300wm, 7mag or 30-06?

[DUKFVR]

Of those 3, I would take the 06 everyday.

[Ætheling]

30-06 has killed more on this planet than any other round. From every type of Cervid to Hominids.

Everything else is a failed attempt to "better" it.

[H-D]

I was in your shoes a couple of years ago trying to decide between 300wm and 7mag...I had no interest in 30-06.
I went with the 7mag. I load 168gr accubonds LR and shoot 1/2 moa at 3050fps avg with at least 25% less felt recoil than the 300wm.
With a good brake or Thunderbeast on the end the recoil is minimal.
I plan to use it for Elk in a few years when I retire.
In the meanwhile it goes with me hunting any time there's potential sight of a Nilgai.
Sadly it has not had the opportunity to draw blood yet.

[tward1604]

I think this is exactly where my mind keeps taking me. I currently own all 3 calibers but do agree that it’s almost splitting hairs with the 3 choices I’ve presented. Nostalgia is what keeps drawing me back to the 06. It’s also the most mild recoil of the 3 IMO.

If you keep going back to the 30-06 you have answered your own question for yourself!

[westtexducks]

I guess I need to add: these guns will be threaded for suppressors. That detail might be necessary to help make a decision...I guess

Running full time suppressed for a hunting gun? This changes my answer, .30-06 with a 20" barrel. By the time you screw on a 6-8" suppressor you will want that barrel to be shorter than longer. Will lose a little going down that short but will make it much easier to wield effectively in the field. No reason to run a magnum at 20" either but the .30-06 should do ok at that length.

[trophy8]

Running full time suppressed for a hunting gun? This changes my answer, .30-06 with a 20" barrel. By the time you screw on a 6-8" suppressor you will want that barrel to be shorter than longer. Will lose a little going down that short but will make it much easier to wield effectively in the field. No reason to run a magnum at 20" either but the .30-06 should do ok at that length.

And the 06 becomes a 308 when cutting to 20” lol. No. Just no.

[westtexducks]

And the 06 becomes a 308 when cutting to 20” lol. No. Just no.

I don't disagree, I almost told him change it completely up and run a 7mm-08 in a 20" just because running a suppressor on a 24+" barrel in a blind in Texas is going to suck. But even if left as a .30-06 yeah you may be killing ballistics some, but you can still call it a .30-06 and for some folks that means more than the efficiency of it does.

[LHPanther]

I don't disagree, I almost told him change it completely up and run a 7mm-08 in a 20" just because running a suppressor on a 24+" barrel in a blind in Texas is going to suck. But even if left as a .30-06 yeah you may be killing ballistics some, but you can still call it a .30-06 and for some folks that means more than the efficiency of it does.

I’ll keep this gun at a 24” barrel. I have my shorty rifles when I’m not feeling like carrying a long stick, but this gun will be long with the suppressor and that’s fine with me.

[Bigfootwolff]

The 30-06 gets my vote, particularly if you will primarily use it for Texas Whitetails and hogs. As others have said recoil will be less, which makes for a more enjoyable shooting experience, particularly at the range when experimenting with different loads to determine which loads are the most accurate in your gun. The magnums need barrel length to get the most velocity out of their rounds, so a 20 inch barrel negates some of the magnum rounds’ benefits. Other than right now, 30-06 ammo is relatively plentiful with lots of bullet weights/designs.

I have had to ask the same questions as the OP regarding North American big game. Realistically I might elk hunt, and possibly black bear. Grizzlies and Moose, are definitely a long shot and unlikely. Exotics like Axis and Aoudad, along with Mule Deer and Pronghorn are much more likely for me to hunt than Moose or Grizzlies.

Based upon all of the above factors it would be the good old 30-06. Good luck with your decision.

[snipermedic]

280ai

[sharkhunter]

No such animal as over gunned. 300 win mag all the way !

[DKW II]

7 mag gets my vote, I think it has the best combination of everything your looking for. If I am ever trophy hunting, it’s what I grab every time and I have all 3 of those calibers.

If your running a suppressor full time, I have no experience there but I’d take the advice trophy8 has.

[jreyna920]

7mag

[rg2]

All will do the job, get whichever 1 you can find ammo for...

[imyomama]

i'll go out on a limb and disagree with everyone.. texas deer are small animals usually in the 100 to 150 lbs range... those 3 calibers mentioned are for way bigger game , and bullet manufacturers design bullets with thicker jackets to expand on bigger animal with more penetration. most store bought ammo in those calibers are even marked for larger game for that reason... so 2500 lbs of energy puts 500 lbs in the animal and 2000lbs in the tree behind it ... many years as an RO at my club during public sight in day also reveals many hunters with big ego bringing high recoil rifle , flinching and often incapable of shooting worth a crap , but laughing that the guy next to them has to move over due to concussion. I shot a 95 gr ballistic tip 243 for 15 years and never had to track a deer even once. they drop like a stone. old man in our camp shot 7 mag , we knew instantly when he shot and just about had to go help him every year to go chase the blood trail...

texas ... 243, 6.5 creed , 308 ... anything beyond that is just overkill and an attempt of compensation for a lack of marksmanship .

don't shoot the messenger , go look at ammo reviews on these large calibers and you'll find plenty of people complaining of lack of expansion and performance on small white tails.

now everything you shoot can kill a deer ... but sledge hammers are not the BEST solution to push in thumb tacks.

that is all ... haters ...GO!