Could I shoot a 30-06?

Question

I am wondering if I could shoot a 30-06? The biggest gun I have shot is a .243, and I think that has a little kick, but not alot. What is a 30-06 like compared to this? I am 5'3", 95 LBS., but I am really scrawny. Do you think I could shoot this gun? Or what age could I shoot this gun comfortably at? And how much stronger is the 150 grain bullet compared to the 180 grain bullet? Is the kick alot different?

Answer 1

The 30-06 will kick more than the .243.
Yes, you would be able to shoot this rifle. I was shooting this rifle at 10 yrs of age.
There is little difference in kick with the grain difference. There is a trajectory difference due to muzzle velocity as well as knock down power- this data is on the shell box.
For a smaller frame person a good Butt Stock Recoil Pad is in order

Answer 2

Yes, you could shoot it. The question is how well and will you develop a "flinch" from the anticipated recoil? I would suggest shooting the 30/06 with reduced loads such as Remington Managed Recoil ammo in the 125 grain bullet weight. These will do the job on deer out to 200 yards and not be difficult for you to shoot. When you are practiced with this ammo and have a need for 180 grain bullets such as applications for Elk hunting, you should be ready to work well with the increased recoil. 150 grain vs. 180 grain is about 20% increased recoil.

Answer 3

You cannot chamber a 30-06 cartridge in a rifle chambered for 303 British, and it's a good thing, because the 30-06 is a higher-pressured round that would likely blow up your Enfield. One must use exactly the right case, and any dimensional variation of more than a couple of thousandths of an inch begs for trouble, if not downright disaster. All components, including primer, propellant and bullet, must be within strict limits, else very bad things happen. On the other hand, the actual answer to your question is "yes." It's possible to pull the bullet from the 30-06 cartridge and load it in the 303 cases. The bullet is smaller (.308" vs. .311"), so accuracy will suffer, assuming you learn how to shoot, but it's possible. You've hit on one of the pet peeves of many of the people in the hunting section here, using the term "bullet" when you meant to say "cartridge."

Answer 4

The 30-06 has moderate recoil, and will harvest any kind of game in North America.* You have a greater variety of bullet weights to choose from with a 30-06.* When you have a 30-06 you don't need any other rifle.* The 180 grain bullet will recoil a little more than the 150 grain bullet.* I prefer to use the 180 or 220 grain bullet for big game.*Buy a Remington, Savage or Winchester Brand rifle.* Buy used an save yourself some $$$$.* A new rifle doesn't shoot any better than a good used rifle.*

Answer 5

I took my 10 year old with a bunch of his 9 and 10 year old buddies out for his birthday. He was not even 80 lbs. then. He and several of his friends shot my Remington 1903 (Springfield 1903), bolt action, steel plate with no recoil pad. No one got hurt or bruised. That gun kicks like a mule but they all loved it. A regular 30-06 with a recoil pad has a lot of kick, but as long as you hold it right you'll be fine. If you have a semi-automatic, the kick will be about the same as the .243, especially the Remington 742. The action of the reload absorbs most of the kick. This is all just my humble opionion though.
Good luck!

Answer 6

You can shoot it. If by shoot you mean put lead in that general direction. I dont know your experience level or anything like that so I cant give you an educated answer. My initial answer was no not accurately. Odds are you would go to the range get kicked a few times develop a flinch from anticipating the recoil and start pulling your shots. I could be wrong though you could be a very experienced shooter and know how to shoot correctly. If I was a small guy and I had my heart set on a -06 I would get a bolt action (personal preference yes they have more recoil) and put a pachmyre decelerator on it. If it was still to much for me to comfortably handle I would have a muzzle break put on it. That would make it very very loud keep that in mind.

Answer 7

I have a 12 year old son who weighs about 95 lbs and when he shoots my 30-06 he does not complain about the recoil. Its not that bad, but yes it will kick harder than your 243. Don't worry though when you are looking at that big animal through the scope, the last thing you will worry about is the kick!!! Happy hunting!!!

Answer 8

I don't think you will hurt yourself or anything but I don't think it will be very comfortable for you after a few shots. You would probably like a decent recoil pad but you might be a little sore the next day even with that. 30-06 is a good round, 95 lbs though is not a lot of weight.

Answer 9

Yes, a 30-06 will kick more than a 243. You just have to hold it tighter. You might want to get a semi-auto; it will siphon off some of that energy to cycle the action.
But if your primary purpose for the 30-06 is deer hunting, it's a lot of gun for a relatively small animal.

Answer 10

Most folks instinctively try to shoot "offhand" (standing) by facing their body nearly at a right angle to the target, then turning head & shoulders left to aim, well I discovered when shooting heavy magnum shotgun loads (including the big 10-gauge, and I'm only 5'6" and was then 120-lbs.) that facing away only about half as much, i.e. a 45-degree angle), planting the feet about 3 feet apart, bending the knees slightly and leaning into the shot, allows the whole body to absorb recoil more efficiently and with better balance. This stance transfers to rifle shooting just as well, even if you don't look like the old army manual positions, plus it looks aggressive to a charging cape buffalo. One thing I don't change from the orthodox stance is this: keep your right elbow up, not tucked against your body, you don't want to immobilise that arm. Trigger control isn't just in the finger, it goes all the way up to the bicep. You're not just shooting with two hands, one finger, and one eyeball, you're shooting with every nerve and muscle, and your mind as well. When your body is one with the rifle, and your physical follow-through becomes natural and effortless, your mind will follow through the shot and make sure the bullet goes where you put it. Pretty zen, but it works - a quantum bit of your mental energy goes out with each bullet, so if your mind wanders, so will your shots.