Author Topic: okay guys 7mm or 300 mag (Read 1596 times)

j.trevor123 · « **on:** January 08, 2004, 10:36:47 AM »

okay tell me which one, a 7mm or a 300 mag. and which one, 300 winc. mag, wthy mag etc. An what company makes good rifles??

longwinters · « **Reply #1 on:** January 08, 2004, 11:28:24 AM »

The King of the 3 you mention is the Wby Mag. But it depends on what you are going to hunt. Nevertheless, if you really want a MAG then go with the standard. And why get it from any other manufacturer than the Wby? I have had several Wby's in the past and even though I now have Sako rifles, I would be very happy with the Wby. Just make sure you look at the different levels of recoil and see if you are willing to pay the price for what each rifle will dish out. I personally prefer a 7mm a/c the recoil. But to each his own.

long

gunnut69 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 08, 2004, 12:17:24 PM »

For deer sized game up to about Elk..the 7mmMags rule. There are those who will say they are the same as a 30-06 but they certainly are not the 7mags shoot flatter and penetrate a bit better than a 30-06 while recoiling about the same... The magnum 30's are another kettle of fish... All of them generate velocities and energy levels appreciably greater than the 7mm's. A 300 mag as in most large cased rounds performs it's best with the heavier bullets in the bore size. In the 30 calibers I prefer 180-200 grain bullets although the 165's can do some interesting things. They are prone to failure due to the much greater velocities and the meat loss can be great is ranges are a bit close. Generally premium bullets in the 180-200 graion weights are my choices with my pet 300 Winchester using a 200 Nosler. I've taken several deer and all with 1 shot.. imagine that!! In the 300 H&H I prefer the 180 Partition but am going to try the new Nosler and Hornaday bonded core bullets in a pre-64 300 H&H.. and a 300 winchester in Ruger No.1V.. They are slated for next years deer season along with a couple of 250 Savage rifles... I always reccomend the 7Mags (Remington or weatherby) if recoil is a factor. They recoil about the same as a 30-06. If more power is needed a 300 mag is in order. The Weatherby is a full length mag and produces about all the useable power trajectery one can use.. along with about all the recoil most can stand. I prefer the 300Win, but without reason... The 300 H&H feeds better than any other large belted round I have used other than the 375. It gives up some horsepower to the Weatherby but precious little to the if any to the 300 Win. With heacy bullets my 300 Win produces less meat damage than many 7mag bullets but recoil is strong, manageable but strong.

Muddyboots · « **Reply #3 on:** January 08, 2004, 02:38:23 PM »

Gunnut69 is right on target with his assessment. I have both and prefer the 300 WM but then again recoil is not a problem for me. My favorite rifle is a Remington Sendero in 300 WM that is by far the most accurate rifle I have ever owned straight out of the box. I've added Timney trigger but that was just for my own personal reasons. Shoots legit <1" groups at 200 yds. with 200 gr. Nosler Accubonds at 2950 fps. Even the 165 Partitions shot MOA but I also agree with Gunnut69 on velocity concerns. I shot a nice 8 PT at about 45 yds with the 165's and it was messy. They were cruising out at 3250 and weren't even slowing down at that range. Not too many bullets can hold up to that velocity at close range. I love my 7RM's as well since they do shoot mighty fine and will do most anything the 300 will do except driving the big boys downrange that a 300 WM can. If recoil is a bit of an issue, go with the 7 otherwise I'd go with the 300 since it is so much more versatile. Heck you can down load it to 06 levels for deer size stuff and stuff it for elk.
Muddyboots.

ihuntbucks · « **Reply #4 on:** January 08, 2004, 10:55:38 PM »

I go with the .300 Mag also for of the above reason and then some.I once heard someone say,"Better to have it and need it,than to need it and not have it."If you do chose a .300 by all means DO NOT chose one of those light weight so-called super mag,such as the Win .300 WSM "Super Shadow".I have one and it will kick you brains out :lol: .It weight less than 7 lbs.w/scope and fully loaded.It is a real joy to carry all day hunting,but unless you're into self abuse don't buy one.My $.02 worth. Rick

Zachary · « **Reply #5 on:** January 09, 2004, 02:36:20 AM »

Why not own both? I do.

Personally, I like my 7mags more than my 300WM, but that's mostly because I really don't need the power, and recoil, of the 300s. Don't get me wrong, I love my 300s too, but I just prefer the 7mag more.

Zachary

tominboise · « **Reply #6 on:** January 09, 2004, 04:11:39 AM »

I've had both, and I still own the 7mm Rem Mag, if that tells you anything. If you're hunting in the lower 48, pick whichever one you want, and be happy. They will both do what ever needs doing, in my opinion.

gunnut69 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 09, 2004, 05:09:41 AM »

It's really very simple. the 30-06 is a really great round. The 7mag kicks like an '06 but shoots as flat as the 300's(flatter than the '06). The 300's shoot as flat as the 7mags but with heavier bullets so they nit harder, but on poth ends. I am not recoil sensitive, though we all have our limits, and I love them both.. I have 2 of the big 7's as of now(the 3rd a weatherby recently was sold) and 4 of the 300 mag clan(2 of the H&H's and a pair of winchester's mags). Selection boils down to favorite rifle, caliber is not a selection criteria, unless the target is very large. Then I might even concider the 338 WinMag. Now thats a powerful rifle. Buy a riofle you like in either caliber and you will be outfitted for nearly anything on this continent.. Good luck and great shooting!

jim21 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 21, 2006, 05:54:13 PM »

I cannot tell a lie.Gunnut 69 says it all.Good luck and good shooting.

verhoositz · « **Reply #9 on:** April 22, 2006, 05:38:43 AM »

Long time ago I decided to split my two gun choice with a max loaded 270 doing the work of a 7Mg in lighter bullets, where the big 7 shines, and stretch over into the belted 300's from an '06. After owning 4 or 5 30 cal mag's in several different brands I settled on the 300WMg in a M70 Classic SS/Syn instead of the 7lb+ Wby MkV 26" SS/syn that I could not tolerate off the bench for more than 20-30 full house rounds a session even wearing a Past Pad.
If I was going to hunt elk or larger for the primary use of the 30 cal magnum and plan on staying in the 200 gr range (where the big 30's shine) I might rethink the equasion and opt for a 338 WMg or if I was more recoil tolerant and needed to stretch distances consistantly and had a place to paractice in the 500+ yard ranges I'd opt for a 338 RUM as my "telephone" gun.
Right now my under 250/300 yard "heavy" is a CZ 9.3x62 Mauser that throws 250's and 286's about like a soft 338 WMg at about 2600 & 2400 respectively, but it may get made over into a 9.3x64 Breneke to get more range with another 300'+ fps and push TSX 250's up around 2900+.
Ron

nasem · « **Reply #10 on:** April 22, 2006, 09:42:04 AM »

Lets be a little logical and practical here, I don't care how good of a shot you are, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SHOOT AN ELK OR A DEER 400-500 YARDS OUT (not unless your really trying to prove something), most hunters like to get as close as possible when taking down a trophy like a 800 lbs elk. So that being said, you REALLY don't need the extra balistics from the 300 WM, those 300 wm are great for super long shots, yes they are flatter than a 7mm mag, yes they hit harder than the 7mm mag, BUT, thier advantage over the 7mm mag is only obtained when your doing shots over 400 yards.

Im sure some people are gonna jump up and down on my post and claim "I ONCE SHOT A DEER AT 560 YARDS" or "I ONCE TOOK OUT AN ELK ON A 450 YARD SHOT" but.... key word here is "once". Those types of situations are not encountered all the time.

Honestly, if your going to hunt in areas where all your hunting will be done in ranges of 300 yards or less , you can't go wrong with a 30-06 or a 7mm mag, both are powerfull and WILL take down any deer like / elk like creature.

Another point you should think about, if your going to get a 300 win mag for.... lets say super long shots.... guess what buddy, your not going to be a "good" shot unless you practice , practice, and practice some more, and a 300 wm is not a caliber you want to use as your "practice my skills" typa-thing. Its expensive to shoot and recoils a bit too much for fireing off 70-100 rounds per day of training.

nomosendero · « **Reply #11 on:** April 22, 2006, 05:19:54 PM »

j.trevor223

I like the 7 mags & 280 for that matter a great deal. In the late 70's I owned 3 7mags & shot them a bunch, even for Varmits before I bought my Swift. I can understand someone making that choice, but that being said for the last dozen years or so I have used 300's for that role & I am
happier with that. I owned one 300 Wea. MKV & it was fine, but I have settled on the 300WM. It gives me the extra power that I want for long
range shots on Big Game. My 300 of choice is a 300Mag. Sendero with
a Lam. stock which will group better at 500 yards than any 30-06 that I have owned would do at 300 yards.

No one can tell you what maximum yardage you should shoot & harvest game. This is something that you must determine for yourself. This much
should not be argued by anyone who knows the 300, it has the necessary power & accuracy to make a 500 yard shot if it is a well tuned rifle with good bullets & good optics. Many seem to ignor many of the changes that have occured in the last few years, & one of them is a good range finder.
if you know the yardage, alot of guesswork is eliminated. But the big thing goes back to you, you must do the trigger time & spend the time in the field to take into account the wind, use of bipods & well tuned equipment.
If you put all of this together, you can make it happen. As far as practice goes, I also have a Sendero in 25-06 with the same demensions that I also practice with & it has the same trajectory as well. I also use a Rem. Var. 22-250 that has the same characteristics except for the 3/4" shorter action. Shooting an Elk at 400 or 500 yards would not be trying to prove squat with the right set-up because the cartridge/gun/bullet/optics can easily be up to the task & if you are, there is nothing left to prove.
I personally know several shooters that can make a 500 yard shot easier than the average guy can make a 200 yard shot. People that shoot a lot know what I am talking about & those that don't will not & that's the way it is.
I am a bow hunter & by nature I will get close if possible. And I have taken well over a 100 Deer at fairly close range. But, I believe in taking advantage of every opportunity where I can cleanly harvest game. Let's say that you have spent considerable money to go on an Elk hunt. In the
afternoon you top a ridge & sneak over the creast to hide at the base of a tree & glass the other ridge in front of you. You spot an Elk feeding in a Park (field) at about 325 yards. The canyon that separates you is deep &
1. if you go down this canyon there is almost no chance that this fine
animal will still be there & 2. if he was still there it would by then be past legal shooting time. It is cold & you know that if you shoot the Elk, there is no danger that the meat will spoil & the guide said he has the spot marked & he can take Horses over there to retreive your trophy no problem. So you have the animal ranged, you go prone, open your bi-pod, get the poly bead filled bag out of your pack & lay it under your butt
stock, dope the wind & it is only 5mph & at a 45degree angle at that & (if
you can't dope the wind you don't shoot). You squeeze the trigger, the elk stumbles & in a few yards, he hits the ground & the trophy is yours.
Now let's say that the same thing happens the next trip you make & it is a carbon copy except this time when you top the Ridge, the Elk is 475 yards. Same hunter, same skills, but a different yardage. Does this ever happen, Yep!! Now, he takes this trophy because his equipment is up to it & he is prepared. If this is beyond his capabilities & or the capabilities of
his equipment he will go home empty handed, some would say Oh, Well & some would be kicking themselves in the butt all the way home. Think about which guy you would be here, I believe in taking advantage of
opportunities that ARE WITHIN MY CAPABILITIES & it matters not what
opinions are concerning range as they are only opinions.
Anyone who says the limit is a particular distance & not over is full of it!
j.trevor123, I hope you make a purchase that works well for you & good luck!

257 roberts · « **Reply #12 on:** April 22, 2006, 05:41:24 PM »

I like the 7mag best, with a 175gr bullet its will do all that needs doing
the recoil of the 300mags is too much for ME.
( I had the 300weatherby, the 300 win, and the 300 H&H )

nomosendero · « **Reply #13 on:** April 22, 2006, 05:51:05 PM »

Yes, some 300's have a bite. Mainly because of the weight, the Sendero doesn't have that much felt recoil, less felt recoil than a 7Mag Ruger I used to own that was quite light. I thought that I would put a Decelerator
on it when I bought it, but I have just left the Rem recoil pad on there, I just didn't need it.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 23, 2006, 02:47:33 AM »

300 Win Mag for me, I have one in a Tikka.

AndyHass · « **Reply #15 on:** April 23, 2006, 03:31:55 AM »

I have a 300WM Sendero, and recoil is not bad. Of course, it's not a light gun and I grew up shooting 12ga slugs and heavy-loaded MLs, both of which kick harder than a 300WM.

I considered a 7 or even a 308, due to shootability. However I can shoot a box or more of ammo thru the Sendero with no problem; I'd never put much more than that down-range in a sitting with a bolt gun anyways.

The way I saw it, the gun is for elk which means for me it'll be an expensive, once-every-few-years trip. Sure, on the first day of the hunt I'll be stalking as close as possible. However, if I'm in the last 2 days of the trip and a nice bull steps out at 500, I'm going to be ready rather than frustrated.

nomosendero · « **Reply #16 on:** April 23, 2006, 04:10:46 AM »

Yep!!! Those Sendero's are great aren't they? Rem. wised up & brought them out again.

jerkface11 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 23, 2006, 05:05:19 AM »

Either one will do the job. Just find the RIFLE you like. For me it's a sporterized springfield in .300 winmag.

Dogshooter · « **Reply #18 on:** April 24, 2006, 02:45:27 PM »

I like the 300 too. Mine new one is a 300WSM in a Kimber 8400. It is very light (<7#) but recoil isn't too bad. Wouldn't go out to shoot prarie dogs with it but for the hopefully one shot that it takes to kill my elk this year, I don't think even a BIG kicker would make that much difference. I used a 300 WM for years and recoil was never a factor. I killed a lot of mule deer and elk with it and never felt over gunned and was definately never undergunned.

Jimi · « **Reply #19 on:** April 26, 2006, 12:38:04 PM »

If you're really serious about this... and I think you are... the .300 Weatherby is the soundest choice. People get thrown off in thinking the only benefit of a magnum is the ability to shoot farther and flatter. While they do indeed accomplish this, I believe the real benefit that justifies a magnum is its ability to shoot a heavier bullet faster. Force = Mass x Acceleration. The .300 Weatherby is the only .300 Magnum (aside from the venerable .300H&H) that can efficiently fire a 220 grain bullet. If you want a real killer that is not going to destroy meat, that's what you should be looking at. 7mm Mags just can't do it.

And while I agree that no one goes hunting with the anticipation of a 500 yard shot.. such opportunities do arise. I like being able to take advantage of such opportunities.

nasem · « **Reply #20 on:** April 26, 2006, 02:12:14 PM »

There is no doubt that a 300 win mag is flatter than 7 mag, that a 300 wm is more powerfull and can handle heaver bullets.

But when I think of a rifle that I can COMFORTABLY shoot and place my shots EXACTLY where my cross hairs are, then the ONLY thing that comes to mind is a rifle that I can shoot alot (to familurise my self with aiming, handling recoil, controlling flinch, etc).

I don't care what people tell you, your not gonna go to a store, pick up a 300 win mag, buy a box of 20 rounds of whatever, go the range next day, zero your gun, then 2 months later, go on a hunting trip where your going to shoot @ 400 and 500 yard game. thats simply not gonna happen.

to make a killing shot at 400 and 500 yards, YOU GOTTA BE THAT DAMN GOOD, and "that damn good" doesn't come by just having the gun in your safe, you gotta practice the hell out of. And a 300 win mag, is just not the gun you take to the range and shoot 40-100 rounds through it.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy having powerful rounds, my smallest is .223 and my biggest is a 375 h&h, in the middle I have 30-06, 7mm mag, 300 Rem Ultra Mag, 338 win mag, and I just reciently got a 7.62X54R (Dragunov)....But when it comes time for hunting, I only pick up my 30-06 (why ? becuase this is the round that I can shoot most comfortably)

nomosendero · « **Reply #21 on:** April 26, 2006, 05:33:07 PM »

I would hate to think that anyone could buy a gun of ANY caliber, shoot
1 or 2 boxes of shells through it & then shoot at 400-500 yards. I did not
know that anyone on this forum thought that way, would this person please step forward.

My 30-06 kicks allmost as hard as my 300 because the 06 is a Brown Pre.
stocked featherweight (very light) & the 300 is a Sendero, a little heavy
but not too heavy for me & the felt recoil is not that bad. I can settle in behind this gun, steady the crosshairs & squeeze the trigger just like one
of my Varmit guns.

nasem · « **Reply #22 on:** April 27, 2006, 02:15:33 AM »

nomosendero --
I totally underestand what you mean, my friend's dad has a browning over-under 20-ga that weighted just a little over 3 lbs, that gun was soo uncomfortable to shoot. belive it or not that 20-ga kicked so much worse than his 12-ga. I have also shot his 5.5 lbs (scoped) 30-06 that kicked worse than any 300 win mag that I have ever shot.

I have been toying around the Idea of getting one of those remington senderos stainless steel in 300 mag, but I think it weights just around 9lbs without scope due to its heavy barrel profile, while Im sure its very comfortable to shoot, but heavy to carry around for hunting trips. Wait a minute, what am I talking about, I HAVE A 300 RUM I DO NOT NEED 300 WIN MAG (NASEM GET THAT 300 IDEA OUT OF UR HEAD).... now you got me thinking of buying a new gun, need to start thinking of execuses to tell my girlfriend.

nomosendero · « **Reply #23 on:** April 27, 2006, 04:10:57 AM »

nasem
I agree, you need to train your girlfried now in case it gets more serious
later!

I don't have any problem carrying the Sendero all day, partly becaus I am
not a small person but alot has to do with the way I carry it. I have a sling made by a company in TX. that is made of rubber & the sling goes over my opposite shoulder & I carry it like an M60. I can shoot offhand with some tension on the sling quickly or go prone & use the bipod. This way you can carry a heavy rifle just as easily as a light one. If I run across the name of the Company I will post it.

conrad101st · « **Reply #24 on:** April 27, 2006, 11:13:41 AM »

I shoot 300 mag in a sendero and a weatherby SBGM.

As for length of shots on elk, where we hunt on ridges at 13,000 feet in colorado, longer shots are the norm, not the exception.

You simply laser the elk, hold x mils high and squeeze the shot. We always shoot prone off bipods. Funny thing is that almost every elk I've hit just stands there as opposed to running. I fire till he drops.

Of our 5 guy hunting party our recent elk kills have been:

15 yards - 1
175 to 225 yard yards - 2
275 to 325 yards - 7
425 - 1
475 - 1
575- 1

Three of us shoot 300 mag and 2 shoot 7 mag and they both do well.

We basically just sit in choke points high up on the ridges where multiple draws run in and wait for the lazier folks to push them over us about mid-day.

We would prefer close shots, but elk hunting is not deer hunting.

Deer hunting for us is a closer affair. See my 30 yard muzzleloader shot from October 2004 below:

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c319/conrad101st/IMG_0547.jpg

nomosendero · « **Reply #25 on:** April 27, 2006, 04:13:34 PM »

Now that is a fine Whitetail!!!

What part of the country did he come from?

conrad101st · « **Reply #26 on:** April 28, 2006, 07:39:56 AM »

central Oklahoma in a thick oak thicket. pure blind luck.

lefteyedon · « **Reply #27 on:** April 29, 2006, 03:48:26 AM »

Get a 338 Win Mag, mount a nice Leopold 3X9 scope on it and call her done. Use 210, 225, 250 grain bullets for deer,elk, bear. Pick up a 22 pistol for rabbit, grouse, bullfrog or what other meat you want for the pot.

then you only need to worry about getting the right coffee for elk camp.

Gary
Getting it done in Wyoming

Cheesehead · « **Reply #28 on:** April 29, 2006, 04:27:06 PM »

30 caliber is great if you like to reload. Almost to many options. Shot placement is more important than the brass case behind the bullet. The 308 Win, 30.06 and all the 300 mags will kill elk or deer at long range as long as shot placement is correct. Laser range finders, knowledge of trajectory and wind are the key issues.

Cheese