Editing .30-06 Springfield (section)

==Performance==
The .30-06 cartridge was designed when shots of {{convert|1,000|yd|m|sigfig=4}} were expected. In 1906, the original M1906 .30-06 cartridge consisted of a {{convert|150|gr|g}}, flat-base [[cupronickel]]-jacketed-bullet. After World War I, the U.S. military needed better long-range performance machine guns. Based on weapons performance reports from Europe, a streamlined, {{convert|173|gr|1}} boattail, [[gilding metal|gilding-metal]] bullet was used. The .30-06 cartridge, with the {{convert|173|gr|1}} bullet was called ''cartridge, .30, M1 ball''. The .30-06 cartridge was far more powerful than the smaller Japanese [[6.5×50mm Arisaka]] cartridge and comparable to the Japanese [[7.7×58mm Arisaka]]. The new M1 ammunition proved to be significantly more accurate than the M1906 round.<ref name="multiref1">Dunlap, Roy, ''Ordnance Went Up Front'', Samworth Press (1948), p. 303 {{ISBN|978-1-884849-09-1}}</ref>

<!-- More grain/gram swaps needed. Hatcher has data, but not avail now. -->
In 1938, the unstained, {{convert|150|gr|g}}, flat-base bullet combined with the .30-06 case became the M2 ball cartridge. The M2 ball specifications required {{convert|2740|ft/s|sigfig=4}} minimum velocity, measured {{convert|78|ft|m|sp=us}} from the muzzle.<ref>{{Citation |title=Army Ammunition Data Sheets: Small Caliber Ammunition |date=April 1994 |author=U.S. Army |series=Technical Manual |id=TM 43-0001-27 |url=http://www.dtic.mil/dticasd/sbir/sbir032/a044a.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071202134237/http://www.dtic.mil/dticasd/sbir/sbir032/a044a.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 2, 2007 <!-- also http://www.kmike.com/Ammo/tm%2043-0001-27.pdf-->}}, page 5-9</ref> M2 ball was the standard-issue ammunition for military rifles and machine guns until it was replaced by the 7.62×51mm NATO round in 1954. For rifle use, M2 ball ammunition proved to be less accurate than the earlier M1 cartridge; even with match rifles, a target group of {{convert|5|in|mm}} diameter at {{convert|200|yd|m}} using the {{convert|150|gr|adj=on}} M2 bullet was considered optimal, and many rifles did not perform nearly as well.<ref name="multiref1"/> The [[U.S. Marine Corps]] retained stocks of M1 ammunition for use by snipers and trained marksmen throughout the [[Solomon Islands campaign]] in the early years of the war.<ref>{{harvnb|George|1981|p=409}}</ref>

In an effort to increase accuracy, some snipers resorted to use of the heavier .30-06 M2 armor-piercing round, a practice that re-emerged during the [[Korean War]]. Others sought out lots of M2 ammunition produced by [[Denver Federal Center|Denver Ordnance]], which had proved to be more accurate than those produced by other wartime ammunition plants when used for sniping at long range.<ref>{{harvnb|George|1981|pp=81, 428, 434–435}}</ref> With regards to penetration, the M2 AP round<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cooke |first1=Gary W. |title=.30 Caliber (.30-06 Springfield) Ammunition |url=https://www.inetres.com/gp/military/infantry/rifle/30_ammo.html |website=inetres.com}}</ref> can penetrate at least {{convert|0.42|in|mm|2|abbr=on}} of armor steel at {{convert|100|yd|m}}. A test done by Brass Fetchers shows that M2 AP can actually penetrate up to {{convert|0.5|in|mm|2|abbr=on}} of MIL-A-12560 armor steel from a distance of {{convert|100|yd|m}}. The round struck the plate at a velocity of 2,601 fps and made a complete penetration.<ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkVMSj6scxE |title=Armor Plate Shootout - 0.5" thick MIL-A-12560 armor plate |date=31 January 2013 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

[[File:30-06 Spring.PNG|thumb|right|180px|Winchester .30-06 cartridge]]
[[File:9.3X62-30-06-8X57-6.5X55-308.JPG|180px|thumb|From left to right [[9.3×62mm]], ''.30-06 Springfield'', [[7.92×57mm Mauser]], [[6.5×55mm]] and [[.308 Winchester]]]]
[[File:Garand clip.jpg|thumb|180px|Eight .30-06 cartridges loaded in an ''en bloc'' clip for the [[M1 Garand]]]]

Commercially manufactured rifles chambered in .30-06 are popular for hunting. Current .30-06 factory ammunition varies in bullet weight from 7.1 to 14.3 grams (110 to 220 grains) in solid bullets, and as low as 3.6 grams (55 grains) with the use of a sub-caliber bullet in a [[Sabot (firearms)|sabot]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nelson |first=Terry |date=August 2018 |title=The .30-06 Can Do It All |url=https://www.outdoorhub.com/stories/2018/08/07/the-30-06-can-do-it-all/ |website=Outdoor Hub}}</ref> Loads are available with reduced velocity and pressure as well as increased velocity and pressure for stronger firearms. The .30-06 remains one of the most popular sporting cartridges in the world. Many hunting loads have over {{convert|3000|ftlb}} of energy at the muzzle and use expanding bullets that can deliver rapid energy transfer to targets.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto;"
|-
! Bullet weight
! Federal<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.federalpremium.com/products/rifle.aspx |title=Federal Premium Ammunition - Rifle |website=www.federalpremium.com |language=en |access-date=2017-12-18}}</ref>
! Hodgdon<ref>Hodgdon Powder Company, Cartridge Load Recipe Report, 3/27/2010, data.hodgdon.com</ref>
! Speer<ref>Speer Reloading Manual Number 12, 1994, Blount, Inc., Lewiston, ID. pp. 286-294.</ref>
! Hornady<ref>Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading, Fourth Edition, 1991, Hornady Manufacturing Company, Grand Island, NE. pp. 343-350.</ref>
! Nosler<ref>Nosler Reloading Guide Number Four, 1996, Nosler, Inc., Bend OR. pp. 322-329.</ref>
! Barnes<ref>Barnes Reloading Manual Number 2-Rifle Data, 1997, Barnes Bullets, Inc., American Fork, UT. pp. 381-386.</ref>
|-
| {{convert|110|gr|1|abbr=on|}}
| N/A
| {{convert|3505|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|3356|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|3500|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}} 
| N/A
| {{convert|3471|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
|-
| {{convert|125|-|130|gr|1|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|3140|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|3334|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|3129|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|3200|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|3258|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|3278|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
|-
| {{convert|150|gr|1|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|2910|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}} 
| {{convert|3068|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|2847|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}} 
| {{convert|3100|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|3000|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|3031|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
|-
| {{convert|165|gr|1|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|2800|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|2938|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|2803|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|3015|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|3002|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|2980|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
|-
| {{convert|180|gr|1|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|2700|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|2798|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|2756|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}} 
| {{convert|2900|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|2782|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|2799|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
|-
| {{convert|200|gr|1|abbr=on}}
| N/A
| {{convert|2579|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}} 
| {{convert|2554|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}} 
| N/A
| {{convert|2688|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|2680|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
|-
| {{convert|220|gr|1|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|2400|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|2476|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}} 
| N/A 
| {{convert|2500|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|2602|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
| {{convert|2415|ft/s|abbr=on|sigfig=4}}
|}

The table above shows typical muzzle velocities available in commercial 30-06 loads along with the maximum .30-06 muzzle velocities reported by several reloading manuals for common bullet weights. Hodgdon, Nosler, and Barnes report velocities for {{convert|24|in}} barrels. Hornady and Speer report velocities for {{convert|22|in}} barrels. The data are all for barrels with a twist rate of 1 turn in {{convert|10|in}} which is needed to stabilize the heaviest bullets. The higher muzzle velocities reported by Nosler for {{convert|165|gr|1}} and heavier bullets use loads employing a slow-burning, double-base powder (Alliant Reloder 22).{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

The newer [[7.62×51mm NATO|7.62×51mm NATO/.308 Winchester]] cartridge offers similar performance to standard military .30-06 loadings in a smaller cartridge.