.30-06 vs 7mm Rem Mag

samadam165

I'm torn between the two calibers. I live in AZ and would be hunting ELK and Mulies mostly. I need some of your opinions about the two calibers. I really like the Savage Accu-Trigger models. This will be the only big game rifle I will buy.


Thanx,
Sam

sandwarrior

samadam165,

Be prepared for a lot of opinions about calibers and rifles.

I think the Savage is about the best buy for right out of the box.

I will say first, for what you want, you wouldn't go wrong with either. The 7mm Rem Mag will provide flatter shooting if you prefer to shoot that way. The 30-06 will allow you to move up to a heavier bullet if getting more energy on the target is what you want.
For the best comparison I can use a 7mm will push a 150 gr. bullet to 3000fps (3100 loaded hot) and the bullet has better ballistics than the 30-06 which will push a 150 gr. bullet to 2900 (2950 is hot). However, the 7mm caps out at 175gr. bullets. and the 30-06 will go all they way up to 240gr.
Ammunition is found everywhere for both. -Good luck

We have the second amendment so that all the rest are secure....UNK>

Bert H.

quote:Originally posted by sandwarrior
samadam165,

Be prepared for a lot of opinions about calibers and rifles.

I think the Savage is about the best buy for right out of the box.

I will say first, for what you want, you wouldn't go wrong with either. The 7mm Rem Mag will provide flatter shooting if you prefer to shoot that way. The 30-06 will allow you to move up to a heavier bullet if getting more energy on the target is what you want.
For the best comparison I can use a 7mm will push a 150 gr. bullet to 3000fps (3100 loaded hot) and the bullet has better ballistics than the 30-06 which will push a 150 gr. bullet to 2900 (2950 is hot). However, the 7mm caps out at 175gr. bullets. and the 30-06 will go all they way up to 240gr.
Ammunition is found everywhere for both. -Good luck

We have the second amendment so that all the rest are secure....UNK>


Since when is a 7mm Mag 150 grain load @3100 fps considered hot[?][?]. I shoot 160 grain SPBTs in my Model 700 BDL @3250 fps, and that is not what I would exactly call "hot". My old reloading manuals show loads for a 150 gr. 7mm Mag clear up to 3350 fps.

In answer to the original question, the 7mm Mag cartridge will do everything that the 30-06 will do... but just a wee bit better. I hunt elk with a 7mm Mag 160 gr. load, and I hunt deer with a 150 gr. load 30-06. In a pinch, I would not hesitate to use either rifle for deer or elk sized game... as bullet placement is the real key to clean kills.

Bert H.

Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!

Pinhead

Bert and Sandwarrior both gave you good advice. The two you mention are about the tops for all around on the North American continent. The 7mm shoots flatter for long range(400 + yards) and the 30/06 has more versatility as far as bullet weights are concerned. I'm a long time 30/06 man but the 7mm will get the job done. If you are recoil sensitive, the 30/06 will have less recoil but it is not a big difference. If you reload, the 7mm will use more powder thereby costing more to operate but there again, it is not a big difference. Personally I don't think you could go wrong on either caliber.

jnmiller75

Well, like the others, I think both are very good choices. The 7mm Rem Mag does shoot a little flatter and faster, but like it was pointed out, with the .30-06, there are numerous bullet weights to choose from. 110gr. upto 240gr.

Personally I am a .30-06 man, and here is why.

-Has been what I have always used.

-I like the huge selection of bullet weights to choose from. You can select lighter ones for coyote or heavy ones for deer or elk.

-I know that if something happens, and I forget ammo on the hunt of a lifetime, I can walk in any store that sells ammo, and there will have a decent selection of .30-06. Granted the 7mm is very popular as well, but I think that it can be harder to find sometimes.

-Factory ammo is a little more expensive, and like it was pointed out earlier, will be a little more expensive if you reload.

-I also collect and like to shoot 1903 Springfields and M1 Garands. I like being able to shoot the same ammo in these that I do in my hunting rifle. You just have to be carful not to shoot too heavy of a bullet in the M1, but that is another issue.

ern98

Lot of good to be said for the 30-06, but not that it is a flat shooting long range cartridge compared to more modern stuff. The 7mmMag is the classic american magnum, and for the two beasties that you list the answer is a resounding 7mmMag. Mulies are legendary at only offering long shots and the 7mmMag set that standard in the rockies thirty some years ago. Elk are tough, hard to kill critters, and the 7mmMag offers more then enough energy, with the right bullets, to do the deed. The single rifle battery for big game hunting has been argued to death, but the answers keep comming back to 30-06 or 7mmMag depending on range and critter use. In your case get the 7mmMag and never think about it again.

scott

I also would say the 7mm mag is the hands down choice for where you live and what you hunt. if i were torn between two cartrides for a single, my only for once and for all biggame rifle, i would be thinking 7mm mag or 300 win mag...i have maybe 12 high power rifles from 243 up to 340 wby ; one for every specific area, every circumstance and every species i hunt and the bottom line is , be it antelope, mulies, whitetail or elk, everytime opening morning rolls around, i have that damn .340 in my hands....Why ? because it is basically a 7mm on steroids ! Faster is better ! Reality is cost isnt a factor concerning ammunition in a rifle used for biggame hunting and in my opion, 140grain or 150 gr 7mm will outperform any weight in a 30/06 and if heavy is better, a 160 grain 7mm will drop an elk everybit as quick ( and probably better) then a 180 30/06...if you feel the need to shoot 200 grain bullets or bigger, you might as well throw rocks as they are even HEAVIER and have about the same trajectory ! ( go to the 300 or 338 mags ! )

steveg

sam i to live in ariz go with the 30-06 it is a good cal it will kill anything that you wont it to here ammo is a lot cheaper than 7mm. 7mm would be alright if you are going to take 5-6-7 hundred yard shots but not likly here in Arizona

codenamepaul

I am biased toward the 7mm personally. I do love the 30-06 for a number of reasons, availability being the foremost. You can go into most any small town hick gas station and ask Cletus for a box of 30-06.

I like the 7mm because for most any range out to about 500 yards the drop is close enough not to need a hold over and stay in a clean kill zone. I have a Win 70 with a little more barrel and use the Hornady Hevi-Mags with 139 grain pills. I think the numbers I'm seeing here are a little conservative compared to my chrony. A whitail thru the shoulder (not behind) is dead on impact.


Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my gun.

Hang-Fire1

I was looking at the Savage Accu-Trigger model too, that is until I tried a Weatherby Vangard. The quality is like night and day and the prices are very close. I picked up a brand new .270 SS/syn out the door for $425.00. It comes with it's own factory target showing a three round 1.5 in. group. Mine is starting to settle in and I'm doing .5 groups at 100 yrds.

Worth looking at IMHO...

Liberty Bells Life Member
http://www.libertybelles.org

victorlvlb

Either caliber you choose will do the job. I for one have never had to shot a mule deer at over one hundred yards. A 165 grain bullet out of a 30-06 may or may not mess up more meat then a 7mm mag. I would think the 30-06 would have less of a kick, and make it more user friendly.

Psalm 109:8