Hi,

To me, the .30-06 itself is the best of the .30-06 family!!!

Some comments have to be made about the origins of the "Mauser" cartridges and their decendents.

-The 8x57 was NOT a Mauser designed cartridge. It was designed by the Commission 88.

-The FIRST Mauser smokeless designed cartridge was the great 7,65x53 (or 7,65x53,5 or 7,65x54)for the Belgian 1889 Mauser. By the way, in my opinion the 7,65 Mauser Belgian (Turkish and Argentine)is one of the best Military Mauser cartridge of that era, as modern then as now!

-The 7x57 Mauser was the SECOND of the Mauser designed cartridges.

-This two real Mauser cartridges do not have the same head and rim dimensions as the 8x57, and for the original ones and their reloading, it needs another shell holder. In the RCBS, the correct one is the Nr. 11, not the Nr. 3 for the 8x57/30-06

-The .30-06 shares the head and rim dimensions with the 8x57. No matter what was the motivation for the change of the rifle/cartridge from the Krag/30-40 to the Springfield 30-03/30-06.

Merry Christmas to all!

PH