.30/06 or 7mm rem?

[Deadeye777]

Well, i'm getting myself a new rifle and i just can't make up my mind! I'm getting the savage stevens model 200 for it's low price but amazing accuracy, and i'll be hunting it out here in eastern washington, which is a lot of spot and stalk hunting in wide open and rolling farmland, sort of long range. on the other hand I might come over one of these little hillocks here and see a deer within 100 yards of me. I live on the westcoast primarily but am out here for school. I might at some point be over on the peninsula hunting in the hoh rainforest, which is quite different.

So my question is, out of YOUR EXPERIENCE, do you guys think a flat shooting 7mm Mag or a versatile .30/06 is more in order, even for those long range shots? the .30/06 is a 22" barrel and the 7mm is 24". Am i really going to need those extra 2"? also, i'm pretty confident in my shooting if that makes a difference for you.

BTW i'll be shooting whitetail and coyote out here.

Thanks for any help!

[bspencer]

7mm WSM

[stubblejumper]

I prefer the 7mmremmag.

[James B]

Well either one would sure kill deer and coyotes but so would the 25-06 or 270 with less boom and recoil.

[bspencer]

honestly id say the 7mm remmag or the 7mmWSM will be a little better than the .30-06 in the distance catagory

[JagMagMan]

Deadeye, either will suit your needs fine! The 7MM RM will have some power advantage, and will be a flatter shooting gun, the '06 will give you more variety of bullets, at a cheaper price than magnum ammo! The 7MM's need the longer 24" barrel for best results! Again, EITHER will be great, so take your pick, or flip a coin! Good luck with the new gun!

[charlie brown]

Most shooters will not be able to notice a difference of the drop between the 7mag and the .30-06 within the ranges of which most hunters will be shooting. Take your pick. Either will kill about anything in NA with room to spare. Personally I would (and already have) opted for the .30-06 vs. the 7 mag. I would have also taken the 7 mag, but opted for the 06 because that was what everyone in my family has ever hunted with, and what my grandpa gave me, so my new gun that I bought in 1999was a .30-06, and I have not regretted it.

[James B]

Two years ago I decided that the 30-06 was way more gun than I needed for deer so I retired it to possible bigger game later on. This year I used a new 270 and it is also way more than enough. Next year I may go back to the 6.5x55 or my new, old Model 99 in 250 Savage.

[handloader1]

Flip a coin. Good luck.

[Moose_Maximus]

.30-06 ammunition will be a cheaper, and you can shoot military surplus just for practice...