7mm vs .300wm

[coyoteman5]

making a accurate humane kill shot comes with Practice. If you Accurately hit the animal both 7mm and 300 will put the animal down. Bullet placement is critical always along with bullet penetration both Calibers have good Penetration due to the great selection of bullets on the market today. I don't think you can go wrong with either caliber if you found a 7mm at a good price go for it and later you find a 300 at a good price get it then or Vice versa. Just my thoughts.

 

[hman40cal]

Unless you're going to practice at longer ranges, what the cartridge is capable of is a non-issue.

That .303 will kill anything you've mentioned at reasonable (250-ish and less) yards.

The 7mm will kick less in a like rifle than the 300. The 7mm has great BC bullets, especially when you get into some of the heavier bullets.

The 300WM will kick more, deliver a heavier bullet with not much more drop and will carry more energy. (roughly speaking)

I will (probably) ruffle feathers a little, but I'd pick a 30-06 over a 7mm. Oh wait, I've been doing that for years!:laug

I agree and the ammo is cheaper for the 30-06

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Heck I have two daughters that hunt with a 7mm mag and a .338 win mag. Both are deadly flinch proof shooters and neither weigh more than a 150 lbs. Its all in the training and stock design.

I had a .300 win. magnum in a win M70 feather weight that I gave a friend on his birthday, I sat back and grinned from ear to ear when we went to the range in the back yard, that particular rifle kicks like the north end of a mule walking south. The gift that keeps on giving!

Myself, when I do rifle hunt it's with my old M70 in .06, still probably the best all around caliber you can pick

 

[Logical1]

Both will get the job done no problem, I like the .30 over the 7mm because there are more factory loads out there to choose from. A wider range of bullet weights and designs to choose from.

I reload but not for my 300WM I found a factory load that gives me a ragged hole grouping. I won't be able to reload a round better than that, and I would spend a bunch of money trying to figure out that load.

what factory load did this for you and what make and model 300 Win do are you shooting.....I just got one and have yet take it out and shoot it. your information may prove helpful...

to OP I chose 300 because there is more loads, factory and components alike for this particular cartridge size.

 

[osprey]

Allright I am an admitted rifle nut and have hunted North American game with everything from a .243 to a 375 HH mag. I started with my father's 7mm Mag. Truth be told it probably is the only rifle I would have ever needed. But due to the above admission and youths folly I quested for bigger, faster, flatter ect., you get the picture. As I got older and arguably wiser I found I did not enjoy shooting some of the bigger boomers anymore and nor were they required to take deer, elk, moose, antelope, bear and squirrel. I started exlporing the lower limits and hunted with a 22-250 (Montana legal for deer) a .243, and a 7mm-08 (a great cartridge btw). What I found is my marksmanship improved and they killed just fine when I did my part. I then starting subscribing to the man with one gun theory and decided something slightly larger would be the rifle I would become one with and go to the grave with. Again if I would have just picked up my old mans 7mm Mag, it would have fit the bill nicely. But I wanted a new rifle. So in the end I have chosen a rifle in 280 AI. I reload 160 gr. bullets to 2950 fps and hunt everything with this one gun and one load. Recoil is quite tolerable and I shoot it well. I think I even told my wife this will be my last rifle . So as far as this ramble applies to your question I would say this. Either one is quite capable of taking game out to distances most of us should be shooting. To get high B.C. bullets in .300 you need to go up to 180 gr. and it will produce a fair amount of recoil that does not lend itself to accurate shot placement unless you have a p@#sy brake on it (which I hate). A 7mm Mag with high B.C.160 gr. bullets is quite tolerable in recoil to most adult males and is quite capable on all North American game. I do have a soft spot for the .284 caliber because of the field results it has shown for me. So as not to piss of the .30 cal guys I will admit an ol 06 would be a reasonable choice as well. Hell, my two Alaskan Bro in laws are avid hunters and the both hunt everything up there with a 30-06. Buy the one you get a decent deal on and you can always get another later, but remember the 7 mm won't let you down.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Well put Osprey, all valid points. Old Ackley had some great Ideas, and just couldn't help himself

A "short" list of some of his accomplishments.

.17 Ackley Hornet, a .22 Ackley Hornet necked down to .17 caliber (4.5 mm)
.17 Ackley Bee, a .218 Improved Bee necked down to .17 caliber (4.5 mm)
.22 Ackley Improved Hornet, an improved .22 Hornet
.218 Ackley Improved Bee, an improved .218 Bee
.219 Zipper Improved, an improved .219 Zipper
.22/.30-30 Ackley Improved, a .30-30 Ackley Improved necked down to .22 caliber (5.56 mm)
.22-250 Ackley Improved, an improved .22-250 Remington
.223 Ackley Improved, an improved .223 Remington[6]
.224 Belted Express, formed from .30-06 Brass; very few die sets were made by RCBS
.228 Ackley Magnum, an improved 7x57mm Mauser necked down to .228 caliber (5.8 mm); bullets in this size are hard to find but provide greater weight than .223 caliber bullets, up to 100 grains (6.5g), without excessively quick twist rate.
6 mm/.30-30 Improved, a .30-30 Ackley Improved necked down to 6 mm (.243)
.243 Ackley Improved, an improved .243 Winchester
.25 Ackley Krag, a .30-40 Krag necked down to .25 caliber (6.2 mm)
.25-06 Ackley improved, an improved .25-06 Remington with a 40 degree angled shoulder
.25 Ackley Krag Short, a slightly shortened .25 Ackley Krag
.250-3000 Ackley Improved, an improved .250-3000 Savage
.257 Ackley Improved, an improved .257 Roberts
270 Winchester Ackley Improved, an improved .270 Winchester[7]
.280 Remington Ackley Improved, an improved version of the 280 Remington cartridge with 40 degree shoulder, dies readily available. It duplicates the ballistics of the vaunted 7mm Remington Mag, with 30% less propellant used and less barrel erosion.
.30-30 Ackley Improved, an improved .30-30 Winchester


.30-30 Ackley Improved (Left) .30-30 Winchester (Right)
.30-06 Ackley Improved, an improved .30-06 Springfield
.30 Ackley Magnum No. 1 and No. 2 short, based on the Holland & Holland belted magnum, the No. 2 version designed to fit in standard length actions (.30-06 class)
.303 Ackley Improved, an improved version of the .303 British Mark VII service cartridge
.338-06 Ackley Improved, an improved .338-06 A-Square (which is a .30-06 necked up to .338 caliber)
.35 Ackley Magnum No. 1 and No. 2 short, based on the .30 Ackley Magnum cases; there is also an Improved version of the No. 2.
.450 Ackley Magnum, based on .375 H&H Magnum necked up to .458
.475 Ackley Magnum, based on a .375 H&H Magnum necked up to .475 (12 mm)

Considering most of his cartridges were created more than 50 years ago, he was a man ahead of his time.

 

[osprey]

Yep old P.O. never met a cartridge that didn't need improving. Not all his tinkering resulted in stunning results but you have to admire his body of work.

 

[hermannr]

I have a .264 win mag (same cartridge as those in the OP, but necked down to 6.5mm) I have owned this rifle (Rem 700BDL) since it was new in 1964. I will say, it is more cartridge than is needed for most application...It has taken ground squirrls coyote, antilope, deer, elk, black bear, and one moose...single shot kills, little or no tracking necessary. The old .256 Roberts is a great little cartridge, that few people flinch with.

Whatever you choose, shot placement rules, proper bullet is next, caliber is way down the list. with a 300 min mag, I would guess, more people than not, will develop a flinch and there goes shot placement. Remember, shot placement is king, above all others.

My suggestion is: try them all first before you buy.

 

[DeanMk]

I am looking into getting either of the caliber rifles for the primary purpose of hunting with. Which do you guys think would be better for hunting big game with 7mm vs 300wm. I have heard different things about both calibers, so i would like to get some opinions and advise on the calibers.

thanks


JP

By "7mm", I assume you mean the Remington Magnum variety?

Why do you want so much gun?

I'm not saying you can't use such powerful rounds, but you can bag anything the PNW can throw at you with much less gun.
I spent my youth using nothing more powerful than a 7mm Mauser.
If I were to do a turnbolt of my own today, I'd snag a Remingotn Model 7 in 7-08, pop a Bushnell 1.5-6X scope on it, and finsh it off with a nice, wide, comfy strap.
That whole package will probably come in right on about 6 3/4-7 lbs. and will handle anything you run across.
Long treks and climbing hills will be MUCH easier with a lighter rig like the one I outlined, than with something that'll come in closer to 10 lbs.
Trust me, been there, done that, don't even wanna live with the memories.
From the way a lot of posts I'm seeing recently read these days, I get the impression that people think in terms of shooting across canyons to bag their quarry (i.e., pseudo sniper), and there will be times when that seems like its the only shot you're going to have, but I was raised with the notion that hunting is as much about reading the land and stalking your quarry, soas to put yourself in an advantageous position to successfully bag the game.
When the shot seems outside of the gun's abilities,it's ok to pass on that shot and move to a better location, or wait for another animal that's in your actual area code.
Really.
This doesn't mean that you need to get a bigger gun in the off-season, it means THIS IS WHAT HUNTING IS. Love it or leave it.


Ok, off my soapbox. Thanks for reading.




Dean

 

[Oregonhunter5]

I have both.
I think the 7mm is the better.
And a .300 wsm is even better.

 

[jp1985]

Yeah i tryed the 7mm it was nice but now im looking for a .300wm to try .

 

[tahoe2]

+1 Dean, But if I had to pick, I'd take the 300WM just because the bullet is bigger (up to 220 grns), and you can take anything in North America!
But the truth is, I hunt deer & antelope with a 280 Rem (or 7x57) and elk & bear with a 8x57 mauser (also up to 220grns, albeit much slower).

 

[jp1985]

ended up selling the 7mm and picking up a nice .300 wm and enjoy it a lot just wish i had kept my original scope from the 7mm lol the one that came in the package i bought is not so good lol.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

ended up selling the 7mm and picking up a nice .300 wm and enjoy it a lot just wish i had kept my original scope from the 7mm lol the one that came in the package i bought is not so good lol.

Nice, I'm sure your better off with a cartridge that fly's a 180 grain 30 cal. bullet at the same speeds as that nasty .28 anyway,, which has less poop too mind you. Well done
I pinch my nose in disdain every time I have to shoot my 7. To be honest if she wasn't so pretty and shot so well I'd trade her off for something else, but such is the lot I'm stuck with.

 

[jp1985]

Nice, I'm sure your better off with a cartridge that fly's a 180 grain 30 cal. bullet at the same speeds as that nasty .28 anyway,, which has less poop too mind you. Well done
I pinch my nose in disdain every time I have to shoot my 7. To be honest if she wasn't so pretty and shot so well I'd trade her off for something else, but such is the lot I'm stuck with.

Ut oh another 7MM snob!
I never said i hated or even disliked the 7mm. In fact from the research i did there almost ballistically the same.
The only reason i sold the 7mm to get one is so that i could try it and i decided to keep the .300 WM because it had more of a wide choice of ammo available.

 

[moose]

Sectional density on heavy .284/7mm bullets is a bit higher than .308 bullets. Makes punching holes in hard things easier but that's not a number most people look at.

That being said, the only rifle I've ever sold is a 7mm. I thought it kicked like a mule but subjective recoil is combination of the impulse and the weight of the rifle and it was a feather weight.

I've never shot a 300 WM but I do have 300 RUM. I think it's not too bad to shoot as it weight about 1.583 metric tons (heavy barrel, H&R stock, etc)

 

[WhyteCheddar]

I have hunted with a 7mm rem mag for almost 20 years. It's a 700 BDL SS version.
I can tell you from my experience of taking many mule deer with it, that shot placement is important if you don't want to destroy meat. That may sound obvious but I've shot deer through. Both shoulders and its an unfortunate mess. I've seen the .300 do the same. I love this gun. Recoil is really no big deal.
I've recently picked up a .308 though because it was time for a lighter weight rig.
Like someone else said, there is a wider variety of off the shelf bullet choices for the .300. Aside from that j don't think there are too many mortal shooters who will be able to exploit the difference between the two in most garden variety hunting scenarios.
I'm anxious to hear your experiences with which ever you decide on. Please keep us updated.

 

[jp1985]

I have hunted with a 7mm rem mag for almost 20 years. It's a 700 BDL SS version.
I can tell you from my experience of taking many mule deer with it, that shot placement is important if you don't want to destroy meat. That may sound obvious but I've shot deer through. Both shoulders and its an unfortunate mess. I've seen the .300 do the same. I love this gun. Recoil is really no big deal.
I've recently picked up a .308 though because it was time for a lighter weight rig.
Like someone else said, there is a wider variety of off the shelf bullet choices for the .300. Aside from that j don't think there are too many mortal shooters who will be able to exploit the difference between the two in most garden variety hunting scenarios.
I'm anxious to hear your experiences with which ever you decide on. Please keep us updated.

I bought a 7mm and used it for a while but recently sold it and bought the .300 WM

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Ut oh another 7MM snob!
I never said i hated or even disliked the 7mm. In fact from the research i did there almost ballistically the same.
The only reason i sold the 7mm to get one is so that i could try it and i decided to keep the .300 WM because it had more of a wide choice of ammo available.

Boy did you bite, someone get the net. My taxidermy mans gonna have him a heart attack when he sees what I brought him! Notice the part about my 7 mag shooting so damned well?
Heck, I'm rather fond of my .280, my 7x57, my on and on and on's, but if the truth be known, the food gathering unit I reach for 1st is a plain old M70 feather weight 06. Whats that you say? A meager little .30-06? Yep, that little skin buster and hide bruiser has secured more family dinners than all the others combined. I swear, she almost shoots by herself.

I guess it wouldn't matter in the least if it were a .6mm Rem. or a .338 Rem. mag, when they make you look that good you keep taking them to the dance. I hope your new .300 does for you what my old dancing partner does for me, good luck. Now if you'll excuse me, I must get back to being a 7MM snob

 

[jp1985]

Boy did you bite, someone get the net. My taxidermy mans gonna have him a heart attack when he sees what I brought him! Notice the part about my 7 mag shooting so damned well?
Heck, I'm rather fond of my .280, my 7x57, my on and on and on's, but if the truth be known, the food gathering unit I reach for 1st is a plain old M70 feather weight 06. Whats that you say? A meager little .30-06? Yep, that little skin buster and hide bruiser has secured more family dinners than all the others combined. I swear, she almost shoots by herself.

I guess it wouldn't matter in the least if it were a .6mm Rem. or a .338 Rem. mag, when they make you look that good you keep taking them to the dance. I hope your new .300 does for you what my old dancing partner does for me, good luck. Now if you'll excuse me, I must get back to being a 7MM snob

Hah John I was just messing with you. I only said ut oh another 7mm snob because i know a few. In fact a few of them are my hunting buds.
Yeah i love the old 06 and have one but i was looking for something a little different this time around.