[Dick284]

The 30'06 is 110 years old.
It still makes everyone's published list of best for cartridges in North America.
So what makes it so venerable, and versatile?

Recoil: the average hunter or shooter is comfortable with recoil energies at or not exceeding 20 ft lbs. the 30'06 delivers pretty much spot on 20 ft lbs of recoil from a 8 lb rifle shooting 180 grain bullets. So that makes it very controllable for the vast majority of those who choose to pull the trigger.

Trajectory: all the twisty is turney scope adjustments aside let's talk maximum point blank range(MPBR) for a 8" target for a minute. Shooting a typical 180 grain pointed bullet out of a 30'06 at a published 2700fps, typical set up for optics etc. If you sight in a touch over 3" high at 100 yards, you'll be around 4" low at 300 yards. Since the average game harvest distance here in Alberta is even still south of 200 yards, your more than capable with 180's in the old '06, even a bit farther if you choose lighter bullets like a 165grain.

Terminal Performance: the rule of 2800fps treats the 30'06 well. Conventionally designed cup and core bullets exhibit outstanding on game performance when they are kept at or below the 2800fps threshold for muzzle velocity. Published muzzle velocities for 180 and 165 grain loadings in the 30'06 are at or below this value. Therefore predictable and reliable on game performance occurs even with non gucchi bullets.

Heavy for caliber or the Keith camp of thinking: good old Elmer still gets mention here. He was a proponent of heavier for caliber bullets in an era of un complicated bullet design. Why? Because it worked that's why. Even Mr. O'Conner himself liked the .280 over the .270 because of more reliable bullet performance due to greater bullet weights. Reasonable bullet mass driven at moderate velocities, results in filled tags, even with un gucchi bullets.


So in conclusion.the 30'06 remains a versatile and capable cartridge because it doesn't kick the stuffings outta you, while providing a flat enough trajectory that most people don't have to overthink, all the while driving heavy enough bullets within acceptable speeds, to give reliable on game performance even from boring old style bullets.