The 30/06 is never a bad choice---for any game animal in the lower 48. Plus add in all the different factory loads. Now add in you'll always find 30/06 ammo on SALE. I wrestled with the same question 30 years ago--------I picked the 06----it has never let me down.

you can't go wrong either way

the 7 mag gives you about another 50 yards of "point blank" range (holding crosshairs on vitals and still hitting them), and it'll typically weigh more for a given rifle model (magnum vs standard action) but they are generally too similar for the differences to matter

Critters will be just as dead with either.

I'd probably factor in price of ammo and availability, recoil maybe, maybe even price of the weapon and lean toward the '06.

But of course I usually shoot an '06.... but I sure would like to find a deal on a 7mm too.

30-06! I like the ability to go up to 220 grain bullets. In the field on big game both guns you mentioned perform equal tasks out as far as a guy should be shooting at game.

Another vote for the 7mmremmag.Flatter trajectory and more energy at longer ranges.

The 308win is not a necked down 30-06.The 25-06 and 270win are necked down 30-06's.

I would go with the 7mm Rem. Mag. Good luck.

Necked down ? The 308 Winchester and the 30-06 Springfield are both the same caliber, which is .308 caliber. The 308 Win. is almost a 1/2 inch (.479") shorter then the 30-06 Spr. The 308 Win. has a case length of 2.015 inches and the 30-06 Spr. has a case length of 2.494 inches. The 308 Win. and the 30-06 Spr. are completely different cartridges all together. The 270 Win. is necked down from a 30-06 Spr. The 280 Rem. is also necked down from a 30-06 Spr. but Remington moved the shoulder forward .051" of an inch so it couldn't be cambered in a 270 Win. The 35 Whelen is necked up from a 30-06 Spr.

The 308 Win. is inherently more accurite then the 30-06 Spr. and just about every other cartridge above the .243/6mm class, most of the time. The 30-06 Spr. is usually a few hundred feet per second faster then the 308 Win. so it shoots flatter and hits a little harder.

i would go with the 06, it has been proven to be one of the most best all round gun a guy can buy, no sense buying a gun that you think might not quite do the job, i know of guys that use the 7mm to hunt moose and have been succesful, so i am sure that elk would be no problem as well, but i still think the 06 is the best, thats just my opinion.

CO Bob,

I applaud your efforts here... you are a true inspiration...

Not only are you getting great advice between the two calibers in order to base your purchase decision upon, but you are also building a list of very solid arguments to go off and buy the second rifle (I just need a little more punch power at longer distances, etc...), even more rifles when you consider the additional calibers that have been brought up here.

Well done. I hope you won't mind me quoting this message thread when my wife asks me why I'm buying a new rifle this summer.

Cheers