30-06 or 300 win mag
- Thread starter sika
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enfieldspares
Well-Known Member
FWIW .30-06 will always feed better in any rifle that will any of the belted magnum cartridges. It also, usually, gives an extra cartridge in the magazine. To me that one extra is far more potential value than any extra 200 fps to any UK shooter. Any 150 or 160 grain bullet will kill a deer at the right velocity and .30-06 achieves that right velocity easily at normal stalking ranges.
And if you are going to shoot across canyons then 7mm Remington Magnum is a better choice than .300 Winchester Magnum. And unless you've a twenty-four inch barrel or longer both 7mm RM and .300 WM are not going to perform as the ammunition catalogues might have you believe.
And if you are going to shoot across canyons then 7mm Remington Magnum is a better choice than .300 Winchester Magnum. And unless you've a twenty-four inch barrel or longer both 7mm RM and .300 WM are not going to perform as the ammunition catalogues might have you believe.
ajr
Well-Known Member
I have a 25-06 and 300 Win Mag combination it all boils down to personal choice the win mag is a great Africa round and also for driven boar.
I have a .25-06 and a .300WM and personally find that to be a very good combo, with the added bonus that you cant accidentally mix cartridges up.
Win mag wont chamber in .25-06 and .25-06 is too "small" to chamber and fire in a win mag. Whereas you could concievably chamber and fire a .25-06 in a .30.06.
But on the flip side you can share magazines if you have both '06 cartridges - useful for driven boar and the requirement for speedy reloads.
Frankly they are both bl00dy good loads and will work well for deer, boar and bigger. Inside normal hunting ranges they both go bang and kill things. If you can get to a range and try both out to see which you prefer.
The only real difference is the WM will push that 180gn bullet at 3100ft/s compared to the '06's 2700ft/s. So a bit flatter shooting and harder hitting but obviously that comes with more recoil, but is a deer going to notice the difference? Probably not TBH.
Try both and buy the one you like best.
Win mag wont chamber in .25-06 and .25-06 is too "small" to chamber and fire in a win mag. Whereas you could concievably chamber and fire a .25-06 in a .30.06.
But on the flip side you can share magazines if you have both '06 cartridges - useful for driven boar and the requirement for speedy reloads.
Frankly they are both bl00dy good loads and will work well for deer, boar and bigger. Inside normal hunting ranges they both go bang and kill things. If you can get to a range and try both out to see which you prefer.
The only real difference is the WM will push that 180gn bullet at 3100ft/s compared to the '06's 2700ft/s. So a bit flatter shooting and harder hitting but obviously that comes with more recoil, but is a deer going to notice the difference? Probably not TBH.
Try both and buy the one you like best.
undoubtedly both good calibre's. Theres obviously a cost with that extra speed in terms of recoil so that may figure in your decision making, of course this is mitigated to a significant degree by rifle fit, weight & stock design but still something you may want to bear in mind, no point having a powerhouse calibre if its off-putting squeezing the trigger at the crucial moment. Personally speaking, Im confident that my 30-06 will deliver the goods on all our UK species when fed the right diet - its a very flexible calibre to reload for and regarding Boar, it has a pretty good track record from what I can see too!
what do you want it for?
I like the 300wm and it brings a certain amount of authority that other cartridge I have had didn't
At the time I had a 270 also
Both the 06 and the WM have a huge bullet weight range and choice of projectiles
I personally like the WM over the 06 because everyone should have one at some point in their life.
the number cruncher in me says its all down to personal choice as they both do the job
something very fun about chucking 200gr lumps at 3000fps though......06 cant do that
sika
Well-Known Member
red fallow and boar
I have worked with both. The 300Wm has 20ftLb to 28ftLb of recoil energy depending on the rifle weight and moderation. It's not really for the feint hearted and shooting technique becomes very important to avoid vertical stringing and maintain accuracy. The 30-06 is much more tame, more in the region of 14 to 18 ftLb again dependant upon weight and moderation. Much easier to shoot. For the quarry you're after the 30-06 is plenty man enough for the job and I would be going for the smaller of the two chamberings. I would only be going with the 300WM if the regular quarry was Moose, Eland or Bear. It's really not required for deer or piggies.
th32
Well-Known Member
I've been using a 30.06Spr for reds and boars and the 25.06Rem for the rest, mostly roes, chamois and hinds. I'm going to use the 25 for reds in the rut, we'll see!
I would't get a 300WM for red and boar, but many fellow hunters use it with great results. Up to you!
Flash9919
Well-Known Member
Unless you're regularly shooting big deer at long ranges go with the 30.06 (or smaller 6.5 / 7mm calibre). Don't get me wrong, 300wm is a great calibre, quick, hits hard and accomodates bullet weights from 150 to 200+ (I have a 220grn eld-x load for mine) so very versitile, top it with an aimpoint red dot and it's a formidable driven boar rifle, scope it up and your almost point and shoot on deer to 300yrds +. That said, flinging a 180grn bullet at over 3000fps comes at a cost in terms of recoil, barrel life and powder / ammo costs....alot suggest downloading to 308/3006 speeds but it doesn't really work, to achieve that it's easier just to buy the 308/3006 in the first place. Should you get a 300wm....definately....but with a 25.06 for fox/roe and a 300wm for the other end of the spectrum I'd personally be looking for something to sit between the two.....6.5x55, Creedmoor, 7mm-08, 7x57, 7x64, .270w, 280rem, 308w or the 3006.....take your pick.
enfieldspares
Well-Known Member
Of course, historically, if you've got a .30-06 you also have...assuming it has enough meat in it to pass proof...a .300 Win Mag "in waiting".
For the origin of the .300 Win Mag was its being designed to enable .30-06 rifles to be re-chambered to that calibre. FWIW I think that the .308 Norma Magnum is a better cartridge for the reloader than is the .300 Win Mag. But then you'll be forever searching for ammunition. But, again, any .30-06 with enough meat in it can also be re-cambered to .308 Norma Magnum.
So maybe start with that .30-06 with the idea that if you ever get around to it you could always re-chamber it. Or maybe just get a 7mm Rem Mag!
For the origin of the .300 Win Mag was its being designed to enable .30-06 rifles to be re-chambered to that calibre. FWIW I think that the .308 Norma Magnum is a better cartridge for the reloader than is the .300 Win Mag. But then you'll be forever searching for ammunition. But, again, any .30-06 with enough meat in it can also be re-cambered to .308 Norma Magnum.
So maybe start with that .30-06 with the idea that if you ever get around to it you could always re-chamber it. Or maybe just get a 7mm Rem Mag!
XYZ
Well-Known Member
The 30-06 will be ample for your needs in the UK and beyond. Mine has been to Africa several times and I've never felt undergunned on any of the larger plains game so it will be absolutely fine on anything you will come across in the UK.
It is cheaper to run, and more comfortable to shoot.
Unless you are sniping at 300m and beyond or want long range target shooting the 30-06 is the better option.
I use Norma Oryx 180gr bullets and so far everything I've hit has dropped to one shot.
The .300 WinMag is a fine calibre and as mentioned previously hits harder and shoots flatter but are you really going to need that for the application you have in mind?
Up to 300m there is little discernable difference.
That said, I have recently bought an M03 in .375 with a slot for a .300WinMag barrel to use as a one gun arsenal when I travel abroad. The only reason I added the .300 was because I already had the 30-06 and some of the hunts I have planned will require a longer shot on occasion so a further reaching, flatter shooting calibre will be beneficial.
Stick to the 30-06 and you won't be disappointed.
It is cheaper to run, and more comfortable to shoot.
Unless you are sniping at 300m and beyond or want long range target shooting the 30-06 is the better option.
I use Norma Oryx 180gr bullets and so far everything I've hit has dropped to one shot.
The .300 WinMag is a fine calibre and as mentioned previously hits harder and shoots flatter but are you really going to need that for the application you have in mind?
Up to 300m there is little discernable difference.
That said, I have recently bought an M03 in .375 with a slot for a .300WinMag barrel to use as a one gun arsenal when I travel abroad. The only reason I added the .300 was because I already had the 30-06 and some of the hunts I have planned will require a longer shot on occasion so a further reaching, flatter shooting calibre will be beneficial.
Stick to the 30-06 and you won't be disappointed.
150-gr from .270 is probably all you need for all deer in the UK.
Boar shots will be well under 200 yards, where 180-gr RN from a .30-06 is plenty.
If you want "flatter shooting", consider a 7mm Rem Mag - same recoil as a .30-06. But truth be known, some of my .30-06s shoot 180-gr high-BC bullets right around 2,800 fps and cloveleaf groups, giving up only about 50 yards in energy to the average .300 WM or WSM. When you get out past 300 yards, where those magnums excel, few shots are necessary, and you have to have the rifle, the ability, the experience, and the wind and light in your favor for such a shot. The .30-06, 7x64, .280 and .270 Win come in a bit lighter and smaller packages, too.
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