Famous Users Of The .30-06 Springfield Against African Dangerous Game

[Hunter-Habib]

30-06 will kill anything on the planet. Only pussies believe this crap about minimums.

So can the 7x57mm Mauser.

But there is clearly a difference between “Can kill” and “Should be be used to kill”. Esp. when the target is something large and dangerous which can potentially hunt us back.

 

[Daisy]

We use to cull hippo with 30-06 using 220gr bullets....

How many of each of the dangerous 7 have you harvested?

 

[Ryan]

While he used a .375 H&H quite a bit, I recall Wally Johnson claiming he killed elephant and/or buffalo with a 30-06 during his ivory hunting days in the book The Last Ivory Hunter:The Saga of Wally Johnson, written by Peter Hathaway Capstick. I also recall him talking about taking lion with a 30-30. And Harry Selby let his daughter Gail kill an elephant once with the .275 Rigby originally owned by Karamojo Bell, gifted to Selby by Robert Ruark.

 

[Ruraldoc]

A family friend, the late Bobbie Joe Parsons, used her Steyr Carbine in 7x57 to take Cape Buffalo and Rhino with 175 grain solids.She used the same rifle to take a lot of plains game as well.

She was the daughter of former Alabama governor George Wallace. She was a small lady and did not shoot bigger guns than her 7x57.

Just because you can do something does not necessarily mean you should. Most of us have no problem with a 375.

 

[CBH Australia]

Apparently as mentioned, Jack O'Connor had no problems with it. I picked up a letter he sent to an individual that was planning a trip to the Yukon in 1956. The person was apparently trying to decide between a 30-06 and a 35 Whelen.

Did you hear that @Bob Nelson 35Whelen

Sounds like the .30-06 can do it anyway,

30-06 will kill anything on the planet.

Probably but Bob will be along to tell you the Whelen will do it better.

 

[mark-hunter]

How many famous African hunters can you all think of who used a .30-06 Springfield to take members of the African Big 5 ?

Two that come in mind immediately: Theodor Roosevelt, and Ernest Hemmingway.
From various writings, I came to conclusion that Hemingway did not overly like his 577 because of recoil. Besides, his first safari was done without 577, and on the other hand he just loved 30-06. To be noted that his favorite calibers were 22lr, and shotguns (he was shotgunner first, then the rest).
TR rifle for safari was new design (1903), and only three years later US Army switched to different bullet (1906), he went on safari 1909 - so his caliber could be 30-03 or 30-06. (practical twins)

30-06 on DG in general: I think this has to be looked at in the contest of time, as a step in evolution of hunting DG from black powder to modern standard.
30-06 was then new, seamed like "magic caliber" of the time when majority of rifles were still black powder.
There was lack of caliber regulations or restrictions in many countries.

Famous hunters were celebrities of their time, their equipment was know, etc.
In the same time... I am sure much more poaching was done by whatever was at hand, by thousands of poachers in last 100 years.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Did you hear that @Bob Nelson 35Whelen

Sounds like the .30-06 can do it anyway,

Probably but Bob will be along to tell you the Whelen will do it better.

@CBH Australia
OF course mate anything the good ol ought six will do the Whelen will do better
You didn't expect me to say any different day d you.
Bob

 

[86thecat]

Hunter-Habib,
The old Nitro-ex site has an area of online books, nickudu files, that are downloadable. Your friend could download these and create a searchable data base to research for his writing.
Just a thought.

 

[Foxi]

Last week I read "The Rediscovered Country" by Stewart Edward White on his 1913 safari in German East Africa. He used his Springfield on some lion and leopard. Although preferring his .405 WIN, it seems he used whatever rifle he had in his hands. Bullets used were described as spitzer pointed bullet of Winchester 165 gr. and U.M.C. 172 gr. weight.

a wonderful book about the old times in Ikoma.
In Germany you can find it under "mit Pfeil und Bogen auf Löwenjagd" with "bow and arrow on lionhunt" .

But he also wrote, that when the second shooter had to go home (PH Leslie Tarleton) he alone wasn't enough of a security man and they didn't do the lion hunt with bow and arrow.
I think he carried a .30-06 for it,did he?

My PH Hartley in Luangwa shot in his younger days lot of buffs with .30-06
"when you understand the buffalo...."

 

[AZDAVE]

The gun writer Sam Falda took a couple buffalo with a 06 if my memory serves me.