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Old 01-14-2017, 09:03 PM
ForwardBias ForwardBias is offline
 
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Default 30-06 for Sheep

Any opinions on using the old aught 6 for sheep hunting?
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Old 01-14-2017, 09:04 PM
JustMe JustMe is offline
 
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Originally Posted by ForwardBias View Post
Any opinions on using the old aught 6 for sheep hunting?


If I was a betting man, I'd bet there's been a lot of sheep taken with the 30-06. It'll do more than fine.


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  #3  
Old 01-14-2017, 09:31 PM
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if you read and believe the "what gun will you never own" thread the 06 will be terribly boring and too easy so you should use something else. in other words yes it should make an awesome sheep rifle.
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Old 01-14-2017, 09:50 PM
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An awful lot of big game was killed with the .30-06 including the big bears before everyone became affluent enough to own a rifle for every species of game they might hunt.
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Old 01-14-2017, 10:11 PM
.300ultramag .300ultramag is offline
 
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Almost perfect for sheep, especially when the operator takes advantage of the cheap ammunition and shoots a ton, if anyone tells you that it isn't enough for sheep, smile, nod, and go kill a smoker ram
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Old 01-15-2017, 12:19 AM
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Default 30-06

30-06 is a great cartridge, have used it for years and on more critters personally and professionally than i kept track of.. Ranges from muzzle to 500+ m and never lost an animal if i did my part.

Yes it is fine for sheep and anything else that calls the Rockies home!
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Old 01-15-2017, 06:28 AM
West O'5 West O'5 is offline
 
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The ol'ought-six has been my old faithful go to for 30+ years now.probky kilt a 53' reefer van worth of meat with it,mice to meese and most critters in between.
I'm currently shopping around/deciding between doing either a full custom long range build or high end semi-custom rifle(Fierce?Christensen?Cooper?) for gongs out to 1000y and hunting within my own personal limitations,and while I'm leaning towards either a 7RemMag or .300WM...(boring like everybody else)....I'm seriously considering getting it done in 30-06??
Call me crazy but why not.....plenty of .308Win fanboys stretching them out that far and beyond.
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Last edited by West O'5; 01-15-2017 at 06:34 AM.
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Old 01-15-2017, 06:46 AM
-JR- -JR- is offline
 
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You knew the answer before you asked.
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Old 01-15-2017, 07:36 AM
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Dick284 Dick284 is offline
 
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.30 US Government of 1906, 7.62x63, 30-06 Springfield, Thirty Ought Six, Ought six, Thirty O Six.

Or however you call it, is, was, and will continue to be one of the most versatile, and therefore used cartridges for hunting North American big game.

Why?

Because it uses bullets of suitable mass and diameter, driven at suitable velocities, providing suitable trajectories, while producing recoil in an average weight rifle that the average person doesn't find objectionable, all the while typically being produced in a rifle, when set up with optics a package which seldom comes in over 8.5 pounds.

Let's break down this last paragraph.

What does it mean a bullet of suitable mass and diameter?
This means the typical bullet used for hunting (150-180 grain) is heavy enough when travelling at speeds the cartridge will develop, to result in desirable penetration and expansion on game animals, without falling to pieces or failing to expand. In the simplest term critters seem to die effectively when shot by such bullets.

What is a suitable trajectory? This simply means a hunter can utilize a maximum point blank range style of zeroing, with the cartridge when using typical hunting bullets, to extend the minimal hold over distance to that which the average shooters skill set allows. (300-350 yds) factoring in optics, shooting skill, and range estimating abilities.

What is meant by objectionable recoil?
Through many ramblings and writings of the past, the recoil energy value of approximately 20 ftlbs, has since become the value in which it is felt the average person(male) tolerates recoil, without developing bad habits such as flinching. Of course stock design, recoil pads, and the individual will skew this value, but let's take the average off the shelf production rifle chambered in 30-06, loaded with 180 grain bullets(2700 fps, 57 grain powder charge), scoped up, with an total set up weight of 8 pounds.
If we utilize an online calculator for recoil such as here:
http://www.handloads.com/calc/recoil.asp
You'll find that the recoil energy is almost bang on 20ftlbs.
Why does this matter?
Because if the shooter finds the recoil objectionable, they tend to practice very little, and develop bad habits such as flinching, therefore making their abilities as a rifleman and shooter less effective.

And finally why is the rifle weight important?
Seeing as the typical battle rifles which where of a bolt action configuration usually tipped the scales at right around the 9.5-10 pound mark, and well not too many soldiers were in capable of lugging their No 4 Enfield, or 03 Springfield around in a combat setting all day long, it's easy to see shaving a couple pounds of weight off would be pretty functional for the average weekend hunter who perhaps has a fairly sedentary life most days. Yes lighter rifles now exist, but then the recoil value will increase, and the abilities to hold the rifle steady begin to diminish as well. Lighter bullets, of better construction can be had, but let's face it a 7 pound 30-06 all scoped up is danged light and much lighter is far from what most hunters will be able to afford.



So to the OP.
Why do you question the 30-06 as a sheep rifle?
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Last edited by Dick284; 01-15-2017 at 07:43 AM.
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  #10  
Old 01-15-2017, 07:51 AM
Pathfinder76 Pathfinder76 is offline
 
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Ive killed sheep with it if that is what you are asking?
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  #11  
Old 01-15-2017, 09:29 AM
ForwardBias ForwardBias is offline
 
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Im going to have a semi custom rifle built, primarily for back country hunting. I learned on a 243 growing up hunting, hunted with a 270 for a few years, and have now hunt with an 06. When first planning the build I had considered going with a 270, or 280. Those chamberings seem to be in fashion with the sheep hunting crowd, along with the 7mm-08, 6.5 whatever etc etc. I am pretty setup to run 30 06, having quality dies, brass, suitable powders, and a healthy supply of 30 cal bullets. You are right in that I have my mind pretty much made up, but always like hearing from guys with more experience. I don't shoot at game over 300m as a personal rule, so the other offerings listed don't really offer much more in trajectory.
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Old 01-15-2017, 10:11 AM
elkdump elkdump is offline
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Impossible with an obsolete caliber as the 30-06 ,

Add to that the caliber is ancient, in use for over 110 years, boring and generic

There are so many bad things to be said about the 30-06 ,,,,,

For the detractors of 30-06 dependability and infamy ?

The 30-06 is still to this day one the top 3 selling rifle calibers in North America
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  #13  
Old 01-15-2017, 12:14 PM
sekhon007 sekhon007 is offline
 
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Default 3006 sheep

3006 is more and enough capable for sheep the round has been used for years and years for hunting. It is a versatile round as you can load from 100grain bullets to 220. I use it from huntimg coyotes to bear, elk and moose.
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Old 01-15-2017, 06:06 PM
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super7mag super7mag is offline
 
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I think sometimes us as hunters tend to overthink rifle/ cartridge selection. I would say if you want to build an 06' for sheep hunting fill your boots. There is no question about if it will get the job done. Personally I prefer the 270win , but that's just an opinion.
What are you looking at building.
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  #15  
Old 01-16-2017, 08:55 AM
Frank the Thank Frank the Thank is offline
 
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I don't own any 30-06, but can't not go wrong with 30-06
Go get the sheep!!!
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  #16  
Old 01-16-2017, 04:04 PM
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Harder question to answer would be what is the good ol '06 not good for? Make sure you post pics and story after your hunt.
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  #17  
Old 01-16-2017, 04:32 PM
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And anything else you wish to take.
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  #18  
Old 01-16-2017, 04:41 PM
Slicktricker Slicktricker is offline
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My old 30-06 has a lot of sheep taken with it when grandad owned it
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Old 01-16-2017, 10:12 PM
colroggal colroggal is offline
 
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Even John Moses Browning needed the 30-06 as a template for superior firepower. The only thing he could think of was making it bigger. The 50 bmg is nothing more than a dimensionally larger 30-06.

If John browning couldn't come up with a better mid-bore no one can

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  #20  
Old 01-16-2017, 10:55 PM
Bigiron Bigiron is offline
 
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If there's one caliber to own. ... .30-06 is my first choice
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  #21  
Old 01-16-2017, 11:01 PM
warriorboy10 warriorboy10 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigiron View Post
If there's one caliber to own. ... .30-06 is my first choice
I concur.. Go get a sheep!!
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  #22  
Old 01-17-2017, 11:16 AM
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I've killed three Rams with an '06. It's plenty capable.
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  #23  
Old 01-17-2017, 12:28 PM
Jeron Kahyar Jeron Kahyar is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RobTurbo View Post
Harder question to answer would be what is the good ol '06 not good for? Make sure you post pics and story after your hunt.
Had a Graboid burst through my basement wall. Lucky my wife (Reba McEntire) was there to assist. The old Thirty Ought Six was no match for this beast!

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...e5/Graboid.jpg

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  #24  
Old 01-18-2017, 02:14 PM
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Especially with a good handload the 06 really shines, 63.0 grains of RL-22 produce almost 3000 fps in my 22" barrel with a 165 grain accubond. If thats not perfect sheep medicine, don't know what is.
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Old 02-20-2017, 04:47 PM
Luckybrand Luckybrand is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Double Dropper View Post
Especially with a good handload the 06 really shines, 63.0 grains of RL-22 produce almost 3000 fps in my 22" barrel with a 165 grain accubond. If thats not perfect sheep medicine, don't know what is.
30-06 is an amazing rifle and reloading only makes it better,
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  #26  
Old 02-21-2017, 10:22 AM
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Too mundane. Spend double on ammo with something exotic.
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  #27  
Old 02-21-2017, 11:07 AM
spoiledsaskhunter spoiledsaskhunter is offline
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..........just take your .22 lr or a .17. no problem!
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  #28  
Old 02-22-2017, 10:48 AM
HuntinGuy HuntinGuy is offline
 
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It's a perfect all around cartridge. For a specific sheep rifle I'd just neck it to a flatter shooting better BC 284. But an odd six will kill them more dead with a rounder trajectory.


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