Remington 700 SPS 30-06, or 7mm Mag?

Question

I am going to be buying a Remington 700 SPS Buckmaster Edition, and my friend is telling me to get the 7mm Mag, but I am leaning more towards the 30-06.

What I will hunt:

North American Big Game (Mule Deer, Elk, so on and so on...)

Which is the better caliber. I would like realistics as well. I will not be shooting at 600 yards, or even around there... So at that point what the bullet does doesn't matter.

So 30-06 VS. 7mm Mag, what do I get?

Answer 1

Ooh, tough! I like 7mm bullets but not belted cases. My personal solution would probably be to spend a few extra bucks and get the thing rechambered to 280 Ackley, but I'm strange like that. For most people, I think 30-06 is, just barely, the better choice.

Answer 2

I own a 7mm Mag. Where I live(Georgia) the price difference in '06 ammo vs 7mm mag ammo isn't that much of a difference(maybe a dollar a box in standard bullets)Now,if you go and get what I call 'fancy bullets' yes there is a huge difference in price.I shoot Remington Core Lokt 175 grain in my Savage 7mm Mag.Cost me $19.00 a box.Haven't lost a deer with them yet.

Answer 3

30-06 for sure.  It does have some kick to it, but has a MUCH wider range of bullet grains, so you could hunt anything from small game to elk with the right bullet weights!

Answer 4

FOR WHAT YOU SAY YOU WILL USE IT FOR ---------30-06---- THE MOST ALL AROUND EVER MADE . NO OTHER CALIBER HAS EVER HAD THE SELECTION OF WEIGHTS . FROM THE 40 - 55 GRAIN ACCELERATOR TO THE 220 GRAIN MOOSE LOAD .PLUS YOU CAN BUY A BOX OF AMMO ANYWHERE THEY SELL AMMO NOT AS EASY WITH A 7 MM .MAG.

Answer 5

The 30-06 is by far a better choice.

It is a bigger bullet diameter hence more potential for a clean kill.

It is popular, so getting the exact bullet for your application will be easy.

It costs less for ammunition.

What else do you want???

Don't get lost in velocity. I bet you never shoot past 200 meters.

Answer 6

I personally love both of those calibers. The 7mm is very flat, fast, and powerful, but the 30-06 isn't TOO far behind. Both of those rounds have been proven very effective on all of North Americas Big Game, so it really just comes down to how far you shoot, and how much you're willing to spend on the ammo.

Answer 7

I bought the 7 mag. I kinda wish I had gone with the '06. Mostly because of ammo cost. What sold me on the 7 was long-range accuracy, since I wanted the gun for target as well as hunting. Problem is, 7mag ammo is so expensive, I can't afford enough of it to shoot it often. If I'd gone with '06 I could buy much cheaper ammo, even if it isn't quite as flat-shooting.

So my recommendation is '06. If you're staying inside of normal ranges, there's no performance difference to speak of. Might as well have more options and cost on your side.

Answer 8

The 30-06 is very common ammunition and very affordable.  If someone was selling a rifle in a 7mm mag.  They will have a tough time selling it  

Answer 9

I'd stick with the 30-06 - you will always be able to find ammo in all different sizes (grains) for all different game.  Some of the game you can shoot with the 06 if you shot with the 7mm you'd be picking up pieces.

As mentioned ammo is cheap...

Answer 10

Both will kill everything you are planning on hunting just fine out to 300 yards. The dead animal will never know the difference between the two.   If you practice with your rifle and know the ballistics for the load you choose, you will have successful hunts.  The 1 1/2" difference in ballistics at 300 yards is not a huge difference if you are aware of it.  

That being said, I am going to go against the grain and recommend that you go with the 7mm Rem Mag.    The 7mm Rem Mag loaded with the Remington 175 gr PSPCL will go faster, flatter and hit harder than most 180 gr .30-06 loads but it is a few more dollars.  If you choose to go with a 140 gr round, you can load the Remington CLUB round which will put a 150gr .30-06 to shame for flat shooting at distance.  Federal has a Nosler bullet 160gr 7mm load which is also pretty impressive.  

Premium .30-06 rounds like the Hornady Light Magnum and Federal High Energy close the gap but they are harder to find and more expensive than the common Remington 7mm loads.  

Answer 11

30-06.  You can buy that caliber all over the world.  It will kill anything in North America and not bruise your shoulder and will not sound like a howitzer going off.  Ammo is cheaper to buy cheaper to reload.  It was the primary caliber for two world wars and is still the second most popular round, 30-30 is the most popular.