My Winchester M70 30-06 22" tube with Hornady loads locked up on the bolt. A hammer and a block of wood was used to unstick the bolt. Never again.
I went out and bought a Ruger M77MKII in 300 Win Mag 24" tube.

My fastest reloads in the 06 were 2725 fps IMR4350 56grs 180 gr Hornady SP.
My fastest 300WM were 3050 fps 72grs of IMR4350 180 gr Hornady SP.
I don't own a cronograph so I only get to use one when I ask nice at the range.
There is 300 fps+ more velocity from the same bullet in the 300 Win Mag. My shoulder confirms the increase in velocity.

There isn t that much difference between the two.Thats why you should buy a 300ultra if you want a difference.Same energy at 300yds as a 30 06 at 100.

Better yet, just get a 338 WM. I have both of the caliber in question here, and the only reason for that is because someone traded me a Sako 75 300 WM for a shotgun that I had been trying to sell for a while. They are too close in performance, and I would have bought a 338 if I had the option at the time.

Right now, I'm undecided between keeping the 300 WM and selling the 06 for a 270 Win. 6.5X55, or 7X57, or keeping the 06 and selling the 300 WM to buy a 338.

id keep the 06 and buy the 338. Thats what i did, i sold the 300 win kept the 06, and was gonna get a 338 win. but i wound up with a 35 whelen instead. No loss in my opinion, unless hammerhodder somehow convinces me that a 250gr bullet at 2500fps somehow is less effective than the 300 win because it gives up 900ft-lbs of energy. Not likely

from this sites reloading pages... rum-240gr bullet at 2986fps=4751ft/lbs...338win 250gr bullet at 2700=about 4000ft/lbs you got that ft/lbs backwards..flip over and check it out.

Bpilot-- You need to step back and really think on this like what rcoil level do you want, what game /country are you hunting. I feel the true use of the 06 is 165-180 gr bullets at 2800-2700 f/s respectfully out of a 22"bbl and a 7.5 lb rifle. Why push the envelope further? that is why the 300 win mag at 180 gr and 3000 f/s is a totally diffent combo to use under different conditions. A 300 win mag is more useful on big game past 250 yards by people that can use it properly.

BR

I own a 300WM, a 30/06 and a .308. They diminish in power in that order with "normal" loadings. The power levels are related to case capacity with the same propellant and bullet weight being utilized in similar length barrels. All three are great rounds but I personally prefer them in the above order and I believe the 300 and /06 offer more flexibility with the heavier bullets than the .308 can.

hammerhodder,

But who's interested in all that recoil from a gun that wasn't really needed on the gun market, anyways?

I am new to this board and have found this discussion very interesting. I am thinking about trading (selling) my Ruger M77 '06 for a Sake 75 ss/syn in 300WM. Now, I don't hunt that much and when I do it is in MI for whitetails, so should I stay with the '06 and just get a Sako 75 (in '06)?

Thanks.

Bearstalker,there is a need in the market for 300 weatherbys,correct,now you can have even better for a crapload less money.

BusPilot,
As a former Oregonian (I graduated from OSU in '72 and have lived in Corvallis, Toledo, Newport, Agate Beach, and Portland) and a long time reader of Allen's posts in this and other forums, I can only say that your participation is a welcome addition, and I know that Allen joins me in wishing that you would continue to read and post here. We are a dying breed, for the average age of hunters is in the 40's and that average increases by one every year. It behooves us to stick together and continue to share our knowledge and experience. Sometimes we argue, but I look upon that as a healthy exercise - it keeps the blood pumping.
Regarding your son, I think that a .30-06 is a good choice - if you handload and if he gets lots of practice shooting lesser cartridges. I have two sons; they started shooting centerfires at the ages of 14 and 11, after spending a lot of time behind the .22LR. One started with a .270 and the other with a .308 - they produce about the same recoil. In both cases I would say that this was their upper limit. If I had had something lighter to start them off with, like a .257, .260, or a 7-08, that would have been preferable. The advantage of the .270, and in particular, the .308, is that the boys did not have to step up to something bigger to go after elk and moose. On our last elk/moose hunt, they both carried .308's, loaded with Federal 180-grain Nosler Partitions - the regular loading, not the High Energy ones (to keep the recoil down) - and they each brought down an animal with no problem with bullet placement or bullet performance.
Let me close by wishing you and your son some very rewarding hunting experiences together, and by saying that I look forward to your future contributions. .... John G

Hey, how'd that happen?

Hey, how'd that happen?

Great discussion. As far as the velocity change in the 300WM vesus barrel length, check out this link. http://www.tacticaloperations.com/SWATbarrel/ They took a 300WM and chopped the barrel off in one inch increment and then, "Ten rounds of Federal Match 190-grain BTHP Gold Medal were fired from each increment. No velocity was lost from 26 inches to 22 inches. Velocity loss started to occur only after they went below 22 inches."
Ain't it amazing...now before everyone goes high and right, it does go on to say, "Rescigno has a 24-inch barrel on his personal .300 Win. Mag. just in case he wants to shoot the heavier 220-grain bullets with a lot of powder." But they didn't test that theory to see if it was really necessary.
According to Federal, the gold medal 300WM 190gr is launched at 2900fps and as a point of ref, their gold medal 30-06 is a 168gr launched at 2700fps. Can you say difference in muzzle energy? Knew you could!
I just bought a new 300RUM, so I'm not a concerned participant in this debate. Just had come across that article and found it very interesting to explode the "gotta have a long tube, and I don't reload" crowd.
Helicopter Bill

My 30 caliber colection includes a 30 carbine, 7.62/39, 30-06, 300winmag, 30-378.
The 30-06 is semi-auto, the 300 is bolt. I wouldn't have both, but they are completely different guns.

forgot about my 308 battle rifle. don't need the 30-06

Helicopter Bill, just noticed that this post had been revived and read the article in the link you provided, it seems that my personal experiences correlate well with the article ( see my post above ). Glad to see that my experiences mat not be a fluke to the bigger is better crowd.

I've had both. I got the 300 with the notion that I could load it down to 308 levels for the many small whitetails we have around here and load it full bore for that western elk hunt. It didn't quite work out. The 300 win didn't like any 150 gr load, and the 308 level ones were awful in terms of accuracy and velocity consistency. To be fair it would absolutely drill 180 gr Speers when maxed out at about 3000fps. Too much recoil and muzzle blast for me. Sold the sucker.

My '06 shoots 150 Gr bullets at 2800 fps into small groups and shoots 180 gr bullets at 2800 fps into small groups. I'll keep it

To each his (her) own.

Doublegun,
I have never seen a hunting situation in Michigan where a .300 mag offers any advantage over a 30-06. There is nothing wrong with the .300 but if you don't shoot a lot the increased recoil is more detrimental to good shooting than any gain in performance is a positive. If you are going to limit you hunting to Michigan I would even consider going down a notch and consider something in the range of a 7mm-08, .260, .257, 7x57 or the like. You'll end up with a rifle that is more pleasant to shoot and no Michigan whitetail will ever no the difference.

Jeff