Rifle · SAAMI
.30-06 Springfield
US Army standard rifle cartridge from 1906 to 1954, when 7.62x51mm NATO replaced it.
- Caliber
- 0.308″ · 7.823 mm
- Introduced
- 1906
- Case
- Rimless
- Parent
- .30-03 Springfield
- Primary use
- Hunting, Target, Military
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 1906
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- U.S. Army Ordnance Department
- Manufacturer
- Springfield Armory, Lake City Arsenal, others
- Standard
- SAAMI
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Abundant
- Case capacity
- 68 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:10
- Primer
- Large Rifle
- Case type
- Rimless
- Max pressure
- 60,000 psi, SAAMI transducer
- Eff. range
- 1000 yd
- Max range
- 4200 yd
- Recoil
- 18–25 ft·lb
Ballistics
Published velocity/energy data isn't available for .30-06 Springfield. Parent case: .30-03 Springfield.
Performance
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
SAAMI · verified| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 7.82 | 0.308 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 8.63 | 0.340 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 11.24 | 0.443 | ✓ |
| Shoulder angle | 17.5° | — | ✓ |
| Base ⌀ | 11.93 | 0.470 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 12.01 | 0.473 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.24 | 0.049 | ✓ |
| Neck length | 9.79 | 0.385 | ≈ |
| Case length | 63.35 | 2.494 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 84.84 | 3.340 | ✓ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .30-06 Springfield is highlighted below.
Factory loads
Being verified
Advertised FPS, energy, and BC are withheld until loads clear verification.
Suitable powders
73 reloading powders listed for .30-06 Springfield, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Firearms chambered in .30-06 Springfield
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Adopted by US Army in 1906 (hence '06') as improvement over .30-03. Served in both World Wars, Korea, and early Vietnam. Replaced by 7.62 NATO in 1954 but remains incredibly popular for hunting.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .30-06 Springfield use?
- .30-06 Springfield typically uses a 1:10 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .30-06 Springfield?
- .30-06 Springfield uses a 0.308″ (7.823 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .30-06 Springfield still in production?
- .30-06 Springfield is active; typical availability is abundant.
- What is .30-06 Springfield used for?
- .30-06 Springfield is primarily used for hunting, target, military.
- What is .30-06 Springfield based on?
- .30-06 Springfield is derived from the .30-03 Springfield case.
- What are the best powders for .30-06 Springfield?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for .30-06 Springfield include N110, Winchester 748, N530, 5744, among 73 suitable options.
Sources & provenance
- Standard SAAMI — ANSI/SAAMI Z299 — Cartridge & Chamber Drawings archived
- Standard SAAMI — SAAMI cartridge & chamber drawing — .30-06 Springfield archived
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 326 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →
