30-06 vs 7mm

[Veritas44]

Input and Advice if you please my fellow Weapons enthusiasts...
Have a Marlin 336 30-30 which is an awesome 0-100 (stretch to 125 or so) yard weapon for anything bigger than a squirrel up to a smaller bear. Had a situation the other day where I passed on taking a shot at a 12 point beast of a Whitetail Buck because he was about 220-230 out. Can't abide with that.... So, obviously I need to add another tool to my Armory.
Background: I have owned and liked a Rem 742 Woodsmaster 30-06 before and my Dad swore by his Marlin 7mm. Am familiar with both but can't get and don't want both.
On the Aequitas Private Game Reserve, about the longest shot ever needed would be right at 300 yards. I need a 100-300yrd reaching weapon that will be flat as possible yet still hit its Victim hard as a tax increase. Been researching and the general consensus I have gleaned from many various sites (had to do something to avoid withdrawals and shakes as TT was down yesterday) is that the 30-06 is a better all around weapon for "over 30-30 shots" down range to 300 or so yards than the 7mm or .308 calibers. 7mm is flatter at 300-400 than the 30-06 but not by much. Plus the hitting power at 200-300 is stronger. Those are the two main characteristics I want to achieve. Given all that, think 30-06 is my #1 followed by 7mm 2nd. The 300 Win Mag is impressive but find the ammo to be twice or more the cost than a good 30-06 and more scarce at most local stores. Not going to war just a shot or two a few times a year but cost is a concern none the less.
30-06 vs. 7mm or, wild-card entry if applicable..... hmmmmm.
Thoughts? Experiences? Advice?

Just the calibers for now.
Once the caliber is settled then would like to move to a specific Brand and Model weapon of that caliber.

[Livin2Ride]

Veritas, it is hard to go against a 30.06 for good all around use, but I would not rule out the 308 which is just as good. I have and use a 30.06, but my real go to deer rifle is a well worn Ruger in 7mm.08. To just simply answer your question the 30.06 wins everytime.

[Bruce]

I buy every used 30/06 that comes my way, their a great seller but I don't own one and have never used one for hunting. My favorite go to gun is the 7 m/m mag. I use it on everything from woodchucks to bear, shots as close as 30 yds. to over 400. I have come to use one bullet weight for everything ( 139 gr. Hornady BTSP ) I only use hand loads. I currently have four 7 mags. but the one I use the most is my Ruger #1. I guess you could say I'm a little partial to the 7 m/m.

[2234ME]

Can't beat the 30-06 I own the Rem. 7400 and the 700 BDL in 06 a 700 BDL in 270 and a FN 7x57 all of them are excellent deer hunting rifles I tend to hunt with the 270 as it is basically a throated down 06, it has the same knock down power but because it shoots sooo much flatter and further it is my rifle of choice I wouldn't hesitate to take a 300 plus yard shot

[werewolf]

7mm mag and 300 win mag work well when you need to reach out a bit.
Both have quite a following in the west half of god country.
Both have quite a bit of recoil.
For 300 yards or LESS, the 30.06 (long action)/308 (short action) will work just fine.
Same bullet, shorter case/shorter action for the 308.

Are you hunting from a stand or are you moving on foot?
If you are still hunting, you can use a heavier gun
because you are not carrying it all the time.

Since a good rifle will last a lifetime with proper care,
I would suggest doing a lot of research and buying a good rifle.
(not the cheapest in the rack)
Rifles are a classic case of you get what you pay for.

For those of us who dont like recoil as much as we used to
The 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser round is great
and will handle your 300 yard requirement with ease.

[pcombe]

Input and Advice if you please my fellow Weapons enthusiasts...
Have a Marlin 336 30-30 which is an awesome 0-100 (stretch to 125 or so) yard weapon for anything bigger than a squirrel up to a smaller bear. Had a situation the other day where I passed on taking a shot at a 12 point beast of a Whitetail Buck because he was about 220-230 out. Can't abide with that.... So, obviously I need to add another tool to my Armory.
Background: I have owned and liked a Rem 742 Woodsmaster 30-06 before and my Dad swore by his Marlin 7mm. Am familiar with both but can't get and don't want both.
On the Aequitas Private Game Reserve, about the longest shot ever needed would be right at 300 yards. I need a 100-300yrd reaching weapon that will be flat as possible yet still hit its Victim hard as a tax increase. Been researching and the general consensus I have gleaned from many various sites (had to do something to avoid withdrawals and shakes as TT was down yesterday) is that the 30-06 is a better all around weapon for "over 30-30 shots" down range to 300 or so yards than the 7mm or .308 calibers. 7mm is flatter at 300-400 than the 30-06 but not by much. Plus the hitting power at 200-300 is stronger. Those are the two main characteristics I want to achieve. Given all that, think 30-06 is my #1 followed by 7mm 2nd. The 300 Win Mag is impressive but find the ammo to be twice or more the cost than a good 30-06 and more scarce at most local stores. Not going to war just a shot or two a few times a year but cost is a concern none the less.
30-06 vs. 7mm or, wild-card entry if applicable..... hmmmmm.
Thoughts? Experiences? Advice?

Just the calibers for now.
Once the caliber is settled then would like to move to a specific Brand and Model weapon of that caliber.

listening to your argument, I change my plea!
My 06 damn sure does the job on all the big game i have used it on and i hit 9" plate size targets 9 out of ten times with a 4 power setting on my scope. (If it aint broke, Don't fix it!)
I normally either leave it in base camp or in the scabbard on the horse (Incase something really wonderfull shows up) until the last few days of the season and i wan't meat in the freezer. I have never eaten a horn, am not so much a horn hunter as a meat hunter.
Yes, i have been consitantly out shot by a 7mm, but 9" targets at 300 yrds. and cheaper shooting adds up to a whole lot of meat.

My Thompson Center 50 cal. hawkin is right on at 100 yrds. the bullet drops 7" at 150 yrds. It is my favorite hunting tool. I back it up with a 44 cal. new model army cap and ball revolver. I simply refuse to take a shot over 150 yrds. because after that you are in essence lobbing a pumpkin in my experience, as i don't spend time on the range wich does make a difference, And i don't like running down a wounded animal.

My winchester 30-30 is a must have option when i am hunting heavy timber and i need a reliable quick shot at a running animal, The 30-30 ( arguably)has killed more, antelope, deer and elk than any rifle ever made.
I put a 4 power scope on it but hated it because it took away the snap shot capability. I use 150 grain bullets. It is right on at 100 yards and has a 5" drop at 150yrds. which isn't a great improvement over my hawkin. I don't take a shot much more than 175 yards because of that.

[Papa Zook]

My all time favorite heavy caliber hunting rifle was a Browning BAR Belgium in 30.06 that I won in a sales contest 30 years ago. I fitted it with a 3X9 large recticle, red dot scope sitting on a see-through scope mount and for the kind of hunting we do in my area it was the perfect gun. It was accurate enough to take deer out to 300 yards which was more than enough to cover the food plots and peanut and corn fields we hunt, yet being a semi-auto it was also an effective woods and brush gun due to being fairly short and a quick repeater.

I'm still an avid bird hunter, but my interest in deer hunting has faded and since I owned it and a Remington 7400 synthetic in 30.06, I sold the Browning a couple of years ago to a friend who really wanted it for what I felt was fair money at the time. Just looked at them on GunBroker and wow! They've gotten pricey. If you could pick one up at a decent price I think you'd be real happy with it.

[captdanwh]

everybody has their favorite rifle and i can agree with all the above to a certain point. the 30-06 is a great caliber as is the 7mm. i have personally owned and still do every caliber mentioned above with addition to a few more. just my opinion but if you are just using it for deer the 270, 308, or 7mm are perfect for your needs with 140 to 150 grain bullets of your choice. the 30-06 will kick you more and sometimes causes flinching which affects accuracy especially at the long distances you are thinking of taking. if you are a one gun man my choice would be the 308 or the 270 as both will do the job intended and ammo is readily available anywhere and also cheaper than 30-06. now, if you want a real nice caliber and my choice, is a 270wsm. i have shot and killed a lot of deer and some big hogs and never had to use a second shot, they just drop. it shoots really flat and has a lot of knockdown power but ammo is not available everywhere. when i buy ammo i will buy 100 rounds at a time so i won't run out for a long time. Weatherby makes this rifle with a synthetic stock for $500.00 and is a super accurate shooting gun, try it and you will like it. you do not need a powerful rifle to shoot deer so any gun you like will do the job. go to a big dealer and hold and look at a lot of them and choose what you like best. good hunting and be safe.

[rmrc51]

Ya might call me a bit old fashioned, but I also use a 30-06 as others have voted for. And as far as the rifle? A good old M1-Garand, lol. And yes, I have an old Springfield as well.

[tbear]

I had both and the 7mm (I believe) is a smoother shooting rifle. As for my own reference or input; I will take the 308.cal. Had it in the Service and it picked off objects quite well over 200 to 300 yards..... at a somewhat straight projectory.. just make sure you have a Good Scope also....and dial it in at a range before going out to hunt.

[Veritas44]

http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/...0627x57308.jpg
follow the above link for the Ballistics Graph

Gents, I GREATLY appreciate all the feedback and sharing your thoughts and experiences. Better than I was able to glean from "Shooting/Weapons" Forums without a doubt. Plus, who can you trust more than Gun-toting Bikers/Trikers
Please continue to chime in as this is surely one that has come up for years and will continue to do so.

From what I have gathered, it's a 50/50 on out & out preference but overall everyone seems to favor or include in their top 2 (including wild cards) the 30-06 given all facets and concerns. Looking at the Ballistics Graph above I found, it does appear that the 7mm has a tiny (negligible) bit more drop at the 300+ range than the 30-06. 06 gets a negligible edge in velocity. The 06 gets the clear nod in superior Energy/Power across the board. I realize that this is with one specific Brand, type, and weight of bullet which will change those results if another round is used. I used to use a 180 gr in my old 742 Woodsmaster 06 (Grandad's mantra I adopted) so that will alter the figures a tiny bit depending. But, with ALL your input, OVERALL and ALL things considered, now leaning heavily to the 06. I realize you don't need to hit with the force of a 45-70 Buffalo-Gun to take down a Whitetail. However when it comes to larger targets, I prefer to bring more brutality and savagery than is required as insurance. I like to hit with a Ton of force, do MAXIMUM damage while the round is internal, and take as much with it when it exits.THAT's why I want the best Range & Energy combo I can get. A "Need"-No. A unwaivering "Want"-YES.

Again, this will be an addition and not a replacement for the 1967 Marlin 336 30-30. That is my main Rifle weapon of choice around the Farm and that won't ever change. I'm sentimental and nostalgic and as pcombe said, it IS the "All-American Rifle" as far as I'm concerned anyways. Also, at least half of the shots I will get where I hunt are tailor-made for it. I prefer to Blind Hunt and have 2-3 of them out in the same locations every year. The shots those will yield are 30 to 60 yrd max. The 30-30 IS the perfect Rifle for that hands-down bar-none. After having to reluctantly but prudently pass on the honkin 12pt that was 240-280 out (eyes ain't what they used to be) standing in the middle of the field I realized I need a 100-350 weapon with a nice high-quality scope. 20 of the 43 acres of Aequitas Reserve is farmable field so the chances that will occur again many times in the coming years are a given.
In keeping with that, I definitely agree with all of you that I want to choose a Weapon for Life both in caliber and especially in Rifle itself. Quality, Fit, Finish, Design, Function & Ergonomics will far out-trump cost in choosing Brand and Model when the time comes.

Nothing against the 7mm, the .270, the .308, or the 300 Win Mag at all. GREAT weapons. Dad was a 7mm Man-Grandad a 30-06. As I only need one, seems like the 06 is the best all-around way for ME to go.

Thanks again

[Veritas44]

There's a SWEET Ruger Hawkeye 375 Alaskan for sale locally. Shot to sight in only (probably knocked 'em on their butt, dislocated a shoulder, and got scared of it) and looks brand new. Love to have that Monster but too much weapon me thinks and $800, although a good price, is hard to part with and justify this close to Christmas.
Maybe it will still be around come Tax Refund time. IF,,, the Regime doesn't find a way to screw us all out of it that is

Looked at several brands and models and down to either the Hawkeye, a Weatherby or possibly the Remington 700 series.
Any input on those ?

[2234ME]

Harvested a doe last night ranged her at 368 yards Rem 270 700 bdl 135 gr. P.S.P. Rifle is sighted for 100 yards. aimed 2" high. Meat on the hook, nuff said

[Bruce]

Harvested a doe last night ranged her at 368 yards Rem 270 700 bdl 135 gr. P.S.P. Rifle is sighted for 100 yards. aimed 2" high. Meat on the hook, nuff said

Nice shot

[Papa Zook]

Thats flat!

[Veritas44]

Sweet! Nice shootin indeed
Like the Rem 700 series. Lotsa choices with all the sub-models. The BDL is a sharp looking Rifle.

[Veritas44]

Pulled the Trigger (pun intended),,,
Browning X-bolt Stainless Stalker 30-06.
Guy out of town for Christmas so will pick it up Saturday morning. Thanks Santa Claus

Now Scope shopping time. Suggestions and input appreciated.
Thanks again for all the helpful Posts.

[msocko3]

Pulled the Trigger (pun intended),,,
Browning X-bolt Stainless Stalker 30-06.
Guy out of town for Christmas so will pick it up Saturday morning. Thanks Santa Claus

Now Scope shopping time. Suggestions and input appreciated.
Thanks again for all the helpful Posts.

Sounds like a nice rifle, I'm no help when it comes to scope suggestions since I've been out of the rifle world for many years.

[captdanwh]

rifles and their owners favorite calibers are like us trike owners, we have our own opinions but are willing to listen to others also. with all the different bullets out there today you really cannot go wrong no matter what caliber you pick. the 30-06 is available with bullets to shoot anything from ground hogs to grizzlies and are readily available at most sporting stores so that is a plus. a thing to remember is if you shoot the heavier bullets the gun will kick you a little more so do not buy a ultra light rifle if you are going to shoot 200gr. bullets. if you are a still hunter you may want a lighter rifle to carry around in the woods but if you hunt from a tree stand or blind pick a heavier rifle which will give you a more stable feeling. the 308, 7mm,300wsm or any caliber above 260 and shoots flat will also do the job for you. pick out one you like the looks and feel of and buy it , then get your as- out there and enjoy one of my favorite past times, hunting.

[msocko3]

rifles and their owners favorite calibers are like us trike owners, we have our own opinions but are willing to listen to others also. with all the different bullets out there today you really cannot go wrong no matter what caliber you pick. the 30-06 is available with bullets to shoot anything from ground hogs to grizzlies and are readily available at most sporting stores so that is a plus. a thing to remember is if you shoot the heavier bullets the gun will kick you a little more so do not buy a ultra light rifle if you are going to shoot 200gr. bullets. if you are a still hunter you may want a lighter rifle to carry around in the woods but if you hunt from a tree stand or blind pick a heavier rifle which will give you a more stable feeling. the 308, 7mm,300wsm or any caliber above 260 and shoots flat will also do the job for you. pick out one you like the looks and feel of and buy it , then get your as- out there and enjoy one of my favorite past times, hunting.

I've always shot 180gr soft nose in my 06, kicked the living crap out of the deer.