Properly "Caliber 30 Model of 1906," the 30-06 was developed at Springfield Armory for the 1903 Springfield rifle. The original 1903 cartridge, though very similar, used a round-nosed 220-grain bullet; the 1906 version used a 150-grain spitzer bullet with a slightly shorter case neck and case length of 2.494-inches. The 30-06, in Springfield, 1917 Enfield, and M1 Garand rifles, remained America's service cartridge through the Korean War. It was the most powerful cartridge ever adopted by a major military, and over time became America's most popular hunting cartridge. Today there are many good choices, but the 30-06 remains extremely popular throughout the world, suited for most North American big game and equally effective for African plains game. The most common standard loads today feature: 150-grain bullet at 2910 feet per second; 165-grain bullet at 2800 fps; and 180-grain bullet at 2700 fps. Choices in both rifles and ammunition are almost limitless.
