06 or 7MM Mag?

[Lennyjoe]

Everyone knows I have and enjoy my Savage 110 in 30-06 but I have a question. I have an opportunity to get a 7MM mag barrel for the 110 model I have.

The question is for all of you rifle hunters that have experience with the 7MM and -06. What am I gaining or lossing if I change the barrel to a 7MM?

I have seen the ballistics and read the data but I need first hand knowledge, not some gun mag article.

I will hopefully get drawn for an Elk hunt this year. Other than that, its deer hunting down here in AZ.

 

[ClarkEMyers]

gaining a chance to change the bolt head for the belt?

A chance to worry about feeding with the larger case head clearing feed lips differently?

I couldn't prove anything by it but I considered my 7mm mag just the least little bit better for open country and my .30-'06 just the least little bit better for more wooded country. That might be because I scoped and loaded them accordingly but it may also be because the 7mm Rem. mag had a longer barrel than the '06 - so nothing really to do with the cartridges.

 

[Sharps Shooter]

Saying "I shoot a seven mag" is more impressive than saying "I shoot an aught six." Seriously, I don't think you'll be able to tell any difference between the 30-06 and the 7mm Magnum if you hit an elk in the right place with the right bullet from either one. I think the right bullets for elk with the 7mm weigh 175 grains and the right bullets for elk with the 30-06 weigh 180 grains. Putting the bullet in the right place is up to you. But if you've studied the ballistics charts, you already know there's not a lot of difference in the trajectory of the two cartridges, so putting the bullet where you want it, is going to be equally difficult or easy with either cartridge. The 175 grain 7mm bullet does have a higher sectional density than the 180 grain .30 caliber bullet. In theory, that gives the 7mm the edge for penetration. In reality, a well placed 180 grain .30 caliber bullet means a dead elk and a poorly placed 7mm bullet means a wounded elk.
It might sound as if I'm saying buying the 7mm Mag barrel is a waste. I'm not. My wife shoots a semi-custom 7mm Rem Mag and loves it. She's deadly with it too, but hasn't had it long enough to have used it on anything other than mule deer. Hopefully, she'll draw on moose this year. I, on the other hand, have put a lot of elk meat on the table with my old 30-06.
I guess that didn't help much, did it? I like both cartridges so much I'd have a hard time choosing. Then again, you already have a 30-06. A 7mm Mag would sure be nice.

 

[Sharps Shooter]

Oh yeah - forgot about that. ClarkEMyers just mentioned in his reply about the 7mm Mag having a longer barrel. If you don't care for the idea of a 24" to 26" barrel, you'd probably be better off to stay away from the magnum. I doubt you'd get very good performance out of a 22'" 7mm Mag.

 

[Lennyjoe]

I'm pretty much satisfied with the -06 round but was just tossing back the thought of getting the barrel/bolt combo in the 7MM for the heck of it.

I am getting pretty darn good groupings with my 165gr loads in the -06 and am confident in my abilities to put the bullet in the right place.

I have heard that Savage barrels are easy to change out so it got me interested.

Just wanted to get a pro/con approach to the -06 and 7MM rounds.

Thanks for the replies so far.

 

[Art Eatman]

I meddled around a bit with a 7mm RemMag. Worked up some loads, got good groups. Decided it wouldn't really do anything my '06 wouldn't do, so I found some guy who wanted it worse than I did.

I did notice a bit more recoil with the 7mm; after all, you're pushing a good bit more powder as well as the bullet.

But I'm old and stodgy. 55 years of messin' with the '06, and 35 years all married up to "Ol' Pet" and it's sorta hard to get inspired about other guns'n'cartridges.

, Art

 

[HankB]

The 7mm Remington Mag is a fine cartridge - in fact, it's just as good a big game round as the .30/06.

Seriously, the 7mm R Mag is going to be a virtual twin to the '06 on big game. A 175 7mm will go slightly faster than an '06 from the same length barrel, and perhaps penetrate slightly deeper . . . but a 180 from the '06 makes a slightly bigger hole.

If your hunting bias is towards big game (elk, moose, bear) I'd go with the '06, as you can use 200 or 220 grain bullets.

If your hunting bias is towards smaller game or longer ranges (like pronghorn or mule deer) then lighter bullets in the 7mm will shoot a little flatter.

But you'll probably only notice a difference when you read the ballistic tables, not in the field.