7mm Rem Mag is my choice as my all arounder. It is flat for long range shot ops, big enough to handle the likes of bull moose or elk and does wonderfully on deer. The 280 is a solid choice but up here ammo is as much as the 7 rm mag, harder to find and less choice which in that case makes it less favorable for my area. The 270 is an excellent deer cartridge and can be used for bigger animals such as elk or moose but one must limit both distance and shot angles to ensure the best results. Bullet selection is key with most cartridges but more paramount with the 270 for the bigger critters. I still own a 270 and have used it previously on bothe elk and moose with no problems bit a solid bullet/proper limitations used...I would have no problems using it for the odd bigger game hunt but if it was more than odd elk or moose or where shots would be stretched it may not be the best choice. 3006 does everything but nothing great, it is a ok choice...just wouldn't be mine. If I just needed a 30 cal I would go with the 300.

Best of luck

Skeeter 7mm, Can you explain what you mean by the 30.06 does everything but nothing great.. ? So far i love mine but i have been a shot gun hunter most of my life so i am curious to learn more about my 30.06.. From what i can tell, it will take anything at reasonable ranges without a problem.

Semi, there is absolutely nothing wrong with an 06'. My comments are to the fact so many choose it b/c it is the "all arounder of NA standards" due it being 30 cal and bullet selection...I will not argue that one bit it has range but it really doesn't excel in any area over other choices...it is plain ole' good. It isn't flat, it isn't fast but it will chuck a crap load of different grains of bullet to me I say WHOOPI(seeing todays bullet construction and overlap I really find the grain thing to be moot and hence I say good but does nothing great - look at the data and tell me where the 06' excels...it doesn't!) Obviously I don't consider the 06' the be all and all but it is a OK for a lot of applications but I certainly don't think it is the only choice either. 7 rem mag will do it as well but faster and flatter...really all a matter of opinion. I have owned several cartridges and the 06' never made a lasting impression on me, hence I choose others.

OK let the flame throwing start but like the back end we all have one...OPINION

thanks for all of your opinions, i think i am leaning toward a savage or a rowning a-olt in 30-06 or 280... i love brownings, but i love the price of the savage and from what i hear, they are hard to beat in the accuracy dept. thanks again for all your help, and keep 'em coming.. i haven't totally made my mind up yet... btw... i just got a new 11-87 premier, and that is one awesome gun if you are looking for an autoloader... just thought i would put that out there

The 30-06 is by far the most popular and widest spread big game rifle on the planet. It didn't get that way from not being great at anything. My choice of what you are talking about would be the 280. As someone above said it will do everything the others will do with a lot less blast and recoil. However as AK has said, study your options and if a Magnum rifle fills your needs best then that would be a good choice for you. As Skeeter says, every has an opinion. I have had five 7MM Rem mags and you couldn't give me atother one. Not since I have been shooting the 280.

J.R. Sundra had a great article about why he did not like the '06 a few years back. He summed up my sentiments exactly!' The '06 is a jack of all trades, but a master of none.
It can handle lighter bullets, but the smaller calibers handle them better!
It can handle larger bullets, but if you really need larger, you need something bigger than the '06!
It is a good caliber, and if I had only one gun it would probably be at least an '06, but since I can have more than one gun, I don't have an '06 at all!

Hi JagMagMan,

I read the article you've mentioned and the reasoning is sound. But what so many forget to mention is that the exact same reasoning applies to every caliber!

There are many cartridges that do many different jobs very well. The truth is......a great many calibers between 6.5mm or so......through 8mm or so......have so much overlap of function that except for extremes....they can all be made to do pretty much the same thing! And the biggest differences in them (other than their user's minds) is in reality, very little difference at all.

Frequently, the gun scribes (as well as many users), have difficulty saying something "good about their favorite cartridge or two"........unless they also "take a kick" at another one or two! Almost as if they try to make "their choice" look better.....by making "another's choice" look bad.

In reality there is very little "any of the cartridges named in the first post" can do in hunting fields......that can't be done with any of the others cartridges as well!

PointerDixie214 can choose any of the cartridges mentioned in the post....and accomplish the task(s) as described in the same post. And be utterly confident that a "good choice" was made!

Dave

P.S. Not everyone either can afford.......or chooses to spend for.......more than one rifle! In that case.....a "Jack-of-all-Trades" has much to recommend it!

I have a 30-06 Savage synthetic stock with a Bushnell scope. I love the gun. bullets aren't too expensive and it loves the Remmingtons 165 grain boat tails. I have killed many deer with it and I very rarely miss one. The kick isn't too bad using the 165's versus 180's. Give it a try and you'll love the gun too.

T

Thanks for the opinion. IN no way was i being sarcastic, just looking for honest opinions. Again, i was able to buy what i wanted at the time of my purchase. Here is what i considered.
1. all around use... use an 06 on any game
2. price of ammo.. i am getting a box of 30.06 carts for $8 Can't get that price on the 7mm mag..
3. available anywhere. I think i can get 30.06 ammo at ACE hardware now..
4. poplularity - usually someone is hunting with a 30.06 so you should be able to get a few bullets if need be in a pinch.
5. Middle of the road recoil. (the price you pay for a .30 round) but not as much as some of the other magnum calibers. I came from shooting 12 gauge slugs so i know recoil.
6. Ballistics are not to bad on the 30.06. They are up there with all the other calibers in the same size wieght and range.

thanks again. i think i have finally decided on the 280, but keep the opinions coming sinc i won't be getting it for a while! i like the lower recoil in case my girlfriend or little brother ever want to use it, and if i get the 280 for deer, then when i get to go for elk, i will just have to up and go get another rifle. we all know how crappy that is! thanks again!!!