I currently use a 30-06 as my all purpose hunting rifle. I am looking at get something new and curious as to the OB's opinion. Is it worth buying a 300 win mag or are there better options available?

What are you hunting with it?

Looking for something to shoot out past 500 yds with confidence. No real specific animal designation just looking for something new

If you are looking to do something at long range and want a more standard round (ie not a 6.5 creed or anything like that, although I'd agree .338 isn't all that "standard"). I would look into a .338 lapua.

Shot two a couple of months ago owned by some farmers. Could group about 6 inches at 1000 yards with a stock savage rifle, no custom trigger or anything fancy. They did have some really nice scopes on them and did their own hand loads, but three different guys owned essentially the same savage rifle and all 3 of them could easily hit a two foot wide circular plate at 1000 yards.

I've never shot anything past 500 yards until then and was very confortable with it and was shooting incredibly well in just one afternoon.

You can kill whitetails out to 700 yards or so with a .300 win mag... but why would you?

I think I would go smaller if I were you. Get something flat shooting, but with less recoil than a .300 win mag.

.270 wsm, 7 Mag, would all get a look if it was me and possibly even smaller if you just plan on taking Texas whitetail and hogs. The .270 WSM and 7 mag would be plenty of gun for anything in Texas and really anything in North America besides possibly a grizzly.

If you just want to go big/might hunt africa or griz,etc then I would look at .338 lapua or .338 win mag. Remember that most folks like a muzzle break on .300 win mag or larger rifles (especially synthetic stocks), so that can be an extra cost. You might have a higher tolerance for recoil, but if you are flinching or getting beat up from recoil then you likely won't practice enough to make 500 yard shots ethically. Plus ammo is even pricier in the larger calibers typically.

The .300 win mag is a great round and perhaps the best all around rifle caliber out there for hunting, so I am not knocking it at all. However, since you already have a 30-06, I think I would make a more significant caliber jump either up or down (and I would probably go down), just for diversity sake and ability to shoot it accurately.

300 WSM. Kinda fits right between both the '-06 and Win Mag

6.5 creedmoor

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You can kill whitetails out to 700 yards or so with a .300 win mag... but why would you?

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Some places it gives you an additional advantage, My business partner takes a lot of clients mule deer hunting. Year before last their average distance was 625, all with the 6..5 creedmoor. Sometime is worth the practice and knowledge to fill your tag, especially with the price of out of state tags. Same way out in Kansas in those big CRP fields. In south Texas we do it on our ranch to clear out our MLDP permits. When you can shoot that far makes quick work of a deer in a sendero

I am having a 30-06 built. There is no real reason to go up to a 300 win mag due to all of the loads that are available today. The win mag will always have a little more performance, but not enough to make a big difference in my opinion.

If you are looking to shoot a longer ranges, pick one of the flatter shooting rounds, preferably in a smaller caliber with less recoil. 6.5 Creedmoor is great. A 257 Weatherby is also a very flat shooting round and I don't think the recoil is bad.

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A 257 Weatherby is also a very flat shooting round and I don't think the recoil is bad.

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Kicks about like a .270.

25 calibers do not have good bc bullets compared to almost all other options

Speed kills. .257 Weatherby has more energy with less drop at range than a 6.5

Sell the 30-06

Buy a 7mag or 300 win mag

Buy a small caliber like a 6.8 or 6.5

Why sell the 06?

Sell the 06 is not an option. It is a family gun. Old Sako FinnBear

Good Good. Next question, what kind of budget?

.300 WinMag would be my vote.

I spoke with Horizon earlier today and he had lots of valuable input! Would like to keep the entire set up in under 2k . I already have scope but possibly looking to trade it out fore something more suitable for long distance. Possibly Vortex? I have been looking at the 6.5 Creedmoor and just weighing options

300 WinMag is a great gun and you can find ammo readily for it.
If you plan to shoot 500 yards, I would recommend hand loading though.

I shoot a 30'06 and am comfortable to 400. I don't see me shooting anything but varmints past 300 though.

My opinion would be the -06 and 300 win both fill the same niche, with the ballistic advantage to the 300. So why have two rifles for the same job.

seeing as it's a sako finbear, which I am a big fan of (the old man had one but gave it to my BIL, he needed a deer rifle anyways) I can understand you not wanting to part with it.

Of the two you mentioned, you are correct that an 06 is a great all around caliber. You should be able to hit/kill with it it out to 500.

However, I also understanding wanting to try a different flavor and going to a 300 win mag. If you are elk hunting in CO you may have to make a 400-500yd shot, and that would be one I would go with.

I would not "over-rely" on the caliber doing the work for you though. One post above said something like, "buy a 7mag"....(paraphrasing). I've heard a lot of people claim that. However, I've also had to track a lot of deer shot behind the shoulder with a 7mag. 6-7 in the last few years as a matter of fact. These were not "gut shot" deer. These were deer that were shot at 75-100yds and the deer still ran. Over relying on the caliber.

Another one mentioned is the .338 Lapua. A lot of fanboys have discovered that caliber in the last 10 years but you are going to have to feed that thing and that means rolling your own. It's not going to be one that Wal-Mart and Academy carry regularly. Yes, you can shoot LONG distances with it, and yes it will kill everything, but realistically, it would not be my "go to" rifle if I were planning a legitimate hunt of 4 legged animals.

We're those deer shot behind the shoulder in the vitals or just behind the shoulder high?

High usually. However, according to him it shouldn't have mattered, "because it's a 7 mag". Over relying on the caliber to make up for poor shooting choices.

300 Remington Ultra Mag !

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My opinion would be the -06 and 300 win both fill the same niche, with the ballistic advantage to the 300. So why have two rifles for the same job.

seeing as it's a sako finbear, which I am a big fan of (the old man had one but gave it to my BIL, he needed a deer rifle anyways) I can understand you not wanting to part with it.

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Why are the Sako Finnbears so popular? Only asking because my dad just passed me down his late '60s (serial number 56xxx) Sako Finnbear in .270.
Thanks for the info!

I'm only a fan because my dad had a .270 Finbear. Shot my first deer with it, and many more to follow. It's aslo a classy looking gun.

But I still wouldn't trade it for my sendero

270 WSM or 300 WSM