300 win mag vrs 7 mm?

[huntingchick]

we are thinking of buying a new gun, need some help/imput on what to get a 300win mag or a 7 mm... or any other sugestions??? we want it for all over hunting.. long shots, good in the bush, reliable. basically a good gun all around. and where should we look to buy?

[fozzy]

Both good choices, you can't go wrong with either. Ammo is readily available everywhere like small shops which for some might be an issue. Other sugestions... 308 and 7-08 would recoil less and still plenty enough rifle. Wholesale sports is tough to beat for value.

[moosinaround]

300 win mag!! I love it!! lots of boom to go around!! Moosin

[killman]

I would choose the 300 over the 7mm. More bullet selection in .30 cal

[todbartell]

there isnt exactly a shortage of bullet choices in 7mm, and with todays bullet designs, the heavier weights dont give much advantage

my vote would be for 7mm Rem Mag

as far as what rifle, well that depends on your budget and what feels right

[Rock Doctor]

300 Win Mag, all the way. Love my 300's.

[Dirty]

I see that you are located in Mission. Hub Sports which is not too far from you has a bunch of Browning and Remington 7mm mags in stock right now. They also had a couple of 300wsm's, which are comparable to the 300 win mag. They also have a large order coming in shortly according to signs in the store.

[Phreddy]

Had both and sold my 7mm to my son's friend. I really like my 300 mag, and would only suggest that whichever of the two you get, get a decelerator pad for it as they both tend to kick like a stump broke mare. Especially with the lighter synthetic stock.
One of the best all around guns as far as versatility is concerned is the 30:06. It's been around for a long, long time for a reason.

[BiG Boar]

Hey, I was in the same situation looking for a good all around rifle. I was thinking 30-06, but if you can handle some kick get the 300 wm. Dont get the wsm. I bought the sako 85 from wholesale, pay with your credit card over the phone its on your door in a week. Cheaper than most stores here in Van. Lots of ammo selection, can take moose griz black bear or deer. Have never not found ammo at any stores. If you are ordering from wholesale expect long delays getting through to the hunting desk. I would look for your item number online and then call the mail order desk directly. I bought a gun thinking I will be shooting this gun for the next 30 years, keep that in mind and make a choice you will love for that long. Dave

[M.Dean]

I think the 300 Win Mag is one of the most versatile calibers out there. I have shot lots of game with very few problems. If you buy a 300 right off the get go, it'll save you 20 years of playing with calibers! I have a Rem 700 and a Tikka 3 and there both great guns. 300 all the way!

[Moose_Eater]

Personally I have to vote for the 7mm. I bought a winchester 7mm Mag three years ago and have found it to a great all around gun.

[Gateholio]

Depends on a few things...

For deer and black bear, they are both more than up to the task.

If you are going to use conventional bullets on large animals, both will work fine, but I suppose you could give the 300WM or 300WSM an edge because of heavier bullets.

If you are using premium bullets, there is very little difference.

Quite simply, people have used both cartridges (and lesser cartridges such as 30-06,280,2707x57 etc) as "all around" cartridges and always been able to bring home the meat.

With todays better bullets, cartridge selection is much secondary to bullet construction, and they all fall below bullet placement in scale of importance.

[X-man]

Well said Gatehouse!

It would help to know how much shooting experience you have.

For an inexperienced shooter and hunter significant recoil is something to be avoided...As is expensive ammunition.
Practice (lots of practice) is the key to shooting and thus hunting success. If you can't afford to shoot or are afraid of the rifle (if you even think about the recoil during a shot) your ability to connect with game will be significantly diminished. Worse yet the possibility of wounding something is very real.


For a new shooter I'd suggest something like a 270 Winchester. Practice ammunition is relatively inexpensive and it can be loaded with premium bullets (Barnes X) come hunting season. Recoil seems very manageable for new shooters.
It will kill anything you point it at (provided correct shot placement).

The absolute last thing a new hunter/shooter should do is purchase a big magnum.....Unless you want to miss!

A few more things.
The 7 magnum and 300 magnum probably kill no better than a 280 or respectively a 30-06. A big magnum in the very best hands most likely will not increase effective sure hit range.

Good luck!

[hunter1947]

I have had a 7mm for 40 years. I have shot lots of island deer ,whitetail deer ,mule deer ,elk ,moose ,a few black bear . it has been good to me ,have had no problem's with this gun for all animals shot over my hunting days. I would get the 7mm if it were me buying a gun http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif.

[ElectricDyck]

I have heard talk of the 7mm being too fast for the bullet size and losing animals at close range because the bullet doesn't have time to open up? Are these rumors or just cheap ammo?

[MOWITCH SLAYER]

One of my hunting partner's shoots a 7mm and i use a 300 win, mag. He is now looking for a good deal on a 300 ! I have several guns and if i had to go to just one it would be the 300 win. mag. hands down . I hand load a 180 gr. and i'm more than happy with the reaching power as well as the knock down. The 180 is a little heavy for deer but where i hunt mulies there are lots of bears , i'm ready for what ever happens. my vote goes with the 300 for sure

[Fisher-Dude]

I have heard talk of the 7mm being too fast for the bullet size and losing animals at close range because the bullet doesn't have time to open up? Are these rumors or just cheap ammo?

Actually, velocities between the 300 with 180gr and the 7mm with 175gr are nearly identical at close range. Energy is higher with the 300 at short range, but it evens out at longer ranges. The 300 is flatter shooting. Check them out here:

http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/ballistics/comparative_ballistics_results.aspx?data=R300W2*R7 MM3

I own both a 300 WM and a 7mm RM. The 300 is the go to gun when I'm hunting elk in grizzly country, but it's just a personal choice, and I don't feel any "less protected" if I'm packing the 7mm.

I hunted and killed elk with the 7mm before I owned the 300. The 7mm killed 'em just as dead as the 300. Both have decelerators on them. The 300 kicks a bit more, but it's also a lighter gun than the 7mm.

Either one is a good choice.

[hunter1947]

I have heard talk of the 7mm being too fast for the bullet size and losing animals at close range because the bullet doesn't have time to open up? Are these rumors or just cheap ammo?
Regarding a 7mm ,I have had elk in at 50 feet and shot them ,they don't go far ,most of the time they bolt 20 feet and are dead. i have shot whitetail at the same distance ,they don't know what hit them ,game over dead.http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon12.gif

[KodiakHntr]

I have heard talk of the 7mm being too fast for the bullet size and losing animals at close range because the bullet doesn't have time to open up? Are these rumors or just cheap ammo?


Old wives tale. Bullets don't go too fast to open.

[Mighty Peace]

Personal preference is the 300WM. Had my Sako m75SS for 10 years now. I have always used premium bullets. I reload 180gr Accubonds for all my big game. Could use 200 but 180's do the job. For factory ammo-Winchester Supreme Accubonds CT's in 180gr or the new Elite XP3's.

As for the 7mmRM I would reccommend the 160gr Accubonds (reloads or Winchester Supreme Accubonds) My fatherinlaw uses a 7mmRM with teh 160's and it does the job.

[todbartell]

Old wives tale. Bullets don't go too fast to open.

yes they do, I read it all the time on the internet :mrgreen:

[mpotzold]

[quote=huntingchick;280894]we are thinking of buying a new gun, need some help/imput on what to get a 300win mag or a 7 mm...

I’m just a neophyte in ballistics . Comparing diameters -7mm=0.2845 in.
-0.300 win=0.3091 in.
Using the TAYLOR KNOCKOUT formula -0.300 win is considerably better than a 7mm
by a factor of 1.09(The 338 is better than a 300 also by a factor of 1.09)
(I’m sure there are pros & cons re: TKO)
IMO-The fatter the bullet the better especially when confronting dangerous game.
THEREFORE I WOULD CHOOSE THE 300!

The Taylor K O Formula is an empirical measurement and is calculated as follows...
Bullet Weight (in grains) multiplied by Calibre (in inches) multiplied by Velocity (in fps) divided by 7000 = TKO rating.

[Gateholio]

The TKO is also horribly dated, doesn't take in to consideration different bullet performance, and is for solid bullets only.:tongue:

[Dannybuoy]

I have heard talk of the 7mm being too fast for the bullet size and losing animals at close range because the bullet doesn't have time to open up? Are these rumors or just cheap ammo?
Hmm I am wondering what this means ? I would be inclined to think (as well as some personal exp )that at closer range (and therefore faster) the bullet would open up (expand?) more .
Correct Mr Bartell ?

[Mr. Friendly]

a tinhorn question about the 300 Win vs. 300 Win Mag. are the bullet's the same grain generally speaking with just the difference in the cartridge, or being the 300 Win Mag is more powerful, the bullet's weight goes up?

[Gateholio]

Hmm I am wondering what this means ? I would be inclined to think (as well as some personal exp )that at closer range (and therefore faster) the bullet would open up (expand?) more .
Correct Mr Bartell ?

Bullet expansion is created by the bullet impacting a solid object at velocity.

More velocity= more expansion.

"Going too fast to expand" is complete and utter nonsense.

[Mr. Friendly]

Bullet expansion is created by the bullet impacting a solid object at velocity.

More velocity= more expansion.

"Going too fast to expand" is complete and utter nonsense.
unless of course it's FMJ*...:!:

*yes, I know it's illegal to hunt with FMJ bullets. just an added thought for some clarification :|

[Gateholio]

unless of course it's FMJ*...:!:

*yes, I know it's illegal to hunt with FMJ bullets. just an added thought for some clarification :|

Not sure what you mean...

But FMJ bullets will deform more upon impact when at higher velocities than when they are moving more slowly, too.

[300wsm]

i shot two deer last year with 300wsm. one was a neck shot 270 yards and the whitetail was 60 yards double lung. in both cases the exit wound was smaller than i expected. another in my hunting party shot a moose with 300wm at 250 yards in the head and neck, again all exit wounds were dime size. the thing we had in common was we were both shooting those red tipped (i think they are called accu-tip). anyone else experience something similar. am i correct in assuming that an exit hole from the neck or head should be smaller than in the vitals just do to the bullet having less time to expand before exiting?

[Dannybuoy]

Bullet expansion is created by the bullet impacting a solid object at velocity.

More velocity= more expansion.

"Going too fast to expand" is complete and utter nonsense.
Right on Gatehouse !
btw . I would go with the 300 over the 7mm

[Dannybuoy]

i shot two deer last year with 300wsm. one was a neck shot 270 yards and the whitetail was 60 yards double lung. in both cases the exit wound was smaller than i expected. another in my hunting party shot a moose with 300wm at 250 yards in the head and neck, again all exit wounds were dime size. the thing we had in common was we were both shooting those red tipped (i think they are called accu-tip). anyone else experience something similar. am i correct in assuming that an exit hole from the neck or head should be smaller than in the vitals just do to the bullet having less time to expand before exiting?
wouldnt the exit hole size depend on what the bullet hit upon passing thru ? ie large bone = blow-up esp when combined with high velocity

[Gateholio]

i shot two deer last year with 300wsm. one was a neck shot 270 yards and the whitetail was 60 yards double lung. in both cases the exit wound was smaller than i expected. another in my hunting party shot a moose with 300wm at 250 yards in the head and neck, again all exit wounds were dime size. the thing we had in common was we were both shooting those red tipped (i think they are called accu-tip). anyone else experience something similar. am i correct in assuming that an exit hole from the neck or head should be smaller than in the vitals just do to the bullet having less time to expand before exiting?

Expansion is determined by velocity of impact, and what is hit. Most bullets expand fully within a few inches of penetration, and most of the tipped bullets open rapidly, so expansion probably starts right away.

So no, the exit wound doesn't have much to do with how far the bullet has to travel. If anyhting the longer some bullets have to travel, the more the bullet breaks up and the exit wound gets smaller.

[300wsm]

that is helpful in understanding but wouldn't you expect a larger exit hole? we both shot premium ammo 180 grain

[Gateholio]

Exit wounds don't tell us much.

The bullet does it's work on the INSIDE of the animal. Base your evaluation of bullet performance on what it looks inside the animal, and/or how the animal reacted. If the animal dropped right there, or quickly afterwards, and the vitals are suitably destroyed, then who cares how big the exit wound is?;)

[TimberPig]

a tinhorn question about the 300 Win vs. 300 Win Mag. are the bullet's the same grain generally speaking with just the difference in the cartridge, or being the 300 Win Mag is more powerful, the bullet's weight goes up?


Unless you are getting confused with the .300 Winchester Short Magnum, the .300 Win is the .300 Winchester Magnum. It is common to simply leave off the magnum part, which is only a problem when speaking to inexperienced shooter/hunters, who do not know this.

[KodiakHntr]

a tinhorn question about the 300 Win vs. 300 Win Mag. are the bullet's the same grain generally speaking with just the difference in the cartridge, or being the 300 Win Mag is more powerful, the bullet's weight goes up?

Where to start....?

300win = 300WM = 300Win Mag = 300 Winchester Magnum.

300wsm = 300wizzum = 300 Winchester Short Magnum

300RUM = 300 Remington Ultra Mag = More Whump than you will need.

300RCM = 300 Ruger Compact Magnum


So, in summary, a 300 is a 300 is a 300. Bullet weight has no relationship to what it is housed in, in the same caliber.

300's of any flavor are all .308" in diameter. With bullet weights (in grains) ranging from 110gr to 240gr's.

Different cartridges will throw like bullets at different velocities. Bigger the case, quicker the bullet. (Generally speaking).

[oddsix]

Browning A-bolt 7mm mag. is a very nice gun. I almost bought one but i dont like how the clip is not removeable. its on a hinge

[FlyingHigh]

i have a remington 700 in 7mm. love it. but yeah, it can kick hard.

[todbartell]

Browning A-bolt 7mm mag. is a very nice gun. I almost bought one but i dont like how the clip is not removeable. its on a hinge

they do detach from the floorplate. the whole design though is pretty stupid and the new X-Bolts dont have this flaw

[Fisher-Dude]

If it ain't a Euro-gun, it's crap. :wink:

[guest]

Go with the 300 mag,
the options you can have for such a range of bullets is obvious, it's a 30 cal. Compare how many options you can have with the 7mm.
The 7mm is a great cal. but 30 cals of all sorts have huge options!!
I also am disappointed with the clip floor plate on my A bolt. If I did it again, I would avoid the clip and hinged floor plate for something else.
Just one guys opinion.
C/T

[Remmy]

As said in an earlier reply both are great calibers but you have a better selection of bullets in 30 caliber. I owned a 7mm Weatherby and it was a great gun but I now shoot a 30-338 which I load from 150 gr missiles to 200 gr hammers at 3000 fps.

[Gateholio]

Truthfully, there is bullet selection aplenty in 7mm. There is a bullet for any application you can think of where a 7mm or 30 would be appropriate.