 200 yards for maximum effective range on a medium or large game. Respectively, one point was deducted for every 25 yards less than 200 yards.
1 point for every 25 yards beyond 200 yards for minimum expansion velocity and 1 point deducted for every 25 yards which were less than 200.

For every ten yards MPBR beyond 200 yards, one point rewarded, and deducted for every ten yards less than 200.

1 point for each ft-lbsf recoil less than 15, and the same deducted for every ft-lbsf greater than 15.

So, here’s the ranking:

First Place: .280 Remington, 51.8 Points

Remington’s response to the .270 Winchester scored the highest place notwithstanding the fact a 140-grain ammo is the heaviest offered by the major ammunition makers. Hand loaders will find this is one cartridge which benefits from 150 -175-grain bullets which have greater BCs and will enhance effective range for larger game such as moose or elk.

Second Place: .270 Winchester, 49.2 points

The performance of this cartridge is almost equal to the usually ignored .280. It came second in this test because in a factory cartridge is 140 grains, which is the weight that settles between the 130s favored for medium game and the 150 – 160s appropriate to larger animals. A .270 that is well matched to the expected game is a terrific companion for any hunter.

Third Place: .25-06 Remington, 41.9 Points

Although third in this test, the .25-06 win a real-world trifecta. This one is the flattest shooting, lowest recoiling and the hardest hitting cartridge in existence. Anyway, for some inexplicable purpose, it has lost its market share over the past decade. Again, it is a cartridge which could have scored higher in a case the ammunition makers offered a heavier AccuBond™ bullet. It is best for deer sized game and predators, but this cartridge becomes a giant slayer with 115 – 120-grain bullets.

Fourth Place: .30-06 Springfield, 40.5 Points

While it scored a fourth place in this comparison, the .30-06 is still more versatile than its descendants. His ability to use bullets between 110 and 240 grains makes it the perfect choice for the one-gun hunter. It may shoot flatter and the bigger calibers may hit much harder, but only the “Ought Six” may drop everything from woodchucks to Kodiak bears. The reloading components and the fact factory ammo are available everywhere, which proves why it is so popular.

Fifth Place: .338-06 A-Square, 36.3 Points

Even being a wildcat cartridge until a few years ago, the .338-06 takes .30-06 cartridges to a new level for use against large and heavy critters. .338 caliber bullets have enormous partial densities—grain for grain, they drive deeper into animals than most others. This means even at the modest velocities generated by this cartridge, it is more than a match for large, thin skinned animals. Although it generated the highest recoil forces while this test, it is still much smoother to a shooter’s shoulder than any other .338 caliber magnum.

Sixth Place: .35 Whelen, 22.3 Points

Although executed a bit redundant with the .330-06’s debut, the .35 Whelen cartridge packed the heavy hitter role in the .30-06 family for many decades ago. .35 caliber bullets may not have so many sexy coefficients when compared to the .338’s, but they hit tough, big, animals hard.

Conclusion:

The .30-06 has generated the most versatile cartridge line up in the cartridge history. There’s little a hunter can’t do with any .30-06 based round, except maybe take Africa’s Big Five.

The .25-06 is definitely a mild-mannered deer hammer who can put moose or elk in the freezer. Also, it’s the best pick for a long range predator control; it makes small holes in precious pelts.

The .270 and .280 are cartridges loved by hunters from all over the world, especially those in the western U.S. The .338-06 and .35 Whelen have the same mission in this cartridge family. It is a shame most hunters observe them as short-range specialty rounds for use in heavy cover. The effective ranges they have in the 500-yard make them an ideal cartridge choice for all-round hunting, especially for a big game.

Check this as well: Top Five Long Range Cartridges – The Best of the Best

Although it looks average in this test, the venerable .30-06 is still possibly the best choice in the bunch of cartridges when considered all factors.
Both .30-06 guns and ammunition for it are available worldwide, and more importantly, it is affordable to shoot more, meaning you’ll have more practice. And we all know that practice makes for accuracy, and accuracy puts more meat on your table than any other single thing.

The .30-06 family definitely contains the best hunting cartridges in the history. However, few could argue otherwise.