That's true but comparing apples to apples there isn't a comparison. Over 700 ft/lbs difference.

I get a kick out of every comment I read that suggests that 30 cal. magnums are questionable on elk, or that something bigger is prefered. Maybe my friends and I are a bunch of ignorant backwoodsmen, but growing up most of us, and our dads, didn't use magnums because they kick so damn hard that they are not so pleasant to shoot. We just went quietly along year after year in blissful ignorance killing elk and life was good. When I got the long range bug, and discovered muzzlebrakes, I got a 7mm mag, then a .300 mag, to increase my distance, not to kill anything any deader than my old '06 was already reliably doing. I killed my 39th elk this fall, and in over 20 years as a guide and outfitter, I have seen a few hundred more killed. In my limited experience I have come to the conclusion that '06 sized rounds are perfectly adequate for shooting elk out to 300 yards and beyond, and 308 sized rounds are also adequate but distance and bullet placement are a bit more critical. I often wonder how many elk a lot of armchair elk experts have actually killed. Okay I'm over it. (Stepping off soapbox)

When anything becomes a world standard, and stays that way for a 100 years (!!) you can bet it's for a good reason. I've been saying it for years and still believe that anyone who claims the 30-06 is ineffective has either not used it or is unwittingly commenting on their marksmanship.

300RUM = 3400fps with 180gr BarnesX
When sighted to zero at 300yds it's about 3in high at 200 and 7 or so low at 400. That's my long range elk medicine.
Russ

I hunt both CO and NM every year for elk and have been using a 300 WSM for the last 3 years with no complaints. However, whenever I am in a Western city just browsing thru a sporting goods store, I make it a point to ask the man at the counter what their most popular elk calibers are. Without a pause, they all say something like: "The 30-06 is the number one selling caliber, followed by the 270 win and/or the 7mmRemmag". The 30 cal mags have their place, but to the average Joe (who kills the majority of elk in these states), the old standard calibers still rule the roost.

The 300 RUM will certainly get the job done. I have a Savage 116 with a factory muzzle brake. It can be twisted and turned off and on. Sure makes target practice a lot easier and it can be turned off for a hunting shot.

My preference is 300 weatherby. I can throw a 200 grain bullet at 3000 fps with great accuracy. I own a 300 win but can't push that big of bullet that fast.

One of my gun makers prefers the 300 weatherby because day in and day out, sun, rain wind or calm this caliber is more reliably accurate. My experience would bear this out.

However, either would be a good choice for the above noted uses.

I would not consider something that couldn't push a 180 grain bullet minimum in what you consider optimal velocity and shoot at elk or deer at that distance.

Don`t know about all the other 300 mags,I had a old remington 700 bdl in 300 win. mag that I loved then in 97 my wife got me the gun I`ve always wanted a weatherby accumark
30-378 wthby mag.,it`s the most accurate best shooting firearm that I have ever owned.It also the easiest to shoot with the factory brake on it.just my opinion
AMRA