RE: have 30.06 buying 300 win mag worth it?
The .30-06 is available in several lightweight rifles including the M-70 featherweight and the difference is weight verses a couple hundred feet/second.
The same arguement is had over the .338-06 and the .338 win mag and again over the .375 Taylor and the .375 H&H however in those cases the weight factor isn't that great. Featherweight barrels seem to end at 30 caliber.
When you can push a 200 grain Swift A-frame out of a 22" barrel at 2,800'/sec you have serious power and for those that want more I'd say pay the weight penalty and get a .300 magnum.
I own both a .30-06 M-70 FWT and a couple .300 mags and when I return to Africa hunting, the .30-06 is going with me.......the .300 mags will be left home.
The .30-06 is a truly powerful cartridge and IMO if you need more I suggest you get a .375 Magnum.