30-06 Rifle for Plains Game - How Big?

[JG26Irish_2]

I did my first safari in South Africa this year and took a pair of rifles with me for a plains game hunt. It was a pair of FN Browning Hi-Power rifles in 308 and 375HH. These were going to also accompany me in 2025 for a DG/PG hunt. The 1st trip was a practice run and a shake down of the equipment, much of which was new to me. Both rifles performed flawlessly and I took five animals with the 308. All were one shot kills at ranges from 20y to 202y. The largest being a Gemsbok. For 2025 we altered our plan a bit and will be hunting both Limpopo and Free State. The more open territory of Free State will result in more longer shots. My PH advised that we could see shots of 200-400y depending on conditions. This is where comes the rub. My 308 while very accurate wears an old clunky vintage Balvar scope in 2.5-8x. The glass is superb but the tapered reticle has no mil dots or other references to hold over for longer shots and adjusting on the fly is not an option due to the old design. I like the set up and do not want to spoil it by replacing the Balvar with a newer FFP MIL scope. But, that is what I need for shots out past 300y. So, what to do? My answer is to buy another rifle, lol.

I looked around and considered a 270 Mauser that I already owned but as nice as it is, it was not a tack driver and was a 1.5 moa rifle. I looked at 300HH but ammo and brass is harder to find for that. 300WM was an obvious choice but since the 308 worked so well I decided to stay with a non-magnum 30 cal. I wanted a Mauser style CRF action like my FN and when all was said and done, I ended up with a nice very old Husqvarna Imperial in 30-06. This is a commercial rifle that was built as a sporter and having shot it for the first time I could not be more pleased. It is a near half MOA rifle with most of the ammo I tested. Best was Rem Premier Swift Scirocco 180g that grouped 0.61" at 100y. Next was 180g Barnes TTSX grouping 0.72" and Federal Fusion tipped 180g which grouped 0.89". Clearly, it is a shooter. I shot some groups at 300y with both the Scirocco's which were 4" but had two within 1" and might still do better. The Barnes ammo was outstanding with a group of 2.02" at 300y. I also hit some steel plates at 400y. 12" plate was a hit on the first shot as was a larger IPSC tgt but I cannot verify the longer dope until I do so more testing. So, that is enough background. Read on to see my question.

My bag list for 2025 is under revision to include a few Free State critters to go with what I had already. It will include black wildebeest and possibly waterbuck or red hartebeest. Also Zebra, Kudu and maybe Eland. I will be hunting buffalo with the 375 and have the option to shoot PG with it as well as long as it is in range of that rifle. But it will be limited to 300y range and less. Thinking of Kudu, Eland, Black Wildebeest or Zebra. Would any of you hesitate to shoot those or similar animals at ranges out to 400y with a 30-06 as long as you are confident you can make the shot? Assuming we use a 180g bonded or monolithic bullet. If you are ok with the 30-06 would you have any preference between the Scirocco, the Barnes TTSX or the Fusion? (BTW - I used 180g fusions in the 308 this year and they worked magnificently). Every shot was a pass-thru and every animal was a 1 shot kill. So, I was predisposed to prefer it but the others shot better so, they are in the lead. The Sciroccos are the closest to the Fusions in construction. My only experience with Barnes was with a Blue Wildebeest at 160y this year. Using a TSX the 1st shot killed it but it took two more to finish it quickly as opposed to letting it struggle for a while. I could use the 375 or the 30-06 for example on Kudu. Shots will not be more than 100-150y. But if the 30-06 is enough which I think it is, why drag out the big gun? Zebra is another tougher beast. They are very wary and I will be lucky to get off a shot at less than 200y and really, would prefer to use the 30-06 if out past that distance as long as we are confident that it will do the job?

If you have harvested big game with a 30-06, please share with us which ammo and bullet/wt you used, which animal and how did it perform? Were follow up shots required? Long stalks? Would you do anything differently? Also, if you have used the TTSX bullets on large game, how well did it perform? Photos of my 308, the 30-06 Swede and the Barnes bullets found in the Blue Wildebeest are attached for fun.

 

[mark-hunter]

I zero my 30-06 at 200 mtrs, and I wouldn't hunt at longer then 220 - 230 meters of point blank range.

For distances over 300 meters, 300 win mag has much better point blank range - and better energy.
In short, I wouldn't go with anything less then 300 win mag on a hunt of your description.
On 4 safaris so far, I was never in position to fire shot at longer then 250 meters,

However, it is just me. I am sure that a skilled rifleman can do the same with 30-06 at 400.

I always keep in mind, I dont go to Africa every weekend, and once I do go, I want to have as much variables that I control to work to my advantage. So, for such distances I would choose 300 win mag, or 338 win mag.

Some other thoughts.
You said you have 375? It replicates the trajectory of 30-06.
Why not using that? Take 270 grain TTSX bullets.
Same trajectory, better punch!

Things to your advantage:
Finally, making long shots at game makes the job of PH much easier, and your life a bit harder, and this also happens on your financial responsibility in case of wounding and loss of animal.
This is not a great deal.

Discuss all this with PH, and ask for possibility of closer range shots in this particular area, 200 - 250 meters? Take additional 2-3 days of hunting in camp, to give your self additional time for good stalking. Make closer and harder stalking for yourself and easier shot.

 

[sgt_zim]

I zero my 30-06 at 200 mtrs, and I wouldn't hunt at longer then 220 - 230 meters of point blank range.

For distances over 300 meters, 300 win mag has much better point blank range - and better energy.
In short, I wouldn't go with anything less then 300 win mag on a hunt of your description.
On 4 safaris so far, I was never in position to fire shot at longer then 250 meters,

However, it is just me. I am sure that a skilled rifleman can do the same with 30-06 at 400.

I always keep in mind, I dont go to Africa every weekend, and once I do go, I want to have as much variables that I control to work to my advantage. So, for such distances I would choose 300 win mag, or 338 win mag.

Some other thoughts.
You said you have 375? It replicates the trajectory of 30-06.
Why not using that? Take 270 grain TTSX bullets.
Same trajectory, better punch!

Things to your advantage:
Finally, making long shots at game makes the job of PH much easier, and your life a bit harder, and this also happens on your financial responsibility in case of wounding and loss of animal.
This is not a great deal.

Discuss all this with PH, and ask for possibility of closer range shots in this particular area, 200 - 250 meters? Take additional 2-3 days of hunting in camp, to give your self additional time for good stalking. Make closer and harder stalking for yourself and easier shot.

100% this.

180 gr fired from 30-06 has ~same MV as 270 gr fired from a 375 H&H. With comparable BCs of bullets, ballistic arcs will be close enough that you won't be able to tell the difference.

Same sort of situation exists with 9.3x62 firing 286 gr and 308 Win firing 180 gr.

If I were hunting Free State, and I may be for black wildebeest and springbok in 2027, I'd be bringing my 280 AI. If you're going to bring 2 rifles, bring a fast 7mm or a 300 WM. Otherwise, just stick with the 375.

 

[JMM]

I have culled a lot of animals in Africa with the 30-06. Last trip was to Namibia during a terrible drought. Average shots were 250-350 yards due to barren ground. Shot a lot of zebra, gemsbok, wildes on that trip. All with 180 grain pills. Sierra Pro Hunters and Swift Sciroccos are very accurate, hit with authority and expand/stay together. I'm running about 2850 fps at muzzle. For me that is dead on at 100 yards, 3" low at 200 yards, 1 foot low at 300 yards, 2 feet low at 400 yards and 4 feet low at 500 yards. Easy to remember and have done it enough to know what that looks like relative to body size.

 

[mark-hunter]

If I am lucky, my next shot in Africa will be at 30 meters, with 300 grains solid....

 

[375er]

Agreed. .375 with a good 270 gr bullet is a one and done in my book. I used this exact combo out past 300 yds with no complaints.

 

[Ryan]

Barnes TTSX 168 Grain on 8 animals in Namibia on two trips. Smallest was a springbok, largest was 2 kudu and a zebra. One shot each and nothing went more than a couple feet. I was prepared and confident in using that load for eland with the right shot, it just never happened on those two trips. Closest shot was 30 or so yards, farthest was 220-ish, most in between in the 100-120 range. All were pass throughs except my zebra which was a quartering shot facing towards me. I broke the front leg on the way in, went through about every organ and stuck in the hide on the far side. The bullet was intact, all four petals open. It's a proven round by a lot of reports on this forum and others.

 

[randallhebert]

Shot a giraffe, 2 shots, frontal chest then left shoulder broad side. He went 100 yds, eland quartering away behind last rib through front shoulder went about 60 yds., plus a steenbok all with 165 gr tssx 3006. No problems

 

[vlwtx348]

I used a camp rifle (Parker Hale) in .30-'06 in Namibia in 2012 on Kudu, gemsbok and zebra. Remington Core-Lokt 180 gr.
One shot kills on all. Shoulder shots.

A .30-'06 with the right bullets will kill anything on the planet.

 

[dchum]

Ya I just used Hornady SP 180 gr. In my 30-06

Zebra to steenbok. Big Hartmanns zebra quartering too at 175 yards. Broke shoulder and dropped dead.

 

[Ridge Runner]

First and second safaris I used my 30-06 with 165 and 168 grain bullets. Animals killed:

1 Bush Buck
1 Warthog
2 Springbok (my longest kill shot at 359yards 1 shot)
2 Blesbok
2 Impala
2 Kudu (my second longest shot at 200+ yards 2 shots, both over 200 yards, 2nd was a follow up shot, hunting thick cover, collapsed about 50 yards from 2nd shot)
1 Red Hartebeest
1 Blue Wildebeest
1 Black Wildebeest

Third safari I used my 375H&H with 300gr soft and solid bullets. Animals killed:

1 Yellowtail Mongoose
1 Warthog
1 Baboon
1 Lechwe
1 Eland
1 Gemsbok
1 Cape Buff
1 Hippo

Either the 30-06 or the 375 should be all you need with a proper choice of bullet(s) for the game you listed.

 

[BryceM]

I have used 180gr TTSX in Africa on Eland, multiple gemsbok, multiple kudu, blesbok, blue wildebeest, black wildebeest, hartebeest, duiker, zebra (Hartmans and Burchels), waterbuck, multiple springbok, steenbok, muliplte warthog, and multiple impala. In the USA, I've used it on moose, multiple elk, pronghorn, and several mulies. A couple of those USA critters were with 100gr TTSX in .257. One cape buff with a 400 gr TSX.

Since I started using them, I've recovered every animal I hit except one waterbuck. That one was most likely my fault from poor shot placement. I've recovered two bullets. One from the hide on the far side of the eland and the TSX on the far side of the buff. Everything else exited. One gemsbok gave us a lengthy afternoon-long pursuit due to a first shot that wasn't great, possibly deflected by brush. Both zebras took little voyages after being hit. The mountain zebra about 200 yards, and the Burchels went a few miles (again, my fault). Fortunately both were recovered. Nothing else went more than 100 yards. Most critters fell within 20 yards or so. I've used them on elk beyond 500 yards with excellent results. The mountain zebra was probably 300 yards. Meat and hide damage from my .300 Wby is enormously better than I was getting with partitions and accubonds. Usually one little hole in, and a slightly larger hole going out, even on springbok and steenbok. Nothing blown up or pulverized. Killing power seems to be as good or better.

If your shot placement is decent, I favor penetration over expansion every day of the week. The TTSX always gives you penetration and almost always gives you excellent expansion. It works better the faster you push it. The 180gr TTSX is perfect fodder for the .300 RUM and 300 Wby. For the .30-06, I'd drop down to the next smaller weight. I use 150 gr TTSX in my .308 Win.

More recently, I've switched to Bergers, as they shoot a little better in my new rig, but I'm planning a bison hunt later this year with TTSX in .375 H&H. If I had to pick one expanding bullet to use the rest of my life it would be the TTSX.

 

[FlyGuy]

A .30-'06 with the right bullets will kill anything on the planet.

Here’s a list of African game / sizes, I haven’t killed with a 30-06.

- Crocodile
- Elephant
- Rhino
- Hippo
- Lion
- Leopard

165gr Swift Scirocco II, 165gr NPT or 180gr Swift A-Frame.

Here’s the list of distances I haven’t killed anything with a 30-06 and said bullets.
0-8m
460m +

There’s a reason why it’s called The King!

 

[Fatback]

I just got back from Zimbabwe last week. I shot a kudu at 225 yards, a bushbuck at 80 yards, impala at 120 yards and a baboon at 125 yards. All with my 30-06 and 200 grain AFrames loaded by Safari Arms with a MV of 2,570 ft/second. All were complete pass through except the kudu which was quartering away and the bullet went in just in front of the last rib on his left side and we recovered the bullet under the skin of his right shoulder. Preformed perfectly. I’m sure 180 grain pills going a bit faster would have worked just as well. It’s just a personal preference of mine for heavy for caliber bullets moving a bit slower and I limit my shot distances accordingly. YMMV

 

[375Fox]

I’d have no problem using a 30/06 on kudu, zebra, and less with proper bullets like you described. It’s suitable for eland but I’d be much more selective on the shots I’d take with it. I’d likely opt for 375 in that case if you had it. I’d learn to shoot it well to 300 yards. Eland can vary a lot in body size depending free range or small farm, age, and region. I’ve them with 308, 300 win, 375 and killed them all quickly but I have felt undergunned at times. Eland bulls can get big. I’ve taken 2 in this size category. This one was taken at 250 yards with 375 H&H 300 gr bullets.

 

[Jonathan Kashouty]

30-06 with Barnes/Swift bullets will do fine. Last trip to Zimbabwe loaded my .375 H&H with 235 grain Barnes TSX and dropped all PG animals on the spot. Shot placement is the key factor.

 

[shootist~]

I zero my 30-06 at 200 mtrs....
.

I zero my 30-06 (and any non DG rifle) at 219 Yards.

(We have a berm at that distance with a couple of nice gongs. No paper needed.)

At 325 Yards there is a 9.7" drop with 180 A-Frames starting at 2,757 fps.

With the 308 and 144 Aussie F4 Ball starting at 2,795 it's 9.5".

With the 6.5 CM and 140 AFs starting at 2,756 it's 9.7".

With the 338 WM and 210 gr TTSX starting at 2,900 fps it's 8.5".

The same hold point makes for simplified practice from the sticks (at any mid-range distance).

 

[CoElkHunter]

I’d have no problem using a 30/06 on kudu, zebra, and less with proper bullets like you described. It’s suitable for eland but I’d be much more selective on the shots I’d take with it. I’d likely opt for 375 in that case if you had it. I’d learn to shoot it well to 300 yards. Eland can vary a lot in body size depending free range or small farm, age, and region. I’ve them with 308, 300 win, 375 and killed them all quickly but I have felt undergunned at times. Eland bulls can get big. I’ve taken 2 in this size category. This one was taken at 250 yards with 375 H&H 300 gr bullets.
View attachment 635309

That Eland is a LARGE animal!

 

[cajunchefray]

That Eland is a LARGE animal!

A LOT of good tasting meat.
They are magnificent creatures.

 

[ZG47]

I did my first safari in South Africa this year and took a pair of rifles with me for a plains game hunt. It was a pair of FN Browning Hi-Power rifles in 308 and 375HH. These were going to also accompany me in 2025 for a DG/PG hunt. The 1st trip was a practice run and a shake down of the equipment, much of which was new to me. Both rifles performed flawlessly and I took five animals with the 308. All were one shot kills at ranges from 20y to 202y. The largest being a Gemsbok. For 2025 we altered our plan a bit and will be hunting both Limpopo and Free State. The more open territory of Free State will result in more longer shots. My PH advised that we could see shots of 200-400y depending on conditions. This is where comes the rub. My 308 while very accurate wears an old clunky vintage Balvar scope in 2.5-8x. The glass is superb but the tapered reticle has no mil dots or other references to hold over for longer shots and adjusting on the fly is not an option due to the old design. I like the set up and do not want to spoil it by replacing the Balvar with a newer FFP MIL scope. But, that is what I need for shots out past 300y. So, what to do? My answer is to buy another rifle, lol.

I looked around and considered a 270 Mauser that I already owned but as nice as it is, it was not a tack driver and was a 1.5 moa rifle. I looked at 300HH but ammo and brass is harder to find for that. 300WM was an obvious choice but since the 308 worked so well I decided to stay with a non-magnum 30 cal. I wanted a Mauser style CRF action like my FN and when all was said and done, I ended up with a nice very old Husqvarna Imperial in 30-06. This is a commercial rifle that was built as a sporter and having shot it for the first time I could not be more pleased. It is a near half MOA rifle with most of the ammo I tested. Best was Rem Premier Swift Scirocco 180g that grouped 0.61" at 100y. Next was 180g Barnes TTSX grouping 0.72" and Federal Fusion tipped 180g which grouped 0.89". Clearly, it is a shooter. I shot some groups at 300y with both the Scirocco's which were 4" but had two within 1" and might still do better. The Barnes ammo was outstanding with a group of 2.02" at 300y. I also hit some steel plates at 400y. 12" plate was a hit on the first shot as was a larger IPSC tgt but I cannot verify the longer dope until I do so more testing. So, that is enough background. Read on to see my question.

My bag list for 2025 is under revision to include a few Free State critters to go with what I had already. It will include black wildebeest and possibly waterbuck or red hartebeest. Also Zebra, Kudu and maybe Eland. I will be hunting buffalo with the 375 and have the option to shoot PG with it as well as long as it is in range of that rifle. But it will be limited to 300y range and less. Thinking of Kudu, Eland, Black Wildebeest or Zebra. Would any of you hesitate to shoot those or similar animals at ranges out to 400y with a 30-06 as long as you are confident you can make the shot? Assuming we use a 180g bonded or monolithic bullet. If you are ok with the 30-06 would you have any preference between the Scirocco, the Barnes TTSX or the Fusion? (BTW - I used 180g fusions in the 308 this year and they worked magnificently). Every shot was a pass-thru and every animal was a 1 shot kill. So, I was predisposed to prefer it but the others shot better so, they are in the lead. The Sciroccos are the closest to the Fusions in construction. My only experience with Barnes was with a Blue Wildebeest at 160y this year. Using a TSX the 1st shot killed it but it took two more to finish it quickly as opposed to letting it struggle for a while. I could use the 375 or the 30-06 for example on Kudu. Shots will not be more than 100-150y. But if the 30-06 is enough which I think it is, why drag out the big gun? Zebra is another tougher beast. They are very wary and I will be lucky to get off a shot at less than 200y and really, would prefer to use the 30-06 if out past that distance as long as we are confident that it will do the job?

If you have harvested big game with a 30-06, please share with us which ammo and bullet/wt you used, which animal and how did it perform? Were follow up shots required? Long stalks? Would you do anything differently? Also, if you have used the TTSX bullets on large game, how well did it perform? Photos of my 308, the 30-06 Swede and the Barnes bullets found in the Blue Wildebeest are attached for fun.

View attachment 635259View attachment 635261View attachment 635262View attachment 635263View attachment 635264View attachment 635265

Which varmint scope did you fit to the .30-06?