So I’ve had an itch for a new hunting rifle. Primarily whitetails but moose and elk as well. Currently use my grandfathers a-bolt 30-06. Where I shoot I can’t imagine anything presenting over 300 yards. And to that end, I wouldn’t be comfortable shooting anything farther at this point anyways. I’ve looked into several calibres, magnums, short magnums, etc. My biggest hope was for something that shoots flatter but still hits just as hard. Now correct me if I’m wrong but as far as I can tell, there really isn’t anything that fits the bill. Closest I can come up with would be 7mm rm, 270 wsm, or 300 win. And even then it doesn’t seem to make a significant difference in the field. Thoughts?
Stepping up from 30-06
- Thread starter Mds694
- Start date
After owning pretty much every caliber hunting rifle there is, I am of the opinion " Go big or stay home". I love the .308/.30-06 level of power because they are not so powerful that you will shoot them poorly. A good 150-180 grain bullet put in the right place with precision is all you really need.
I have used 300winmag and 7mm rem along with 338winmag etc. They are more powerful due to either a heavier bullet or a similar sized .30-06 bullet moving faster. I just dont quite shoot them quite as well. I settled on my " bigger" in a 375 Ruger. The gun is a lot heavier than any of my 30 cals which helps. But I really dont need a 250 or 300 grain bullet for moose. I just like the pinache of a 375 cal. So I say either stay with the 30-06 or go much bigger like a 375 or 45/70. (They both feel like a single shot shotgun with a metal butt plate shooting slugs. They take a fair bit of practice to keep the flinch away. Lots of people magnumize but usually come back where they started at .27 or 30 cal.
I have used 300winmag and 7mm rem along with 338winmag etc. They are more powerful due to either a heavier bullet or a similar sized .30-06 bullet moving faster. I just dont quite shoot them quite as well. I settled on my " bigger" in a 375 Ruger. The gun is a lot heavier than any of my 30 cals which helps. But I really dont need a 250 or 300 grain bullet for moose. I just like the pinache of a 375 cal. So I say either stay with the 30-06 or go much bigger like a 375 or 45/70. (They both feel like a single shot shotgun with a metal butt plate shooting slugs. They take a fair bit of practice to keep the flinch away. Lots of people magnumize but usually come back where they started at .27 or 30 cal.
If I hunted where shooting past 300 was unimaginable, and I was mostly hunting deer with maybe a moose or elk once in a while and had no plans to handload I'd probably just shoot a 30-06 and call it good. The 30-06 is just about tailor made for you. If I told you how much stuff I'd shot with my 30-06s you probably wouldn't believe it anyway.
Now; if the question is in fact what shoots flatter and hits as hard as a 30-06 I can walk around the house for hours looking at guns and conclude that the answer is "just about everything".
If the issue is whether there is no significant difference in the field between the 30-06 and those that are a bit smaller and way faster, the same size and faster, bigger and faster and bigger and fast enough it sure hasn't been my experience.
Now; if the question is in fact what shoots flatter and hits as hard as a 30-06 I can walk around the house for hours looking at guns and conclude that the answer is "just about everything".
If the issue is whether there is no significant difference in the field between the 30-06 and those that are a bit smaller and way faster, the same size and faster, bigger and faster and bigger and fast enough it sure hasn't been my experience.
unstableryan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Beautiful Okanagan Valley
If the ‘06 isn’t actually your rifle, and you are looking for another but with a bit more of something, a 7mm rem mag might do the trick while still buying ammo at Canadian tire. My dad’s had one since the early 80’s and it’s dropped lots of animals without fancy bullets.
You have answered your own question. 30/06, IMHO.
- Location
- Steel Town and The Peg
You can also load 30-06 pretty hot for the occasional long range hunt. Or, you can go with 6.5x55 and reach out a bit further... and with the right bullet, it's very effective without the magnum power.
sharp shooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Essex county (Ontario)
Keep the 06 and use that money to buy it ammo or a better scope.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
The .30/06 is perhaps my favorite cartridge, but in some cases, a .300 magnum is better. Typically, the .30/06 (180 @ 2750) is sighted 2" high at 100, and hits zero at 200, and is 8" low at 300. A .300 Winchester, sighted for 250 yards, prints 2" high at 100, just like the '06, but the bullet strikes only 3.5" low at 300, so if your self imposed maximum range is about 300 yards, this represents a useful advantage.
In terms of terminal performance, a faster bullet produces larger wound volumes, than a similarly constructed, slower bullet. A bullet that doesn't upset penetrates deeper, a bullet that is designed to grenade will do so more violently, and a bullet that is designed for controlled expansion on big game will meet its maximum expanded diameter sooner. John Nosler designed his Partition bullet because he was dissatisfied with the existing bullet performance on elk with his .300 Weatherby. A bullet that hits faster and harder, must be constructed more strongly, but must also take the target density into consideration. If you're deer hunting with a .30/06, a 150 gr Ballistic Tip will produce lightning fast kills. It you are deer hunting with a .300 magnum, the Ballistic Tip will act more like a varmint bullet, so the Accubond is a better choice, but the Accubond from an '06 probably won't kill as quickly as the Ballistic Tip, due to the lower velocity, and light target density.
In terms of terminal performance, a faster bullet produces larger wound volumes, than a similarly constructed, slower bullet. A bullet that doesn't upset penetrates deeper, a bullet that is designed to grenade will do so more violently, and a bullet that is designed for controlled expansion on big game will meet its maximum expanded diameter sooner. John Nosler designed his Partition bullet because he was dissatisfied with the existing bullet performance on elk with his .300 Weatherby. A bullet that hits faster and harder, must be constructed more strongly, but must also take the target density into consideration. If you're deer hunting with a .30/06, a 150 gr Ballistic Tip will produce lightning fast kills. It you are deer hunting with a .300 magnum, the Ballistic Tip will act more like a varmint bullet, so the Accubond is a better choice, but the Accubond from an '06 probably won't kill as quickly as the Ballistic Tip, due to the lower velocity, and light target density.
Get a good bolt action in 7MM Remington magnum.[with a detachable magazine].
Use 160 grain Sierra boattails at close to 3000 fps.
I've shot over 35 moose with that combination.
I've also shot bears and wolves with that.
Not too much recoil but it shoots flat and reaches out to get them.
Use 160 grain Sierra boattails at close to 3000 fps.
I've shot over 35 moose with that combination.
I've also shot bears and wolves with that.
Not too much recoil but it shoots flat and reaches out to get them.
