lobo2003

I have harvested whitetail deer with several calibers like .243, .270 and the 30-06 and I reload for all these. Last summer I got an itch for a new bolt action rifle and did some research and found the .300 win. mag. offered the best of all worlds IMHO. You can load bullets as light as the 125 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip up to the 220 gr. solids. It's a caliber you can taylor for the type hunting you plan to do. So I bought a Winchester Model 70 Sporter Classic. It's a little on the heavy side and that helps with the recoil. I took a nice 8 point buck last deer season using the 125 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip at about 75 yrds. and he went down like I have never seen a deer go down before with the other calibers I have used. I know some of you out there are saying the 125 gr. is too light for the .300 win. mag. and it will come apart on impact and you are right to a certain degree. It's a matter of choice. I also use the load for coyote and they don't move after a hit. Next deer season I'm going to work up a load with the 165 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip for whitetail. Go with the .300 win. mag. You will love the stopping power and accuracy that can be achieved with it. If you don't reload, there is plenty of factory ammo out there to choose from and the caliber will take anything in North America.
Good Hunting

7mmsaum

Yes all are very good calibers. If I were you I would go with the 300 win mag or 7mm rem mag. Both will put anything down and both can reach out far. The 300 is faster, but the 7mm mag can be just as effective. I shoot a 7mm and my buddy shoots a 300 so I am in between and really like both calibers. We practice at long range 300 and over. If I were to take my 7 mag out west I would load up some 160 grn nosler accubond bullets. Both are versitiale and reloading is better on pocket and you try differnt loads to see what is best in your gun and for you. Which ever choice you make good luck and be safe.

hoyt14

Well i think a lot of what it has to do with is what, and where doyou like to hunt. If you are into the woods, of those three i would suggest the 30-06, but if you are after a field gun i would consider the .33, or the 7mm Rem. Mag. I happen to shot the 7mm Rem. MAg., but i don't want to be selling you that gun. I am teh hunter that likes to shoot as far as i can, as accurilty as i can so i chose that do to the power behind every shot. another thing that you can play around with is the different size of loads you have. we reload all of ours, and i have a 164 gr Hornady BTSP and love the way it mushrooms, and impacts. i have 68 grains of the pencil lead powder, with a CCI bench rest primer on it. they shoot in groups of a 1-2 inch circle from 25- 400 yards. the farthest i have had to go is 301yds. so like i said it is really up to where you like to hunt. if you are a woods hunter i would go for the 30.06, but if you like to play in teh fields go for the .300, or the 7mm Rem. Mag.

eldeguello

IF you use the right bullets for each type of game, there's not enough real differences between these three to recommend one over the other with much justification! You could also add the .270 Win. and .280 Rem. to this group with the same answer!

windriverhunter

I'd say go with the 7mm Remington Mag. It is a step up from the 30-06, but it isnt overkill for smaller game like the 300 win mag is. Ive seen to many animals get holes the size of my fist blown in them by 300 win mags to think that the rifle is a very good choice. Also, the 7mm rem mag has a variety of loads offered, and it is a flat shooting, hard hitting cartridge.

deerslayer223

I'd go with the 30-06 just use a premium bullet in the 180 grain range. Will do anything you want it to do and more!

stuckinthereeds

for bear I would take 300 win mag. Power before beauty.

jgttechjunkie

I have used a 7 mm RM exclusively for thirty or so years. My friends use the same caliber, or 30-06, or 300 Win Mag. In all that time hunting whitetail, moose and elk I can't recall one time when an animal that was killed with one rifle could not have been killed just as well with another. If you hunt in built up areas the 30-06 is quieter. If you handload the Win Mag has a wider range of adjustment. You will practice shooting more with a 30-06, because of the lower noise volume. One claim is that people who spend a lot of money on hunts want the edge the 300 mag gives you in case an animal is a bit too far, or standing at a bad angle to you, somehow they think the money is wasted if they go home empty handed. My hunting has all been with local folk - I don't think it is unusual in any hunting area to have local folk use lighter weapons than visitors, simply because they can afford to discipline themselves more. If you are into guns at some stage you will own all three calibers. If you are primarily a hunter, just buy one and stop thinking about whether it was the best decision.

Power

Kind of hard to compare the 3 as two use a .30 cal bullet and the other is .284.

In order of performance overall the 300 Win is the winner. The 7mm and '06 are so close you could say they are the same. The '06 will handle larger, heavier bullets but the 7mm will shoot flatter.

Up to Elk-size game I doubt you'll see any real difference between them all. If it were me and I planned to hunt the bigger bears as well as Moose I would go with the 300 Win. Otherwise, they are all close enough not to matter. Instead, find the rifle you want first then see what calibers they have it in. Might even consider what your hunting buddies or spouse uses and get something similar. Say, for instance, your buddies use the 06 you might get either the same or the 300 Win and that way you all could share on the cost of bullets and other comonents if you wanted to hand load.

I have a 7mm just for the record but I think all 3 of these are fine for anything up to Elk and a little beyond.

Quilly

even though i am a very big fan of the 30-06sprg. which i think wilth the right 165gr. 180gr. bullet will do the job. f you are hunting brown bears i believe there is a 33cal min.

what about using a 280rem? great shooter and if you look at the ballistics between the 7mm rem mag and the 280rem they are not that far off. plus you can get bullets from 139gr. up to 175gr. ( 175gr. you would have to reload ). i owned one a long time back and wish i never got rid of her.
or get something that you can be differant in the woods and buy a 35whelen.