Wolf killer

I need to vent. I just got back from my local sporting goods store. I went there to buy my father a 338-win mag for christmas. They had one 338-win mag in stock but I did not like the way it felt. The salesman tried to sell me a 338-ultra mag. I told him my father wanted a 338-win mag. I told him this would be his elk rifle. He told me "the 338-win mag is an outdated minimum of an elk rifle". He said he would only recommend a 338-ultra mag or larger for a elk rifle.
I was shocked. I saw no need to further our conversation. I walked out without buying anything.

Aught Six

Err, why did you put "30-06" in the title?

In any case, it sounds like your salesman doesn't have much business selling rifles. Was this a mom & pop shop or a regional/national chain store?

charlie brown

Yup, just as I suspected, the world is evolving. The animals are getting tougher and the cartridges that were once good, are now old and worn out. Sad sad story if you ask me

Nomercy

I guess I'm a little old fashioned, but would anyone like to do a record search on how many buffalo were killed with a .30WCF (.30-30win)? Maybe I'll just line up their tongues and let you walk around the world on them about 15 times.

The magnum craze IS INDEED because the world is evolving, into a bunch of lazy @$$'s...no one takes the time to go out and shoot their rifle, find out where it REALLY hits at different ranges, they want a flat shooting rifle that they can miss by 5-6" with and still get a fast kill.

Whatever happened to putting just enough stank in just the right place?

On a related note, anyone else see the article about the TWO cape buffalo killed by the same shot with a .45-70? Just goes to show you that an "out-dated" round, used properly, can still put on a good show!!

oldelkhunter

Sounds like he read a sports afield article by Bryce Towsley who absolutely loves that round. WK I don't find as many 338's wins as much as I used to on shelfs . Mostly 338 Ultras anymore. Look at Gunbroker They have a few. What brand are you interested in ?

My same question

JagMagMan

Uh, whats a 30-06 got to do with this?

ELKampMaster

Nomercy,

30-30 showed up in 1895, the great buffalo slaughter was essentially done by then, wrong cartridge I'm afraid.
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In answer to the thread title, "30-06 jack of all trades master of none?"

I would answer in the affirmative, yes, and a GREAT "jack of all trades" it is. That said, while it is one of the best (IMHO) first centerfire high power rifles one can start building a rack of rifles around..... the more rifles you get (especially if you spaced them out in terms of caliber) the LESS useful the 30-06 becomes as your rack of rifles increases and you now have speciality cartridges which are superior to the 30-06 for a given specialty, thus the "master of none".

However, a lot of folks find the 30-06 so satifactory that it becomes their mainstay, they find it sufficient and satisfactory for their hunting needs, the money goes somewhere else and then that is it. IMHO, nothing wrong with that, not the course all of us choose take however, and nothing wrong with taking that alternative (specialized) route either.
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BTW, if I was going into my piggy bank for a new, dedicated elk hammer it would be chambered for a "338RUM class" cartridge.

Wolf killer

The 30-06 was the gold standard that we measured other rifles against at one time.

Sorry about the lack of information in my post. My father is 65-years old he has hunted with his 30-06 for about 47-years? give or take a few years. He has killed a ton of elk & deer with this rifle. If I am to believe what that saleman was telling me? The 30-06 should only be used as a varmit round. The saleman was not giving any of the old & proven cartridges any respect. This guy sounded more like a computer salesman than a firearms saleman.
My father wants a 338-win mag for elk hunting. I figured he has bought me enough rifles, time for me to buy him a rifle or two.

brother hal

two comments:
1. get your dad what he wants. he did his part years ago.
2. the 30-06 is and has been the number 1 selling caliber for over 30 years. this is true in elk states as well. nothing wrong with a 30-06 as a elk rifle, if the hunter does his/her part. but if the old man wants a bigger gun, get it for him.

James B

I have seen overshoes that were smarter than that salesman. If the 338 Win Mag is a minimum for elk then all the elk killed buy rounds like the 243 and 25-06 were just faking and probably later escaped from the freezer. Yes the 30-30 has killed all North American game as has the 44-40 and 30-40 krag. and the 303 British and the 7x57 and the list goes on. The 30-06 has done it all so many times that most would not believe it and will continue to do so. If you want a 338 for your Dad it shouldn't be to hard to find and regardless of what the salesman said, he won't be under gunned.