Most versatile chambering for handloaders?

[MudRunner2005]

I think you're forgetting that the .300 Win Mag was developed 60 years after the .30-06, and the nominal pressures used in turn of the century rifles, with their metallurgy of the time, were pretty conservative. He didn't say that the '06 matched the the .300, he said that you can get pretty close with '06 handloads in a rife built with modern metallurgy, to a .300 off-the-shelf round. There's only about 4,000 psi difference in peak pressure between the two, and if it doesn't flatten the primer of a .300, it won't do so with an '06.

Taking it a little hotter in the '06 won't detonate a gun designed to proof at pressures well into the 70,000+ psi range. Hatcher drove some of the early pre-WW1 Springfields well past that without damage. (Not the ones that were built in a hurry during the war, with improper metallurgy) But yes, 25 grains higher case capacity is definitely going to benefit the .300 when both are handloaded.

Ummm, no, I own both a .30-06 AI and a .300 WinMag. I also own larger .30 calibers, and smaller .30 calibers. The .30-06 will not keep up with a .300WM when loaded to the same pressures with the same bullets. Period.

If you want to compare apples to apples, then use the same nominal pressure to both...The .300WM (of which I am not even a fan) will stomp the .30-06 Springfield into the dirt. Despite owning them, I dislike both cartridges equally, so there is no bias in my opinion of them...Only facts.

 

[Don A Parsons]

I took a bit of a hit switching from my 7 magnum rifles when I returned to my mid size case...

The only way I could keep my velocities up in my 308 & 30/06 was to drop the boolitz weight,,, always the 175/180gr category for the Ought-6,,, 165/180's for my 308...

I long throated my 30/06 since my bottom feed allows for it,,, 3.787 COAL that allows for a bit more charge...

I've run the 180gr boolitz to 2860ft-per seconds,,, Supform powder... I'm all about accuracy,,, so I went back to 2720 ish,,, much easier on brass...

I ran that same 180gr boolit out of my 300 at 3100 ft-per seconds,,, but tapped kool settling in at 3060 ft-per seconds H1000,,, that's about 320 less ft-per seconds """ish""" change in velocities between the two...

Of course that's not saying that either cartridge can't be loaded hotter depending on the rifle and owner...

Its not so much about the power of the boolit for me now days since I follow the shot placement thing,,, less recoil helps me in the free hand department,,, the plus happens if I can find a solid rest. LOL.

Yuppers,,, my 30/06 will never be what my 300's or 338 was,,, but my 30/06 and 08 allow me to shoot all day using a gel shoulder pad and this adds to the good times...

Most of my shooting is between the 400 to 900 meter mark,,, the further the distance is where those magnums shine...

Find what works,,, that's what really counts

 

[GeorgeS]

Ummm, no, I own both a .30-06 AI and a .300 WinMag. I also own larger .30 calibers, and smaller .30 calibers. The .30-06 will not keep up with a .300WM when loaded to the same pressures with the same bullets. Period.

If you want to compare apples to apples, then use the same nominal pressure to both...The .300WM (of which I am not even a fan) will stomp the .30-06 Springfield into the dirt. Despite owning them, I dislike both cartridges equally, so there is no bias in my opinion of them...Only facts.

"Despite owning them, I dislike both cartridges equally"

If you read what I wrote carefully, you will see that we essentially agree; my point is that a .30-06 is loaded to a lower pressure, owing to the age of its provenance, than is the .300. As a result, the '06 is not as much of a slouch as you claim if it is loaded to pressures that are perfectly tolerable with receivers using modern metallurgy. I was also clear that the additional capacity of the .300 case will always give it an edge, which is obvious. I doubt very much that a well-placed shot from either would be debated by the recipient. If you dislike them both, then why do you have them? We normally shoot to bring ourselves enjoyment, not irritation.

 

[NEMTHunter]

Most times the difference between the 30-06 and 300 win is 200 to 250 FPS. Both hand loaded.

In my eyes thats a big difference. And does not put the 06 in the 300win class.

 

[GeorgeS]

Exactly the point that I made - that it's not a slouch. In your eyes, 250 f/s is a big difference; in my eyes, that's pretty close - i.e. 3100 vs 3300 - a 6% difference. hardly worth splitting hairs over. Likewise, looking down to the .308 vs '06 - 2,000 psi difference in a 46 year younger cartridge. Loaded to similar pressures, there's only about a 150 f/s difference.

The essence of my point is simple: older cartridges can be brought up to higher performance with guns made of modern steel, because they were originally designed for the metallurgy of their age. No one would compare the performance of the .45-70 post-Civil War 1873 vintage black powder cartridge with that of a modern smokeless round - you'd use modern .45-70 rounds for the comparison, because both the round and the guns that fire it have been modernized.

That's the very simple point that I made; the '06 was spec'd in, well, '06 - it's 2019. Think things have changed in 113 years? Or do we still use crank telephones?

 

[NEMTHunter]

My 06 does about 2850 with the 215 And 28" barrel the 300 does 3050 to 3100 with the same bullet and barrel length depending on powder.

That puts my 06 @ 1600FPS @ 1160 yards And hits 1080FPS @ 1800 Yards
Figuring 3050 for the 300 win @1600 FPS is 1320 yards And 1080 FPS @ 1960 yards.

The 300 win extends that range about 160 yards. And its about 165FPS faster @1160 yards then my 06. That makes more killing power. And in the LR department that's good. But since the OP said 400 yards the 300 win is overkill.

Because of what I can do with the 06 I have not felt the need to move up to the 300win mag. Not a big enough jump. Thats why I now have a 300 mag that can move a 230 grain bullet over 3400 fps.... Now thats a jump!

 

[MudRunner2005]

"Despite owning them, I dislike both cartridges equally"

If you read what I wrote carefully, you will see that we essentially agree; my point is that a .30-06 is loaded to a lower pressure, owing to the age of its provenance, than is the .300. As a result, the '06 is not as much of a slouch as you claim if it is loaded to pressures that are perfectly tolerable with receivers using modern metallurgy. I was also clear that the additional capacity of the .300 case will always give it an edge, which is obvious. I doubt very much that a well-placed shot from either would be debated by the recipient. If you dislike them both, then why do you have them? We normally shoot to bring ourselves enjoyment, not irritation.

Simple... I had a spare 700 long action, and a spare .30 caliber barrel. I already have everything from .300 Blackout up to .300 Ackley, so I figured I'd shoot the gap... I didn't have the funds for a .300 Sherman, with custom dies, etc... So I built a .30-06 AI. As for the .300WM, I had a defective rifle, traded it in to where I bought it from, and for my troubles, they sold me a brand new 700 5R Mil-Spec 26" .300WM for $100 bill. So, that's how I ended up with both rifles. I was planning on building something on the .300WM action, however, so far it's just sat in the safe. Like I said, I already owned a custom .300 Ackley, so the .300WM was basically pointless to own, however, I got an $1,100 rifle for $100, so I wasn't complaining. I'll probably snatch the barrel off the .30-06 AI and turn it into a .280 Sherman sometime this year. And set-back 1 turn, and then ream-out the .300WM's chamber to .30 Nosler.

BTW, I enjoy my rotary-dial phone, Henry Ford now has some sort of fancy horseless carriage, and this new thing called "jazz" is really taking off...

 

[MudRunner2005]

My 06 does about 2850 with the 215 And 28" barrel the 300 does 3050 to 3100 with the same bullet and barrel length depending on powder.

That puts my 06 @ 1600FPS @ 1160 yards And hits 1080FPS @ 1800 Yards
Figuring 3050 for the 300 win @1600 FPS is 1320 yards And 1080 FPS @ 1960 yards.

The 300 win extends that range about 160 yards. And its about 165FPS faster @1160 yards then my 06. That makes more killing power. And in the LR department that's good. But since the OP said 400 yards the 300 win is overkill.

Because of what I can do with the 06 I have not felt the need to move up to the 300win mag. Not a big enough jump. Thats why I now have a 300 mag that can move a 230 grain bullet over 3400 fps.... Now thats a jump!

With a 400 yard max shot distance, the same argument can be used for a .308 Win vs. the .30-06 Sprg.

 

[NEMTHunter]

With a 400 yard max shot distance, the same argument can be used for a .308 Win vs. the .30-06 Sprg.

That it can for sure. I like them both.

As for the 30 Nosler. Skip that and go with rich and his 300 PRC S.I

 

[Canhunter35]

That it can for sure. I like them both.

As for the 30 Nosler. Skip that and go with rich and his 300 PRC S.I

Lol, mud would rather swallow his own vomit than use Hornady brass. .
But I agree, Rich's improved 300 is the way to go

 

[MudRunner2005]

That it can for sure. I like them both.

As for the 30 Nosler. Skip that and go with rich and his 300 PRC S.I

I already have a .300 Ackley... I have zero need for anything Hornady-based.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Lol, mud would rather swallow his own vomit than use Hornady brass. .
But I agree, Rich's improved 300 is the way to go

Actually I have tons of Hornady brass still actively in use... .357 Mag, .44 Mag, 6.5 Grendel, and tons of their old .308 Win MATCH brass (from back when they still made true match-grade brass). Like I said, not adverse to Hornady, only their cartridges.

 

[FEENIX]

I have greatly enjoyed the conversation on caliber choices until the angry 600+ lb Brown Bear was included in the equation. I too am fond of the 30-06 and 35 Whelen, but the bear input pushed me to my 375 H&H as my choice of caliber when limited to one rifle. I feel I could survive a charge of the other 4 legged foes, but after previous experience with bears, I like the 375 in this equation.

Yep, that is the information I locked on from the start!

 

[FEENIX]

Lol, mud would rather swallow his own vomit than use Hornady brass. .
But I agree, Rich's improved 300 is the way to go

Troublemaker!