7mm Mag vs .30-'06

I like both of the rounds that you have mentioned. I would however go with the 06 due to the larger bullet especialy if you are using it for hunting. You mentioned the .308 also. I choose the .308 for myself because of the abundance of cheap match grade ammo, the amount of information on trajectories and reloading data out there. Also I like to go to the range allot, I can easily shoot 100 rounds a day and not have my shoulder sore at all. If I were shooting a 7 mag or 06 I am sure that I would be hurting at the end of the day.
 
It is a tough choice indeed. Yes they are close to being even. Unless I want a 26 inch tube.

I am sure I will make my choice like I choose women. The prettiest one. Caliber don't matter much they all accomplish the same thing. :eek:
 
As others have stated, to 300 yards is a dead heat in a 24" barrel. Have loaded and owned both for a long time. I never could discern any difference in recoil; however, the '06 burns about 20gr less powder and cases are cheaper.
 
7mm is a nice flat shooter, but with the recoil I would rather go with a 300 win mag (close recoil in my opinion). for anything around 400 and less I grab my 30/06 and shoot 150 or 165 gr bullets. if I think i will want to shoot out to say 600 then the 300 win mag gets taken along.

look over ballistic charts and also look through the reloading manuals. also if you want to shoot a lot (even with reloading) the 30/06 is gonna be easier to and cheaper to shoot. plus lots more bullets and loaded ammo out there for the 30/06. (not knocking the 7mm mag, i have 4 7mm rem mags and a 7mm wby mag)

if i could have just one i would go for the 30/06.

if you really want a 7mm then get a 7mm STW. that one will knock your socks off and is a screamer with lots of umph on the receiving end. plus hornady, remmy, and federal load factory for it.
 
Not much difference between the two, however you did ask. In my opinion (for what it is worth) if the largest game I would be hunting were elk it would be a coin toss with a bias for the 30/06 because of no belt on the case. (don't care much for belted cartridges) If the game hunted included moose and or large bears it would be the 30/06 because of heavier bullets. If the largest game were deer I would go with something else.

Just my opinion.:)
Dallas Jack
 
I have hunted with the '06 for nearly 30 years now. It has never let me down. It is fully capable of handling anything on the North American continent and most things in Africa (at reasonable hunting ranges). The advantages of a 7mm Mag (or ANY magnum for that matter) over a .30-06 are few. They are primarily two... slightly higher velocities and slightly flatter trajectories. The advantages of the '06 over the 7mm Mag are many... wider range of bullet weights (55gr - 220gr in factory loadings), less recoil (generally), larger diameter bullets = larger holes punched into target, efficiency of powder, availability of factory ammo, different rifles chambered for it, cheaper component costs for reloading, and probably a bunch more that I haven't thought of.

Bringing the .308 into the equation, it can hold it's own against either up through bullet weights of 165gr. Actually, due to it's case size, it is SUPERIOR to the '06 in the lighter weight bullets (efficiency and velocity). If you were not going to hunt anything bigger than deer, the .308 is a great choice. If going after elk or moose, the '06 is the better choice.

My vote is for the '06 as the best all-around cartridge available, with the 7mm Rem Mag a distant 2nd choice. If I needed a "magnum", my choice would probably be to go with the .300 WSM.

Bottom line, though, is really defined by the following question. Which cartridge can YOU shoot most accurately and comfortably? If one has too much recoil, you won't shoot it often enough to become proficient with it. Remember, a well placed hit with a marginal caliber will kill something much more quickly than a miss with a "super magnum".
 
Not gonna make a difference at any range. Very close in performance. When it gets out to the range where the drop plays a factor, it comes down to knowing your gun and load no matter which cartridge.
 
I prefer the .30-06 for hunting. There are lots of commercial loads available for it and lots of different bullets for reloading.

If your intent is long range target shooting the 7mm is probably a better choice. If hunting and everyday range shooting is what you're after the .30-06 is a better choice.

Both cartridges are more than you need for anything in North America except for magical bears.
You might consider looking at some of the fine .25 and .26 caliber rounds out there. You'll find better long range target rounds in that group as well as rounds that'll kill the same game and they won't bang your shoulder up near as much.
 
'06

When younger I had to have the belted mag. Got a .264 Win mag, it was belted mag AND it was different. Now, that rifle sits in the den with an occasional trip to the range. Just don't want the punishment it puts out. And I don't want to lug around a long heavy rifle in the woods.

So if you like to shoot more then 30-40 rounds when you go to the range it's the '06. If you don't get a 24" barrel then it's the '06.

If you'll hunt Moose or Caribou then maybe 7mm mag.
 
If you are planning on shooting at stuff over the horizon, get the 7mm Mag. If you plan to hit something, then the 30-06 will do just fine.
 
If the terrain you hunt changes a lot and you hunt 50-400 yds, then I would suggest the 7mm mag. If your area is fairly even 50-250 yds then the 06 would probably be a better choice. The deciding factor would be the flat trajectory and the distance you are sighted in. Both rifles sighted in at 200 yds. This would give you "cross hair" shooting.
 
Without repeating all of the above posts, the .30-06 is probably marginally better considering all factors.

I hunt with, load for, and shoot regularly .308win, .270win, and 7mm Rem Mag. There is really not enough difference in normal hunting ranges in any of them to quantify.

None of the whitetails I have taken with the above cartridges have expressed any opinion as to the cartridge they are taken with....
 
Giggle-snort. sc928Porsche, for a 200-yard zero, an '06 is about 6" low at 300. The Maggie is about 5" low. Is that enough to notice? :)

At 400 yards, Maggie has about a 3" advantage over the '06; about 18" low vs. 21" or thereabouts. (I always called it "two feet low" 'cause I can guesstimate that quite easily.)

IOW, if you know your gun, it doesn't matter enough to care about--IMO.

Like the Dr. said, when Bambi's layin' there all glaze-eyed, he ain't sayin' one way or the other. He's just dead. :D
 
I have shot alot of deer with the 3006, and I've worked up loads and used factory stuff. All these fellas are right on there's so much different medicine for the 06..having said that I just purchased this februarya brand new Weatherby Vanguard in the 7mm rem. mag., I've only fired 20 rnds of the ritual breakin through it, (139 hornady btsp interlocks by the way, and have found them to be very consistant ) so I'll have to let you know,.:cool:
 
I have shot and worked up loads for both. I also agree with the 300 yards, and that is out there a good chunk. I myself like the 06, but you wont go wrong with either of them. What bothers me is when someone has a rifle capable of a 1'' group at 100 yards, and can just do so so with it. So your not going to be accurate at 500 yards. I am not saying this about this post so dont take it the wrong way it is not meant for the poster just those general long shot questions. In your case you could be a very accurate shot so this is not geared at you, just a general statement. I see folks were we shoot alot sighting in for a trip out west for 300 yards. Most the time I will know them. I will put a target up at 100 yards tell them to use the bench, and shoot group at it. Then I have them try seven or so free arm. Most the time I end up telling them if you can't do it at 100 your not going to do it at 300 or 600 yards. Practice is key in my book, you need to do a lot of shooting, and cleaning. But most folks get three or so good hits, and thats it because of the money. A 2,000 dollor set up and a trip of a lifetime. I seen it all.
 
The difference between the 7mm Rem Mag and the 30-06 is so minimal that most shooters will never notice it in the field.

I can load either cartridge, put in in the appropriate rifle, and I'd never notice the difference for the vast majority of shots. The 7mm mag is (very) slightly flatter shooting at longer ranges, but it isn't by much.

I've been using the 7mm mag since around 1986, so I'm the most familiar with it, and therefore prefer it. If I'd started with a 30-06, I seriously doubt it would have made any difference in the successes/failures I've experienced.

Choosing one or the other of these will likely be one of the least important decisions you'll make in your hunting plans.

Daryl
 
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