Another dad gum rifle caliber question.

[16Bore]

Run it through a ballistics program and look at the difference in energy and velocity and you'll see where they cross each other.

30-06 is never a bad choice, unless you're shooting skeet.

 

[rileybassman]

Here are the numbers from Midway comparing like to like. You get 120 fps going from 308 to 30-06, but gain 330 fps going to 300 win mag from 30-06. If you are concerned about the recoil and the cost of ammo, my choice would be a 30-06. You can always download for smaller game such as deer with the 30-06, but you can also go with something heavier like a partition for Bear. I would personally want a 30-06 as the minimum for bear and moose. For elk, within 200 yards you won't notice much of a difference using the following loads in each gun. I've used both 30-06 and 300 WSM for elk and have not noticed a big difference.

308 Winchester Barnes 168gr TTSX $43
Muzzle Velocity: 2680 fps
Muzzle Energy: 2680 ft lbs

30-06 Barnes 168 gr TTSX $43
Muzzle Velocity: 2800 fps
Muzzle Energy: 2925 ft lbs

300 Win Mag Barnes 165gr TTSX $50
Muzzle Velocity: 3130 fps
Muzzle Energy: 3590 ft lb

just to add - those are conservative factory loads - which is apples to apples, I agree - but handloading bumps each one up a fair bit. Staying inside of reloading specs (actually .5 gr under book max) and I am getting 2900-2920 fps and 31-3200 lbs. with an '06 and 168 TTSX... just food for thought - you can add 100 fps per caliber (at least the 06 in my case) by handloading

I agree, within 200 yards, not much difference... have yet to recover a 168 ttsx - even from 320 yards on an elk my wife shot last year, the Barnes had 100% penetration.

Which brings an interesting thought - and along the lines of berger's bullets (which I shoot in my 6.5 CM) which aim to dump 100% of the energy into the target - in which case, I can see the benefit (if it is even really needed) of more energy/velocity.

If the .308 shoots an elk at 100 yards with a ttsx and is a complete pass through, what good is the extra energy/velocity of an 06 or 300WM? The .308 maybe "wastes", say, 300fps and 200 lbs of energy... and a 06, 500 fps, 300 wm 700 fps and so on... I understand that more velocity will help the bullets expand more violently, and break bone, but in the case of the barnes, I doubt you will see a ton expansion change between the 3 calibers... which leads me to think, that again, you are getting more range from each caliber (assuming a good, broadside shot).

That is all based off of my experiences with barnes bullets (which I do like). Again, bergers, or bullets like accubonds etc, I think you may see more benefits from the extra energy and fps being dumped into the animal... but again, not really under say 2-300 yards will you notice a difference...

sorry to ramble... just interesting to think/talk about - granted this is all "perfect world" hunting - which we all know doesn't happen as often as the internet wants us to think

 

[ericF]

I agree with the reloading aspects, but the OP said he was only going to be buying Ammo so the factory loads are a good representation. As for the Barnes, I have been using them exclusively on elk for the last 10 years and I have been happy with them. My 30-06 that I started with was a max load of 4064 and I was only getting 2800 fps. I was getting higher fps with IMR 4350 but it was a compressed load and I didn't like doing that when I first started reloading. I purposely download my 300 WSM to 3000 fps to match my Zeiss RX-600 reticle. At that velocity it is very pleasurable to shoot compared to my 300 WM that shoots 200gr Nosler Partitions. I've only found 2 Barnes bullets in 10 elk and both were quartering shots with the 300 WSM. One was at 20 yards, and the other was at 200 yards with a noticeable difference in expansion. The beauty and the downside of reloading is that it opens up so many options and so many variables. It is truly a blessing and a curse.

 

[duckhunter175]

OP--- Just so you know- remington is running a $150 rebate right now on their tactical rifles-- this includes their Sendero and Long Range Models--

I would look long and hard at picking either of these up in 300wm. If you get the long range you are paying $500ish total-- have a smith put a brake on it and maybe skim bed (the stock has a block) and you are good to go.

 

[Shooter19802003]

I think that it is funny how everybody says you need a 300wm for bear. Unless you are shooting coastal browns......not an issue. Our bear here are friggin tiny. If you get a black that is over 300......you are the man. They are out there......just few and far between. Bear are not bulletproof. Most bear here are the size of a mature Muley buck.....no joke. A rifle is a tool. You don't drive framing nails with a 16 lbs sledge. You don't need a 300wm to kill anything in the lower 48. Now, if you just want one because you want one.....cool.....i get that. Just don't buy into the magnum hype that critters are somehow bullet proof and only a mag can kill them.

 

[rileybassman]

I think that it is funny how everybody says you need a 300wm for bear. Unless you are shooting coastal browns......not an issue. Our bear here are friggin tiny. If you get a black that is over 300......you are the man. They are out there......just few and far between. Bear are not bulletproof. Most bear here are the size of a mature Muley buck.....no joke. A rifle is a tool. You don't drive framing nails with a 16 lbs sledge. You don't need a 300wm to kill anything in the lower 48. Now, if you just want one because you want one.....cool.....i get that. Just don't buy into the magnum hype that critters are somehow bullet proof and only a mag can kill them.

Yup, for sure. 308 and 06 will kill brownies too... just ask Luke.

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[KINGSNAKE]

I'm going off script here and I'm gonna say get a 338 win mag. This question is basically a one caliber for everything you may encounter in NA. It has ammo options from 160 grain to 250 grain. If you shot 185 grain bullets it would have much less recoil than 225s. You cant go wrong with an 06 but i dont think you can go wrong with a 338. I shoot a 338 06 and love the bullet choices I have. I checked ammo prices quick on the win mag and they are comparable to other calibers.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I don't have experience with browns or coastal bears, but I can tell you a lot of black bear 250lb-700lb have died from my 243.
I wouldn't feel under gunned with the 30-06....matter of fact it is the biggest caliber I have.

Esse quam videri

 

[timekiller13]

I would buy a 30-06 and never look back. So many varieties of bullet weights and tons of factory offerings. You can find ammo anywhere in the US. There is a reason its still one of the best selling centerfield rifle rounds year after year.

I was hunting with a friend once and when we arrived to our public land whitetail spot, he realized he had left his ammo at home. He had a 30-06 (I had a 270). There were two other guys in the parking area and he asked them if they had any 30-06 ammo. One guy reached in his truck and handed my buddy 4 bullets! He went hunting that day and shot a 7pt buck!

 

[ursus21]

I've owned all kinds of magnum rifles. However when all the dust settles I reach for my 30.06 more than any other rifle for big game. I've killed everything from jackrabbits to large bull elk and monster sized black bear with it. Rarely does it require a second shot. It's about as perfect of a big game rifle as a person could ask for. Cheap to shoot, plenty of terminal energy, and manageable recoil. What's not to like?

 

[30338]

Cartridge = Caliber? If you're cheap and don't like a lot of recoil, 270 or 30-06 would do it all. Put a good cheap Texas SWFA 6x scope on it and you're all set.

 

[16Bore]

It's not new and improved or promises a 4 hour erection.

 

[NoWiser]

About mid-way through college I was also looking for the "do it all" caliber. There are many that will work just great, but I settled on a Tikka T3 Lite in 270 WSM and topped it with a VX3 2.5-8x. Since then I've killed a slug of whitetails along with an elk, wolf, moose, mule deer, few antelope, plus some varmints and grouse. It's a tack driver, recoil is manageable, and with copper bullets it has performed great on game from 15-350 yards. Factory ammo is spendy but I reload so it's not too bad. I'd feel comfortable shooting anything in North America with it up to, and including, big bears.

30-06 is the common sense choice but everyone I know shoots one so I had to be a bit different.

I don't think there is any reason you need to shoot a 300 Win Mag. There are plenty of calibers that are more enjoyable to shoot that will work just fine for you.

 

[blackpowderhunter]

30-06 here. some of factory ammunition has some pretty impressive ballistics now.
t3 superlite 06, vx3 3.5-10...affordable, accurate, and versatile set up. i'm happy with it.
like the above poster said..only reason not to get a 06 is to be different.

 

[bigdesert10]

Am I the only one that hasn't bought in to the super light rifles? I like my rifles to have a little inertia to attenuate recoil and sit a little more steady through the shot.

 

[sneaky]

Makes you wonder how the old timers ever survived before all of these whiz bang magnums and what not came along. Oh, wait, that's right. They just shot things and they died. The 30-30 will kill everything on this continent, and has. Anything more than that and it's just window dressing. Those guys killed grizz with calibers that internet geniuses nowadays would feel undergunned with shooting rockchucks.

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[sneaky]

I save those for my favorite duck hunting forum since it seems a little more uh... "professional" around here lol


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What forum? What's your handle on there? Lol

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[TexanSam]

What forum? What's your handle on there? Lol

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Pretty similar to my name here except the word "duckin" replaces a word, and the forum is one where you chat about duck hunting

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[bruceleroy]

I dont shoot a 30-06 but like others have said, I recommend that for you.