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

Hello all. I just found this forum. Looks like there is a lot of good information to be found, and I look forward to browsing. I'm planning on going elk hunting for the first time this coming fall, and I've narrowed my firearm search to he 30-06 and 300 win mag.

Initially, I was leaning toward the 300 to get a little more firepower. I also thought that I could use it for any future big game hunt, except for maybe grizzly. However, I'm now thinking I should go with the 30-06, because I won't be shooting past 300 yards.

Two questions. For shots within 300 yards, does the 300 win mag offer any advantage over the 30-06? And second, if I do go big game hunting for other animals (i.e., moose, caribou, bear), does the 300 offer any advantage, again, within 300 yards.

I appreciate the replies.

Welcome.

What rifle do you have now?

I have a .270. I want something a little bigger.

A 30-06 with a good bullet is more than adequate.

A .300 mag involves tradeoffs--the barrel is typically longer, there is more recoil, ammo costs more, they are louder, etc. Unless you plan on spending the trigger time to really master its capabilities, the tradeoffs may have little or no payoff.

30.06 same bullet as the 300 win mag with less speed which equals less recoil. You can put more rounds down range for trigger time and the ammunition will cost less.

Welcome.. I used my .30-06 for the first 10 years of my hunting career.. Killed much game with it, and still use it once in a while.. When I switched to the .300, I never looked back.. But I hunt a lot of very open country, and am able to shoot my .300 with out a problem.. My old one is on its third barrel..

If you are not going to shoot past 300 yards the 06 is fine.. But I filled several elk tags, when my 06 shooting buddies said that is way too far.. It was for the 06.. Probably the best trophy of my life was a bighorn ram.. I may have got it with the 06, but it was a sure thing with the .300..

But you have to be able to shoot the rifle to get in the practice you need.. I would suggest shooting one or a couple and see how it goes.. My pal wanted a .300 and couldn't decide between it and a 7mm mag. I let him shoot both, when he fired the 7 ok, when he fired the 300, he remarked,"Substantial difference!!!" He bought a 7..

Within 300 yards the primary advantage of the 300 WM is that it can shoot a heavier bullet better than a 30-06.

Other than that the 30-06 will work quite well for almost all purposes.

The 300 WM is my favorite elk cartridge but most of the elk I have taken with it could have been taken cleanly with a 30-06 as well.

Just go with a quality 150gr bullet in your 270 Win. , like a Nosler Partition, or a 130gr TTSX Barnes (150gr TSX won't stabilize in a standard 1-10" barrel twist that most 270s have).

Inside three hundred yards you'll never tell the difference on game from the 30.06.

Not a lot to be gained from the 300 mag. at those ranges other than recoil, and if you don't practice enough to master shooting the 300 mag. you may actually get worse results from poor bullet placement.

If you didn't already have the 270, I would have said get an .06 .

Just my .02 cents - and I've been shooting a 300 Win. mag since the 1970s....................

Good luck

^^^^^^^^^ this ^^^^^^^^

The 30/06 and 270 are probably 1-2 with the local hunters. Lots of elk are killed every year with them.

A few use the 3oo Win mag & 300 WSM.

A site in days at the local range----locals show up the 30/06 or 270. Non-res come with magnums. Guess who has the flinch?

Well.....you don't need it but you sound like a 30/06 candidate.

I shot a 300 WSM for years. In the field, there's no practical difference between it and the 300 Mag. Last year I switched to a 30-06 to save a pound in weight. After shooting a bunch of elk with the 300 WSM, I can't think of a single one that I couldn't have shot just as well with a 30-06. The 300 Mag might get you 200 fps more than the 30-06 but unless you're shooting very long range, the difference is negligible. If you like, you can also shoot 165 gr bullets in the 30-06 for a good gain over a 270 and have plenty of power for elk.

I would like to add. Get a GOOD pair of hunting boots with the money. Then go to the gym & get on the stair climber. The better fit you are the better your hunt will be. IMO physical conditioning is way more important than a 270, 30/06 or 300 Win Mag.

1) No

and

2) No

Notice, I said I [/i]want[i] something bigger!

I agree. The gun is just one component, but the one I'm least familiar with. Where I live, we can't use rifles to deer hunt, so I have had no reason to have or shoot a 30 caliber rifle until now.

OK I get it

Then buy 300 and see how you like it.

I've used both. The 300 will recoil more and provide additional speed, shoot flatter (depending on your loads),and the rifle will be heavier. If you try to put together a 300 that is as light as a 30/06 you will get slapped around.

Some days it will be hard to tell which one kills better.

I have used the cartridge on some bull elk to over 400yards and it is a great killer.

Used the 30/06 out to about 300 yards. Nothing got away.

When I was in that mode I found a 270 and a 300 win mag a great combo. Many of my friends still use it.

A 30/06 is a great womans rifle. Not too much recoil.

Get the '06

Spyder if you want a "step" up all around big game cartridge, look at the 338 Win Mag?

No problem with the 270 either. Many tuck loads of elk killed through the years. Good bullets in the 270 will work fine. If you need something else, buy a nice light weight 30-06. The last 2 elk I killed were with 7mm/08. The 300's kill on one and cripple on the other. Also, heavier and longer barrels.