Author Topic: Handi 30-06 yeah or neah? (Read 1917 times)

jw83 · « **on:** February 14, 2009, 04:20:19 PM »

Looking into buying a handi in 30-06. Was wondering what are people's experiences with them. I don't hear much talk about them except for sourdough. How is the accuracy/ recoil? Would you recommend it or not? I will use it for whitetail and hogs mostly.

rickt300 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 14, 2009, 04:56:44 PM »

Same here. I reload so recoil wouldn't be that big a deal but I never felt the 30-06 kicked much anyway when hunting and I can throw a gun case over my shoulder and sit up straight at the gun range.

jw83 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 14, 2009, 05:02:56 PM »

Yeah I reload too just wonderin what a 30-06 will do in a 6 pound gun.

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 14, 2009, 05:21:08 PM »

I don't have one but a friend of mine does. It shoots very well and the recoil isn't too bad. I'm a recoil wimp due to a bad shoulder and neck and even I don't mind shooting it. I say go for it.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #4 on:** February 14, 2009, 05:32:17 PM »

I have an Ultracomp and stainless 30-06s, they shoot real good.

Tim

cwlongshot · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2009, 01:57:23 AM »

I too had a Ultra comp for a time. It shot good, but I didn't have it long enough to really wring it out.

The "sting" of recoil can be effectively dampened with the addition of a good recoil pad. I like the Simms LIMBSAVER pads, but there is a couple others that also work very well. A good pad also helps with mounting that gun, so its not just a gum rubber pad your putting on there.

I say go for it, the old '06 has too many uses if your a handloader. IMHO, its the one caliber that comes the closest to being able to "do it all".

CW

db22 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2009, 02:42:26 AM »

What CWLongshot said: "the old '06 has too many uses" . . .
That endless question about the "all-around rifle" has a simple answer, and it has been with us since 1906. If you aren't going to Africa, the grand old ought-six will do the job for you without beating you up. Add a scope, and the rifle's weight will soak up enough kick to make it tolerable. For deer and hogs, stick to a strong 150-grain bullet, and if you handload, don't go to the top of the book loads; stay around the middle, and you'll have a rifle that will deliver and be handy to boot (pun intended). My .30-'06 wears a light 4X scope -- simple, straightforward and reliable. It's my favorite!

lonewolf5348 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 15, 2009, 03:37:17 AM »

my 30-06 speaks for itself

fish280 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 15, 2009, 04:03:51 AM »

Do it.

cbourbeau32 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 15, 2009, 04:24:09 AM »

If you don't have a local dealer that has the 06 sometimes Bud Gun Shop has them for a good price. They had one 2 months ago for $241 delivered to your FFL. I ordered it and sent off my 20% layaway but they had sold it before my funds got there in the mail so I ordered a 30-06 in the Marlin XL7. I just checked and Buds doens't have any right now but if you check often you should find one there. I really look forward to my 06 even though it isn't in the Handi that I originally wanted. If you get it please let us know how it shoots. Charlie

pricecw · « **Reply #10 on:** February 15, 2009, 06:40:50 AM »

I have one, and my brother has one. They are both setup with the ATI collapsible stock, choate synthetic forend. Then, we put a limbsaver slip on pad on the ATI (like it better than the ATI slip on pad).

Anyway, we started the kids (12 & 14yr old) this year with reduced loads, 130 gr bullet while target practicing. They had no problems with those in any way, towards the end of the day, they wanted to try the 165 gr rounds. They had no issues shooting those, and no problems hitting with them. Anyway, we had them on the 165's for both deer and elk this year, both shot the rifle's approx 50 130's and 20 or so 165's in a day of sighting and target shooting. Neither had an issue.

So, unless you are really recoil shy, I don't think you'll have an issue.

--Carl

vincewarde · « **Reply #11 on:** February 15, 2009, 12:17:51 PM »

I have a 30-06 barrel and it's great. However, if I were to do it again I would get a .308 barrel instead. Unless you are going above 180gr, the .308 performs as well as the 30-06 and mil-surp brass is very cheap. Not that '06 brass is expensive, it's just that .308 brass is even cheaper. I would also be willing to bet that mil-surp ammo would work in a .308 Handi - although I defer to those who own one

Just my .02 worth.

jw83 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 22, 2009, 04:47:36 AM »

Thanks again for the info, I am picking one up next week.

JPShelton · « **Reply #13 on:** February 22, 2009, 04:24:11 PM »

Quote from: db22 on February 15, 2009, 02:42:26 AM

If you aren't going to Africa, the grand old ought-six will do the job for you without beating you up.

Well, a pair of trips to Botswana does not an expert on African hunting make, but on both trips, I did my killing with a 1927 vintage Griffin and Howe on a Model 1903 Springfield action in .30-'06. Everything from sitatunga up to eland fell to the old girl, generally with one shot each. The experience of using the .30-'06 over there convinced me that it is more cartridge than many seem to want to give it credit for today.

WHEN (not if) I go back, I will definitely be taking a .30-'06 with me. In fact, that is probably the ONLY caliber that I'll take. For plains game, I can't see that much else is required, at least in the areas where I hunted.

The old "ought-six" tipped with 220 grain solids is a heck of a lot of gun.

If I buy another Handi, its probably going to be a .30-'06.

-JP

Dillohide · « **Reply #14 on:** February 23, 2009, 03:54:25 AM »

I think you don't see much on here about the 30-06 because they're good accurate rifles without a lot of problems. Same goes for the 270. I rank them with my 45/70 and 30-30 in the Handi collection. I've hand loaded the 30-06 but the Winchester 150 gr Power Point does well in it so that is what I use. Personally I think the recoil is less in the Handi than in my Winchester Model 70 bolt action 30-06 but the bolt action does not have a kick pad ... the Handi does. Either way I do not find the recoil bad.

277284 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 27, 2009, 06:30:38 PM »

I say Yeah, because I was considering a Handi 30-06 or a Handi 45-70. The gun shop had both calibers and I put the 30-06 on lay away. Can't go wrong with either caliber. I already have a Marlin 1895. So the 30-06 ammo will be cheaper to go with the inexpensive Handi. But maybe I can switch to the 45-70 caliber when I pick up the lay away.

RackWrangler · « **Reply #16 on:** February 28, 2009, 10:59:54 AM »

Maybe I'm a wuss, but i didn't like the recoil of the '06 that I had. I had both a 308 Survivor (w/ slip on Limbsaver) and a 30-06 w/ Survivor stock and Limbsaver. I would start flinching after 5 rounds with the '06, but could do an entire box with the 308 and not flinch. With the limited gains I got from the '06 vs the 308, I sold the 30-06 and bought a Marlin 336.

RW

OBXPilgrim · « **Reply #17 on:** February 28, 2009, 12:18:45 PM »

My 30-06 shoots great, but it doesn't look much at all like I bought it. I sold off the pallet wood stocks before I ever shot it, bought a tamer stock for it, a limbsaver slip on pad, and choate storearm forend. I bought it shoot cast lead in it, shot a deer this year with it in a slow low-recoiling load - bullet went right through both lungs & died 40 yards away. If it recoils, it's not very noticeable. The load is a Lyman 311041 - 173 gr with GC with 30 grs of H4895 & 1 gr dacron filler. I feel fine with it out to 150 yards, which is double my typical range where I hunt.

By the way, if I pull the limbsaver off, the length of pull is plenty short enough for a youngster to shoot - the limbsaver only provides space on this rifle.

db22 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 01, 2009, 05:52:50 AM »

Quote from: JPShelton on February 22, 2009, 04:24:11 PM

Well, a pair of trips to Botswana does not an expert on African hunting make, but on both trips, I did my killing with a 1927 vintage Griffin and Howe on a Model 1903 Springfield action in .30-'06.

JPShelton: That G&H rifle sounds like a truly great one -- do you have a photo of it to post? I would love to see it. You having been to Africa twice, I would not hesitate to accept your advice about any topic related to hunting there.

db22

Westbound · « **Reply #19 on:** March 01, 2009, 06:11:29 AM »

Any of my friends that ask me what rifle they should buy always get the same answer first. "There's a reason the 30-06 is the most popular rifle in America, and maybe the world."

I don't own a 30-06 (yet!), but it was the go-to cartridge for our grandfathers and our fathers. This cartridge just plain works!

Dang, every time someone posts a thread about a 30-06 it makes me realize I need to go pick one up!

cwlongshot · « **Reply #20 on:** March 01, 2009, 10:38:19 AM »

I read a story some time back on the 30-06, called Why I hate the 30-06. Or something similar.

The author out lined all the pluses and minor negatives to his wife one day. Every time he brought up a new caliber and how well it could do this or that, she would mention the 30-06 and this bullet. then he would mention that caliber and how great it does that. She would again pipe up doesn't the 30-06 do that too? The end of the story was YES, the 30-06 CAN do about anything needed for the American hunter.. and THATS why he hated it!! It was funny and oh so true.

I currently have two of them.

CW

JPShelton · « **Reply #21 on:** March 01, 2009, 07:06:53 PM »

Quote from: db22 on March 01, 2009, 05:52:50 AM

Quote from: JPShelton on February 22, 2009, 04:24:11 PM

Well, a pair of trips to Botswana does not an expert on African hunting make, but on both trips, I did my killing with a 1927 vintage Griffin and Howe on a Model 1903 Springfield action in .30-'06.

JPShelton: That G&H rifle sounds like a truly great one -- do you have a photo of it to post? I would love to see it. You having been to Africa twice, I would not hesitate to accept your advice about any topic related to hunting there.

db22

My old Springfield truly was a dandy of a rifle and I am blessed to have owned it. I got it off the widow of my pediatric dentist for much, much less than it was worth. She thought about giving it to me, but figured that if I paid her "a little something" for it, I'd be inclined to cherish it rather than treat it like "some old gun." It had been to Africa many times before I owned it. The Doc was the original owner. I bought it shortly after my 18th birthday in 1983. I took it to Africa twice, hunted deer in California with it, as well as Utah and Colorado. I shoot pronghorns in Wyoming and New Mexico with it. I took it to Canada for caribou hunts twice. And, I used it to kill a couple of elk in Colorado. I had other rifles during the time that I owned the Springfield, but the old girl was always my main hunting rifle during that time. It would be today, too, if it hadn't have been destroyed beyond usefulness in a wildfire event that razed the family hunting cabin back in '98. The only thing I've got left of it besides old photos and memories is the Lyman M-48 rear peep sight that I salvaged from it and painstakingly restored.

I do have pics of the rifle and will probably post them to this site someday, but it won't be in this Handi-Rifle section. For now, if you've seen pics of Ernest Hemingway's Springfield, you've pretty much seen what mine was like.

I replaced the Springfield with a CZ 550 in 1999. That got stolen a year and a half ago from the back of my TJ Jeep when I was at the range. When I moved out here to Tahlequah, I bought a .223 Handi-Rifle for use on our little local deer. But I need a bigger rifle to hunt bigger game elsewhere, and was leaning toward another CZ 550. Now, after enjoying my Handi-Rifle more than I thought I would, I am considering making my "ought six" a Handi-Rifle.

I am more of user than a gun collector, so if I do make my .30-'06 a Handi, that'll be the only "big game" rifle I'll be buying. I'd rather spend my disposable income on trips than hardware, and I WILL be going back to Africa in a couple of years and possibly sooner if I can get a trip booked. I'm only interested in plains game, so I could get by rather well with a straight shooting Handi-Rifle in .30-'06.

Those pics will definitely get posted right here, if a Handi is what I wind up with.

-JP

quickdtoo · « **Reply #22 on:** March 01, 2009, 08:52:49 PM »

Another 30-06 Handi adventure in Africa would be great!!

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,148194.msg1098612687.html#msg1098612687

Sourdough · « **Reply #23 on:** March 02, 2009, 02:36:55 AM »

OK, I've read what everyone else has said. Now it's time for me to pipe in.

Recoil is in direct responce to the weight of bullet and weight of the charge of powder behind it. IMHO The only bullets that have stiff recoil in the 06 is the 180 and above. Unless you are hunting Bears or Elk in the lower 48 there is no reason to use those heavy bullets. The 165gr bullets are more than adiquate for any Deer, Antalope, or Hog. For some reason the 165s seem to work well on out for longer ranges also. With the use of the 110gr varmit bullets the 06 makes a great varmit gun, and recoil is mild. The 110s and 125s suffer a little on accuracy beyond 300 yards, but few people shoot beyond that range anyway.

The only advantage to using a .223 for varmits over the 06 is that I can see the target when the bullet strikes, and smaller holes in the pelts.

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #24 on:** March 02, 2009, 08:13:02 AM »

The only reason I do not own a .30-06 Handie is...... I wouldn't have any reason to buy anything else. So as long as I don't get one I have reason to buy others.

rickt300 · « **Reply #25 on:** April 05, 2009, 05:39:42 PM »

I still say that with proper bench technique the old 30-06 isn't that hard on you. Sit up straight and throw a soft gun case over your shoulder and you should be able to easily shoot a box of shells with no issues. The 150 grain bullets are especially easy to shoot and good 150 grain bullets are good for everything smaller than elk and good with some shots on them. I have 2 30-06's now and am buying a 30-06 barrel for my Handi rifle right now. I am going to use this barrel for fooling around shooting all the bullets I have that aren't 180 grains or heavier, that duty goes to my Springfield. I also have a 311291 Lyman bullet mold that will get some use. Single shots were made for cast bullets.

Rustyinfla · « **Reply #26 on:** April 05, 2009, 06:40:15 PM »

I have a friend who's only rifle for years was an '06 Handi. He isn't a large man, about 5'8" and 150 pounds but I've never heard him complain about the recoil any time we've shot together.

Last year his wife bought him a Browning A Bolt because she saw him admiring one his brother had. He confessed to me that he really liked his Handi just as much but he feels obligated to use the Browning since his wife got it for him.

Troyboy · « **Reply #27 on:** April 06, 2009, 04:28:59 AM »

Much as i love a handi, I'd take the browning without a second thought. 30-06 is THE hunters caliber hands down

PHATINJUN · « **Reply #28 on:** April 06, 2009, 05:22:12 AM »

I have a Ultra Comp in 30/06 and shoot 180 gr out of it I have no problem with the recoil and I don't take recoil well and love this gun .I have also shot it with the 110gr bullets and that was fun uses a little to much pwder to blast varmints with though in my opinion. If you ain't got one yet get it. Kurt

petemi · « **Reply #29 on:** April 06, 2009, 05:34:04 AM »

I took the pallet wood stock off my Handi '06 and replaced it with a synthetic Monte Carlo and added 36 oz. of lead shot to the butt stock. It now shoots 180s with recoil like a Daisy Red Ryder. Shoot it all day and not feel it. It's an ejector, and it is being converted to an extractor as I write. I just prefer extractors in rifles.....no digging in the snow to find a spent case. If you pay attention to business, you shouldn't need a real fast second shot...if any. If you do, get an autoloader, or learn how to use a single shot. Not meaning to be a wise guy; it's just take your time, relax and put the first bullet where it needs to go.

Pete