Rew
08-25-2005, 06:16 PM
The age-old argument, which is better, the 30-06 or the 7mm RemMag. Well now, I have a couple ideas.
To begin with let me say, both are very good big game calibers. By big game I mean animals up to North American moose in size. Either will do to harvest game cleanly and humanly. However there are some important differences. I’ll throw a few out there and let y’all decide for yourselves.
The 7mmMag comes with a belt and the impressive label of Magnum. It was born in 1962. It will handle bullets from 100 to 175 grains. It is nothing to push a 140-grain bullet to 3100 fps with the 7mmMag. However it will take about 64 grains of IMR 4350 and a 24” barrel to do it.
The 30-06 has been around since 1906, with an early version seeing the light of day in 1903. It has no belt, and is not called a magnum. It is well known throughout the world and can handle bullets from 100 to 220 grains. It’s a working cartridge. It can push a 150-grain bullet to 3000 fps using 59 grains of IMR 4350 out of a 22” barrel.
Pretty darn close if you ask me. The 7mmMag does have a higher ballistic coefficient in any given bullet weight. It will drop less over longer ranges. The .30 caliber bullets are shorter for any given weight. Ballistic wise they are pretty close. Both are available in some outstanding modern rifles.
Where the big difference comes in, is when one is reloading or just buying ammo over the counter. If you find yourself in a small town in the middle of the Colorado Rockies, someone is selling 30-06. If you walk into your local X-mart you can walk out with 30-06 for about half of what you can buy 7mmRemMag for. If you handload using the above loads, you can load 109 rounds of 7mmRemMag or 118 rounds of 30-06 with a pound of powder. My Savage 110 in 30-06 will hold 4 in the magazine while my friend Tom’s 110 will hold three 7mmRemMag cartridges. My rifle is shorter and lighter with less recoil, important when you’re pushing 50. Tom loves his magnum, but will be the first to admit my 06 will do anything his 7mm will, with less muzzle blast, less weight, less cost and less recoil.
Don’t discount the old war-horse 30-06 because it doesn’t wear a belt.
Rew ;)
To begin with let me say, both are very good big game calibers. By big game I mean animals up to North American moose in size. Either will do to harvest game cleanly and humanly. However there are some important differences. I’ll throw a few out there and let y’all decide for yourselves.
The 7mmMag comes with a belt and the impressive label of Magnum. It was born in 1962. It will handle bullets from 100 to 175 grains. It is nothing to push a 140-grain bullet to 3100 fps with the 7mmMag. However it will take about 64 grains of IMR 4350 and a 24” barrel to do it.
The 30-06 has been around since 1906, with an early version seeing the light of day in 1903. It has no belt, and is not called a magnum. It is well known throughout the world and can handle bullets from 100 to 220 grains. It’s a working cartridge. It can push a 150-grain bullet to 3000 fps using 59 grains of IMR 4350 out of a 22” barrel.
Pretty darn close if you ask me. The 7mmMag does have a higher ballistic coefficient in any given bullet weight. It will drop less over longer ranges. The .30 caliber bullets are shorter for any given weight. Ballistic wise they are pretty close. Both are available in some outstanding modern rifles.
Where the big difference comes in, is when one is reloading or just buying ammo over the counter. If you find yourself in a small town in the middle of the Colorado Rockies, someone is selling 30-06. If you walk into your local X-mart you can walk out with 30-06 for about half of what you can buy 7mmRemMag for. If you handload using the above loads, you can load 109 rounds of 7mmRemMag or 118 rounds of 30-06 with a pound of powder. My Savage 110 in 30-06 will hold 4 in the magazine while my friend Tom’s 110 will hold three 7mmRemMag cartridges. My rifle is shorter and lighter with less recoil, important when you’re pushing 50. Tom loves his magnum, but will be the first to admit my 06 will do anything his 7mm will, with less muzzle blast, less weight, less cost and less recoil.
Don’t discount the old war-horse 30-06 because it doesn’t wear a belt.
Rew ;)