1138:
Here is just a little history from the Book of Rifles.
NOTE: The 30-06 is a slightly-modified version of the original 1903 cartridge, which was loaded with a 220gr round nosed bullet at a muzzle velocity of 2300 fps. A change was made in 1906 changing the bullet to 150gr and the case shortned by .07", with an increased velocity of 2700 fps. The 30-06 can be chambered and fired in any rifle made for the 1903 round, however, the opposite is not always true.
As indicated in the "Other Names" category the initial Springfield round was designated 30-03 Springfield, and with the modification in 1906 the designation changed to Ball cartridge, caliber 30, Model 1906. As with most all military regalia, the name was shortened to 30-06.
Also located in the other names section, the round was called the .30 Government. The original .30 cartridge was designated the 1903 cartridge, the year it originated. The modified round was designated the 1906 ctg., the year it was modified, with the modified name of 30-06. The first two digits, 30, indicating the caliber of the cartridge, the 2nd two digits, 06, indicating the year of modification.
This designation was necessary as they were limited in the firing of both cartridges as one should not be interchanged with the other in the same rifle. The -03 produced very poor accuracy in the -06.
Principle 30-06 Military Weapons:
1903 Springfield Late Gatling Guns
1917 Enfield Johnson Military Rifle
M1 Garand Belgin FNM49 D-Auto Rifle
1918 BAR Lewis MG
1917/1919 MG Mexican ,1954
M37 MG RM-2 Mendoza LMG
Danish Madsen 1958 rifle FN Belgian rifles
The Pedersen Device should also be mentioned with the 1903/06 rifle. This device quickly changed the 1903/1906 Springfield Rifle into a semi-automatic rifle. During WWI it was decided that the most venerable period for the infantry soldier was while he was crossing "No-Man's
Land", that strip of land between the allied trenches and the German trenches, during attack. Bolt action rifles just did not have the capability to fire rapid enough for "Walking Fire" as it was called.
The United States decided that if each man was issued a semi-automatic rifle he could use suppressive fire as he crossed the "No-Man's Land", to keep the Germans heads down during the assault. They also realized, (U.S.) that there was also the need for the bolt action rifle as well and the possibility of arming every soldier with a semi-auto rifle was out of the question at that time.
This dilemma was solved by John Pedersen, who was working for Remington at the time. He devised a method of removing the bolt from the M1903 Springfield rifle and replacing with a simple blow-back device fitted with its own magazine and a short barrel which,resembled a .30 M1906 cartridge case. This was fitted into the chamber of the rifle, after the bolt was removed, with the magazine protruding out the right side, where the bolt use to be. With this device the soldier could convert his bolt action rifle to a semi-automatic rifle in about 15 seconds. The
cartridge was specially designed by Pederson to suit the modification. The cartridge resembles the lengthened .32ACP cartridge in appearance.
The Pederson device was short lived due to the adoption of the M1 Garand rifle.
HJN
, Art