Legendary American hunting and military cartridge. Served as the primary US military rifle cartridge for 48 years (1906–1954), replaced by 7.62 NATO. Remains one of the most popular hunting cartridges worldwide and the parent case of a large family of American sporting cartridges including .25-06, .270 Winchester, and .35 Whelen.
Type: Rifle
Introduced: 1906, United States
Parent case: .30-03 Springfield
Standardization: SAAMI
Bullet diameter: 0.308" (7.82 mm)
Case length: 2.494" (63.35 mm)
Overall length: 3.34" (84.84 mm)
Max pressure: 60,000 PSI
Rim type: Rimless
Primer: Large Rifle
Typical twist rate: 1:10
Muzzle velocity: 2700–2910 fps
Muzzle energy: 2700–3000 ft-lbs
Effective range: 1000 yd
Common bullet weights: 150, 165, 168, 180, 200, 220 gr
Primary use: Hunting, Target, Military
Production status: Active
Also known as: 7.62x63mm · 30-06 · 30 Ought Six
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.
Notable firearms: M1 Garand, M1903 Springfield, BAR, M1917 Enfield, Remington 700
Military use: {"country":"United States","years":"1906-1980","conflicts":["WWI","WWII","Korean War","Vietnam War"]}
Similar cartridges: .308 Winchester, .270 Winchester