3006 or 7mm

Knock-down power is a bit of a myth. Really is no such thing.

7mm? Meaning 7mm Mauser (7x57)? 7mm-'08? 7mm WSM? 7mm Rem Ultra? 7mm Weatherby? 7mm Remington Mag? 7mm STW?

Assuming you mean 7x57 vs the '06, both of those cartridges have taken all of those game animals cleanly.

.30-'06 is likely to be easier to find than any of the 7mm cartridges if you're buying off-the-shelf ammo.

Range is likely irrelevant as hunting shots are all going to be within 300 yds for 95% of hunters in 95% of situations.

If you want a variety of action choices, .30-'06 is probably your only common choice. Pump, semi-, and lever actions can be had in '06 commonly. Not in any of the 7mm cartridges, though.

The old '06 is as close to being a do-all cartridge as there is. 110-grain bullets for coyotes, 150s for deer and 180s for elk and moose most generally work just fine. To 300 yards, for all practical hunting, the trajectory is as flat as anything else.

My personal preference for a hunting rifle is the bolt action. My own hunting has never needed more than a 3x9x40 scope. For Sam's 95% rule, a Weaver K4 would work as well as anything.

If you reload my choice would be a 280 or a 280 AI if not a 06.
I Preferr a singl shot just my choice you only need one.
Flip

appalachian hunter said:

hi fellas, i'm asking what is you guy's opinion on 3006 vs 7mm
wanna buy a new rifle and cant decide
knock down power,range,availlable ammo,etc
i'll be hunting moose deer and bears with it
pump-semi-bolt lever.....
what you guys prefer and for what reason
thnks in advance

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By "7mm" I presume you mean the 7mm Remington Magnum. I actually have both but if I were to pick one for hunting it would be a 30/06. The range is plenty, the power is plenty and it's doubtful that any ammo for other cartridges would be more available. For most hunters, I would say go with a bolt action rifle though the 30/06 I've used the most for hunting is a single shot (T/C Encore).

Robert said:

Winchester M70 in 30-06.

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+1
There are three calibers that I am in love with the 6.5mm, 7mm, and 30 caliber. The 6.5 is the perfect whitetail caliber, the 7mm is fantastic for larger deer species like the large mulies I hunted out west, but if you throw moose and bear into the mix I would opt for the 30 caliber.
I handload the 30-06 and it really is that versatile you can effectively load it from 110gr to 250gr for everything in north America. I personally load from 125gr Ballistic Tips to 200gr Hot Cores. The only complainant I have with the 30-06 is it is a bit excessive on deer and tends to blow up too much meat at full power forcing me to reduce load it witch sucks because mine shoots it's best at max load in 150 and 165gr.
The new FN Winchester Model 70 is a SUPERB rifle, I have the featherweight in 308 and it is fantastic, shoots just under 1" with factory core-lokts and half that with my handloads the heavier barreled sporter model is supposedly even more accurate. The Mauser style action is fantastic, the trigger is good, the fit and finish are top notch, and the ergonomics are the best in the business. I highly recommend them, it is my second favorite rifle of all time, and I have owned alot.

Bolt rifle, 30-06 would be my choice. The 7 mags are a very good choice as well. Recoil is virtually the same with a slight increase in the magnum. The 7 mag will outperform the 06 by a slight margin at long range, but not enough for me to take advantge of.

Ammo is everywhere for the 30-06. Rifles tend to be lighter and more compact. Hard to go wrong with a 30-06.

I have neither, but it seems during the ammo crunch of 2013 I could always find 30-06 ammo on the shelves. Although 7mm rem mag was a close second, followed by 270 win. Everything else was gone. That being said, next crunch might be different as I am sure people noticed what was there this time, and purchased to take advantage the next time. So I guess I am no help.

Good luck with your purchase...

LNK

I'd also recommend the .30-06, you won't notice much difference between the '06 and the 7mm Rem mag when used for taking large game. And '06 ammo is very easy to find.

There are two popular 7mm that would be my choice over the 06, the 280 and 7mm Win mag. All three are good calibers and I have at least one of each.
I just feel the 7mm's flatens trajectory and while they give some bullet weight up to the 30 as long as you stay above 150 gr and place your shot well it is worth the sacrifice.

I'd love to answer, but there is NO answer until you tell us what 7mm???

DM

You can't go wrong with the .30-'06. Savage markets a nice rifle that will fit your needs I'm sure. However, if you can afford a Winchester Model 70 so much the better.

ya need a couple of both

It's a wash.

appalachian hunter said:

hi fellas, i'm asking what is you guy's opinion on 3006 vs 7mm
wanna buy a new rifle and cant decide
knock down power,range,availlable ammo,etc
i'll be hunting moose deer and bears with it
pump-semi-bolt lever.....
what you guys prefer and for what reason
thnks in advance

Click to expand...

Your first problem is going to find choises in a pump gun in 7 mag... or a lever in 30-06 or 7 mag. ect... I'm not saying they aren't available, it's just that you don't have many choises, that leaves you with a bolt action for both.

I've shot a lot of big game with both cartridges and PROPERLY loaded both will do the job. The 30-06 will be lighter and because of that, with similar bullet weights the "felt" recoil will be similar, also the bbl will usally be longer on the 7 mag, makeing it less handy... (22" vs 24")

In this case, i'd pick the 30-06, it will do anything you want to do, as long as you put the right loads in it, and do your part.

BTW, 30-06 ammo is cheaper too! So, practise with your new rifle often!!

DM

both will do the job well. Pick the one that you want.

I take the 30-06 to the woods when I'm not bow hunting. However, like Kachok, I love that 6.5x55 round. The only reason I don't take my Swede to the woods is because it's just a little too long for where I hunt and can be a bit cumbersome to get up a tree or quickly draw down on an animal with. As soon as I have the funds saved up, I'm getting a modern 6.5 and that will he what goes with me.

That doesn't really help, I know. The '06 is great though. Like everyone's said, ammo is fairly easy to find and I wouldn't be scared to take it on just about any hunt I'd be going on (no African safaris or brown bear hunts in my future).

what would be the percentage of deer vs. bear and moose? If more bear and moose then i'd lean towards the 7mm for a bit flatter shooting, and oomph at longer ranges. Not that the 30-06 won't do. it will, and is in my opinion the best all around rifle cartridge for the lower 48. If you are using it more at longer ranges and more regularly on critters that sometimes need to be convinced to die why not go for the stronger punch? If this is predominately a deer gun that will also be used for moose/bear on occasion then I think the 30-06 would be the way to go.

Bolt rifle, 30-06 would be my choice. The 7 mags are a very good choice as well. Recoil is virtually the same with a slight increase in the magnum. The 7 mag will outperform the 06 by a slight margin at long range, but not enough for me to take advantge of.

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I'm in this category too. The slight difference in performance requires more skill than I possess to realize. My favorite two calibers are .280 and .30-06. I prefer bolt actions as well. There just isn't much in North America that you can't do with a .30-06, and nothing in the lower 48. It may not be ideal for everything, but it is serviceable for everything.

Do be careful on moose and bears though. Take broadside shots within your comfortable range. Don't go shooting a moose quartering away from you at 300+ yds with it.

Other than that, you'll be fine. I'm not even capable of those shots with the big guns.

Alot of people say the 30-06 and 7mm Rem Mag have the same recoil, having years of hands on experience with both I have to disagree, with bullets of the same weight the 7mm kicks harder by a noticeable margin, I can shoot twice as much 30-06 as I can 7mm Rem Mag before my shoulder starts stinging.
I consider the 30-06 a better balanced cartridge but you have to give the 7mm the edge if all you are concerned with is long range work, but bear in mind that the 30-06 is a respectable performer well beyond normal hunting ranges. I used to use the 7mm Rem Mag exclusively but I was in west Texas back then where big mulies and long shots across wide open terrain was the rule rather then the exception. My long range gun now is neither a 7mm or 30 caliber I bought a 270 WSM that shoots flatter then my 7mm RM and kicks a little less.

As a handloader, I went with 7mm magnum when I wanted a big gun. I like the 7mm ballistic coefficients. All I had at the time was a .257 Roberts and I was thinkin' I'd get to go elk hunting, never happened. Bummer. I used it on some rocky mountain mulies and west Texas whitetail, but no elk. I was really thinkin' .280, but I reasoned that I could always down load the mag to .280 performance if that's what I wanted. I never did, though. I later got a .308, so I wound up with a .30 caliber after all.

I don't think one will kill anything any deader than the other. I was looking at the numbers with the 7. It'll reach as far as I wanna shoot and shoot a little flatter and deliver a bit more energy on target at any range. In retrospect, though, older and wiser, which ever one floats your boat. I got the 7 in a Savage 110, 2" longer barrel and a different bolt face, but otherwise the same gun as I could have gotten in .30-06. It's a good shootin' gun even though, now, I really have little use for it back here in the woods on whitetail. I don't hunt out west anymore, but may again someday, never know. Around here, I've really been getting into my CVA Wolf front stuffer. It's kinda the polar opposite, 385 grains of 50 caliber bullet loping along at about 1500 fps. It gits 'er dun, though. I could see POSSIBLY getting a 75 yard shot out here. If I need a centerfire rifle, my old tried and true .257 is really enough, or my .308. Both are Remingtons.

There just isn't much in North America that you can't do with a .30-06, and nothing in the lower 48. It may not be ideal for everything, but it is serviceable for everything.

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If I wanted to take the time, I could sit down and probably think of 50 different cartridges that this statement would apply to. It's all nuance IMHO.

I doubt you will notice any difference in killing power. Go with the .30-06 as you can get ammo anywhere in N. America.