Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 30-06 vs 300 Win Mag

9.3 x 62, 8 mm 06, 35 Wheelen. All based on the 06 case ? All present more raking close range point blank thump do they not? A 1895 marlin, good for leftys and left eye dominant or right handed people, good with iron sights. 45 70 or triple 4. 358 Winchester in a BLR take down action, stash it in the pack mule? How about sell the 270 and buy a 280?

JMR40,

I disagree strongly that "there isn't enough difference" between the .270 and .30-06 to justify owning both. If somebody doesn't own both, their Campfire comparisons lack the EMF (Essential Minutiae Factor) that lengthens elk-cartridge threads, some of the longest not just on the Campfire but Planet Cyberspace.

I suggest you have one of your hunting buddies give you a .270 Winchester cartridge, or if he's really cheap, sell you one. Then you can claim to "own a .270" and thus help keep these threads alive.

Well said mule deer! Well said.......but because they are so similar, one must not stop there! One step at a time ,one step at a time!

I've killed a few elk with my .270's myself

Save your money on a "new" rifle and get some good boots and a good pack/frame

Or.....invest in good to better optics that will help you the rest of your life

spyderman, These are the opinons of the author, and may not reflect a general consensus!!! The 30-06 is a fine cartridge. The 300 WM gives you the opportunity to shoot equal weight bullets slightly faster/flatter with more energy. If stepping up to a heavier bullet, you get more energy and penetration (with equal design bullets), with similar trajectories as those of the lighter 30-06 bullets. Do Not discount the .338 WM!!! With rifles of equal weight and stock design, the .338 WM recoil will be equal or slightly less than that of the .300 WM. There's "no substitute for cubic inches"! There are many great bullets out there for the .338, making it a legitament long range contender(I know you stated 300 yrds, but your qualifications may change). IMHO the .338 WM, is perhaps the "best" all around (standard commercial) big game cartridge. My wife's, "unbraked", 8 lb. 10 oz. (scoped, loaded, slung), pushing 225 TTSX's @ 2950 fps(not a tame load) .338 WM, gives similar trajectories as those of the .300 WM. It has been her "only" hunting rifle (for all of the big game available to us) since '95! If you use good shooting practices, you should have "zero" problems adapting to the .338WM (unless you have a shoulder injury, or other physical issue)!! memtb

Consider that Hornady's '06 Superformance ammo runs very near 300WM velocity. If you are a handloader, you need to push things pretty hard to do much better.
Net message: an '06 is seriously effective on game. If the Hornady ammo is accurate in your rifle, well, it's even more better.
This from a guy that has hunted 270's for more than 40 years, and so far, not gay.
Also believe that overkill....is just right.

I have both the 06 and 270.
Get the 06 to satisfy your itch. I would have no problem shooting elk past 300 yards with it or even my 270. As others said, practice and shot placement are more important than the magnum stamp on your case.
No need for the 300wm in that range. Or spend the money on good gear.

Skip the '06 and go 300 mag. The 270 is too close to the 06 and the 300 is more versatile for future needs. Or just keep the 270, it will do the job.

I appreciate the replies. The 270 I have is a pump, and about fifty years old. I'd prefer a bolt action. I'm leaning toward the 30-06. If I ever have occasion for something bigger than that, I'll upgrade to a 338.

The .300 Wby Mag. for Elk- Is there anything better?

EXxctly what I was thinking.

Ingwe nailed it.

The .30/06 is never a bad choice.

I really like the .270 / .300 Mag combo and that is mostly what I have settled on, though my primary .300 is a .300 Weatherby. Although this differs from many, I personally don't find .300 recoil that much more than .30-06. I do find myself more and more picking a .300 over a .270 these days when time to hunt.

Also, it may be my imagination but I perceive elk size animals hit well with a .270 to stay on their feet just a little longer than those hit similarly with a .300

That just isn't true, everyone knows a .223 with fast twist and 72 grain bullets kill more deader.

Agreed.

This would be good info to have shared to start with. Yes, you are going to want a good bolt action for all-around hunting, which is something you do not have yet.

With that in mind, and not knowing how well you handle recoil, then you should get a lightish 30-06, such as a Win Featherweight or Ruger 77. One of those will be a great all-around start, and end up as all you would ever really need.

While careful not to overgeneralize, the spectrum of responses to these kinds of questions fall into two catergories.
1. What matters is not the size of the tool, but how you use it, or
2. Bigger is always better.


Similarly, these responses come from three different kinds of people.
1. Those who've accepted the modest caliber tool they have and set out to make the best of it.
2. Those who refuse to accept their perfectly serviceable, albeit humbling, bang stick and who are only soothed in the quest for something bigger.
3. The Irish. May God help them, because no matter what they say, you can't hunt big game with a rimfire.

This idea of recoil is also linked to the style of stock on the rifle.. When I built my .300 in the 70's, I looked over a lot of stocks before selecting the one I would have put on the rifle..

My best friend had just bought a custom .300 Wea. from a local gun shop.. It was very light and a 24 inch barrel.. But the recoil was not bad.. It is pleasant to carry and easy to shoot due to the stock design.. Generally, I like heavier guns.. But this one was excellent both in weight and accuracy..