Looking for a good "all-around" hunting rifle. Should mention I'm a BIG guy so not to concerned about recoil. Have done a lot of research, but still have not made decision. Any & all knowledge would be helpful.
its really a matter of cost and range, the 30-06 has plenty of power, is cheaper to shoot and practise with,rifle is cheaper too.300 mag just has more power at longer range.ammo cost is at least twice .if you really need the extra range and can afford it or intend to reload, then go for the 300 mag.but most people dont need it and the 30-06 works fine for most folks,it also has larger selection of bullet weights and designs , while most 300 mags bullets are for hunting only, this is factory loads now. both rounds take the .308 bullet diameter, so you can reload the 300 mag to do almost anything, but the 30-06 you can buy ammo ready to go.
another possible choice is the 338 winchester mag. I have several friends who do all their big game hunting with the 338. I still use a 30-06 with great success. I gave my son my 300 win mag, just too painful to shoot after shoulder surgery. He loves it, but is a youngster at 35. If you are doing long range shooting, you can definitely get the performance out of the 300 win mag over the -06. Good luck in your quest.. Blitzfike
That all depends on your intended use. They're both great rounds. I own both, and tend to separate their use depending on the size of the game, the weight of the bullet I desire to shoot, etc. That being said, I wouldn't be afraid to hunt anything in North or South America with the .30-06. As has been said, the ammo is cheaper, in some cases the rifles are cheaper and, IF I were going to shoot nothing but factory ammo, I would probably stay with the '06.
If you're strictly hunting big game with the rifle, barrel life may not matter. But if you've got the time and space to play with your rifle year 'round, remember a higher pressure (300 mag) round will wear a barrel/erode a throat faster than a lower pressure round. I've never had the opportunity to wear a barrel out; I'm sure it would take a few thousand rounds anyway.
If recoil is not a concern - there is not a single valid reason to go with 30-06 for hunting rifle over 300wm; 300wm will do everything 30-06 can just a bit better.
Cheaper ammo is not a valid reason for a hunting rifle - we are talking about ONE DOLLAR per hunting trip. And if you are reloading it really becomes a moot point.
30-06 is not a slouch, it was intended to be the magnum of it's time (shoot, 1903 sights go 2200 yards), but compared to 300wm the only thing you can say, is that WM has harsher recoil.
Cheaper ammo is not a valid reason for a hunting rifle - we are talking about ONE DOLLAR per hunting trip. And if you are reloading it really becomes a moot point.
30-06 is not a slouch, it was intended to be the magnum of it's time (shoot, 1903 sights go 2200 yards), but compared to 300wm the only thing you can say, is that WM has harsher recoil.
Don't forget to give your short actions some love... 308 win is very easy on the pocket book and has the range for anything in Oklahoma. My personal new favorite is the 338 Federal for its energy down range is close to equal to most popular long actions.
If you are going to go about it like a sane person, get the 30-06. It will do about everything you need in North America. If you want a big magnum then go big or go home. 300 win mag is a wimp round compared to 300 RUM, and who cares about recoil if you can put a muzzle break on it. A .338 gives you BC advantages that the .308 will never match (I shoot 300gr .891 BC bullets in a 338 Edge)
In summation 30-06 will do what you need, but sometimes it's fun to have the overkill.
In summation 30-06 will do what you need, but sometimes it's fun to have the overkill.
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