30-06 recoil vs 300win mag.

I bought a .300 Remington Ultra magnum when I was 15 way back in 2005. The recoil was a little bit sever for my small frame, but I loved the Caliber, so to solve the problem i had a gunsmith instal a detatchable muzzle break. That solved all of the recoil issues that i had. And you don't notice the recoil when you are hunting, only when you are at the range. I would go for the .300 Win Mag Its a great caliber and it is more versitile than the 30-6 at long range.

Also about the scopes... I have a vxI,VxII, and VxIII I love all of them. but for the price i really like my VxII the best. I have it on my .300 Rum, Just had a ballistic reticle added to it, the thing is bright crisp and clear to the point that I have a hard time telling it appart from my VxI, and VxIII, But every one is right, You can't go wrong with a Leupold. Depending on what ranges you will be shooting you could probably get away with buying a VxI I have one on a 6.5x55 and since i dont shoot that much past 200 yards any way, the clarity is more than adiquet for that. Also the light retention is amamzing.

Originally Posted by TerryR

IMO the 300 WM only becomes superior to the 30-06 at ranges exceeding 300 yds. Up to that point the only area in which the 300 beats the 30-06 is in noise and recoil. Having used both on plains game in Africa I am of the firm opinion that the vast majority of hunters would be better off sticking with the 30-06. Unless you expect to regularly take long shots stick with the 06. If you are looking for more "impact" on game move up to a larger caliber such as a 338.

Amen. TerryR hit the nail right on the head!

300 WM You will just end up buying two rifles if you dont. There is a reason they call it the 30 ought wound.

Originally Posted by BARTFRNCS

300 WM You will just end up buying two rifles if you dont. There is a reason they call it the 30 ought wound.

Haven't heard that one before, In fact, I've heard more than one PH say too many clients hunt with too much rifle and don't shoot it well enough. On our last hunt, both the other hunters used 'manly' magnum calibers and took at least two shots on every animal. Everything we hit with the '06 was DRT.

"The .30-06 is never a mistake." - Townsend Whelan

Originally Posted by BARTFRNCS

300 WM You will just end up buying two rifles if you dont. There is a reason they call it the 30 ought wound.

Been shooting for over 50 years and never heard anyone call the '06 the "30 ought wound"! Really Bart, really!?

Originally Posted by BARTFRNCS

300 WM You will just end up buying two rifles if you dont. There is a reason they call it the 30 ought wound.

hey bart been missing you , havent heard from you in a while, was getting worried! now after coming out and saying you were going to use a little bitty .275 on a kudu i thought you had mellowed, but no you still want the big bang

Originally Posted by Bert the Turtle

Looks like I'm with the majority here. A 30-06 does everything I want a 30 cal to do. I think if you need more than an '06 will do, the answer is in more bullet, not more velocity. That is, unless you are talking about really long range shooting, where more velocity helps with windage.

I don't do long range hunting. At your age, I'd be working on close range hunting. Ask any of the older hunters what they would do with 15 year old legs and lungs, and I think they would all be walking game down. I sure would, and will as long as I can. Learn to shoot that 30-06 well and enjoy the next 40+ years carrying that thing around the world. Save the boomers and your hearing for later.

This is very good advice. I own a .300 Win Mag, and a .30-06, A .308 Win, a .338 Win Mag, A 9.3x62mm, and others. I have owned a .416 Rigby, .270 Win, lots of .223's and who knows what other calibers. You have to remember that the .300 is really the same as a .30-06 just 200 FSP faster. Let me tell you that speed is not always the answer. I have fired hundreds of rounds through each of the rifles I own, and I have done lots of ballistic experments. i would, and do prefer to carry a .30-06 than my .300 mag. The 30-06 will hold another round in the magzine, is easier to shoot well, does not beat the living hell out of me. You have to think about costs. If you are shooting factory ammo last I checked .30-06' ammo is about 75% the cost of .300 ammo, just as a general rule. Now if you look very closely at the ballistic charts you get about 3000 fps with a 180 gr bullet (close figures real data will vairy slightly) and 3500 Foot pounds of muzzle energy. Now with the .30-06 you get about 2700 FPS with a 180 grain bullet and 3000 Fp of muzzle energy. Since however animals don't give a s**t about muzzle energy it comes down to 300 FPS of velocity and how far that will push you bullet. Now i like to zero my rifles at about 200 yards, this way you are about 1.5 inches high at 100, and 6-8 inches low at 300. Now past 300 you have to be VERY sure of your ability and you rifle. So out to 300 i don't think that you will notice a diffarance in killing power between the 2 calibers. It is my personal opinion that if a person needs more gun than a .30-06 than they need a bigger bullet not a faster one. If you want more than a 06' that go up to a .338-06, a .35 whelen, or a .338 win mag. but really the .30-06 will do anything that you need. I would also suggest that you find someone that owns both calibers and ask to shoot them. I don't know were you are from but I will always let someone try my rifles if they buy the ammo I will let them shoot until they run out of ammo. So ask at you local range, test both rifles and see how the recoil is. But remember at your age we all thought the paper ballistics mattered, then we hunted alot and found that between the magnums and the regular rounds there is not much differance in killing power. Good luck and if you live in Michigan you can shoot my rifles to give you some idea.

The 270 is a wonderful cartridge, however if Africa is in the plan then a 30.06 in a serious rifle like the Win Model 70 with a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 in Warne Mounts
makes a lot of sense.
That is what I have. If you are not a handloader, then Hornady Superformance Ammo in 30.06 works very well on all manner of game. I am so happy with this rifle, I don't
use my Weatherby MkV 300 Mag as much as I used to. Todays ammo, powders & projctiles are so good the goal posts have been moved way out..The A-Frame, North Fork & TSX
makes the old warhorse every bit as good as the 300 mags of yesteryear. I use the Hornady SST on Wild Boar with devastating results. This outfit is now my allrounder.
On 600 lb Sambar Deer the North Fork or A-Frame 180gr works to perfection. The Woodleigh 240gr, is good on big game like Buffalo. Another thing is, you will never wear out the barrel on a 30.06 HUNTING rifle..

I think the general consensus here is that the 30-06 is more than adequate. i shoot both and there is not a great deal of difference on impact with similar weights, as stevedscross says, the paper ballistics dont count for as much as field experience and if you are using 150gr/180gr under 300yds, go with the 30-06. I prefer a heavier bullet (personal preference) and prefer the 300wm for that reason, i am by no means a big guy, but the recoil of the 300wm off sticks or off hand doesnt bother me in the least, whereas my buddies 30-06 is a pig to shoot because of the lack of fit!
Off the bench however, there is a noticable difference with the 30-06 and 150gr opposed to the 300wm and 220gr!!
i go with the 220gr PMP rounds with the 300wm and it is very good in my opinion, remember we dont get much choice here in Zambia so I havent shot as many different types as most people here, but i dont think i would be inclined to change too quickly.
All in all, you cannot go wrong with either, best thing would be to shoot both and see for yourself.

On another note, in Africa, there is not much that cant be taken under 300m. If you cant get within 300m, your stalking needs practice.
Over 300m, you are looking for trouble with wounded animals etc (i am generalising here, there are many people who train at long range and have good confidence at 5-600m, i am not one of them).
I also feel that shooting animals at that range in Africa is just that - shooting, not hunting.

Originally Posted by PeteG

On another note, in Africa, there is not much that cant be taken under 300m. If you cant get within 300m, your stalking needs practice.
Over 300m, you are looking for trouble with wounded animals etc (i am generalising here, there are many people who train at long range and have good confidence at 5-600m, i am not one of them).
I also feel that shooting animals at that range in Africa is just that - shooting, not hunting.

I totally agree with you.

If you handload a 30-06 with winchester brass in a modern bolt action rifle with a 24in. barrel. You can get close to 2900 fps with a 180 grain bullet. Alot of 300 win mag factory loads won't do much better. Of course you can reload a 300 with the same bullet close 3100 fps. I really doubt if the average hunter in hunting conditions can take advantage of the little extra power.

If your loading to 2900fps in a 3006 you dont value your life!

Originally Posted by lwaters

If you handload a 30-06 with winchester brass in a modern bolt action rifle with a 24in. barrel. You can get close to 2900 fps with a 180 grain bullet. Alot of 300 win mag factory loads won't do much better. Of course you can reload a 300 with the same bullet close 3100 fps. I really doubt if the average hunter in hunting conditions can take advantage of the little extra power.

I've said it before and I'll say it again with no disrespect to the .30-06, but if you want 2900fps out of a 180gr .308 bullet, buy the .300WM. It was designed to achieve that velocity safely and easily.

As far as recoil goes, I've found a great way to acclimate yourself to the .300WM. But a .416 Rigby and put a hundred rounds or so through it. After doing this the .300WM will feel like a .243!

Ah come on Phil,

Recoil from those 416 Rigby practice sessions?

I think you are just trying to scare the children

After a practice session I just stop off at the dentist and he taps down all my fillings and I am good to go

I guess the bleeding from the nose and ears is just something I've gotten used to

Originally Posted by Second Wind

Ah come on Phil,

Recoil from those 416 Rigby practice sessions?

I think you are just trying to scare the children

After a practice session I just stop off at the dentist and he taps down all my fillings and I am good to go

I guess the bleeding from the nose and ears is just something I've gotten used to

You know a rifle in .416 Rigby would be a great way to promote those denture adhesives......"You see folks even after 20 punishing rounds from an elephant gun the dentures while cracked are still stuck to Wilbur's gums!!!"

Originally Posted by lwaters

If you handload a 30-06 with winchester brass in a modern bolt action rifle with a 24in. barrel. You can get close to 2900 fps with a 180 grain bullet. Alot of 300 win mag factory loads won't do much better. Of course you can reload a 300 with the same bullet close 3100 fps. I really doubt if the average hunter in hunting conditions can take advantage of the little extra power.

You need a new chrony or I got to go with bart, age old story from Africa to Canada. Buy the gun you can shoot well, practice practice practice. Learn to judge distance without range finder, know your kill zones. memorize the basic ballistics like drop at ranges to 400 yards. Most folks worry to much on which gun and not enough about learning to shoot it well.

FOr plains heck if you do this 270 will get r done, I used 280AI for all my plains except Zebra & Wildebeest (375) but you have to be realistic about your skills,

Back to the OP, I do the 300win, get one with good kevlar stock, Leopold VX 4-14 scope with BC reticle and good recoil pad and you will be set. Not that I do not think 30-06 is great I killed a bunch deer with 06 150 grain partions, But Africa got tough animals and I use a little more bang for the buck because if you scratch them lovely animals you will cut the check. But in the end it is shot placement, ability to shot well and confidence that get r done.

Originally Posted by huntingbigun

Buy the gun you can shoot well, practice practice practice. Learn to judge distance without range finder, know your kill zones. memorize the basic ballistics like drop at ranges to 400 yards. Most folks worry to much on which gun and not enough about learning to shoot it well.

There it is.

Here's what made the difference for me:

1. I picked the caliber that was right for me (30.06).

2. I sighted the rifle in on a bench rest.

3. Then, weekly, I shot at photographic targets of Africa game off of the shooting sticks.

4. I learned the ballistic tables.

Originally Posted by BARTFRNCS

If your loading to 2900fps in a 3006 you dont value your life!

Oh come on the hodgons online manual gives 2840 with a load of suprform powder and a pressure of 57600 with a 180
I would not call that life threating. Loading manuals for the 30-06 are loaded down for all the old military junk rifles out
there. The same thing is done to the 7x57 mauser. My opinion is that magnums don't have all that much over standard cartridges
until you get to 338 cal.and I am not to sure it has much over the 338-06 but there is not many rifles chambered for it.

Originally Posted by Upton O. Good

There it is.

Here's what made the difference for me:

1. I picked the caliber that was right for me (30.06).

2. I sighted the rifle in on a bench rest.

3. Then, weekly, I shot at photographic targets of Africa game off of the shooting sticks.

4. I learned the ballistic tables.

That is a solid plan, I aloso studied all the fine kill zones pics on AH, some of my crew that went with me to Africa mad fun of all my notes, prep and etc. As I was able to make one shot kill day after day and they had a little more work to take their amimals they started going dang wished I would have done ????

Happy Hunting