Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters .300 WinMag or 30-06?

Ok I have narrowed my choices down for my next rifle. I am looking at either a 30-06 or .300 Win Mag. I will be using this rifle on Elk and Deer on backpack type hunts. I am currently looking at a Kimber or a Remington or possibly the Ruger in Bolt action/composite stock.....any thoughts? I keep thinking th .300 is flatter shooting with more energy and the potential for bigger game if needed.

Well, for instance...a 300WM pushes a 180 @ 3150 vs 2750 in a 3006. They really don't "compare" in that respect. If you "bottom line" it and say either will be very competent elk and other game rifles, then IMO, the 30-06 wins on other criteria. Unless you're taking elk at ranges much farther out than I can imagine, I doubt you'll notice much difference in one ove the other.

If you're truly intending this rifle for backpack hunts I vote for the 30-06. It can be built lighter while maintaining tolerable recoil. There's been some dandy light, 30-06's built by folks here at the fire...

since it's a backpack rifle, I would not choose either, I would go with the 300 wsm.

Why?

30-06

30-06

This one is a slam dunk for, for a back country rig I'd go 06. Build it like one of Brads and you'll be golden.

Dober

Two great, proven, venerable cartridges for sure.

The '06 with 168 TSX's movin' close to 3,000 fps would do well for what you have described. The 300WinMag has no flies on it either and would more than satisfy your needs in either department using the same 168's or perhaps the 180NP's.

I feel compelled to mention that the 300WSM is also a very viable alternative given your needs/desires. Faster than the '06 and giving up nothin' to the 300WinMag, this 300 can do it all as well.

Backpack type hunts.....I suppose weight, stock type and other inclement weather materials are of utmost importance to you. Lots of choices, be they customs or standard commercial offerings. I expect you know what you have in mind in that regard (perhaps SS, composite, Tally LtWts, etc.).

I mention the 300WSM because you stated you "leaned" towards the WinMag a bit due to it's flatter shooting abilities and bigger game potential. For sure, it has that. But the 300WSM gives you the same in both departments, but is a SA cartridge, therefore found in lighter weight packages......not a bad or insignificant consideration when "backpack" enters the equation.

A bit like raingear nowadays. Some are constructed of heavy duty rubber or like materials and others from newer, lightweight, breathable materials. They both do the job equally well....they both keep the rain out. Later on in the day however, one begins to notice that there's a definite impact on one's physical abilities and stamina when that little bit of extra weight starts to take it's toll.

But unlike the newer, high tech, lighter weight rain gear offered today, the WSM is no more expensive than the "rubber" one.

Just another possibility.........best of luck on your choice.....there's truly not a bad choice to be made with any of the above options.

I would go with the 06.Nothing against the 300 Win.both are fine shooters,but why use a Mag unless you have a for sure need for one.My personal preferance would be a 280 Rem.Less recoil and gets the job done with great accuracy. Huntz

I've carried 300 Win. Mag. rifles on many steep hunts for mule deer, Coues deer, elk, sheep, goats, moose, grizzly, etc., without suffering too much, and I've used it extensively for a lot of years. The 300 Win. Mag. will do all that the 30-06 will do plus more, and in truth it's a somewhat more versatile cartridge. It's also a lot louder than the 30-06 is and it kicks significantly harder, plus it's cost me a lot of hearing, and because of that, I don't hunt with it much these days.

I started out with a 30-06 at age 15 and I've hunted with the '06 a fair amount over the last 35 years. To this day, it's still one of my favorite cartridges, and I totally respect it in every way. It's likely the single-best all-around cartridge for the vast majority of hunters for everything from deer to moose, and it's very user-fiendly. It's not too loud and it doesn't kick much either, yet it's a good, solid, reliable killer, plus it feeds perfectly up out of the magazine, and it is - to say the least - AVAILABLE.

I do suggest the 30-06.........

AD

I have been shooting 30-06s all my life, and have no doubt it will put down any animal this side of Africa.It would there if it were legal for all game species there. and the ammo is sold world wide as well as every little store in America that is around hunting areas.

I didn't write this (more's the pity) but it answers this better than anything I've ever read. Quote:

The one and only thing that today's magnum rounds offer over their non-magnum brothers is range. There can be no argument -- if two identical bullets are fired at different velocities, the faster one will have a "flatter" trajectory, and will be easier to hit with at longer ranges. Now, mind you -- the range won't be all that much longer, and the cost in powder ,noise, and recoil will be all out of proportion to the gain in range, but the advantage is real. (The gain in muzzle energy is there, too, of course, but means absolutely zero in practical terms.)

The question becomes -- who needs this advantage? The answer is, a very small number of expert riflemen who hunt in environments that regularly require shots of 300+ yards. Do you fit that category? Well, I don't, and I doubt very many who are reading this do, either.


Unquote.

The words 'backpack' and '30-06 seem as right as ice cream on apple pie..

As a reloader I'd go 300mag because I control the speed. Minus that, 30-06.

by examining the ballistic charts I decided that the 300 Win gave me a 50 yard advantage over the 30-06 - which is why I still use my 30-06.

Brad, because the 300 wsm runs in a short action and I took it that a backpack rifle meant less weight. let's not get carried away with the few ounces that you may save with a short action but he did metion it so I took it into consideration. certainly you can build a 30-06 with a 22" tube but I would prefer 24" for the 300 win mag. with that in mind, the 300wsm, at 23 or 24" would be close in size too the 30-06 but would pack a bit more performance.

we are splitting hairs here but just responding to the question.

all things considered, I would choose the 300 win mag but he did say backback.

As an afterthought - I went back over your initial post and came away...again....with "flatter" shooting and potential" for bigger game as at least, quite important to you....as it should be.

There are offerings out there now, for instance, Remington (I believe) that puts out 3 different energy/velocity/bullet weight/bullet type loads for the 300RUM. They offer a '06 type load, a WinMag type load and the full-on 300RUM load.....all based off the 300RUM case. This idea of a "smorgasbord" of loads for one particular caliber makes a great deal of sense to some and, I think, falls very close in-line with possibilities for you.

I still believe that choosing either of the 3 mentioned earlier is a safe bet....for the most part. I don't have the convenience of knowing if this will be your first rifle or your last, if you plan on hunting many different types of terrain or not......nobody that has commented here does. To cover the fact that you sounded like "flatter" meant you attempting possibly longer shots (now or in the future) and pursuing "potentially" bigger game, perhaps meaning elkish sized game, then I offer these points for your consideration: **This is of more use if you are a handloader.** (1) You buy an '06 and it currently works fine for your needs. After a year or more of hunting and visiting different areas, you find yourself drawn to long range shootin', specifically at elk sized game. Long range means different things to different people and some people obviously are more proficient at shooting than others, but for our purposes, let's say long range means 300+. The '06 (I know) can do that, but the WinMag and WSM can do it better. But you own the '06, not either of the other 2. You're gonna feel like you need to "upgrade', for lack of a better word. Since you handload and you've gotten the most out of your '06 load already like most of us try to do, you're peaked out as far as performance goes. You can't go anywhere, but remain the same, or down. (2) You buy either the WinMag or the WSM. Your interests and passion remain the same as above (longer ranges and elk sized stuff)....you're set with either cartridge. You also find yourself huntin' occasionally in areas offering you day hikes with shorter shots on smaller game, as I expect you will. You really don't need the full potential of either the WinMag nor of the WSM. You also could find yourself a little strapped for $, but would really like a rifle/cartridge to satisfy both styles of huntin' without the extra costs. Simple - load them down to '06 levels....easy to do, less recoil, saved you lots of $ in the end, you're intimately familiar with the rifle/scope combination, wife's happy, your kids have the best diapers or ipods and your lockers full......what's not to like.

As with variable scopes as opposed to fixed scopes (no battle intended guys.....my thoughts only), you can always dial up to 14x on a 4.5 X 14, not so if you have in hand only a straight 6X powered scope. But if 6X is desired in a certain situation, the 4.5 X 14 can easily dial down to that magnification. Such is the case with your 3 choices of cartridges. You can't load the '06 up if your particular load is already at the top of it's game, but you can always and easily load the WinMag and WSM down if need be or you so desire for whatever reason (teaching a young, less experienced person how to shoot while reducing recoil, etc.). OR: You are thinkin' about starting a family. Unfortunately, you are also in need of a vehicle. Do you buy the Geo or go with an SUV or a van that will likely fit your needs better in the long run? (gawd, don't choose the van....grin).

As I said earlier, the WinMag and WSM are so equally paired that there is no clear "winner' between the two. If weight is a consideration and it should be as you mentioned "backpack" hunts, all things being equal (brand and style of rifle, same scopes, rings, bases, etc.) the short action 300WSM will be a lighter package than the long actioned WinMag.

Good luck on whatever you choose...........

If you are an expert longer range shot without a bench, a reloader so that you can drive the 200 grain Partition at maximum velocity and totally immune to noise and recoil then the 300 Win Mag wins. Otherwise, the 30-06 would be my choice.

Wayne

As someone who has carried a backpack at least three months a year for the past forty years I can tell you that ounces do count. I also do not know of any serious backpackers who mind walking -or stalking - closer.
If you look at the real life ballistics between the 300 WM and the 30-06 with comparable loads the 30-06 has the same velocity at 300 yards as the 300 WM does at 350 and a couple inches difference in trajectory is not significant as very few riflemen can hold tight enough under field conditions to notice the difference. Plus, good riflemen know their trajectory and will hit with either cartridge.

The advantage the 300's have over slower rounds is that their bullets get to the target a bit quicker and reduce the adverse effects of wind and that only becomes important at longer ranges.