Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game What caliber do I consider?

Ok my 2506 is my go to gun for coyote hunting and I know it will kill a deer
I have an old 3006 hasn’t been shot since an uncle gave it to me 45 yrs ago
Considering selling my 300wsm that I have never shot since I bought it 15 yrs ago cause I doubt I’ll ever get a chance or afford a big game hunt
Would u get a newer 3006, 270 for a just in case elk hunt? I’m just bored thinking here on Sunday
I’m hoping to move further north when I retire but what won’t my 2506 kill in Minnesota or Wisconsin?

Without specifics, there is a good chance your uncle's .30-06 has better bones than most affordable rifles than you can buy nowadays.

So many ways to go with 30-06 handloads...

It is a 110 carbine I think I may have shot it at a target 3-4 times and never touched again except when I’ve moved

You already have an '06. Problem has already been solved. As to not "having the chance or being able to afford a big game hunt" I'd say you need to reconsider your priorities since you can make a DIY hunt for elk, mule deer, black bear and pronghorn for the cost of the tag and the gas to get to one of 6 different western states.

I wouldn’t even know where to begin and even look at a diy elk hunt, no buddies that interested in hunting
Used to deer hunt A BUNCH but last few years it’s more visiting and sitting than worry about killing a deer

Not sure about your plans or direction , but with 150-180 gr bullets a 30-06 has proved quite lethal these last 116 years. That being said a handloaded .30-06 can be used for anything on this continent with careful loading .
A soft shooting 110-150 gr reduced load = a .30-30
A maxed out 150-185 gr load for general purpose
A maxed out 200 gr Nosler Partition or equal for the rest.
A 200-230 gr Berger out of an accurate .30-06 can do amazing things to 1200 Yds.
See Versatility............

I am finding that DIY hunts for elk are low-success or more than just a tag. And a non-res MT elk tag is over $900.

But you are right about the -06. It'll do for elk.

However, if OP is looking for support to buy a new rifle, we should help him out 😉.

if the 30-06 is such a good choice then the 300 WSM is even better

300 fps better

Marlin 45-70.

Sometimes it is, but not always , depending on several variables. Sometimes "less" is better. For that matter, the 25-06 with good bullets and good shooting is adequate, tho maybe not preferred, for everything in NA except big bears, and bison, I suppose. I sure wish I hadn't sold mine when I thought I needed a bigger "moose gun". A 30-06....

I'd go out and shoot the 30-06 and 300WSM and nail down which one I really like and then go hunt with it.

He doesn't use the ones he already has and is thinking about selling his 300 wsm. Doesn't seem to have the desire to want to hunt anyway. Just sayin.

Pretty much my takeaway too. He doesn't need another gun he needs ambition

That 300wsm will kill everything you want to hunt . Why in the world would you get rid of it for an '06?
My 300wsm has taken everything from blue grouse to bison, 165-168 gr bullets .

Unless you just want a new rifle, you already have what you need. That 300 WSM is an excellent elk caliber, plenty powerful and very accurate. It's not midway between a 30-06 and a 300 WM like some say. It's much closer to a 300 WM.
I've killed a lot of elk with a 270 but both your old '06 and the WSM have more umph.

Quite a few years ago in about 2008 or 09, I drew a Colorado Moose tag after 21 years.I could have borrowed a 300,but chose my .06 with 180 gr partitions.It did just find. Shows how much I like the .06

While we're kicking the subject around. How able some details on you uncle 30'06.

Nothing wrong with wanting a new gun, but the oldest ones seem to have a soul.

There isn't anything in MN or WI that your 25/06 won't handle though I would prefer one of your 30 calibers for black bear. This only because I like large exit holes in bears to provide the best odds of a good bloodtrail. Your 25/06 will do well on the typical bear but get a truly large bear at the bait and all that fat has a better chance of limiting the blood trail with a smaller bullet.

Just make sure you pick a zone that allows rifles for hunting. There are some shotgun/muzzleloader/pistol areas similar to Iowa. These areas can have some fantastic deer hunting but you will still be without use of your rifles.

Apples to apples the best I can -

IMO

You won’t notice any/much difference in a 120gr Partition in your 25-06 vs a 130gr/150gr Partition* in a .270 Win or a 150gr Partition in a 30-06. Up to Elk and yes all those bullets are fine for Elk. With similar shots of course.

I’ve noticed there ‘seems’ to be a difference when someone uses a .30 bullet of 165/180 Partition and definitely a difference when someone uses a .30 200gr Partition. Not sure what it is about that 200gr .30 Partition - it’s pretty great.

If you twisted my arm I’d keep your 25-06 and load it with a premium (Partition, TTSX, LRX, Cutting Edge etc) and hunt everything - but - since you have that ‘06 I’d go straight to loading 180’s or 200’s and then you’d have a very potent combo. Get a optics setup to suit your expected range scenarios and get to killing.


*don’t flame me too hard for lumping the 150gr .277 Partition in with everything else in the paragraph - I fully know that it a great projectile and should probably be grouped in with the 180/200 .30’s. In terms of all around excellence.