As a practical matter, the vast majority of NA big game hunters will never ever need an "elephant gun" .30-06, nor would such a gun (heavy, high recoil, relatively rainbow-like trajectory) be their best choice for the game they do hunt.
Fixed that for you Exact same logic applies to the .30-06.
Not hardly. A .30-06 can shoot the same bullets to the same velocity as a .308, in rifles of very similar size and weight, or it can shoot loads the .308 Win cannot match. It can also shoot the same weight bullets faster with a flatter trajectory, as I've shown with pressure-tested 110g and 180g bullet weights. Both are a far cry from "elephant gun" weight and recoil.
You say you've taked most of your game with a 7mm RM and 175g loads. A .30-06/180g load comes closer to matching that than a .308 Win can do. I guess my quetion is, why are you using such an obsolete cartridge if you think a short action or an "elephant gun" is more appropriate?
Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!
No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.
Exact same logic applies to the .30-06.
