After this modernization in 1906, the cartridge was adopted by the US Army and was intended for the Springfield M 1903 rifle, and later, in 1936, for the famous Garand rifle. Let us remind you that the first two digits of the name 30.06 mean a caliber of three lines or 0.3 inches, in the metric system 7.62 mm. The second two - 06 correspond to the year of adoption, i.e. model 1906. “Springfield” is the name of the manufacturer’s company, which was state-owned until 1950. Full name "Yu. S. Springfield Arsenal.” The 30.06 cartridge was in service until 1952. Widely used in World War II, as well as during the Korean War. Almost simultaneously with the appearance of the combat model, mass production of sport-hunting versions of the cartridge began, and a hunting carbine was created on the basis of an army rifle. The 30.06 cartridge turned out to be extremely well balanced. The 63 mm long sleeve made it possible to place a fairly powerful charge of gunpowder in it, almost up to four grams. This made it possible to use a range of 7.62 mm bullets from 6.5 g to 14.3 g, bringing the versatility of the cartridge to the widest range of applications. And at the same time, the overall dimensions of the cartridge remained within reason, without requiring serious modifications to the rifle, increasing the length of the bolt and weight. In terms of the variety of bullets used for loading (jacketed, semi-jacketed, expansive, etc.), 30.06 cartridges today are practically not inferior to the 308 Winchester caliber cartridge. The weight of hunting cartridge bullets ranges from 8.01 to 14.25 g. The muzzle velocity and energy of various bullets range respectively from 734 to 942 m/s and from 3277 J to 4128 J.
A distinctive feature of caliber 30.06 is its suitability for all modern breech systems of hunting weapons. Semi-automatic and bolt-action carbines are produced with the 30.06 chamber, modernized rifles with a Henry bracket and with a Colt movable forend (pump-action systems). Thanks to its moderate operating pressure, the 30.06 has taken root well in the European niche of combined weapons. Cartridges of this caliber are manufactured by most companies around the world. They are cheap and especially popular in North and South America, where they are used to hunt a wide variety of game.
The hunting cartridge 30.06 (7.62x63) has become widespread in Russia, because, as can be seen from the above, it is quite universal and suitable for most Russian hunts for medium- and large-sized animals (wild boar, deer, elk). For a significant part of hunters, it is more preferable than the widely used 308 Win or 7.62x54R cartridges, with which, in principle, it is on par in terms of ballistic characteristics. By purchasing a weapon of a certain caliber, a hunter, in essence, chooses one or another cartridge that he intends to use for hunting. Those who choose 30.06 caliber are generally making the right choice considering the wide variety of bullets available in 30.06 caliber loads. The cartridge allows you to successfully use it to hunt almost all large, medium-sized and even large birds that live in Russia and are objects of hunting. For hunting elk, deer and very large wild boars, shooters usually use cartridges with heavy half-jacket bullets weighing 10-13 grams. Such bullets, when accurately fired at the slaughter area, do not leave wounded wounds. Bullets weighing 9.1 9.7 grams have lethality for shooting mountain goats and sheep at a distance of 300 m and even further. A lightweight Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) bullet can be used to effectively shoot fur-bearing animals such as raccoon, fox, jackal, wolf and even large birds such as wood grouse. The range of bullets significantly expands the range of applications of this caliber. The cartridge case of caliber 30.06 has a length of 63 mm and a sufficiently large capacity, which makes it possible, if necessary, to put a powerful charge of gunpowder into the cartridge, capable of imparting even a heavy bullet a high initial velocity and, as a result, great energy. Thanks to this, the cartridges work equally well at long firing distances - 200-300 meters, and even more so at short ranges - 50-150 meters. Carbines of caliber 30.06, in comparison with weapons of caliber 308 or 7.62X54R, according to experienced shooters, are considered more suitable for shooting from long distances. Much has been written about this in the specialized literature on weapons. In the hunting grounds of the Central and Northern parts of Russia, during hunts for ungulates, the specifics of the landscape rarely allow shooting from distances of more than a hundred meters. But sometimes there are exceptions, when the animal is clearly visible at a distance of two hundred three hundred meters. The result of the shot in this case depends not only on the accuracy factor of the weapon, which, presumably, serious shooters always keep in order. And not so much from the preparation of the hunter, who, in the event of an unexpected rapid change in the shooting distance, is required to be able to instantly assess the situation and make the necessary adjustments. This skill can be easily developed if you have the desire and time. But, as most hunters believe, not without reason, the success of a shot largely depends on the cartridge used. In such a situation, the 30.06 caliber cartridge will help the shooter really distinguish himself. Experience shows that the main reason for an unsuccessful shot is often the wrong choice of cartridge. More precisely, the type of bullet and, most importantly, its weight do not correspond to the size (weight) of the hunted animal. This happens either due to lack of experience or due to the shooter’s frivolity. You should not load a jacketed bullet if you are hunting an elk or an adult wild boar. An experienced hunter shoots any large animal with a semi-jacketed bullet, the weight of which increases the larger the animal being hunted. This bullet has a high stopping effect.
The domestic manufacturer of cartridges, correctly taking into account the mood and wishes of hunters, is constantly expanding the range of hunting cartridges of 30.06 caliber from season to season, satisfying demand and increasing the popularity of this ammunition. This is also facilitated by the ever-increasing quality of the components used for assembling cartridges. Cartridges 30.06 (7.62x63) are produced with a brass sleeve and with jacketed (FMJ) and semi-jacketed (SP) bullets, increased and high accuracy. Most hunters, despite the increased price, prefer brass cartridges. The jackets of FMJ and SP bullets, also taking into account the growing demand, are made of tombac or bimetallic. It is safe to note that today domestic cartridges in terms of quality are no longer inferior to European models from some well-known companies, and even more so in terms of characteristics. A survey constantly conducted by the editors of our magazine during the hunting season of the year shows a rapidly growing interest in domestic cartridges. The percentage of sales of our cartridges is several times higher than the level of sales of imported cartridges.
