I have owned a 7MM Rem Mag, a 7MM Weatherby Mag and a standard 280 in my past and used all of them for hunting deer and the 7MM Remington for killing elk too.
After a few decades of experience were behind me I sold all my 7MMs (one I wish I had not was my 7X57) but there is no way I'd get rid of my 30-06s.
In the real world I found the 30-06 did all the 7MM mags did and for the most part did them better. If the the 280 AI is not going to beat the 7MM Mags. So from what I have learned in hunting several states most years and killing game as large as elk with various 7mms and also with 30-06s, I would say that the 30-06.
You can go a different way, and unless you had opportunity to kill 20-30 animals with the 280 and also the same number with the 30-06 you'd probably never know any difference. Many fans of various calibers have a long histories with their favorites yet have no long histories with anything else so never really have a qualified opinion.
If you take the 280 AI I am sure you'll like how it kills game. But my experience is that it won't cover the bases as well of put game on the ground quite as fast as a good 30-06
your mileage may vary
