# .30-06 in alaska



## rifleman2 (Feb 3, 2008)

i have gotten to be a fairly decent shot with my model 700 in .06. would it be suffecient for most game in alaska or would i need something a bit more powerful? i've not shot anything bigger than a .06 or 7mm magnum. i know there are some very good bullets available that makes a lot of calibers more lethal. i have read a lot of good things about the swift a-frame and others.


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## mike landrich (Jul 5, 2008)

From everything I've read, the minimum serious caliber for Alaska is the 338 win mag. The extra energy and bullet weight can make the difference when hunting the big bears. The difference in knockdown power between a .308 caliber 200 grain A-frame and a .338 caliber 275 grain A-frame, at roughly the same velocity, is huge.


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## Scooter (Nov 4, 2005)

Take the 30-06 and run! Since you say that you arre good shot with what you got and you are comfortable with it that is all you need. you would not be doing anything that hasn't been done before. Choose your shots, make them good and fill your tags! It can't be get any harder than you make it. Just think O'conner shot his share of Alaskan bear with an '06 and 200gr bullets so who's to say you can't.


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## rlzman68 (Jul 14, 2008)

ALASKA means 338


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## Bernie P. (Sep 25, 2008)

The 06 is plenty for everything in Alaska including big bears.Unless he's charging you at close range.At that point a .500 Nitro Express starts making lots of sense  .


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## Booster (Sep 8, 2003)

I recently got back from Alaska. I have only shot a 270 in my life and have become a great shot with it. I found that it was more then plenty for anything except maybe grizz in Alaska. Just get a heavy bullet and a good shot placement and you are golden.


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## stonejs1 (Oct 14, 2008)

What about a 7mm mag??


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## mike landrich (Jul 5, 2008)

stonejs1 said:


> What about a 7mm mag??


It's just like Booster said about the 270, good for anything except grizzly bears. The 270 and 7mm share the same dilemma, light bullets.

Not to be contradictory to other posters, but assuming you can place the bullets equally well, the heavier bullets of a 338 win mag or 338 ultra-mag will do a better job of stopping any big animal than will any 30-06 bullet. Then again, if you are going for bear, a 375 or 416 is better than a 338.

As for the reference to O'Connor shooting an '06, I was reading Jim Carmichael. In case anyone doesn't remember him, he was to the 338 what Jack O'Connor was to the 270 or Elmer Keith was to the 44 Mag.


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## stonejs1 (Oct 14, 2008)

I've heard that the 300 win mag and a 7mm mag are compareable but ive never heard that a 270 and a 7mm mag are compareable? Im not being smart, i honestly dont know?


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## Booster (Sep 8, 2003)

stonejs1 said:


> I've heard that the 300 win mag and a 7mm mag are compareable but ive never heard that a 270 and a 7mm mag are compareable? Im not being smart, i honestly dont know?


they are almost the same. Just like a 243 and a 6mm. The 6mm is really just a 244.

I think :wink:


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## stonejs1 (Oct 14, 2008)

which are the same, the 270&7mm or the 30-06&7mm mag


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## mike landrich (Jul 5, 2008)

stonejs1 said:


> which are the same, the 270&7mm or the 30-06&7mm mag


None are the same. They are 3 different calibers and are distinctly different in power

a 270 is really .277 caliber and is roughly 2700-2800 lbs of energy
a 7mm is really .284 caliber and is roughly 3400-3500 lbs of energy
a 30-06 is really .308 caliber and roughly 3000 lbs of energy


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## mike landrich (Jul 5, 2008)

Booster said:


> stonejs1 said:
> 
> 
> > I've heard that the 300 win mag and a 7mm mag are compareable but ive never heard that a 270 and a 7mm mag are compareable? Im not being smart, i honestly dont know?
> ...


Although Remington calls the 6mm a .244, the 2 cartridges use the same bullet at .243. My only guess is that Win measures the bullet and Remington measures the bore of the gun, kind of like Lazzeroni referring to their 7.62s as .309s.


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## Scooter (Nov 4, 2005)

Mike,
It is nice to hear you bring references from the past! Carmichael, Kieth, O' Conner and I will add Sundra and Askins. All of them great people to read, enjoy and understand. Askins the 8mm, Sundra the 7mm and so on. But truth be told I would be more comfortable behind my .338 RUM in a bad situation but also as true to the thread the 30-06 has and will continue too to do it. If it is placed where it is needs to be. But again I like see others that are well versed.


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## mike landrich (Jul 5, 2008)

Scooter said:


> Mike,
> It is nice to hear you bring references from the past! Carmichael, Kieth, O' Conner and I will add Sundra and Askins. All of them great people to read, enjoy and understand. Askins the 8mm, Sundra the 7mm and so on. But truth be told I would be more comfortable behind my .338 RUM in a bad situation but also as true to the thread the 30-06 has and will continue too to do it. If it is placed where it is needs to be. But again I like see others that are well versed.


I was (am?) so brainwashed by them, my first 2 centerfire rifles were a 338 and a 270. Since I had them, I never felt the need for an '06. I know it's a good round, but feel it is compromise round. My reasoning against the '06 in this scenario is simple. When you are already spending a lot of $$$ on a trip to Alaska, the cost of the new rifle is minimal. Why scrimp on the the one thing (well 2 since you need quality optics) that can make or break your trip?


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## Alaskan Brown Bear Killer (Feb 22, 2005)

For the Big bears up here I've killed my first Coastal Brownie with a 30-06 and dropped it in it's tracks with 220 grain core loct.

300 wm is more than enough for any critter up here and personally I think the 338 is over rated.

I've helped more people that were using 338's chase wounded critters around in the woods then I'd care to remember.

If your a good shot with your 06..bring it up and you'll have plenty of firepower.


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## stonejs1 (Oct 14, 2008)

So the 7mm is better than an '06 because of knockdown power? What's the difference between a 7mm and a 300wm? Thanks for all of your help.


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## mike landrich (Jul 5, 2008)

stonejs1 said:


> So the 7mm is better than an '06 because of knockdown power? What's the difference between a 7mm and a 300wm? Thanks for all of your help.


I wouldn't say the 7mm is better. It has more energy, but there is something to say for the larger bore of the '06.

The 300 uses the same case as the 7mm, necked up to .308, basically combining the best attributes of both the 7mm and '06. It has a couple of hundred pounds of energy more than the 7mm, due to heavier bullet weight.


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