.30-06 Springfield
U.S. Army service round turned the classic do-it-all hunting cartridge for any North American game.
Good for: Deer/hog, Elk/moose, Big/dangerous
A typical factory load is a 165 gr soft point bullet at about 2,800 ft/s, with roughly 2,872 ft-lbs of energy at the muzzle.
Typical load
165 grsoft pointMuzzle speed
2,800 ft/sMuzzle energy
2,872 ft-lbsTypical BC (G1)
≈ 0.40typical, varies by brandTwist rate
1:10Practical range
400–450 ydPoint-blank range
267 yd6" vital zoneRecommended platform
Standard rifle, 7–8 lbModerate recoil; snappy in an ultralightOn the Hunting Rifle Cartridges chart
Made to hunt
U.S. Army service round turned the classic do-it-all hunting cartridge for any North American game.
Typical load
165 grsoft point
Typical muzzle fps
2,800ft/s
Typical muzzle energy
2,872ft-lbs
Typical BC (G1)
≈ 0.40typical, varies by brand
Twist rate for typical load
1:10
Effective ethical range
400–450 yd
MPBR
267 yd6" vital zone · Near zero 25 yd · Far zero 229 yd · Min PBR 0 yd · Max PBR 267 yd · Sight-in @100 2.74" high
Recommended platform
Standard rifle, 7–8 lbModerate recoil; snappy in an ultralight
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On the Military Surplus chart
Service history
U.S. service round from 1906 through Korea.
Service rifles
M1903 Springfield, M1 Garand, BAR
Military load
150 grM2 ball
Typical muzzle fps
2,740ft/s
Typical muzzle energy
2,500ft-lbs
Typical BC (G1)
≈ 0.40typical, varies by brand
Twist rate for typical load
1:10
MPBR (iron sights)
260 yd6" vital zone · Near zero 15 yd · Far zero 221 yd · Min PBR 0 yd · Max PBR 260 yd · Sight-in @100 2.88" high
Hunting today
Yes: one of the most popular hunting rounds ever.
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Head-to-head comparisons
- .270 Winchester vs .30-06 Springfield
- .308 Winchester vs .30-06 Springfield
- .30-06 Springfield vs .300 Winchester Mag
- 8mm Mauser (8x57 IS) vs .30-06 Springfield
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Speed, energy and BC are typical figures for the listed load; real numbers vary by brand, lot and barrel length. Always check the ammo maker's data for your exact load.