The cartridge is well over 100 years old. but the best 30-06 Springfield rifles are still some of the best big game hunters on the market.
Handfuls of faster, stronger and ‘better’ cartridges have come and gone in that time and yet still the old aught six remains near the top of the best-seller list. It is a perennial favorite, for good reason.
Unveiled to the world all the way back in 1906, ‘Thirty Aught Six’ was made for the military. It served in the bolt action Springfield and Enfield, and gained icon status in the Browning Automatic Rifle and M1 Garand that cut down the enemy en masse.
The round served faithfully for 70 years before the combined might of 50 BMG rifles and 7.62x51mm finally put the 30-06 Springfield out to pasture.
But hunters still adore it, Alaskans keep it on hand for bear defense and sport shooters accept the challenge of taming this powerful round at outdoor ranges every weekend.
It’s still wildly popular, then. But what are the best 30-06 rifles on sale in 2023?
1. Tikka T3x Lite
- Price: $749.99
- Caliber: 30-06 Springfield
- Barrel Length: 22.4 inch
- Weight: 6.4lb
- Capacity: 4+1
Overall Winner
Price: 3/5 Accuracy: 4/5 Range: 3/5 Capacity: 2.5/5
If you’re ready to spend a little more on your 30-06 Springfield bolt action rifle, then you can have near custom rifle performance for mid-range money with the Tikka T3x Lite bolt action rifle.
Effectively this is a step up from the Ruger and Savage Axis, with the rough edges smoothed off and a little more in terms of engineering.
It’s a tack driver out the box and this Tikka T3x Lite bolt action is totally good for the sub-MOA accuracy guarantee.
The 2-lug bolt comes with a 75 degree lift and this rifle cycles smooth as silk. Add a free floating barrel, a precision cold hammer forged barrel provided by parent company Sako, and you’re already painting a picture of a high quality rifle.
There’s no caveats beyond a little plastic where you might want to find steel, like the trigger guard, in the name of cost and weight savings. Except for those totally understandable details, it is just a great gun.
You can even feed it easily through the large, flared ejection port. That can be a big deal out in the field when there’s no time to switch mags.
Tikka Does Suffer Recoil
Recoil is a thing with a light 30-06 Springfield bolt action rifle, and a lot of owners fit a Limbsaver recoil pad if they intend to shoot lots of rounds at a time. That aside, for the price point, this Tikka T3x Lite is damned near the perfect 30-06 Springfield bolt action rifle.
The Tikka T3x Hunter has a slightly longer barrel and a wood stock for added stability, long range precision and less recoil. On paper the Tikka T3x Hunter might even be the better rifle.
But the lighter gun is much more portable and is an absolute tack driver to 600 yards and beyond, so the advantages of the larger and heavier gun aren’t as obvious as you’d think in the real world.
You can order a left handed version of both Tikka rifles, too, which will please about 10% of you…
2. Savage Axis XP Bolt Action Rifle With Scope
- Price: $389.99
- Barrel Length: 22 inch
- Weight: 7.37lb
- Capacity: 4+1
Best Budget Rifle
Price: 5/5 Accuracy: 3/5 Range: 3/5 Capacity: 2.5/5
The Savage Axis II is one of the best bolt action rifles on the market, at this price point anyway.
You get a floating bolt head, button rifled barrel, pillar bedded action and user adjustable trigger pull. This Savage Arms Axis II isn’t just a cheap rifle, it’s an excellent rifle with a reputation for accuracy and durability that you can shoot straight out the box.
Some people choose to have that trigger reworked for a better feel. Do that and you’ve got the best part of a custom rifle with bone chilling accuracy for a handful of dollars.
This Savage Arms Axis II rifle package includes a 3-9x40mm Weaver scope, which makes it even better value.
3. Noreen Firearms BN36X3
- Price: $2,700.99
- Barrel: 16 inch
- Weight: 9lb
- Capacity: 20+1
Nuclear AR Rifle
Price: 2/5 Accuracy: 3/5 Range: 3/5 Capacity: 5/5
Man oh man it’s a good job the gun control guys don’t know about this Noreen Firearms BN36X3. It’s basically an AR-30-06, a tactical rifle with 20 rounds in the mag, a collapsible box stock and a box magazine.
This is the home defense winner here by a mile, if you like turning invaders into pink mist with a semi auto rifle and your shoulder is made of steel.
You can hog hunt with the Noreen Firearms BN36X3, take out multiple bears. Honestly there’s almost nothing this rifle can’t take down.
Sure it’s not the best here when it comes to long range accuracy, but it’s not built for that.
This is a massively overpowered AR-style rifle, a caricature of an AR-15 semi auto rifle, and it’s just so much fun.
Buy your Noreen Firearms rifle now, before Joe Biden finds out this nuclear semi automatic AR exists.
4. Ruger American Bolt Action Rifle
- Price: $429.99
- Barrel: 22 inch
- Weight: 6.25lb
- Capacity: 4+1
The best selling Ruger American rifle is another star in the bolt action world and most keen hunters have one in at least one caliber.
The 30-06 Springfield bolt action rifle is a seriously heavy hitter that feels the benefit of all that R&D across the spectrum.
It comes with a power bedding system that positively locates the receiver, while allowing you to keep a proper free floating barrel. That’s a luxury in this company and gun reviews have shown it’s an accurate and elegant solution that the Savage can’t quite match.
The Marksman user adjustable trigger pull allows you to choose between a 3-5lb break that is crisp and effective. It’s a 3 lug 70 degree bolt that’s easy to handle with gloves and comfortably clears the scope, and a simple tang safety.
Owners often spend time polishing engineering burrs off the bolt for a smoother action. Then they largely say this is one of their best rifles, despite the cheap feel of the stock and super soft recoil pad.
The payoff there is the Ruger American rifle is a lightweight rifle, which matters out in the field.
5. Weatherby Vanguard
- Price: $639.99
- Barrel: 24 inch
- Weight: 7.5lb
- Capacity: 5+1
The Weatherby Vanguard 2 is another rifle that comes with a big reputation, a sub-MOA guarantee at 100 yards.
Built on a weather proof Griptonite Monte Carlo synthetic stock, the stainless steel barrel is bead blasted and comes with a recessed target crown.
The user adjustable trigger system goes all the way down to a feather light 2.5lb break and it’s match grade all the way. You also get an integral recoil lug, which is a custom touch that reduces the number of parts and is just a good thing for long range accuracy.
It two comes with a three rings of steel, with the cartridge surrounded by the recessed bolt face, which is surrounded by the barrel, which is surrounded by the receiver. That’s about as strong as you’re likely to get.
So this Weatherby Vanguard is a worthy adversary for the Tikka. Personal experience and a little brand loyalty could sway you towards the Weatherby Vanguard and you wouldn’t necessarily be wrong.
6. Browning X-Bolt Composite Stalker
- Price: $879.99+
- Barrel: 22 inch
- Weight: 6.9lb
- Capacity: 4+1
The Browning X-Bolt is a legend in the hunting community in a range of calibers, from the all conquering 223 Remington, and the 308 Winchester model trough to these bigger calibers.
There’s a massive range in prices, too, from the highest price Browning X-Bolt White Gold Medallion with its walnut stock through to the simpler Browning X-Bolt Stainless Stalker 30-06 Springfield rifle, and this lowest price Composite Stalker model you see here with a synthetic stock.
It’s a simple design, done well, and the model line has evolved to suit a variety of game hunting and shooting sports demands, and budgets.
So it’s never that far down a list of the best hunting rifles, regardless of the caliber. And folks are constantly finding new creative ways to demonstrate the top tier engineering…
7. Remington 700 ADL
- Price: $550.99
- Barrel: 24 inch
- Weight: 7.38lb
- Capacity: 4+1
The Remington 700 is the best selling rifle in American history. Introduced in 1962, this rifle continues to this day in a range of calibers and it remains one of our favorite 30-06 Springfield bolt action rifles.
Of course it has evolved over the years and now the entry level version comes with a simple matte black synthetic stock.
The 24 inch blued barrel and the legendary Three Rings of Steel encasing the cartridge head, meanwhile, remain basically unchanged from the original version.
It has improved, thanks to modern plastics and stainless steel, but the basics of this classic 30-06 bolt action rifle remain unchanged. And that’s because this Remington model was always awesome, and it still is.
8. Mossberg Patriot
- Price: $399.99
- Barrel: 22 inch
- Weight: 6.5lb
- Capacity: 5+1
The Mossberg Patriot is another one of those you can buy in a range of calibers, which helps Mossberg keep the costs down.
There’s a 308 Winchester model, a 243 Winchester model, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm Rem mag and just about everything else.
9. Winchester XPR Extreme Hunter TrueTimber
- Price: $751.99
- Barrel: 24 inch
- Weight: 7lb
- Capacity: 3+1
The Winchester XPR is an elegant 30-06 Springfield bolt action rifle with a precision button rifled barrel and proprietary MOA trigger system.
Experienced hunters say the Winchester XPR MOA trigger is lighter, crisper and more consistent than anything short of a high end custom hunting rifle.
It is one of the best 30-06 rifle options out there.
10. Browning BAR
- Price: $1,533.99
- Barrel: 24 inch
- Weight: 7.5lb
- Capacity: 4+1
Designed by Bruce Browning to be the ultimate sporting autoloader, the Browning BAR Mark II semi-automatic rifle has become a firm favorite in the hunting and shooting community.
The high gloss and checkered walnut stock and forend on the Browning BAR are a clear sign of intent, it’s a luxury hunting rifle for those with deeper pockets. You can also get a synthetic version, but it’s not the same as one of the best 30-06 rifle options with the wood…
With both versions of the Browning BAR you do get the high quality engraved steel receiver, a super crisp single stage trigger and a detachable box magazine. Add a cross bolt safety to the mix and you end up with one of the best 30-06 Springfield rifle options on the market.
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