308? 30-06? or 7mm rem mag?

[16Bore]

Hazelnut creamer man....all I had this morning was friggin hazelnut!

Ease up...just poking fun. None of it matters.

Seriously.

If they were all laid out on a bench and you rang an 8” gong at 500 yards 5/5 with one and 3/5 with the others you know which one is going home with you.

You can’t unring a bell...or a gong. It’s like golfers and putters/drivers. Same/same.

 

[T3clay]

Unfortunately I can't sit down and shoot all of them or I wouldn't be here .....

 

[menhaden_man]

Well who pissed in your morning coffee... Not all of us are experts....

Ha - I think he’s just a smartass that’s just as obsessed as the rest of us. He’s poked at me for obsessing over calibers too, but has some good points if you look past the delivery.

I can’t hardly stand the news anymore and don’t much care for sports so free time obsessing over the next firearm is as good as you can do with your spare time these days.

 

[T3clay]

That ELDX may have made my decision, now for the delivery system....

 

[16Bore]

Ha - I think he’s just a smartass that’s just as obsessed as the rest of us. He’s poked at me for obsessing over calibers too, but has some good points if you look past the delivery.

I can’t hardly stand the news anymore and don’t much care for sports so free time obsessing over the next firearm is as good as you can do with your spare time these days.

Just old skool guy ridicule....nothing more. You’re still going down the rabbit hole, I filled that som bitch full of dirt once I climbed out.

I “run” a Tikka 30-06 and Barnes. Nothing to get excited about.

I’m geezing....

 

[robtattoo]

I “run” a Tikka 30-06 and Barnes. Nothing to get excited about.

I’m geezing....

Barnes?! Young insta-wannabe.......

I'm shooting the same setup with Partitions & don't feel even slightly undergunned. I run 150 Accubonds in my .308 & I'm 100% confident in it for elk.

I'm with Mr 16 on this subject. Any of your options are fine, although I'd probably not consider the 7mag. Good old .308, .30-06 & 7-08 are plenty for 99.9% of folks

 

[16Bore]

Haven’t put lead through food in quite awhile. My (ex) wife had asked me about lead fragments in deer meat and some report she’d seen with X-rays.

Sure honey, I’ll drop $50 on a box of ammo..if it makes you happy.

Barnes are hard to beat....

 

[wyosam]

Haven’t put lead through food in quite awhile. My (ex) wife had asked me about lead fragments in deer meat and some report she’d seen with X-rays.

Sure honey, I’ll drop $50 on a box of ammo..if it makes you happy.

Barnes are hard to beat....

There really isn’t much difference in price between the non-lead and other premium bullets anymore. There are some cheaper loads, out there that are lead though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[16Bore]

There really isn’t much difference in price between the non-lead and other premium bullets anymore. There are some cheaper loads, out there that are lead though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That’s the truth....but there was a time amigo.

Ouch!

 

[menhaden_man]

Barnes?! Young insta-wannabe.......

I'm shooting the same setup with Partitions & don't feel even slightly undergunned. I run 150 Accubonds in my .308 & I'm 100% confident in it for elk.

I'm with Mr 16 on this subject. Any of your options are fine, although I'd probably not consider the 7mag. Good old .308, .30-06 & 7-08 are plenty for 99.9% of folks

These two guys nailed it. Since it sounds like you can't get out to shoot any of them, you might stop in a few different stores to get your hands on a few models. These guys recently forced me into a Tikka purchase and it's a slick rifle...

Not that you asked, but I'd think hard about a stainless model depending on where you hunt. It's a real pain in the ass to worry about corrosion if you're hunting in bad weather.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Neither. Get a .300 winmag...100s of benefits over the other calibers.

 

[robtattoo]

Neither. Get a .300 winmag...100s of benefits over the other calibers.

Under 500yds on 60/40 deer & elk? Name 3....

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Under 500yds on 60/40 deer & elk? Name 3....

It is dumb to pigeonhole the rifle but my opinion is legit and here's why:

1. The OP wrote, "Im hoping to get to the range with a friends 300 Win Mag, and if that doesn't bother me thats another option. i wouldn't say that i'm recoil shy, but i would prefer to have something that doesn't beat me up. i'm anticipating 60/40 deer/elk hunts with this rifle and id like to have enough caliber to shoot 500 yards if i get to that point one day." We've all been there. If ya wanna be proficient enough to take a shot at game from 500 yards then you wanna be able to consistently hit a stationary target at 1000 yards so the 500 yard shot feels like a chip shot. yeah, i had to put a muzzle brake, aftermarket buttpad on my winmag to make it comfortable but lotsa guys do this. No different than adding a Tinmey trigger. Accuracy matters.

2. A .300 winmag is a flat shooter with lots of (often cheaper) ammo choices that is easily readily from numerous vendors. The caliber's popularity makes this so. With the variety of bullets, it's a very versatile weapon.

3. Dead is dead, you can't use too much gun. A .243 will kill an elk but if you find yourself stalking an elk and accidentally spook a brown bear...which rifle do ya wanna be holding?

4. Once you start shooting longer ranges, you wanna keep practicing at longer distances. That .308 is okay to 800 yards, the .300 is capable of reaching out further. Prior to dialing in my winmag I couldn't consistently hit squat beyond 350 yards. Now I'm repeatedly ringing 1000 yard steel. That's fun! And the animals deserve our best shot.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Of what you listed, Id go with the 30-06 or the 308, I have both and really like both, I dont think you can go wrong with either but the 06 has the edge as a "just one" rifle since you can load such a variety of ammo. LAtely i've ben shooting a lot of 06 with Nosler parition 200g and hornady ELDX 200g, both of those shoot so well for me that those are going to be my 2 go to loads for the 06.

I'd skip the 7mm all together, if you want a magnum, I'd go with a 300 personally. I actually skipped right past the 7mm and 300 and my next caliber up from my 06/308 is 375HH.

I'd just get a stainless tikka in whichever 30 caliber option you like and put a scope you like on it and go shoot.

 

[16Bore]

I can name that tune in one note. None.

Them deers can be rather elusive. 800 yards? 1000 yards? Yeah baby! I’d go full Chris Kyle Carlos Hathcock on me some venison. All day long if I do my part and all that shit. Get some!

Good grief.....

Yet everyone lives and breathes King Rinella, but forgets his max range of 400 yards.


You might pull off a miracle shot at that range, but ya still gotta find it.

#wherethehelldidmydeergo
#helookedbiggerinnthescope
#sniperlife

 

[Billinsd]

1180 ft lbs energy @500 yds is a little low for elk isn't it?

Not if you have min velocity for accubonds if you are shooting them

 

[Billinsd]

This shit is soooo complicated until you realize it’s not.

Hyperbole like yours make it complicated, and ridiculing those you disagree with, with no coherent reason helps no one. There are lots of big game cartridges now and lots of bullets, which can be overwhelming. Best thing a new hunter or experienced can do is compare the many cartridge ballistics themself. That eliminates the bubba hyperbole. Decide where you will be hunting and what. You also need to decide if you want a long or short action, and some cartilages are real common and others rare. The only way to determine how far you can shoot is to practice and see for yourself on targets. Turret caps are a great tool, so are range finders, however you need to practice and know your limitations. The wind is the most difficult variable in shooting longer distance by far. As far as bullet velocity and energy it's real simple, WHAT DOES THE BULLET MAKER SAY IS THE MIN AND/OR MAX VELOCITY AND/OR ENERGY TO MUSHROOM. Listen to the engineers that developed the bullet when it comes down to how the bullet is supposed to work.

 

[Billinsd]

Of what you listed, Id go with the 30-06 or the 308, I have both and really like both, I dont think you can go wrong with either but the 06 has the edge as a "just one" rifle since you can load such a variety of ammo. LAtely i've ben shooting a lot of 06 with Nosler parition 200g and hornady ELDX 200g, both of those shoot so well for me that those are going to be my 2 go to loads for the 06.

I'd skip the 7mm all together, if you want a magnum, I'd go with a 300 personally. I actually skipped right past the 7mm and 300 and my next caliber up from my 06/308 is 375HH.

I'd just get a stainless tikka in whichever 30 caliber option you like and put a scope you like on it and go shoot.

The only issue I have with your recommendations are the heavy recoil. OUCH!! I don't think it's necessary, even for elk. Yes, better for a marginal shot, but overkill. Oh, I agree the 308 and 30-06 are good. My wife has a 308 and I have a 30-06. I like my 7mm Rem mag better than my 30-06, because it can do what the 30-06 can and is much flatter shooting, ballistically much better. More recoil? Not noticeable in guns and loads I'm shooting.

 

[Billinsd]

It is dumb to pigeonhole the rifle but my opinion is legit and here's why:

1. The OP wrote, "Im hoping to get to the range with a friends 300 Win Mag, and if that doesn't bother me thats another option. i wouldn't say that i'm recoil shy, but i would prefer to have something that doesn't beat me up. i'm anticipating 60/40 deer/elk hunts with this rifle and id like to have enough caliber to shoot 500 yards if i get to that point one day." We've all been there. If ya wanna be proficient enough to take a shot at game from 500 yards then you wanna be able to consistently hit a stationary target at 1000 yards so the 500 yard shot feels like a chip shot. yeah, i had to put a muzzle brake, aftermarket buttpad on my winmag to make it comfortable but lotsa guys do this. No different than adding a Tinmey trigger. Accuracy matters.

2. A .300 winmag is a flat shooter with lots of (often cheaper) ammo choices that is easily readily from numerous vendors. The caliber's popularity makes this so. With the variety of bullets, it's a very versatile weapon.

3. Dead is dead, you can't use too much gun. A .243 will kill an elk but if you find yourself stalking an elk and accidentally spook a brown bear...which rifle do ya wanna be holding?

4. Once you start shooting longer ranges, you wanna keep practicing at longer distances. That .308 is okay to 800 yards, the .300 is capable of reaching out further. Prior to dialing in my winmag I couldn't consistently hit squat beyond 350 yards. Now I'm repeatedly ringing 1000 yard steel. That's fun! And the animals deserve our best shot.

I agree with except that a a 7mm Rem Mag with the Nosler 160 grain accubonds will have about 1,800 fps and 1,150 foot pounds of energy at 700 max yards. Virtually the same as Nosler 180 grain, 300 Win Mag Ammunition at 700 yards (Win Mag has about 1,250 foot-pounds at 700 yds, about 10% more). Both these cartridges made by Nosler have the same max range of 700 yards, however the 7mm Rem would have less recoil and a bit less oomph. There are bigger bullet choices for the 300 Win Mag too. Bill

 

[Billinsd]

Here is my reference. I extrapolated form 600 to 700 yards in my head, so very well could have made a mistake

https://shop.nosler.com/media/extendware/ewimageopt/media/inline/2d/6/7mm-rem-mag-160gr-trophy-gradetm-accubondr-ammo-20ct-076.jpg

https://shop.nosler.com/media/extendware/ewimageopt/media/inline/c0/d/trophy-grade-300-win-mag-180gr-accubondr-ammo-20ct-fe6.jpg