30-06 as first rifle?
- Thread starter Cassera
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I have 2 30-06s, I weigh 140lbs and could shoot either one all day long, and have on occasion.
The heavy one is a US model of 1917 with a steel butt-plate, weighs about 11lbs. I really don't notice recoil, I just notice that it jumps up a bit obstructing my target for a second.
The other rifle is a Howa 1500 30-06 with a Hogue overmolded stock that has a butt-pad that is absolutely wonderful! It weighs about 8lbs with the scope. I can only describe the recoil as a push on my shoulder, opposed to a 12ga shotgun that is more like a punch.
I have a lot of family and friends that have never shot a rifle before come down to shoot these and other guns on occasion; only one had developed a flinch which was from shooting my 30-30 while holding it other than instructed.
With instruction from myself, maybe 10% of the visitors were unable to hit an 8" target with the scoped 30-06 the first and every time after.
If you buy the right equipment, receive competent instruction, and follow said instruction; I am confident you will not only fare the range experience well, but will thoroughly enjoy it!
The heavy one is a US model of 1917 with a steel butt-plate, weighs about 11lbs. I really don't notice recoil, I just notice that it jumps up a bit obstructing my target for a second.
The other rifle is a Howa 1500 30-06 with a Hogue overmolded stock that has a butt-pad that is absolutely wonderful! It weighs about 8lbs with the scope. I can only describe the recoil as a push on my shoulder, opposed to a 12ga shotgun that is more like a punch.
I have a lot of family and friends that have never shot a rifle before come down to shoot these and other guns on occasion; only one had developed a flinch which was from shooting my 30-30 while holding it other than instructed.
With instruction from myself, maybe 10% of the visitors were unable to hit an 8" target with the scoped 30-06 the first and every time after.
If you buy the right equipment, receive competent instruction, and follow said instruction; I am confident you will not only fare the range experience well, but will thoroughly enjoy it!
First rifle was a Remington model 760 Gamemaster 30.06. My best friends Dad sold it too me dirt cheap when I was a skinny kid of 15 so I could go deer hunting. I am all but 5'4" today and weigh a little more than I did at 15. Shot my first deer across a corn field in Pa with that gun. No scope because I couldn't afford one at the time. But found the iron sights were dead on. If you plan on taking an 06 to the range and running a lot of ammo through it, be prepared for a slightly sore shoulder. I still have that gun today, still no scope on it and the iron sights are still dead on.
going with someone who knows about guns is important. If I were you I would get the 30-06 and if the recoil is heavy just buy a shoulder pad they sell for shooting, they work great. my wife is 110 and shoots a 20 gage with it with no problems. like ya said if you need somthing smaller you can always buy the 22 later. heck my first hand gun was a 500 mag and i havent regreted it sense, but im sure alot of people would say its to bug to start out with as a first hand gun. get what ya want and be happy
if your going to buy a 30-06 first then at the very least make someone else load your gun for you. sometimes they will load it sometimes they wont. that way you won't know if its a live round or if its just going to go click. every time you squeeze the trigger if you can feel yourself flinch, or anticipate the shot at all, even if it is very slight then you need to go buy a .22lr until you quit doing that. every few times at the range repeat this practice to make sure you haven't developed a flinch. otherwise you WILL be another mediocre shot that started off too big and can't hit anything with his BIG gun.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
You don't start out in Indy cars or Sprint Cup. You start out in cars that suit your beginner's capability.
You don't start your education in Grad School. There's a reason for the sequence from elementary school on up to college.
Shooting is no different.
You don't start your education in Grad School. There's a reason for the sequence from elementary school on up to college.
Shooting is no different.
For a first rifle one cannot go wrong with the .22. Get a bolt action or a good semi auto like the 10/22. .22's are cheap and fun to shoot. Also the more you shoot it the more shooting skills you develop. My very first rifle was a Marlin bolt action.
Ok, my very first center fire rifle was a 30.06 in a model 700 ADL. I still have that rifle and I must say after my gunsmith free floated the barrel that little rifle was a tack driver. It does not have a recoil pad and after about 15 to 20 shots off the bench the ol shoulder starts getting a little sore. I dealt with it and even varmint hunted with it until I bought my 22-250. It did not take long to get tired of shooting the 30.06, prone at varmints. I knew there was an easier way and it was the 22-250.
If you get a 30.06, or any center fire rifle near that caliber make sure it has a good recoil pad on it. Recoil pads have come a long ways and will make a big difference. I can sit down and shoot my .300 WIN MAG, several times and it will hurt me less than the 30.06 ADL that does not have the recoil pad.
Good luck on your decision and welcome to the world of rifle shooting.
Ok, my very first center fire rifle was a 30.06 in a model 700 ADL. I still have that rifle and I must say after my gunsmith free floated the barrel that little rifle was a tack driver. It does not have a recoil pad and after about 15 to 20 shots off the bench the ol shoulder starts getting a little sore. I dealt with it and even varmint hunted with it until I bought my 22-250. It did not take long to get tired of shooting the 30.06, prone at varmints. I knew there was an easier way and it was the 22-250.
If you get a 30.06, or any center fire rifle near that caliber make sure it has a good recoil pad on it. Recoil pads have come a long ways and will make a big difference. I can sit down and shoot my .300 WIN MAG, several times and it will hurt me less than the 30.06 ADL that does not have the recoil pad.
Good luck on your decision and welcome to the world of rifle shooting.
i am from the city and still live in 5 boroughs, I was looking for a first gun and was in the same boat. i was looking for best all around rifle and 30-06 was all i needed. from bullet weight to trajectory its a great round that been around for 100 years. especially since we(people living in NYC) cant buy guns every week or even every month i wanted to make sure it will be a good rifle to go to the range with and hunting. i got myself 30-06 and dont regret it one bit
billnourse
New member
Savage .22 LR and a Savage 30/06. You will still be within you price limit, and will pretty much be covered for most situations. Both are available in left handed models, both are extremely accurate, have good triggers, and the price is good.
The 06 is just about the most versatile centerfire rifle in the world, and the .22 LR is something every gun owner should have. The .22 will give you more pratice experience for the least cost, plus it is a great small game/varmint/plinking gun. Your 30/06 will cover everything in North America if you do your part. It's like having the cake and eating it too.
Bill
The 06 is just about the most versatile centerfire rifle in the world, and the .22 LR is something every gun owner should have. The .22 will give you more pratice experience for the least cost, plus it is a great small game/varmint/plinking gun. Your 30/06 will cover everything in North America if you do your part. It's like having the cake and eating it too.
Bill
I'm originally from the city and I have never shot a gun before. I want my first gun to be a rifle.
With that comment alone, do not buy a 30-06 for your first rifle. Dont even buy a center fire gun for your first.
My first gun was a Remington 700 in 30-06. I quickly learned to hate the gun. Then again it really wasn’t the gun it was me but I soon sold it.
The reason is price alone. Go look up the price of a box of 30-06 (20). Then look up a brick of 22LR (1000).
If you can’t shoot with a 22 then you’re not going to with a 30-06. When I started out shooting seriously 30 years ago I was horrible with a rifle. The man that I took advice from suggested that I buy a good quality 22 bolt with a good set of Pep sights and start at 25 yards on a bench stand shoot 50 rounds two times a week or more. When you eat out the center of the target go to 50. And on and on then start back at 25 standing.
You learn from the number of rounds sent down range. The more you shoot the better you will get. In that first summer I shot 4 bricks of 22’s.
And I still have the gun. Winchester 52.
With that comment alone, do not buy a 30-06 for your first rifle. Dont even buy a center fire gun for your first.
My first gun was a Remington 700 in 30-06. I quickly learned to hate the gun. Then again it really wasn’t the gun it was me but I soon sold it.
The reason is price alone. Go look up the price of a box of 30-06 (20). Then look up a brick of 22LR (1000).
If you can’t shoot with a 22 then you’re not going to with a 30-06. When I started out shooting seriously 30 years ago I was horrible with a rifle. The man that I took advice from suggested that I buy a good quality 22 bolt with a good set of Pep sights and start at 25 yards on a bench stand shoot 50 rounds two times a week or more. When you eat out the center of the target go to 50. And on and on then start back at 25 standing.
You learn from the number of rounds sent down range. The more you shoot the better you will get. In that first summer I shot 4 bricks of 22’s.
And I still have the gun. Winchester 52.
IDAHO83501
New member
.243 bolt action. Powerful,low recoil, flat shooting. It will help you to not develop bad habits,,,like pulling the trigger instead of a slow squeeze and flitching.
I had a 10/22 many years ago and sold it. I got into centerfire rifles for deer hunting.
Maybe 4 years ago, I got a Browning SA22 and I'm kicking myself for not having done so earlier. Light, accurate, and a lot of fun to shoot. Not too bad for grouse in Washington State, either. (Yes, we're allowed to shoot grouse with a rifle.)
That was the basis of my suggestion to get a "good" .22 that you would enjoy later, after using it to develop the fundamentals of shooting.
Also, there's a world of difference in .30-06 recoil, depending on the rifle. (As others have said already.) I have a cut-down Winchester 1895 lever-action in .30-06 that is a little bit of a challenge to shoot, due to the drop of the stock and its relatively light weight at 7.5 lbs. On the other hand, I have a heavy-barrel Winchester M70 clone in .30-06 that weighs 13 lbs (w/ scope), and the recoil from that rifle doesn't even bother me. Same ammo in each rifle. My Garand has a recoil that seems to be in between those extremes, which makes sense as it weighs around 9.5 lbs. And a Ruger No. 1 that weighs the same (9.5 lbs) is much easier to shoot, as it has a Limbsaver recoil pad instead of a steel plate!
Summary: The "typical" .30-06 hunting rifle is going to weigh around 8 - 8.5 lbs. Set up with a good recoil pad like a Limbsaver or a Decelerator, it isn't that difficult to learn to shoot. It will be more difficult than a .22, and the possibility of developing a permanent "flinch" is a real one.
Re: AR15 in .223 as a substitute for .22LR, I suppose that would work. Recoil is very low, though not as low as the .22LR. The "old school" way of learning marksmanship is to learn sight picture, trigger, and breath control in different positions, without having to fight the distraction of recoil. I think the Army just drops recruits into the M16/M4 whatever it is designated, without training first on a .22LR "trainer" version of the same rifle.
Long ago, I believe the Army had some kind of .22LR trainers for riflery, but by the time I got exposed to the Garand in the Navy, there was no introduction. You got the centerfire round to practice with, and had to shoot for score a couple of days later!
Good luck.
Maybe 4 years ago, I got a Browning SA22 and I'm kicking myself for not having done so earlier. Light, accurate, and a lot of fun to shoot. Not too bad for grouse in Washington State, either. (Yes, we're allowed to shoot grouse with a rifle.)
That was the basis of my suggestion to get a "good" .22 that you would enjoy later, after using it to develop the fundamentals of shooting.
Also, there's a world of difference in .30-06 recoil, depending on the rifle. (As others have said already.) I have a cut-down Winchester 1895 lever-action in .30-06 that is a little bit of a challenge to shoot, due to the drop of the stock and its relatively light weight at 7.5 lbs. On the other hand, I have a heavy-barrel Winchester M70 clone in .30-06 that weighs 13 lbs (w/ scope), and the recoil from that rifle doesn't even bother me. Same ammo in each rifle. My Garand has a recoil that seems to be in between those extremes, which makes sense as it weighs around 9.5 lbs. And a Ruger No. 1 that weighs the same (9.5 lbs) is much easier to shoot, as it has a Limbsaver recoil pad instead of a steel plate!
Summary: The "typical" .30-06 hunting rifle is going to weigh around 8 - 8.5 lbs. Set up with a good recoil pad like a Limbsaver or a Decelerator, it isn't that difficult to learn to shoot. It will be more difficult than a .22, and the possibility of developing a permanent "flinch" is a real one.
Re: AR15 in .223 as a substitute for .22LR, I suppose that would work. Recoil is very low, though not as low as the .22LR. The "old school" way of learning marksmanship is to learn sight picture, trigger, and breath control in different positions, without having to fight the distraction of recoil. I think the Army just drops recruits into the M16/M4 whatever it is designated, without training first on a .22LR "trainer" version of the same rifle.
Long ago, I believe the Army had some kind of .22LR trainers for riflery, but by the time I got exposed to the Garand in the Navy, there was no introduction. You got the centerfire round to practice with, and had to shoot for score a couple of days later!
Good luck.
Rifleman1776
New member
your first lesson has happed. Ask a question about which caliber/rifle/whatever to get and 100 guys will give you 200 responses.
I'm a 30-06 fan. I'm not very big and the recoil has never bothered me. If your only hunting planned will be for whitetail deer your caliber choices are many.
If you really want to tone down recoil a bit but still have a very versitile and accurate big bore rifle, go for the venerable .308.
And, do put part of your budget aside for a .22 rifle. With that you can do a great deal of formal or informal shooting at little cost and learn shooting while doing so.
In fact, I believe it is almost un-American to not have a .22 rimfire rifle.
I'm a 30-06 fan. I'm not very big and the recoil has never bothered me. If your only hunting planned will be for whitetail deer your caliber choices are many.
If you really want to tone down recoil a bit but still have a very versitile and accurate big bore rifle, go for the venerable .308.
And, do put part of your budget aside for a .22 rifle. With that you can do a great deal of formal or informal shooting at little cost and learn shooting while doing so.
In fact, I believe it is almost un-American to not have a .22 rimfire rifle.
Inexperienced or Ignorant?
Can you be more humble and read what everyone is saying? They are giving you good advices and you are ignoring them.
The shooter makes the rifle not the equipment he uses.
My favorite to shoot is actually not a firearm - Beeman R8 single shot air rifle
What I own and shoot.
Ruger 10/22
Winchester Wildcat 22LR
M1 Garand
Finnish Mosin Nagant M39
Russian Mosin Nagant M38
Lee Enfield No.4 Mk1
HK91 A2
Norinco AKS
SGW AR15
Can you be more humble and read what everyone is saying? They are giving you good advices and you are ignoring them.
The shooter makes the rifle not the equipment he uses.
My favorite to shoot is actually not a firearm - Beeman R8 single shot air rifle
What I own and shoot.
Ruger 10/22
Winchester Wildcat 22LR
M1 Garand
Finnish Mosin Nagant M39
Russian Mosin Nagant M38
Lee Enfield No.4 Mk1
HK91 A2
Norinco AKS
SGW AR15
Right to bear arms
New member
30-06 as a 1st gun.
Do not get a 30-06! You'll find out that this caliber will more than adequately kill any living thing breathing in this hemisphere. By NOT buying an 06 you will have to buy 10 other specialized guns to feel adequately prepared for whatever vermin you encounter!
Do not get a 30-06! You'll find out that this caliber will more than adequately kill any living thing breathing in this hemisphere. By NOT buying an 06 you will have to buy 10 other specialized guns to feel adequately prepared for whatever vermin you encounter!
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