The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - 30-06 vs .270 win vs. 7mm Mag

taylorce1 · April 28, 2010, 06:37 AM

I have owned all three cartridges in different rifles at one time or another. The two I still have are the .30-06 and .270 Win, alll three are a wash IMO as far as performance goes. I've killed elk with all of them except the 7mm Rem Mag, and can tell you the elk didn't know the difference between the 150 grain .270 and the 180 grain .30-06. They all died within a few yards of being shot.

The 7mm Rem Mag never really impressed me, the recoil was a little heavier than my .30-06 and it had a nearly identical trajectory as my .270 Win. All rifles have shot with good hunting accuracy with the winner being my .270 with 130 grain bullets. I don't like the 130 grain bullets for elk so my .270 has been relegated to a deer and pronghorn rifle. My .30-06 pretty much stays in the safe but is considered for just about any elk hunt and I took my AK black bear with the .30-06.

My 7mm Rem Mag got rebarreled to a .375 Ruger. Talk about a step up in power and recoil. However it did a number on a wounded pronghorn at 250 yards, and I'm sure it will take down an elk quite handily.

IMO there are far better cartridge choices for the target shooter that will be the occasional hunter with their target rifle.

April 28, 2010, 06:37 AM	#6
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,249	I have owned all three cartridges in different rifles at one time or another. The two I still have are the .30-06 and .270 Win, alll three are a wash IMO as far as performance goes. I've killed elk with all of them except the 7mm Rem Mag, and can tell you the elk didn't know the difference between the 150 grain .270 and the 180 grain .30-06. They all died within a few yards of being shot. The 7mm Rem Mag never really impressed me, the recoil was a little heavier than my .30-06 and it had a nearly identical trajectory as my .270 Win. All rifles have shot with good hunting accuracy with the winner being my .270 with 130 grain bullets. I don't like the 130 grain bullets for elk so my .270 has been relegated to a deer and pronghorn rifle. My .30-06 pretty much stays in the safe but is considered for just about any elk hunt and I took my AK black bear with the .30-06. My 7mm Rem Mag got rebarreled to a .375 Ruger. Talk about a step up in power and recoil. However it did a number on a wounded pronghorn at 250 yards, and I'm sure it will take down an elk quite handily. IMO there are far better cartridge choices for the target shooter that will be the occasional hunter with their target rifle. Last edited by taylorce1; April 28, 2010 at 06:47 AM.