30-06 vs 300 Win Mag

[leslie hetrick]

as i reload, my choice would be a 300 wby. you can load from a 30 carbine to a tusk stopper load if needed. that is if I was limited to only a few firearms as some countries do.

 

[ve7poi]

Hello gatekeeper,

As you mentioned "particularly given the shorter distances", directly equates to the .30-06 being a very fine antelope, zebra and piggy caliber.
If however, you are one of these 500 yard guys, the .300 then shows a definite advantage.

I've used both the .30-06 and a .300 H&H in Africa, with nothing but perfect results.
My recommendation is to avoid light for caliber bullets, especially at dreaded magnum velocities.
Likewise, my recommendation is to use at least 180 grainers as your minimum for Africa (Alaska as well), in either cartridge.
I've shot many critters with 220 grain round nose bullets in the Limpopo District of South Africa and here in Alaska as well, from the .30-06.

It is amazing to me how many people do not use that combination.
It is extremely effective (especially on large animals like wildebeest, zebra, waterbuck, moose, bear and such) but yet does not splatter edible meat all over the bush like lighter bullets often do.

Last but not least, if you decide to buy yourself a bit more gun than the .30-06, just get a .375 H&H and be done with it.
Participating in this forum will cause you to want one anyway so, start saving now.

The right deal will come along when you least expect it.
Recoil is about twice that of the .30-06 so, mortal men can learn to shoot it very accurately.
Trajectory is happily so similar to the '06 so as to be impossible to tell any difference when using one or the other.

All that being said, if it were me, I'd either rent a rifle from the PH (I generally do that these days) or, I'd take that .30-06 to Africa and save my .300 magnum money to pay for something like a kudu permit.

You can shop for a .375 after your Taxidermy bill is paid off hahahaha.

Cheers,
Velo Dog

Love this post especially last sentence all very true

 

[Pheroze]

I read this in Gundigest.com and I tend to agree:


"Will it ever replace the king of all cartridges, the .30-’06 Springfield? Probably not. But although I’ve had some great hunting and shooting experiences with the ought-six, to me the .300 Win. represents a cartridge that delivers just a bit more, and although some folks reading this might deem that velocity advantage unnecessary, for me it engenders confidence in the rifle. I firmly believe that confidence is a huge part of good marksmanship.

Editor’s Note: This excerpt is from Cartridges of the World, 15th Edition, available now at GunDigestStore.com."

 

[mdbrowne]

Plains game hunt used an 06 with 180g Swift A-frames. Excellent performance. Buff hunt used 375 H&H, 300g Swift A-frames. Excellent performance. Velo Dog is right. Also, If you have to take a shot over 300 yards, you owe someone an apology!

 

[Areaonereal]

Shot a young Eland bull at 226 yds with an '06..200 grain Nosler Partition traveling at 2625 fps.....broadside thru the heart, baseball size damage to the heart and exited far side. Dead on his feet but still travelled 50 yds. Namibia, July 2018. Has served me well so I am comfortable and confident with 30 06...used. 180 accubond and. 180'scirroco on everything else...management on oryx, wildebeast and Hartebeast...the scirocco really performed with perfect...perfect picture mushroom, and 80 per cent weight retentin, I have a 300 win mag and a 300 Wby. Just prefer the milder 06.

 

[AfricanEclipse]

300 Win Mag

I just got back from my first plains game safari in Zimbabwe with my brother and our better halves. I took my Colt Light Rifle (CLR) chambered in 300WM. Rifle weight without sling, scope, etc: ~6.25 lbs (2.83kg). All up dry shooting weight: just barely over 7.5 lbs (3.4 kg). My round of choice was factory loaded Federal Vital-Shok 180 gr Trophy Bonded Tip (the lighter, long range, successor to the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw). My brother had his CLR 30-06 and his new 375 H&H. His 30-06 has a kevlar custom stock dropping it's all up weight to around 6.25 lbs. He shot handloads topped with Perregrin 165 gr monolithic bullets.

I am by no means a big beefy guy weighing in at 195 lbs. (88.5 kg) and just shy of 6 ft. My right arm has been broken several times and I have neck issues. I hauled my 300 all over the place - up, down, over, under, and through. I shot game from 40 yards to 296 yards off of sticks sometimes precariously perched atop a boulder on the side of a hill or atop a giant ant mound with no more than a couple layers of thin cloth on my shoulder. Yes, the recoil is stout and sharp. (I should add that I put a Limb Saver butt pad on it in place of the factory bumper.) Personally, I love my 300 and am thoroughly impressed with its performance. I respect my weapon and shoot it as such without fear. Can and will it hurt you? Oh, yeah it will...

My brother's -06 should be named Slayer as it has taken more game than I can count! It too has a loud bark and a noticeable bite to the shoulder, not nearly as much as my 300 but enough to be respected nonetheless. After his PH saw what his rounds did to a kudu bull he said it would be fine for buffalo given the right opportunity. Keep in mind he had his 375 H&H if the job called for it.

The point I'm trying to make is if you swing a 16 ounce hammer like a pro and enjoy it there is no need to try and swing a 20 ouncer. As has been said over and over, know your abilities, your quarry, and what you like. Choose your weapon based on those things and you'll be much happier.

 

[meigsbucks]

Gatekeeper has probably made up his mind by now but just my two cents. A few weeks ago I used a .30/06 with 180 gr Barnes TSX in Namibia and took two springbok, a steenbok, zebra and a gemsbok. All bullets made exit. Additionally, my brother took a cow eland with a .30/06 with a 180gr Tipped Trophy Bonded Bearclaw.
The only PG animal I'd consider the '06 marginal on is an eland but with a good bullet in the right place... Eland steak for dinner.
That said, the .300's hit a little harder and shoot a little flatter. A .30/06 will kill a kudu at 500 yds but it's trajectory will make the shot a little harder to make than a .300 mag and the mag will thump it a little harder when it gets there.
It comes, down to: Can you handle the additional 25-35% additional recoil (provided the rifle weight is the same)? Do you NEED the additional energy and trajectory? Do you WANT the additional energy and trajectory?
It's like a car... Do you get the bigger engine? The added performance isn't necessarily needed but could come in handy at times.

 

[Desert Dog]

The 30-06 is a more versatile round and will be easier to shoot for a wider variety of shooters. No argument there.

Having said that, you can't argue with results, and the 300 mags ALWAYS give great results. ANY guide on an elk hunt or African safari will be absolutely 100% happy when their client shows up with a 300 mag and can put bullets where they need to be. Any rifle that can sling a 180 grain projectile at 3000 fps is going to deliver more energy to the target and shoot flatter than a 30-06.

So while the 30-06 has versatility and comfort on its side, the 300 mags have physics on their side.

 

[sgt_zim]

The 30-06 is a more versatile round and will be easier to shoot for a wider variety of shooters. No argument there.

Having said that, you can't argue with results, and the 300 mags ALWAYS give great results. ANY guide on an elk hunt or African safari will be absolutely 100% happy when their client shows up with a 300 mag and can put bullets where they need to be. Any rifle that can sling a 180 grain projectile at 3000 fps is going to deliver more energy to the target and shoot flatter than a 30-06.

So while the 30-06 has versatility and comfort on its side, the 300 mags have physics on their side.

No arguing about the superiority of 300 win mag at long distance, say 300 yards or further, especially with bullets at 190gr or heavier.

But, they are no more efficacious inside 300 yards than 30-06. Dead is dead, and a through-and-through wound channel that destroyed heart/lungs is what it is whether the 200 gr Partition (as one example) started its flight at 2900 fps or 2600 fps.

 

[tomahawker]

30/06 is King! ...long live the King

And just saying it sounds cooler

 

[JPbowhunter]

I've owned two 300wm and now have a 30-06. I've found all animals have died just as dead out to 550m with the 06

I think people get caught up in the technical data of energy and velocity. In real world i haven't noticed any difference.

 

[sgt_zim]

I've owned two 300wm and now have a 30-06. I've found all animals have died just as dead out to 550m with the 06

I think people get caught up in the technical data of energy and velocity. In real world i haven't noticed any difference.

I use 300 yards as the benchmark for a couple reasons. Most hunters do not have the skill to go beyond 300 yards, and the difference in holdover past 300 yards starts to become remarkable, even when one has the skill to make the shot, ie - the long shot is easier with a 300 WM (note that's not "easy," just "easier than").

If one isn't routinely practicing at 300+, one has no business attempting to kill an animal at that distance, either; magnum or no magnum.

 

[JPbowhunter]

I use 300 yards as the benchmark for a couple reasons. Most hunters do not have the skill to go beyond 300 yards, and the difference in holdover past 300 yards starts to become remarkable, even when one has the skill to make the shot, ie - the long shot is easier with a 300 WM (note that's not "easy," just "easier than").

If one isn't routinely practicing at 300+, one has no business attempting to kill an animal at that distance, either; magnum or no magnum.

100% agree on those comments regarding practicing at distance.

I should clarify in that case i don't do holdover personally. All my shooting that requires adjustment is done by ranging and adjusting elevation. The accessibility of ballistic programs these days has in my opinion made the difference between the 06 and 300 become all but nothing.

 

[Desert Dog]

I should clarify in that case i don't do holdover personally. All my shooting that requires adjustment is done by ranging and adjusting elevation. The accessibility of ballistic programs these days has in my opinion made the difference between the 06 and 300 become all but nothing.

You are correct; modern range finders, ballistic software, high-BC bullets, and reticle options make distance shooting easier than ever. But its not the elevation adjustment that kills you at distances over 300 yards; its the wind. Even with your trusty krestel, you are only accurately measuring wind where you sit and not at any points downrange. In a 20 MPH crosswind at distances over 300 yards, the difference between the 30-06 and 300 mag could easily be the difference between hitting the vitals. If you hunt in the mountains for species such as sheep/goat/Aoudad, the wind is ALWAYS blowing and is all over the damn place (direction-wise) and it will be impossible to judge. In these situations the mag has a distinct advantage IMO.

Also, although velocity does not equal terminal performance all the time (Roy Weatherby was mostly wrong), it depends on what bullet you are using. Old school cup & core bullets and some of the modern performers like the A-frame do fantastic at lower velocities; In fact, they might perform better at moderate velocities than at high velocities. But other bullets, like most monolithic types, need velocity to perform properly, and often more velocity is better. The TSX can pencil right though most animals below 2000 fps, but will absolutely devastate the same animal at 2400 fps.

Penetration might also be a consideration, especially on bigger animals like moose and eland. Penetration will mostly be determined by a combination of mass, speed, density of the target, and bullet profile/construction. So given equal bullets on the same target, the bullet traveling faster will penetrate better (except with ballistic tips). This will not matter for the classic heart/lung shot, but could be a factor with a shoulder shot or quartering toward shot. but with modern bullets, you really need some distance for this to be a factor.

I believe due to the lower recoil and good versatility, the 30-06 is a superior cartridge in most applications, especially in Africa. But the 300 mags do have a specialty role in hunting that they do excel at. I do most of my hunting with a 30-06, but will not hesitate to bring my 300 mag to an open-country elk hunt or a high-elevation hunt. My point is, there are times when the magnum is a better tool for the job.

 

[mdwest]

My point is, there are times when the magnum is a better tool for the job.

When all you have is a hammer.. everything begins to look like a nail..


Completely agree.. the 30-06 and 300WM are different tools.. both can get most of the same tasks accomplished.. but.. there are things each is designed for that the other is not..


If you have a limitation on how many tools you can put in your tool box.. then pick one.. either can do the others job.. but neither will do all things that the other can perfectly..


If you arent limited.. then.. own them both.. why limit yourself?


Ive got multiple 308's, a 30-06, and a 300 H&H all in the safe.. all can shoot the same 165 TTSX that I like extremely well...

But each rifle plays a different role in my battery...


I also own a framing hammer, roofing hammer, sledge hammer, and a general purpose hammer.. all can put a nail in the wall that I can hang a picture from.. but some do it a whole lot better than others..

 

[TTundra]

I think we can find an argument for or against any point on either cartridge. @Desert Dog did a great job summing it up right above.

My only addition is that of a question....If you know what you're hunting day has in store for you, you can grab your 30-06 if fitting or your 300WM and most likely be satisfied....however, if you don't know what may be in store for you; terrain, distance, weather/wind, quarry, which would you more likely choose?

No true right or wrong answer, but I would choose the 300WM

 

[DSD3160]

Here could be another 2Cents on the subject. I was new to this forum in 2014 a year before my first SA trip. I went to the SCI convention in Vegas. I won a great hunt at an auction for 6 plains game animals.
I could not make up my mind on which rifle how to get it there which ammo ugg spoke to everyone I could that had traveled and hunted there. After long dicussions and looking around the internet world including the PH I decided on taking my Cooper Arms 30-06. A nice bolt acton and very accurate. I took all 6 animals the list goes like this : 1 zebra, 1 kudu,1 gemsbok,1 impala,1 bushbuck,1 black wildebeest. All animals taken and ranged form 85 yards to 275 yards longest shot on the Black wildebeest. All animals where 1 shot kills except the 275 yard shot at the Wildebeest which took 2 well placed shots most likely fatal and a 3rd running leg hit. Upon inspection 2 rounds entered behind the shoulder 3 inches apart and would have done the job. Drum role lol the ammuniton I took since I do not reload was the Barnes 168 Vortex Blue tipped ammo. It states on box equal to 180 gr. at a 168 gr weight. The rounds grouped well before leaving home about 1 and 1/4 inch and better a 3 shot string at 3/4". Like I said lots of research for a non reloader first time Africa hunter in Limpopo. My next trip will be with the same listed above. I know others may have better info and same stories about what they used but the 30-06 is a fantastic proven round with the correct bullet.
Best advice pick what you like don't sweat the small stuff and best of all enjoy your hunt of a lifetime.
DSD

 

[Rick Cox]

I've got the .30's fairly well covered in my arsenal. With .308 Win, .30-06, .300WM and .300H&H rifles. I haven't hunted yet with the .300H&H. Only own it because I just wanted one in a pre-64 M70.

I love my .300WM. It's accurate and I've got loads in 165, 180 and 200gr projectiles. I'll never sell this rifle and look forward to hunting with it again.

But, if there's any real advantage to it, it's that it can push a 200gr bullet that much faster. This in turn stabilizes the bullet better and with that shoot it more accurately. This isn't to say it can't be done with a .30-06, just more likely to be accurate with any give 200gr bullet.

I believe with the advent of today's so called premium bullets, the differences between calibers have to an extent been muted. My personal favorite bullet is the North Fork bonded cores. It has lead up front like a traditional bullet, but is bonded to the copper jacket. Recovered bullets have all had 95% or greater weight retention.

So let's say you stick with your .30-06 and shoot a 165gr North Fork. And after a shot your bullet weighs some 157gr or more. That will be more than a 200gr Nosler Partition that will be typically more in the 100-120gr or 50-60% retention.

My overall point is that these bullets have essentially in my opinion made lesser calibers shoot more like their larger cased cousins in same bullet diameter using traditional bullets. In other words you get .300WM performance using traditional bullets from a .30-06 using high weight retention bullets.

I say this as I've witnessed my younger son take a zebra with one shot from his 7x57 using a 140gr North Fork on a frontal quartering shot. I've witnessed my older son take an eland with his .308Win using 165gr NF's. My wife shot a number of animals with her .30-06 using the same 165gr NF's. All of hers that were shot well resulted in animals dropping on the spot. So if the goal is to keep recoil down, stick with your .30-06 and use 165gr North Fork bonded cores, Swift A-Frames, Peregrine Plains Masters or Barnes TTSX.

If you're not a hand loader, you'll not find factory offerings in North Fork or Peregrines. If you don't find factory in the A-Frames or Barnes that shoot accurately, then take some of the money you saved on not buying a new rifle/scope and have one of the custom ammo loaders develop a load for you. I think you'll be happy with that money spent.

I have never seen the North Fork bullets in Canada, but the photos I have seen of their performance is very impressive.

 

[Rick Cox]

Here could be another 2Cents on the subject. I was new to this forum in 2014 a year before my first SA trip. I went to the SCI convention in Vegas. I won a great hunt at an auction for 6 plains game animals.
I could not make up my mind on which rifle how to get it there which ammo ugg spoke to everyone I could that had traveled and hunted there. After long dicussions and looking around the internet world including the PH I decided on taking my Cooper Arms 30-06. A nice bolt acton and very accurate. I took all 6 animals the list goes like this : 1 zebra, 1 kudu,1 gemsbok,1 impala,1 bushbuck,1 black wildebeest. All animals taken and ranged form 85 yards to 275 yards longest shot on the Black wildebeest. All animals where 1 shot kills except the 275 yard shot at the Wildebeest which took 2 well placed shots most likely fatal and a 3rd running leg hit. Upon inspection 2 rounds entered behind the shoulder 3 inches apart and would have done the job. Drum role lol the ammuniton I took since I do not reload was the Barnes 168 Vortex Blue tipped ammo. It states on box equal to 180 gr. at a 168 gr weight. The rounds grouped well before leaving home about 1 and 1/4 inch and better a 3 shot string at 3/4". Like I said lots of research for a non reloader first time Africa hunter in Limpopo. My next trip will be with the same listed above. I know others may have better info and same stories about what they used but the 30-06 is a fantastic proven round with the correct bullet.
Best advice pick what you like don't sweat the small stuff and best of all enjoy your hunt of a lifetime.
DSD

Nice collection of trophies you got yourself.

 

[Bushpig4Ever]

For many years did I do most of my hunting in Africa with a Sauer drilling in .30-06 with 180 gr Nosler partitions. Shot countless bushpig and bushbuck with it, also blesbok, impala, caracal and others. For bigger ones like kudu I used a Heym SR 20 in .375 H & H but the .30-o6 would have brought the kudu bulls down without problems, no doubt about this. Sold both guns when I bought a double in 9,3x74R.