7mm hands down.

30-06 ... they never walk after a shot and ammo availability is a big plus right now

When it comes to hunting rifles, there is the 30-06 and then everything else. Remington alone has 21 offerings from 55gr to 220gr. Only 11 offerings for the 7mag from 140gr-175gr and the ammo is more expensive. Usually the 30-06 is a lighter rifle.

This would be my choice as well

7mm all the way for me. Check some ballistics charts, the 7 vastly outperforms the 06 at the ranges you are looking to shoot from.

I'll git the 7mm Rem Mag.thanks

For an Alabama deer?!! Adult 2 1/2yr. buck is about 145lbs and your 3 1/2+ yr. olds are 165lb.-175lb. live weight.

Good luck with that. LOL!

Kidding aside, I think you're making a mistake. I urge you to ask around IN YOUR AREA and see what others are using. If I were there, I fill the pickup over and over with calibers like a .243, 6mm, .257Roberts, .260 & .270. I see no need to use calibers any larger.

Oh, and every deer within 250 yards would be history if you gave me my Marlin 336 30-30 with Hornady LeveRevolution shells!

7mm mag, uh? LOL! Sorry to interject such a lack of enthusiasm for that caliber, but if you shot as many deer as I have in the last 30+ years, you'd realize other calibers will work just fine. Matter of fact, I'm not a fan of the 30-06, but give me bullets of 125gr and I'd be a deer killin' machine without the black and blue marks on my shoulder. LOL! Remember, the larger the weight of the bullet, the more felt recoil on your shoulder.

The ultimate deer caliber? Why it's the .260!

Oh, one last thing... when you get your 7mm Rem Mag, be sure to get this as a necessary accessory:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...d_i=B0019D4BLG

Take care,

iSnipe

Get the one you want, both will kill a deer easily. I wouldn'y buy anything but a Browning, but that's a different thread

All entitled to opinions. I agree the whitetail cartridge list is pretty long and certainly plenty of good ones that are under the 06' or rem mag that will work as well. Your experience is what guides you and I respect that. However I have to wonder with comments like canon, black n blue and shoulder icer's how much hands on experience you have with a round such as a 7mm rem mag? Its recoil isn't really that bad, more then a 270win but not crazy - equal to an 06'. Also my experience has been it is no more damaging then a 270win interms of wound channels, comparing apples to apples on hit sight & similar bullet construction. Because it says magnum some jump to the conclusion its a canon, heavy recoiling and way to much gun for the shooter or the game. Choices but if came between the beloved 270 and 7mm rem mag for shooting deer only, without a doubt I'd take the rem mag. Owned a 270 for 30 years BTW. I base my opinions on experience I've used a .24 cal through 50 cal to harvest deer.

Cheers

LOL! All my knowledge is based on experience and from the cannon and black and blue marks... I don't waiver a bit when I say that... not at all. In fact, I emphasize cannon when it refers to killing a 165lb. live weight Alabama buck! There's no need for such a large caliber. !!!

In fact, you haven't read one of my earlier posts where a buddy, navy seal, got done sighting in his 30-06, and in only 12 shots, sustained some nice BLACK & BLUE marks... and that's where my EXPERIENCE with that comes from! Also no one need to quote ballistics and felt recoil to me, I know them, just as much as others.

Someone want to bench with me, their 7mm Rem Mag -vs- my .260/.308 at 900 yards, let's ROCK!

30+ years around rifles, a guy does get experience!

"Why don't you quote the average live weight of a N. CA. buck at least 3 1/2 yrs. or older? Bet it's not 165lbs!"

Also I QUESTION YOUR experience when you say the 7mm mag or .270 has same recoil as the -06, because that isn't true! LOL! Maybe if you manipulate bullet weights to fit that bill, but equal bullet weights will NOT get you equal felt recoil.

I haven't even delved down into the many characters I see wielding a magnum caliber on the range and couldn't do a 2" group to save their life! Hmm? I wonder why?

Just because you like the 7mm, doesn't mean everyone else is going to.

iSnipe