30.06 vs 300 Win mag?

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Calum

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For the record I own a 300 win mag in a semi, but have shot a few bolt rifles in 30.06, and at this point I really can't tell the difference between the two.

And by 300 win mag I'm talking about the real one, not the short one. :p

So what are the Pros and cons of both mentioned cartridges with regards to performance, hunting, reloading, cost, availability, etc?

I'm just asking in case some day if I had to buy another rifle and had a choice between the two.

Discuss. :nest:
 
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I think if you are shooting bullets in the 150 - 165 gr range you will see less difference. Once you get into 180 - 220 gr range, thats when the 300 win will separate itself from the 30-06.
 
I doesn't take much to find out the difference between the two. Just look at some reloading manuals to find that out. What it boils down to is what are you going to use it for. IMHO a 300 mag would be a great round for larger game like elk. For deer the 06 is more than enough. If its for the range why would you need either when a flat shooting smaller recoiling round will do nicely.

Burning more powder per round never made anyone a better shot and a deer is not more dead with a 300 as compared to an 06
 
Like comparing any of them it depends on the rifle and more, the shooter. For all intensive purposes I've always considered my .300 Win Mag as an "ought six" on steroids. Love it. A top contender for the title of one gun for everything.
 
sbtennex said:
Like comparing any of them it depends on the rifle and more, the shooter. For all intensive purposes I've always considered my .300 Win Mag as an "ought six" on steroids. Love it. A top contender for the title of one gun for everything.
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I agree with your statement, it is one of the most versatile calibers. It isn't a great range caliber though, you will be shooting out the barrel in 1/5 the time it will take you to shoot out the .30-06 barrel. The .300 WM has more recoil than the .30-06 too. And the shells cost (roughly) two to three times as much.
 
Calum said:
For the record I own a 300 win mag in a semi, but have shot a few bolt rifles in 30.06, and at this point I really can't tell the difference between the two.

And by 300 win mag I'm talking about the real one, not the short one. :p

So what are the Pros and cons of both mentioned cartridges with regards to performance, hunting, reloading, cost, availability, etc?

I'm just asking in case some day if I had to buy another rifle and had a choice between the two.

Discuss. :nest:
Click to expand...

Range....In my mind the 300Win is all about the ability to use long, heavy, aerodynamic bullets and how that works into a better all around long range package than the 30-06.

Try the 200gr Partition and report back on the internal damage! Yes you can use the 200 Nosler in the 30-06, but most pass on the 2550-2600fps max velocity. This bullet really is a gem that most guys overlook....It is explosive in the 300Win.
The 200 Accubond is another bullet not normally used in the 30-06 that gives the 300Win a real purpose.

Seldom mentioned is the fact that the 300Win is a very accurate cartridge. The 30-06 can be built in accurate rifles, but is not normally in the same class as the 300Win. The 300Win shoots best near wide open...not so the 30-06 rifles I have owned.

Given the same bullet the 300Win and 30-06 are pretty much identical in the amount of internal damage they create. For some reason the 300Win is usually quite a bit more spectacular or deer. Moose seem completely unimpressed by the extra velocity the 300 gives a 180grain bullet....Note the 200 Partition 300 Fans!

Reloading costs are very similar between the 30-06 and the 300Win...The extra powder is no big deal.

As much as I love my 300's, if you don't shoot beyond 300 Yards the 30-06 will do everything you could ever need done. It really is one of the best all around cartridges.

Bullets like the 180TSX make the 30-06 all the better.
 
Shrek said:
I agree with your statement, it is one of the most versatile calibers. It isn't a great range caliber though, you will be shooting out the barrel in 1/5 the time it will take you to shoot out the .30-06 barrel. The .300 WM has more recoil than the .30-06 too. And the shells cost (roughly) two to three times as much.
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Shooting out the barrel? :eek:

How long does this sort of thing take in a 300 win mag?

BTW guys good info thank you muchly. :)
 
.30-06 vs .300 Win Mag

sbtennex said:
Like comparing any of them it depends on the rifle and more, the shooter. For all intensive purposes I've always considered my .300 Win Mag as an "ought six" on steroids. Love it. A top contender for the title of one gun for everything.
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+1

I've got one on a Browning Abolt composite stalker. Picked it up specifically because the Abolt has a 26" barrel in the .300 Win Mag. 70 grains of IMR4350 behind a good quality 180 gr JSP is magic.

2004-08-07_235017_2BAboltCS300WM2.jpg


When I did "away hunts" my secondary rifle was a Win 70XTR .30-06 with 24" barrel. This rifle also has iron sites. Loads were 165 gr JSP's.

2004-08-12_230337_2Win70XTR3006a.jpg


Love 'em both.

2007-10-27_091302_1aCoffee.gif

NAA.
 
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I've shot both, but right now I don't own any 300 mags, as I own a 338 win mag and 375 RUM. Nothing against the 300 though, it is a very good cartridge.

I think the only real advantage the 300 has over the '06 is range. You can basically carry your terminal impact performance out another 150 yards with the 300 win mag. For 90% of hunters, who shoot most of their game under 200 yards, there's no real benefit to the 300 over the '06. If you are one of the few hunters who does actually put down moose and bear etc, with 300-500 yard shots, then the 300 is clearly what you should be packing.
 
X-fan said:
Range....In my mind the 300Win is all about the ability to use long, heavy, aerodynamic bullets and how that works into a better all around long range package than the 30-06.

Try the 200gr Partition and report back on the internal damage! Yes you can use the 200 Nosler in the 30-06, but most pass on the 2550-2600fps max velocity. This bullet really is a gem that most guys overlook....It is explosive in the 300Win.
The 200 Accubond is another bullet not normally used in the 30-06 that gives the 300Win a real purpose.

Seldom mentioned is the fact that the 300Win is a very accurate cartridge. The 30-06 can be built in accurate rifles, but is not normally in the same class as the 300Win. The 300Win shoots best near wide open...not so the 30-06 rifles I have owned.

Given the same bullet the 300Win and 30-06 are pretty much identical in the amount of internal damage they create. For some reason the 300Win is usually quite a bit more spectacular or deer. Moose seem completely unimpressed by the extra velocity the 300 gives a 180grain bullet....Note the 200 Partition 300 Fans!

Reloading costs are very similar between the 30-06 and the 300Win...The extra powder is no big deal.

As much as I love my 300's, if you don't shoot beyond 300 Yards the 30-06 will do everything you could ever need done. It really is one of the best all around cartridges.

Bullets like the 180TSX make the 30-06 all the better.
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200 grain Nosler in my Husqvarna 30-06 are chronographed at 2700 fps, using an Oehler 33. This is not an over-loaded cartridge. Brass has long life with it.
Never mind the manual charts, what does a 200 grain factory loaded 300 W. Mag actually chronograph at?
 
30-06 in a normal weight rifle is probably about the max amount of recoil the average hunter can put up with and shoot half decent. The 300 Mag is a great cartridge, but few average guys can truly utilize any advantage it offers over a 30-06. That is my opinion :)
 
Depending if the person has a strong shoulder and wants to test it. The magnum is good for this. The old reliable 30-06 has seen more action than the 300 mag ever will. Dependable, variety of weights and a proven knock down power are just a few attributes of the 30-06. With the thin skinned game that is usually hunted, the the need for a magnum is reduced greatly. Just because the magnum is shot 10 times a year for sighting and hunting, does not compare to the numbers of 30-06 rounds used up at a range or game area. Flatter shooting magnums perhaps but the shots taken at the great distance are risky also. ..look at the sales of them in our EE. gives an idea of how many are kept for hunting....... My 2 cents worth.
 
The biggest difference is if one hand-loads or not. In factory ammo the 300 WM shows a clear advantage with all bullet weight.

Handload the old '06 for use in a modern rifle and the difference is smaller than one would think. As mentioned by H4831 2700 fps is easily reached with 200 grain bullets in the 30-06 out of a 22" barrel. 2800+ fps is also possible with a 180 grain bullet again launched out of a 22" 30-06 barrel.
 
The 30-06 is a good cartridge. Whatever it will do the .300 will do about 150 yards farther away with the same bullet. Whether the shooter can or can't handle it doesn't change anything about the cartridge. Barrel life is considerably shorter with the .300 than a 30-06, but if you never get there with either the life is infinite either way.
 
troutseeker said:
You will feel less recoil in a semi-auto. Try a bolt action similar to the one you shot in .30-06 ( weight especially and stock design) and let us know how that felt.
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Indeed, the Benelli company claims that my rifle will have the felt recoil of a .270, and they are pretty much right IMHO. In hind sight I should have held out for the 30.06, .270, or even the .308 version for our tiny deer and brushy hunting climate here on Vancouver Island. And I don't feel comfortable taking shots at critters beyond 200-300 meters. Since Benelli doesn't make my rifle in 6.5x55 Swede. :p

As for bolt guns I have tried a 300 Weatherby and to me it had brutal recoil, sweet accuracy though.

The 30.06 Ruger I tried was quite nice, I could have shot it all day as to me it felt like it had less recoil then my M44 Mosin...but that could be due to the metal butt plate on my Mosin. :D

So it's nice to hear I wouldn't be short changing myself by choosing a 30.06 if I get a chance to buy another rifle in the future.
 
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Both are great cartridges that have stood the test of time. I went with a 300WM over 30-06, not because it is leaps ahead of the 30-06, which it isn't, but simply because it has a mild ballistic edge over the 30-06 and I could see no reason not to take advantage of that. You can buy or reload 300WM for a negligible cost difference compared to 30-06. You always got what you paid for in either, if you want a low tech soft nose you can buy either for roughly $25 a box, or spend $55 on a premium bullet for either as well.
 
The 300 WM is best. Because its got 'magnum' in its name. Game have become larger and tougher recently and you need a magnum. Plus it doesn't matter if you can't shoot it and flinch like a girl because its a magnum and it will kill game dead. ;)
 
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