7mm versus .30-06

[born2_b0whunt]

hey guys I am looking at purchasing my first hunting rifle. I am favoring either the .30-06 or the 7mm. 90% of my hunting is done on elk besides that usually whitetail deer once in a while a muley. I live in Montana so I hunt open parks where it would be nice to take 300 to 400 yard shots once in a while. which do you think would be the best. Thanks
Jake

 

[earplug]

Find A non belted 7MM based on the 06 case. I believe the round is called the 7mm Remington Express, they changed the name from 280 Remington.
A 7-08 is A fine round too.

 

[Slamfire]

There are some fine 7mm rifles out there, for a new shooter, I would recommend advoid anything labeled "magnum".

As I read your post, you are talking about 300, 400 yard shots. If this is your first hunting rifle, you may not be a very experienced shooter, and even with good shooters, 300 to 400 yards is a very long way.

What ever rifle you get, practice with it. Try shooting it in unsupported positions, like sitting. Shoot on paper using a target. Don't shoot at rocks, the dirt splashes make you think you are close, but actually, you are not.

The distance you can keep all your shots on something smaller than a dinner plate is the maximum distance you should be shooting at game. You owe the animal a quick end. For a new shooter that may be 100 yards.

I have always been partial to the 30-06, logistically it is hard to beat. So many choices, and they are easy to find. But if you like 7mm, a 280 Remington is a fine cartridge. The old 7X57 is a fine cartridge, just a little less horsepower. Just advoid a 7mm Mag, too much noise, too much recoil. Takes a lot of practice to control those things.

 

[lastresort777]

7 mag. is a super-bad caliber.(bad=good) I love the A-bolt by Browning. Now it`ll have to be the X-bolt because the A-bolt is being discontinued.

Not to get off the subject but why in the world would Browning discontinue the most popular rifle in existence?

 

[Bartkowski]

Not to get off the subject but why in the world would Browning discontinue the most popular rifle in existence?

I have met 1 person who had at one point owned one of these, and hundreds with winchester 70's and remington 700's. I never knew it was that popular.

Back to the original post. A 30-06 will do what you want, but you will have to know your gun and its ballistics if you are going to shoot at that range. I have a 30-06 and a 7mm rem mag. Recoil is the same, so if you can handle one, you can handle the other, but the 7mm is in my opinion a better choice out past 300 yards.

If you really plan on shooting that far I would get a 7mm Rem mag, but if that is just a maybe I will shoot that far, then I would get a 30-06. The 7-08 just seems a little weak at 400yards especially if you were to load it with 160gr bullets or heavier. I am not a magnum type even though I own a Rem mag, so I choose to steer away from the Ultra mags and weatherbys.

And they changed the name back to .280 remington.

 

[ShunZu]

Lastresort777, good question. My next question would be, why in Hell would the owners of Browning (FN) KILL THE WINCHESTER LINE? Model 94 for over 100 years, 1300's, The Rifleman's Rifle - the Model 70. These are the pieces that have made America great.

Something's sinister here, guys. Anyone agree? Unless I miss my wild guess, FN is -NOT- an American-owned company.

S&W a few years ago come to mind?

Now the A-Bolt, another American classic, is going by the wayside.

Time to say ENUFF. I'm boycotting ANY AND ALL FN-made pieces from here on.... and I'm going to start a threat to this effect. Even though someone just posted a message that "The Rifleman's Rifle is Back", it is NOT a Winchester... just someone who bought the rights -- and brought it back at double the price. BS. I've got all the Winchesters, and A-Bolts for that matter, that I need.

 

[homers]

For 300 - 400 yd shots, you need a good scope to match a good gun. You can get recommendations of brand and power if needed.

 

[George Hill]

Hornady .30-06 165gr SST Light Mag: Velocity/Energy:

Mzl: 3015/3330. 300 yard: 2405/2118. 500: 2041/1526

Trajectory in inches:

Mzl: -1.5. 100 yd 1.5. 200 yd 0.0. 300 yd. -6.6. 400 yd -19.3. 500 yd -39.

7MM Rem Mag 154 gr SST:

3035/3149, 2508/2150, 2189/1638.

-1.5, 1.4, 0.0, -6.2, -18.0, -36.1

Personally, I fancy The Seven.

 

[born2_b0whunt]

thanks you guys are a huge help. I have shot an .30-06 before in fact I killed an elk with one last year and I really liked it. So you also said I need to pratice at different positions. The .30-06 shells are cheaper right?.

 

[Fisherman_48768]

30-06 will do anything the 7mm Mag will do. On paper the 7MM is supposedly the superior round, in practice the 06 in the hands of a shooter that knows his rifle will do just as good if not better. Why? The 06 has a wider bullet selection available to match the game being hunted at half the cost. I've taken elk with both the 30-06, never took more than one round, the 7mm took 3 shots, all in the chest to just knock it down. If the 06 is only good for 300 yds why then did the military train shooters at 1000 yds.

 

[born2_b0whunt]

thanks I am still kinda looking at the 7mm though I shot a mule deer buck last year with one across a hay field a 350 yards. I really liked that too. so since the -06 is a .30 caliber it hits harder right?..cause as I mentioned earlier I hunt elk 90% of the time. So I would like to get a gun that can get the job done the best for me and the elk. sorry for the beginner questions but all you guys have been a huge help.

 

[BigO01]

Both are great calibers but if it makes a differnce to you the 7mm Mag is a bit more expensive to shoot .

For a budget long range caliber you might consider the 270 it too is an established long range round effective on Elk and Deer at the ranges you describe .

 

[born2_b0whunt]

Thanks alot you mentioned that a .270 is good too. my cousins shoot a .270 WSM. He really likes his gun. I started looking at those too. Can I find a .270 WSM for under $400.00

 

[mpmarty]

look at the seven mm mag again. It is unbeatable in a rifle with less recoil than a 338 win mag. Seven mm bullets have a higher sectional density (penetrate better and fly faster) than thirty caliber bullets. Yes, the 06 was used in defile fire "over a hill" on people at up to a thousand yards in the "old days". Also in the old days the average person weighed 150lbs and the object militarily was to wound not kill as every wounded soldier took seven out of action to care for him. Those were the days we fought civilized opponents. An elk weighs several times what the old soldier weighed and you don't want to wound him, you want to kill him outright. The seven mm magnum by Remington is the absolute best long range deer and elk cartridge out there and if you handload, Hornady makes a bullet in seven millimeter that has the highest ballistic coefficient of ANY bullet of any caliber, 725 as I recall. Ballistic coefficient is the measure of the bullets drag as it flies through the air which translates to more retained velocity and energy at longer ranges. I have hunted with the 7mm mag since the mid sixties and have taken mule and black tail deer out to a measured 475 yards with the buck standing on a ridge looking down at us. My 7mm mag will print one hole cloverleaf five shot groups at a hundred yards with hunting bullets (if I do my thing correctly). 30:06 is a fine old cartridge but the seven is better for a number of reasons.

 

[born2_b0whunt]

thank you marty finally something I have been waiting to here I really like the 7mm. That is going to be the caliber I get. You have been a huge help thank you again
Jake

 

[627PCFan]

30-06 if you want cheap abundant ammo. I have a 7mm because Im an angry ,angry man=)

 

[MCgunner]

If you handload like me, you can make a 7 mag shoot like a .280, but you can't make a .280 shoot like a 7 mag. That's why I got a 7 mag.

VS. the .30-06, the 7 has better BCs and SDs, more velocity per bullet weight, more energy at range, more of everything. It's a better heavy game round, but either will work inside 300 yards just fine. I just like 7mm bullets, really, though I also have 30 caliber guns as well as a 25 caliber gun.

A 280 Remington will do anything you need doing and recoil is more tolerable than the magnum or the .30-06 with factory loads. If recoil is a concern and you don't handload, I'd go 280 Remington and live happy. There really isn't a bad choice here, so you can't go wrong.

 

[GunTech]

I live in Helena, and hunt central Montana (White Sulfur Springs area). Most of my shots have been 150-300 yards. I beaned a white tail doe at about 150 yards with my 308 and 165gn SGK. The exit wound was hideous. I'm going down caliber.

For Elk, 30-06 will definitely do the job, as will 280 or even 7x57 at reasonable range and good shot placement. With bad shot placement, a super magnum won't help.

 

[MCgunner]

Not to get off the subject but why in the world would Browning discontinue the most popular rifle in existence?

I didn't even know Browning MADE an SKS. ROFLMAO!

 

[North of 49th]

I personaly have a 7mm rem. mag. But then again i am not a small guy and it is not my first rifle. For my first hunting rifle i actually shot my dad's 30-06 savage. Great gun, not to much noise or recoil. But like was already said, 400-500 yards is a hell of a long way. I would try to take a animal at that range unless i had a very good scope a good gun and most importantly i knew how to handle my gun.

 

[born2_b0whunt]

I live in Townsend so I am very familar with the white sulfur springs area. I hunt over by duck creek or by clancy above park lake. I am not to concerned about recoil I have shot a 7mm before actually killed a deer with one. I think i am going to get a 7mm rem mag. Now I just have to start looking around for one. I found one I liked called a stevens do you guys know anything about a stevens rifle?

 

[ojibweindian]

I found one I liked called a stevens do you guys know anything about a stevens rifle?

From what I've heard, the Savage Stevens 200 is the old Savage 110 with a different colored stock. Lots of good reviews here on THR.

 

[trigga]

Just advoid a 7mm Mag, too much noise, too much recoil. Takes a lot of practice to control those things.

my buddy is hunting for the first time this year and he purchased a used remington either model seven or 700 bolt action. it is loud but the recoil was just a bit harder than my semi 30-06. great choice but i just didn't like the $50 scope he had for it. you can barely the target at 100 yards through it.

 

[jmorris]

Everyone should have at least one 30-06. If your out in the sticks, the local gas station/grocery store will have extra ammo for you (it will be next to the .243, 30-30 and .22lr). There is a reason the 30-06 has been around over 100 years.

 

[achildofthesky]

the 7mm mag is great, but make mine an '06 please...

I started shooting alot when I was 12 with a handed down to me mauser vz24based sporter in 30-06. At xmas I got my first reloading press to tame the costs of reloading. I am used to it and prefer it myself, and though I hav'nt owned a 7mm mag the numbers look great and there are a huge number of supporters. I think the ammo availability is barely a blip if at all on the radar of concern, given the sheer numbers of rifles in 7mm mag.

I just bought a custom stocked & barreled Ruger M77 in 280 for $200 that I have yet to shoot and am will be reloading for it when the scope arrives.

As far as the recoil factor, I really don't care too much. I really liked all 3 of the 338 Win Mag's I have owned, but here in Aarghkansas there isnt a whole lot of real need for one. Perhaps I will get another if I move back out west...

Yep, I will stick with the '06 and try out the 280 and see how it shoots. If it is as accurate I will keep it, if not I will move it and get something else to play with.

That is one of the great secrets of guns you know. Buy smart and shop hard, if you don't like the gun sell it and get all you $$ back (and maybe a bit more) and try something else...

Just one gals take on it...

Patty