Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Help me decide 30-06 vs 300 wsm

If a 30-06 won’t do it you aren’t practicing and shooting enough. Practice at 100 and 400 yds. In the field you won’t have many surprises you’re not prepared for.

6.5 CM. It simply shoots well and The 06 is a gold standard for hunting.
The added horse power of magnum isn’t going to help if you won’t practice as much with it.

I started with magnums early on. That’s what Dad bought us, and that’s what we shot. Many years later, after getting tired of having the snot slapped out of me, I bought my first 30-06. Today I think it’s the best hunting round ever created. It just works. It’s not the fastest, but how much power do you need? Shot placement is the key to successful hunting. And the best shots I’ve made on game, have been with my 30-06. I’ll stay with it. I love my 338 WM, but doubt I’ll get back to Alaska. So I’ll just use one of my 30-06’s. Because they just work.

I’ve had both...I no longer have the wsm and have two ‘06‘s. If I was an elk hunter, I might have kept the wsm, but with its recoil and minimal ballistic advantages, I like shooting the ‘06’s much more. Less expensive, more available ammo, slicker feed and less recoil are the difference makers for me. However my 270 WSM will be one of the last rifles I let go of.

Somebody revived a 2 1/2 year old thread. The OP probably decided a long time ago.

That's right some troll turd named Vinootz who said he was going to puke if anyone mention 6.5 Creedmoor. I didn't look at post date before his and came back told him to puke all over his keyboard so it wouldn't work anymore. I don't know how he was then able to delete his posts but he did and has now stfu. Sorry guys. Mb

[quote=hanco]The 300 WSM doesn’t recoil anymore than a 30-06 to me. Less recoil from the short case.

I recently bought a Kimber 8400, very light rifle, in 300 WSM and it was a breeze to shoot. "To me" the 300WSM is just a "Modern 300 H&H", or Super 30 they used to be called. A great, hard hitting, flat shooting round, the 300WSM is too!

I read the first page, including your OP, then skipped to here to make this point. Apologies if it's already been made.

You said in your OP you're a handloader. With that in mind remember the 30-06 is a 60K PSI cartridge and the 300 WSM is 65K PSI. Load both to the same level and the "not-too-great-already" differences in performance get even smaller. Nosler lists the water capacity of the two cases when loaded with a 180 Partition as 63.9 gr and 71.3 gr respectively. Using the well validated ROT that velocity potential increases at about 25% of capacity increase, that means (if pressures are equal) the WSM has only a 2.8% velocity advantage over the -06.
5 in the magazine, vs. 3, etc. etc.
But the 300 WSM with its "short-fat" configuration might be more "inherently" accurate, though we all know the -06 is a very accurate round. Since SPS got in a boat load of 200gr Partition blems I have become enamored of this bullet, with its (measured!) BC of .501 and 2650-2700 FPS potential from the -06 (at 60K PSI). I laid in a lifetime supply. The nums on that are most impressive when you run them out at range (and of course the nums on a WSM would be even better - more the question is what's enough) 2000+ fp at 400 yards and less than 9 inches drift (10 MPH cross)

I love the -06 but both are great and you should build what you like/want the most.

Enjoy the process,
Rex

Less recoil from the short case? How does that work?

Oops, I missed that too. Sorry for the bandwidth theft.
BUT, do note my comment about SPS's 200 Partitions - still in stock last time I checked.

I have a 1965 Sears 53 30'06, was bought by my uncle the day I was born. I have shot a boatload of critters with it. I have had several Winchester 70 versions, a few Tikkas and a couple of Remington 700s.

That Sears version of the model 70 is a cream puff compared to the others as far as recoil goes. I don't know if it is the design of the stock or just the nostalgia and memories that make it feel like it recoil quite a bit less.

These days I have several 300 WSM rifles, mostly X-Bolts and they are ever bit as pleasant as the old Sears, they just don't have the nostalgia or the flood of memories.

I have both and I would go with the dirty ought six if I were you for many reasons. Less recoil, more ammo , cheaper ammo, just as capable.

None of the above.

Not trying to be facetious here, but I would get .308 Winchester.

I've had many 300 wsms that have shot incredibly well. I think its an inherently accurate cartridge. I have one on a stiller predator with a 24" interrupted fluted #4 brux that has gone on most of my hunts the last 8 or 9 years. It shoots incredibly well with many different bullets.

However, some of the case design elements that may make it shoot so well also make it feed like crap. I finally had to go single stack watts for a 284 and modify and tune it myself. Feeds great now but its only 2 down.

It is really hard to beat a 30-06 for feed function and practicality. When I set out to build my do anything anywhere traveling rifle 10 years ago I went with a 30-06 and a serengeti reamer on a trued stainless 700. I messed with that for years and even replaced the 10 twist brux with a rock 9.3 twist and it never shot that great. In the end I think it was a problem with the truing of the action.

It was frustrating as hell because I loved the balance and functioning of that rifle. It felt right and functioned perfectly with plenty of room in the mag box and 5 down. I killed an elk with it past 400 but it never shot great.

I ended up buying a stainless Tikka t3 just to check my loads. I shot them side by side same loads with several different bullets one day and the Tikka shot every one of my loads under moa and 2 loads under 1/2 moa. The custom rifle barely broke moa with one load and was about 1.5 with the other.

I still hope to try it all again with a different action because I love the 30-06 for feed, function, availability, and flexibility. Now that I don't travel much anymore I'd be to tempted to make my next all around 30-06 an 8 twist 280. Until then I picked up a clean sako stainless 75 in 30-06 that shoots incredibly and proves the old 06 is capable. If it wasn't such a heavy beast with a Tupperware stock it would be my all around gun.

Bb

Either one will get the job done if you put the bullet where it belongs. Period.

Probably already mentioned but if you want to shoot heavies...190-210gr then the difference is not really worth it in 300wsm. But if you're shooting lighter bullets..150/165 then you can push the WSM a bit good faster. Short fat cases do have their powder limits with longer bullets.

Both are great rounds but I sold my WSM and really enjoy my 06 with 165gr bullets. All I need out to 500yds(2000fps/1400ft/pd) for anything in lower 48

Case in point...in a 30-06, I use 58gr/H4350 for a 168TTSX. The same 168TTSX in the 300WSM uses 64gr of R17 ( close to H4350 in burn rate, maybe even IMR 4831?) Anyhow, the '06 load is going 2800 or so and the WSM is going 3180. 5 gr of powder has no big effect on recoil.

I’m 59 years old and never once in my life stated
“help me decide”. Times are changing- lol.

If you handload, a 7x57. I bought a Winchester Model 70 7x57 here on the 'Fire a few years ago and it is superb. Not too heavy, accurate and mild recoil. Downside is that factory ammo is scarce and load selection is poor. But there are a lot of great choices if you are a handloader.