The largest round on our site, the .30-06 Springfield cartridge was introduced to the U.S. Army in 1906. It remained in use until the early 1980s. The “.30” refers to the caliber of the bullet, and the “06” refers to the year the cartridge was adopted—1906. The 30-06 is one of the most versatile cartridges ever designed, and can be hand loaded to rival the performance of many magnums. The recoil of the .30-06 remains within the upper limit of what most shooters consider “tolerable,” leaving most shooters with a serious flinch. It is suitable for any small or large heavy game found in North America. Due to its power and versatility, this round remains very popular and is truly an All American round.