Editing .30-06 Springfield (section)

== Sporting use ==
Although the .30-06 was designed as a military round, it soon caught the attention of big game hunters in the United States. This new cartridge offered a flatter trajectory and carried more energy than the popular [[.30-30 Winchester]]. The .30-06 also could be loaded with the then new [[Spitzer (bullet)|spitzer]] designed projectiles, which also contributed to extending the cartridge's performance with respect to other .30 caliber bullets fired from lever action rifles, making it easier to put venison on the table.

It is a very versatile round that may be loaded with bullets ranging from 110 to 220 grains, which may be effectively stabilized from 1:10" twist barrels. Thus, the cartridge may be used to hunt animals of different sizes from varmint to [[moose]] and even [[brown bear]]s with adequately constructed heavy bullets.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Petzal |first=David |date=June 21, 2021 |title=Why You Can't Go Wrong with the .30/06 |url=https://www.fieldandstream.com/story/blogs/gun-nut/still-cant-go-wrong-with-30-06-ammo/}}</ref> Since the cartridge may be used for taking all North American big game species it was considered an all-round by hunters and gun writers as [[Jack O'Connor (writer)|Jack O'Connor]], who hunted extensively with it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Von Benedikt |first=Aram |date=January 11, 2021 |title=.30-06 Springfield: Is it Still the Best All-Around Big-Game Hunting Cartridge? |url=https://www.americanhunter.org/content/30-06-springfield-is-it-still-the-best-all-around-big-game-hunting-cartridge/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Boddington |first=Craig |title=THE .270 VS. THE .30-06 |url=https://sportsafield.com/2017/the-270-vs-the-30-06/}}</ref>

President [[Theodore Roosevelt]] took a .30-06 to his famous African Safari along with his son [[Kermit Roosevelt|Kermit]] and [[Frederick Selous|Frederick Courteney Selous]], proving that the .30-06 could bring down game of any size. Though not optimal for dangerous game, the .30-06 is adequate for hunting African plains game.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Boddington |first=Craig |title=.30-06 Springfield -- Still America's Best? |date=13 August 2021 |url=https://www.boone-crockett.org/30-06-springfield-still-americas-best}}</ref>

With 150-grain bullets, the .30-06 Springfield is a perfect option for medium-sized game such as [[White-tailed deer|deer]] and [[Dall sheep|sheep]]. Leaving the muzzle at 2950 fps, it gives the hunter a maximum point blank range slightly short of 300 yards. The 165 and 168-grain bullets with higher ballistic coefficient contribute to buck cross winds more efficiently and maintain downrange energy at expense of a more curved trajectory, while loaded with 180 to 220 grains, the .30-06 is adequate for hunting larger game such as elk, moose, and even brown bears.

The .30-06 is also the parent case for many other popular hunting cartridges such as the venerable .[[.270 Winchester|270 Winchester]], the [[.25-06 Remington]], the [[.280 Remington]], and the .280 Ackley Improved. All of them are balanced, flat-shooting cartridges ranking high among the most popular big game hunting cartridge for mid-sized species worldwide.

Despite the new trend towards high ballistic coefficient cartridges, designed to be used with short length actions, hunters still praise the .30-06 as it still lists high on the rank of big game hunting cartridges popularity, and every major gun maker worldwide chambers it in at least one of its rifles.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Boddington |first=Craig |title=DON'T OVERLOOK THE .30-06 |url=https://sportsafield.com/2019/dont-overlook-the-30-06/}}</ref>