Survey: Your Favorite .30 Caliber

[IdaRam]

300 H&H

 

[Bignut]

300 Savage, old Winchester silver tip

 

[Pondoro]

.308Win. with 180 grain Nosler Partition..

If a more heavy bullet is required a 235 grain TSX in .375H&H is a better choice than the bigger .300´s..

Off topic, but the 8x68S is also a very interesting round say for the Plains of Namibia..

 

[Dr Ray]

I’ve owned 2 30/06s and lived them. But I sold them and replaced them with my purpose built 300 Winchester.
I prefer to use the 180 grain Bullets.
But I think the 06 is THE classic.

 

[John Telford]

.308Win. with 180 grain Nosler Partition..

If a more heavy bullet is required a 235 grain TSX in .375H&H is a better choice than the bigger .300´s..

Off topic, but the 8x68S is also a very interesting round say for the Plains of Namibia..

Yes indeed!

 

[gebo824]

300 Win Mag, Federal Premium 180g Trophy Bonded Tip or Nosler Partion. My Savage 16/116 bear hunter shoots either within an inch or so at 100yd. This has >40 different species to its credit, from Africa & NA, from steenbok to bison.

My first rifle is an early Ruger M77 in 30-06 bought at a pawn shop some 30yrs ago. It never was super accurate with 180g (twist rate too slow?) so haven't used it in a long time.

The 300WM Savage fits (with LOP spacer) & works repeatedly, so no desire to change what is working. Only problem was when accidently clicked open the muzzle brake removing from the soft case & missed a springbok. Realized it, clicked it closed, & had an accurate followup. Open to closed brake makes a 3-4" difference at 100yd. I sight-in & use it with the brake closed so the PH/guide won't yell at me for hearing damage!

 

[ActionBob]

Wow I have several, 308, 300 WSM, 300 RUM, can't forget the several 30-30's and various 7.62's. Love the venerable 30-06 which I have several, want to say the 300 H&H but reality is I like a couple rifles in the WM and 06 better than what I have in the old H&H. Probably respect the abilities of the 300 WM the most, second best performance for the recoil behind the 30-06 in my mind, but hits just that much harder that I'd prefer it in my hands if I had to take down something big or distant.

But overall "favorite"... has to be the 30-06. Although if I could have only one (heaven forbid), I'd take a 300 WM.

 

[Brent in Az]

30-06 for me.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

.30-06 for me, noting it's the only. 30 caliber I've owned and fired. I'm flexible on projectile specifics to suit what I'm looking to do.

Whups - I forgot about the Universal .30 carbine I had as a young bachelor for plinking and personal defense. I never hunted anythingwith it, and never thought about huntinganythingwith it.

The .30-06 by a mile.

 

[Viral_SIGness]

.30-06 for me, noting it's the only. 30 caliber I've owned and fired.

I'm sorry that it's your only .30 caliber experience. Very sad.

 

[MISportsman]

Don't get me wrong, I love my .300 win mag, but my 30-06 is still my all-time favorite! The load depends on what I'm hunting, but that's why I love the '06 there is a load for everything from coyote to moose! If I had to choose I'd have to try to decide between the 180gr a-frame and federals 180gr trophy bonded tip.

 

[Brent in Az]

I've hunted with a handful of the .30 cals.
30-30, .300 Savage, .303 British, .308, 30-06, .300 WM. I've taken many animals with the 30-06, and it's always been my favorite.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

30-06

 

[mdwest]

I love them all....

If I had to pick just one, it would probably be the .308 though.. Ammo readily available all over the globe and is affordable.. It does well in shorter barrels (only loses about 25 fps per inch) and comes in a short action, which lends itself to a short, light, handy rifle.. and every major rifle manufacturer I am aware of is still cranking out 308 rifles.. so your platform options are almost unlimited..

And I've got a couple of 308's that have laser like accuracy out to 300 yards (as far as I would ever shoot them against game animals), that love barnes TTSX like a fat kid loves cake...

Shy of a big bear or a nilgai there insnt anything in the western hemisphere that it wont take (moose might be controversial.. but plenty of guys hunt moose with 30's and 7mm's all the time)..

While its not an old school classic like the 30-06 or the 300 H&H, it has stood the test of time, and is rapidly approaching its 70th birthday (originally designed and loaded in 1952.. the H&H is only 27 years older. it was first designed in 1925)..

 

[dan donnelly]

I am a big fan of the 30-06. It is my favorite round, I have used it to take most of my moose and caribou in my home country. It keeps me fed.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

I'm sorry that it's your only .30 caliber experience. Very sad.

Oh, it's OK. .30-06 and have been on a break and that'll continue for a couple of years at least. In the mean time, I've been happy with .25, .264, and now .284 in my harem.

 

[Viral_SIGness]

It does well in shorter barrels ..

So does the .375 Ruger

 

[K-man]

I have a .30/30 winchester lever, a blaser .30-06 and a weatherby .300 win mag. My favorite depends on what I am hunting and where. Nothing seemed more "right" than tucking that .30/30 into a leather scabbard on a horse to go hunt in the snow in New Mexico. That .300 win mag has the most legs of any gun I have ever owned, shooting moa at 300 yards, it goes on my mountain sheep hunts. But the new blaser r8 .30-06 is a fantastic rifle and I believe it is fast becoming my new favorite! It will go with me to Africa the next time I am wheels up.

 

[Badboymelvin]

.300 Weatherby for me.

Easily the COOLEST .30 out there...

 

[Edge]

The one rifle I reach for is a Colt Light Rifle reworked by Mr Melvin Forbes with his NULA stock, new trigger and firing pin spring...Chambered in 30-06 Springfield.

The combination of a 24” barrel, balance and weight under 6lbs sans scope is my usual hunting companion.

l’ve used it hunting the Pennsylvania Allegheny mountains as a walking rifle, from box stands in the south , pulling it up on a rope into my climbing tree stand, to hunting Africa. Taking game from Bobcat, Grysbok, Civet on the small side up to Zebra (x2), Kudu, Hyena and Waterbuck. It’s my right hand with 165 grain bullets, either Partitions or Peregrines.

I’ve taken a lot of game with the 30-06 and if I know I will be taking long shots (>300 yards) at large animals I will grab my 300 WBY.