How does the 7MM Mag compare to the 30-06

Shootist3006

Put this together for Notpars but I am sure that others will have something to add(?)

From the Hornady web pages https://gateway.hornady.com/cgi-bin/web_store.cgi?page=storehome.html&cart_id=

The 7MM will put a 139 gr. bullet out (MV) at 3250 fps and 3300 foot-pounds - not bad at all but not much of an improvement over the 30-06 150 gr. @ 3200 FPS and 3200 ft/lbs. The real difference comes with the heavier weights. The 30-06 180 gr. @ 2900 FPS and 3361 ft/lbs compares most favorably with the Winchester 175 gr. Super-X Power Point which is 2860 fps and only 3178 ft/lbs. (From the Winchester web pages http://www.winchester.com/ammunition/store/cfrlist.eye?cartlist=N21tIFJlbWluZ3RvbiBNYWdudW0=&uselist=none&brandlist=none&image=on&summary=on&velocity=on&energy=on&shortrange=on&longrange=on )

The 7MM does have a slightly better ballistic coefficient and sectional density (for identical weight bullets) but the 7MM 175 gr. BC is .427 while the 30-06 is .435. In ALL the heavier weights, the 06 is the clear winner (at least on paper). Just try and get a 7MM bullet over 175 gr. - I don't know of any other than the Barnes ROUND NOSE 195 gr.

Hope this helps in you discussions with family and friends.


Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem.Semper Fidelis

steve45

30-06 is a great cart. but your stats are slanted. In all the better shaped hunting bullets from many different companies 7mm has higher BC than 30 cal. I have loaded the 30-06 to above max pressures (if you can load a .270 to 55,000 psi in a strong rifle why not 30-06?) And I never got 3200 fps with the 150 gr. bullet. Statistics can be deceiving if used to push a point. All this aside an Elk hit in the shoulder at 300 yds with a 7MM 175 gr. or 30-06 180 gr. could'nt tell the difference.

aby80

I have both and they are about the same with the 175 Gr. bullet in the 7MM and 180 Gr. bullet in the 30-06. I think the 30-06 would be the best choice because you can buy factory ammo from 110 Gr. up to 220 Gr. bullets. Also if you reload you can can buy numerous weights of bullets in 30 cal. The recoil in both of my guns are about the same as far as I am concerned.

coyote-man

Yes - It would be rather hard to get a 150gr to 3200 fps, all though I have heard that the Federal High Engery shells will put a '06 180gr out the tube at 3000 fps. But that could be a 24 or 26" barrel.
More realisticly tho, 150 gr in the 06 usually will get out a 22" tube at around 2900 +/-

Shootist3006

15o gr. @ 3200 FPS is straight from the Hornady web page for the Hornady 'Light Magnum' loading of the 30-06.
https://gateway.hornady.com/cgi-bin/web_store.cgi?page=storehome.html&cart_id=

The BC's listed are straight from the Winchester pages cited above.

My favorite loading for the 150 gr. bullet puts it out at 3020 fps from a 22" bbl. (61 gr. W760, WW LRP, Remington brass and Sierra bullet - as with any load, reduce 10% and work up carefully!! THIS IS A MAX LOAD IN MY RIFLE (also shoots 3/4 MOA )

Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem.Semper Fidelis

I.Shute

Shootist-
You're comparing a souped up '06 to a down-loaded 7mm.
Remember, the first few years of the 7mmRM, till about 1989, the 125 gr. went at 3310 fps. and 3040 ft/lbs.
150 gr.- 3260 fps. and 3540 ft/lbs.
175 gr.- 3020 fps. and 3406 ft/lbs.
These were factory loads. Then they were reduced to your figures, never knew why.
I still load mine close to the original loads and they seem to beat the factory '06 substantially, and that's what most shooters are using.
I.Shute

rsnyder55

If you are going to magnum, you may as well go up to the 300 mags. As far as the bullet weights available for 30-06, you will find that the rifling and the harmonics of the barrel will determine the one bullet weight that works best. Even though they make different weights of bullets in the 30-06 does not mean it will shoot them all well.

Big Sky Redneck

I think y'all know my answer

When my rifle was still chambered in 7mmRM my favorite pet load was 160 grain Sierra Boattail, 67.5 grains of Reloader22 and a Federal Magnum primer. Pro Chrony got it at 3075 fps. DO NOT DUPLICATE THIS LOAD, IT IS OVER MAX AND SHOWS SIGNS OF HIGH PRESSURE!

Now I never tried this but the Speer book claims a 175 grain bullet at 2954 using 78 grains of H870, since these books show lower than max pressure to keep idiots like me from blowing myself up these loads are reduced in the book. I feel safe to bet that with some carefull tweaking you can get that 175 grainer slighly over 3000 fps.

Since I have the gun now chambered in 7mm Ultra mag with a 28" barrel I can get the 160 bullet to 3220 fps with 100 grains of 870 Hodgden. I have no load data for the 175 grain bullet and I have not tried it yet so i cannot say what the UM will push it at. In my personal opinion the 7mm rem mag and the 7mm UM are both very reloader friendly and in order to achive the rifles full potential you need to "roll yer own".



Edited by - 7mm nut on 05/19/2002 06:11:06

binder

I have 2- 30-06 rifles . One is a boss/BAR, and the other a bolt Steyr Mann M full stock. For the last few years my brother-in-law has been pushing the 7 mag on me. For most hunting I do and paper printing, why should I go to 7 mag? I use 110, 125 , 165hpbt and 180 grain ammo.

chuck

Hey rsnyder 55 GREAT ANSWER, SOUNDS LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT. I will take a 06 over that 7mm thing any time, and any way you look at it the 7mm Mag is over bored, My 2 cents worth.

steve45

Binder, The word magnum is a sales gimmick and nothing more. Get a reloading manual and show your brother in law that theres not a lot of difference between the two. I just compared the 7mm 175 gr. spbt at 2900 fps to the 30-06 180gr. spbt at 2800 fps. These are Sierra book listed maximums. 400 yd trajectory difference was 1 inch more drop to the 30-06. 30-06 shines with the heavier bullets and will show well. Varmint shooting with these two the 7mm looks a little better 7mm 120gr. spitzer at 3400 fps verses 30-06 125gr. spitzer at 3200. the 30-06 drops 2.5 inches more at 400 yds. Any way you look at it the 7mm Remington mag. outperforms the 30-06 with bullets up to 175gr. If your into long range hunting, bullets larger than this dont work well in either caliber. Theirs no way you can call the 30-06 a great performer and not praise the 7mm mag as well. For that matter add the 270 and 280, they both perform very close to the 7 mag with the correct (lighter) bullets.