Oh so confusing...is the 30-06 enough?

[PaulT]

I have a tremendous amount of respect for the 30/06, having hunted several countries, including Zimbabwe, with one that was my favorite medium caliber for over a decade.

In Africa I had a lot of problems with mine although I didn't loose an animal,
we did spend a lot of time tracking game that had been hit well.

Hunters sometimes seem to ignore that the cartridge is simply a vessel for the bullets that actually kill and do the damage.

In Zimbabwe I shot Sable, kudu, Waterbuck and others and ALL of my animals ran, sometimes several hundred yards.
Sure they were dead when we found them but even with well placed shots it was obvious the bullets were not penetrating.

I hit an Impala walking towards me on a game trail at no more than 40yds. It ran off !!!
When we found it we also found the projectile had tumbled and the base was sticking out of the hide just behind the shoulder.
Think that this was a full frontal shot to where the neck joins the chest and wonder how the bullet did a full 180 ???

As a result of the performance on this and other game in the preceding days I ended up passing up my one and only opportunity on Eland as I lacked confidence in my bullets.

The 30/06 is plenty of cartridge and more than adequate for medium and large plains game when loaded with quality bullets, assuming placement is correct.

T.S.X's, North Forks, C.E.B's and A-frames are what I would be loading for and expensive overseas hunt, or any other hunt involving killing game, as opposed to shooting at the range.

Best of luck to you on your hunt.

 

[jand]

Go do the hunt with your 30 06. Its more than enough gun.

Have fun

 

[MT Griz]

30'06 will work just fine. Enjoy your hunt and shoot straight!

 

[raimanparoni]

I use Nosler Accubond 165gr in my 30-06 and it works well and is accurate

 

[seattlesetters]

And with a 180 gr TTSX you're equivalent to an old cup and core 200 gr I'd argue.

I’d argue that a 150 TTSX and it’s greater velocity will out-penetrate an old cup and core 200 grain bullet.

I’d expect nothing but complete pass-throughs from the 168 TTSX at all reasonable ranges in a .30-06.

The greatest performance of any bullet I’ve ever seen was a bullet that went in at the point of the left shoulder of a facing bull elk, broke said shoulder, destroyed internals, completely destroyed right hip and left a 1” diameter exit wound in the right butt cheek. The 6x6 bull weighed approximately 1,000 lbs on the hoof, and the bullet was a 120 grain TTSX fired from a .260 Rem at a distance of 200 yards.

 

[Eric Anderson]

Reading all the various posts on AH in regards to plains game and wildebeest.

Is the 30-06 loaded with 165/168 grain solids (ttsx, tsx, etc.) sufficient for dropping wildebeest?

After hunting RSA in 2017, my 06 was well accepted by all the land owners and other hunters I met.

I'm now thinking of taking 2 rifles. A .375 or .416 for wildebeest and my 06 for other PG.

All suggestions and options will be greatly appreciated.

Another question: Is the 6.8 SPC, 130 grain, PSP bullet on PG (ie blesbuck, impala, springbok, warthog, etc.) sufficient?

I took my one and only blue wildebeest with a lee-enfield number 5 mk 1. The ammunition was WWII loaded cordite. If that short barreled rifle using ammunition designed for 24”+ barrels ( every other enfield) will do the trick, then any modern sane loading for a 30-06 will do fine. I would just stick with 165 grain and up bullets. I dropped a zebra last year with 180 grain Remington Core-Loks. DRT.
Just stay away from bullets designed for southeastern whitetail.

 

[WFet]

Got my Blue Wildebeest with .30-06 shooting Barnes 180 grain. Dropped it on the spot.

 

[Ragman]

The only thing that I find confusing is why anyone would not have faith in one of the greatest rounds ever produced? I don't own one myself, but I wouldn't hesitate for a second to use one on a PG hunt. Shot my gemsbok with my PH's .30-06 and it folded like a cheap suit.