There is a really nice 30-06 that has caught my eye, and it's at a nice price. I want to get it, but had plans to purchase a 338 win mag in the future. Would you say there's enough difference in these calibers to justify getting both, or should I consolidate. The 338 win mag would be big game (moose, elk, grizzley, etc.), whereas the 30-06 would be deer. The 30-06 just seems like overkill for just deer though, since a 270, 25-06, or 7mm-08 would be just as good.

I own a 30-06 and even though it is not the rifle that I use for deer, I have taken bear and moose with it. I don't think that there would be a need for the .338 mag but then again if you can buy them both why not. It is so nice to open up the gun safe in the moring and have a choise of, "what will I harvest with today", feeling. He who dies with the most toys wins.

Very true.I would choose the 25-06 and the 338win mag .

never could you go wrong with the .30-06

If I were hunting moose or brown bears up north, I could see how a .338 Mag would be a pretty useful cartridge. But for just about everything else in the lower 48, the .30-06 is enough.

I've never understood magnum mania, especially when there are so many "old-school" cartridges that have dropped big game for generations already. When my grandpa visited Alaska in his youth, he took the .30-06...

And on second thought,I know more people who can't shoot the .338 Mag straight than those who can. Seems to cause a lot of my friends to develop flinching problems that screw up their shooting with the rest of their centerfire rifles.

Nothing against the 30 06; it is great. For the bigger critters, the 338 gives you more frontal area and starts at 200 grains. I put 300 grainers through mine and it snapped back like a 375. I would not recommend a really light rifle though.

If I was going to get the 338, I would opt for the 270 or the 25-06. I'm having the same delima as we speak. I have a 300 rum and I can't decide on the 270 or the 25-06. I'm leaning towards the 25-06. Let us know what you decide.

I would get both. Hten use the 338 for larger game and the 30-06 for deer and as a backup rifle if you ever need it for larger game.

Would you buy a 30-06 and a 338 win mag?

I would if I didn't already own a rifle in those categories (7X57, .270, .280 and a .375 H&H).

In no way is the 30-06 overkill on deer, it's THE perfect deer cartridge.

.270 doesn't have as heavy bullets as the 30-06, or such a powder capacity.