datruthab123

hello , im moving to Ft lewis, washington,(us army) and i want to get backinto hunting, i have been once in my life and that was a while back . I have made my first bolt action riflepurchase, a savage 110 in 30-06 but what type of game could i feel comfortable hunting with it ,is it powerful enough for gameoutside of whitetail things like mule deer, elk, bear etc and what rangeis the 06 good out to, im a rookie just looking for some advice/guidence on getting back into hunting, this is my firsttime shooting a bolt actionat fifty(the three shot group justright of the inch mark) the rest atone hundred yard.

datruthab123

I plan on getting my groups a lot closer before going so I can make the most accurate and humane shot possible

Alsatian

Most people will grant that the .30-06 is suitable for taking whitetail deer, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, sheep, mountain goats, elk, moose, and black bear, provided you select appropriate weight and structured bullets for each species (lighter weight and more rapidly expanding bullets on lighter game, heavier weight and more solidly constructed bullets on larger game). The .30-06, no doubt, has also been used successfully to take grizzly and brown bear, but most people will advise a substantial step upwards in power to hunt these dangerous bears which can kill you if you do not solidly dispatch them. In my opinion, and I'm no expert just read a lot, the .30-06 is one of the best starter big game rifles because of its obvious versatility. If you become an avid big game hunter, you may choose to acquire additional rifles optimized for particular species -- for example a .25-06 for pronghorn antelope. The .30-06 can then fill the role of a backup rifle to these more specialized rifles. Others see no particular pleasure in having a number of rifles and are satisfied with one general purpose rifle -- for all but the dangerous bears the .30-06 fills that category pretty well.

BareBack Jack

You couldn't have picked a better all around caliber.The 30-06 will suite you fine on everyhing from deer to moose.
I know some guys like to go with diffent weights or grain of bullets for diffrent game like 150 gr bullets for deer antelope and thi skinned game and 180 gr for elk,big deer,moose,bear.
I say fooey on that,shoot good 180 gr bullets for all them critters,sight in 2 1/2 inches high at a 100 yds and pratice out to 300-350 yds.

I realy dout you hunt anything much bigger than elk in Washington,so you could even go with a 165 gr bullet and still be set.

Good Luck and welcom.
BBJ

Colorado Luckydog

Welcome! The 30.06 is one of the best all around calibers that there is. It's a great gun to start with and tosee how serious of a hunter you become. The moreserious that you get, the more you will want special calibers for different game. You could become a very serious hunter and never ever,need to upgrade from the 30.06! Great choice!

bsurplus2003

I shoot 06 and I use winchester nylon tips, brings em down hard. 180 grain bullet, set your scope 1 inch high at 100 yards. Practice with a gun rest to zero your scope. If you use cheap bullets they will be all over the map.............
Brett

Keith Miller

try a 7mm mag , great for all,if u could e mail me and tell me how to start a forum , im new too

txhunter58

Welcome both of you guys. As far as starting a new post, first you have to register and log in, then click on a category such as "big game hunting". At the very top of this forum, you will see an icon "new post". Click on that and fire away!

I would, however, have to dissagree with Keith. You already have a 30-06. This is truly a great gun from deer to elk. No reason to rush out and buy a 7 mm mag anytime soon. I say this in spite of the fact that I own a 7mm mag and not a '06. I assure you that out to 400 yards, any game you shoot at will never know the difference.

So, the consensus is that you made a great choice in caliber. Just need to try several different bullets and see what your gun likes. Then pratice enough to feel confident and you are ready to go hunting. Welcome back!

Muliefever

GOOD PHEASANT HUNTING RIGHT THERE ON THE BASE.!

sniperone

Good choice in caliber, this would be mine if I only had one big game rifle.
One of the most choices in over-the-counter bullet weights around. 150gr would be best for deer and up to 165gr for mulies. I like the 180gr for elk and up to 220gr for those up close shots on big bruin. This caliber has taken more deer (besides the .30-.30win.) to date. I beleive it to be the perfect gun for deer size targets within 350yds.
I have both, the .7mm mag and the 06,(along with others)I prefer the 06, it gets the job done.