30-06 Rifle for Plains Game - How Big?

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

Anything up to and including eland you are good to go with a 30-06

 

[JG26Irish_2]

Thank you for the inputs lads. I have my own opinions but since I mostly hunt with smaller cartridges I wanted to hear from some of the experts. I will be taking my 375HH as well on the hunt next year and I am proficient with it out to 300y on the sticks. While I agree that bringing along some lighter and faster ammo for it would enable me to use it out at longer ranges in the Free State, that is simply not necessary for this trip and I will be using the 375 on Cape Buffalo and want to use only the 300g Barnes TSX for that purpose. I will likely also use the 375 on the Kudu on my list because it is a big animal and while the 30-06 would also work, the terrain we will be hunting them in is Limpopo and most shots on Kudu there will be inside 150y. I was more concerned about the Zebra and the Black Wildebeest since both will be in Free State. I considered the 300WM for that application and nobody would argue that it is a great option for longer ranges and PG hunting. To be honest, I had such great performance with my 308, I figured anything equivalent to it or slightly better would be a good choice. I was more interested in having a high degree of accuracy in an adequate caliber than to have the ultimate cartridge/caliber choice and having questionable accuracy.

That was what prompted me to acquire the Husqvarna. It has proven to be exceptionally accurate and that breeds confidence and that to me is far more important than that last 100 or 200 fps from a hotter cartridge. My 308 was running the 180's at 2620fps MV and ALL my shots were pass-thrus. Even the 202y shot on a large male Gemsbok. Those rounds were known to expand to 2.5x initial diameter so a 30cal would open up to about 3/4". So, the expanded 308's were opened up to about the same diameter as the expanded 375's which open to about 2x or slightly more. In fact the longer (160y) shot that I took with the 375 was a frontal, slight quartering shot on a Blue Wildebeest and it only opened to 0.72". What it did very well was penetrated thru 3.5 ft of Wildebeest passing thru one lung, the aorta of the heart and some of the other plumbing and just clipping the other lung on the way to the paunch where we found it. The other Barnes shot was much closer and opened up to 0.80". The way I look at it, the 30-06 is going to open up to close to if not equal to that so, if it has enough ooomph to pass completely thru the animal, then it will have done its job. The only real advantage to the 375 is its ability to penetrate deeper and thus be more deadly at angles less ideal than a perfect broadside shot. I do not think I would use the 30-06 on an Eland even if it is enough, those are just such large animals. I do want to use the 30-06 on the Black Widlebeest but I am not really expecting to have to shoot further than 200y on that one and they are a good bit smaller than the Blue ones.

I do not intend to take shots at 400y but I want to be able to if needed and if needed be fully confident in my ability to make the shot. In my experience, my shooting from sticks is not quite as accurate as my shooting from a bench or prone. Still, at 200y I can hit 3-4" tgt and at 300y a 6" vital zone is doable from sticks with either rifle. At 400y the 30-06 will still have over 2028 fps at impact. At 400y the 300WM with the same 180g Barnes bullets arrives with about 2230fps velocity. A 10% advantage. The 300WM will provide a longer, flatter, and more forgiving point blank trajectory but that is about all. If I can confidently make a good impact at that or other distances, then I suspect that the performance difference between the two will be moot. At 400y the hold over for the 30-06 is 2.1mil and at 300y it is 1.2mil. At 200y from a 100y zero, the hold over is 0.5mil. Dialing for bullet drop is a luxury we are rarely afforded the time to do in hunting scenarios. However, if me and the PH are glassing a nice bull at 400y, it is not likely that it is yet aware of us (unless it is a Zebra, lol). We would have the option of having the PH laser the range and me dial and send it or if the terrain and wind will allow, do a proper stalk and getting in closer for a better opportunity. Every situation will be different. This year in every situation except one, we dismounted and put on a good stalk and got inside of 200y in every case. Only once did I whisper to him "What do you make the range". He said 150y but did not take the time to range it with the laser. I estimated 200y myself and the difference in drop from 150y to 200y on that rifle was 1" so was insignificant. I took aim and sent the shot. It was a perfect hit and the animal ran only 60y. I later lasered the actual range at 202y. I do not rely on range finders and wizz bang optics to make my shots. Those are luxury options. I practice every day estimating and then verifying ranges so, that when I need to do this in the field, I can do so quickly. If time allows, then I work as a team with my PH. As I am bringing the rifle up onto the sticks, I say, "Range?" and he responds. I compare that to my own estimate, adjust and send it. The whole process takes about 3 seconds. Any longer and you may not get the shot.

Somebody asked which "Varmint" scope I put on the 30-06? I did not use a varmint scope. I used the EPL4 light weight hunter scope from Arken Optics. I have seven of their scopes and most of them are target type optics. They are superb optics with great glass and are extremely durable. I have used them side by side with premium scopes like Vortex Razor, Swarovski, Kahles and Unertl and those all are known for having exceptional glass. The Arken is similar in performance and where it falls short are in places that do not matter much to me. It is clear enough to see the bullet holes at 300y on paper. I could have spent more and gotten a higher priced scope. I did that on my 375's where I removed the 1.5-4x Leupold and installed a Swarovski 1-6x on one and removed a 4x Burris to install the Kahles 1-6x on the other. They are made by the same company but in different factories and while I like them both, I liked the Kahles a bit better than the Z6i. The glass in the Arken is just as good and its ability to adjust for long range shots is better. IMHO

Here is a pic of two of the three shots placed on the Wildebeest. They are 300g Barnes TSX in 375HH. The bottom slug was shot at 160y and the top one at about 10y into the chest. A neck shot at 60y was a pass-thru.

 

[ZG47]

Nice result. Thank you for posting. I was curious about the optic which was why I posed the question. It appears to have a useful specification and being Japanese built; it should last you out, on that rifle. I suspect that I will see this model used here in New Zealand, at some stage.

 

[Mr. 16 gauge]

I'm no "expert", but in 2014 I took my .30-06 to Africa as a "back up" and ended up using it to harvest 4 out of my 5 trophies. I shot gemsbok, kudu, impala and a cow waterbuck. All were one shot kills with the exception of the gemsbok, which I initially made a bad shot on, so the fault was mine, not the cartridge.
I was using a handload with a 200 grain Nosler partition pushed by a charge of H414. The charge amount is moot, since the morons at Hodgdon decided to quit making this powder (as well as several others that I came to rely on).
Farthest shot was 325 yards across a small canyon on the Kudu; closest was about 75 yards on the impala. Rifle was an inexpensive Interarms Mark X Viscount that I've had since 1978.

 

[ZG47]

I suspect that: H414 is actually a rebranded Winchester propellant.

 

[Nhoro]

I filmed a big old Eland bull drop with one shot from a 30-06in Mozambique. I think the ammo was Remington Core-lokt 180 gr. I have A 3006 and use 180 to 220 gr bullets. I haven't taken an Eland yet. A friend of mine took a big old Eland cow with his 308 when we were out hunting. I feel an Eland bull is a little big for the 3006 and illegal in Zimbabwe. 300 win mag is probably correct but 3006 is great for anything smaller than an Eland.

 

[7x57Joe]

I suspect that: H414 is actually a rebranded Winchester propellant.

Indeed, Win. 760 is same as H-414 and Accurate 2700 is close also.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

Thanks guys for the inputs and feedback. I think I agree that while the 30-06 will kill about anything in Africa, I have to agree that it is not the best choice for Eland. Some of those are close to 2000 lbs and any shot other than a perfect broadside might be a risk of failure. My plan remains to use the 30-06 for the smaller PG critters, especially those longer shots in Free State. The 375 is another great all rounder and will be available for other larger PG/DG and in a pinch is still a good choice for Duiker, Reedbok, and other tinys. To be honest I could have gotten by with just the 308 and the 375 but needed a good excuse to buy another rifle. I am planning to deer hunt with it this year to get some trigger time in the field with it and may also put it to use on coyotes this winter since where I hunt them offers some longer 300-400y shots sometimes. Having hunted with Mauser style actions for the last 30yrs or so, makes switching to this rifle pretty easy. They all work the same and usually the only significant difference is the design of the safety. This one operates just like my FN's except that it is a 2 position instead of a 3 position.

Jury is still out on the optic. It is a great scope but the utility of the reticle for hunting is still questionable in my mind. Actual hunting with it will determine the verdict.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

The .30-06 Springfield is my absolute favorite caliber for African plains game (with the 7x57mm Mauser being a close second). I have successfully taken all the African plains game upto the size of bull eland with a .30-06 Springfield. My ammunition choice has almost always exclusively been the 220Gr Remington Core Lokt, ever since my first African safari to Kenya in 1974. Yes, it’s not the most modern choice of ammunition but it continues to serve me very well for 50 years & counting.

Most of my shots were one-bullet kills. Whenever a second or third or even fourth bullet was required, only I (and neither the rifle nor the caliber nor the ammunition) was to blame. I seldom took a shot above 150 yards (closing in is part of the thrill for me). But for those who prefer to take shots at longer ranges, they will do well to select a 180Gr bullet due to the flatter trajectory.

A 180Gr Barnes TSX is as good a general purpose African plains game bullet as they come. A small word of caution is requisite, however. Initial shot placement on the big eland bulls with any caliber below .338 Winchester Magnum must be extremely critical.

 

[steve71]

I took zebra, wildebeest, and sable with 30-06 Barnes 168gr TTSX. All 1 shot.

 

[Flipper Dude]

Botswana. 220 grain

Mozambique. 180 grain

 

[Kynadog]

The 180 gr Barnes TTSX is suitable for everything you are hunting within a reasonable range. Incredible penetration and performance. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that monometal bullets thrive on speed. At 400 yards out of a 30-06, that bullet is likely below 2,000 fps. If you keep your shots under 300 yards, though, you can confidently take any plains game you like.

 

[HankBuck]

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.

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@JG26Irish_2 - you clearly have good shooting abilities with your .308 and are proven on wild game. You also now have a very accurate .30-06 and I assume you will shoot that just as well “dead nuts accurate” on Wild game too. Not much difference in killing power between the .308 & .30-06 — both are fine but I understand you wanting a new gun (who doesn’t) and higher magnification scope. I already like that you do NOT have the “Magnum Mentality”. So, from my experience the .30-06 with a controlled expansion bullet is great for any North American game and also African Plains Game — bullet Placement trumps caliber everytime. Using my ‘06 and 180 gr TSX I took Nyasa Wildebeast at 344 yrds in TZ (broadside, double lung - trotted 50 yrds and stopped, stood wobbling, so placed a 2nd insurance bullet in same place “dropped”… Both bullets hit both lungs and one exited). Also shot bull Elk w/‘06 in NM at 240 yrds - again broadside shot, 2 shots hitting both lungs (because he just stood there after first shot) using Remington “premier” 180 gr (bonded controlled expansion). The bull Elk wobbled and fell over dead. Both bullets penetrated thru entire body and lodged just under the hide on opposite side…BUT both bullets “failed” to expand, failed to mushroom - I never used that ammo to hunt again. I’ve also killed another Elk , 25+ whitetail deer, and 3 black bear with the ‘06 at ranges from 20 to 185 yrds using cheap Remington Corelok 180 gr bullets and all were quick kills, good penetration and perfect expansion.
My PH in TZ was also a fan of the ‘06 for plains game and said he had seen guys kill Cape Buffalo with it as well. He said he sees more guys using .300, .338. & .375 magnums then the .’06 but many can Not shoot them well and wounding rates are higher because of that. Guys that use the .308, .’06, .270 usually shoot them well and wound less. That is a very small “survey” but I believed him because other Outfitters on Elk & Bear hunts had told me the same thing….the “caliber” never kills its the “Bullet Placement” followed by bullet performance.
Regarding scope magnification - I used a 3x9 with 36mm objective (Swaro I think?) and it was more then enough magnification for me, also light and trim a top my rifle for easy carry. While I would not mind some of the newer 2.5-10 or even 2-12 power scopes - I always felt 9 power was plenty and I avoid heavy scopes with pronounced knobs & adjustments, big 50mm objectives etc.. - that is just my personal preference and general dislike for sniper style 1000 yrd “stuff”.
I think you will do great with whatever you chose - because You-can-SHOOT ACCURATELY !!

 

[dogcat1]

There is a superb book by J. Y. Jones, a doctor, that hunted the world with a Remington 700 .30-06. He shot everything that was legal to shoot with one. A very good book and a great accounting of the power and versatility of the .30-06.

I would hunt anything in Africa up to cape buff with one. I would hunt leopard and lion over bait with one and not flinch about it.

 

[dogcat1]

You asked about ammo - Barnes TSX or TTSx in 180gr - factory ammo that is superb.

For your .308 - Barnes TSX or TTSX in 165gr - again, perfect for Africa and everywhere else.