Q: I own a .30-06 and a .300 Win Mag, and hunt with both rifles, but although the magnum has excellent potential for accuracy and long-range shooting, I’ve found it to be relatively inefficient with some loadings.
I can drive a 180gn bullet from my .30-06 at 2900fps (883.9m/s) with 61gn of RE-22.
The .300 Win Mag takes 12 grains more RE-22 to gain an extra 100fps, which affords very little gain in either trajectory or killing power.
Therefore the magnum really doesn’t make much sense because of the extra cost of brass and powder and extra wear and tear on the barrel.
Can you suggest some loads that give me better powder-to-velocity efficiency with the magnum? Is that possible, or would it be as well to hunt with the .30-06 instead?
Philip Hartman
A: You are asking me if you really need a magnum. Obviously, a larger case requires more propellant to equal velocities in the smaller case. Also, you are using a bullet/powder charge that is just as well suited to the .30-06 as the .300 Win Mag, which reduces efficiency.
In my book, the .300 Win Mag is seen at its best with a sleek, nicely pointed 200gn bullet like the AccuBond (BC .588) driven at 3000fps (914.4m/s) with a heavy charge of AR2217.
Muzzle energy is 4000ft-lb (5423J) and a properly structured 200gn bullet hits hard and penetrates deeply, wreaking massive damage on bones, heavy muscle and vital organs.
You’ll not do better than 2700fps (823.0m/s) with the same bullet in the .30-06 or get anywhere near that kind of performance.
True, the magnums will burn out a barrel quicker than a .30-06, but few big-game hunters shoot enough for it to really matter.
Some riflemen are critical of magnum cartridges, but many hunters like them for the same reason they like cars with big engines — they go faster.
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