300WM v 7mm RM in Browning BLR

J

johngibbs222

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I'm in a bit of a fix, beating myself up over which to choose, BLR in 300wm or 7mm rm, it won't really be for LRH more short range driven boar in Europe.
Both guns are used and both very affordable to an old fart on a fixed income.
I shan't be reloading so it's factory ammo. I have one BLR 81 in 308 and I love it to bits but need a little more oomph as my next hunt is in Turkey and the boars there reach prodigious sizes.
I have a little experience of the 300 winmag and have shot a group with a rem 7 mag but they were both bolt guns with a huge scope mounted, I'll be using a zeiss 1.5x6 by 42 scope as maximum range will only be 200 meters or so, stretching a 308 but withing the capabilities of the 7mm and 300wm,
Choice will be dictated by a combination of recoil, weight, can I get ammo in Turkey and a big splash of personal preference. TBH I'm leaning toward the 300wm for no other reason than I got ****ed off with the 7mm rm cal for just about killing off the 264 wm which was my favorite back in the day.
Am I leaning the right way? FWIW, other cals are not open to me as to get a variation on my firearms permit takes months.
Oh and monolithic bullets are more or less mandatory.
I need to sort this PDQ before Israel v Iran boils over.
 
johngibbs222 said:
I'm in a bit of a fix, beating myself up over which to choose, BLR in 300wm or 7mm rm, it won't really be for LRH more short range driven boar in Europe.
Both guns are used and both very affordable to an old fart on a fixed income.
I shan't be reloading so it's factory ammo. I have one BLR 81 in 308 and I love it to bits but need a little more oomph as my next hunt is in Turkey and the boars there reach prodigious sizes.
I have a little experience of the 300 winmag and have shot a group with a rem 7 mag but they were both bolt guns with a huge scope mounted, I'll be using a zeiss 1.5x6 by 42 scope as maximum range will only be 200 meters or so, stretching a 308 but withing the capabilities of the 7mm and 300wm,
Choice will be dictated by a combination of recoil, weight, can I get ammo in Turkey and a big splash of personal preference. TBH I'm leaning toward the 300wm for no other reason than I got ****ed off with the 7mm rm cal for just about killing off the 264 wm which was my favorite back in the day.
Am I leaning the right way? FWIW, other cals are not open to me as to get a variation on my firearms permit takes months.
Oh and monolithic bullets are more or less mandatory.
I need to sort this PDQ before Israel v Iran boils over.
Click to expand...
Don't complicate it unnecessarily. Either one will work for your intended purpose. It boils down to personal preference. I prefer the .30 cal over the .28 cal, regardless of chambering.
 
I had 2 BAR rifles in 300WM & 338WM prior to 1996 when our semi-autos were stolen from us.
If they shoot with similar accuracy to these, I would suggest the 7mm for less recoil. I am by no means a fan of the 7RM, hold it in the same regard as a 243 Turdchester, yet the 300WM in those rifles will most likely boot quite a bit. Mine certainly did…
Choose which one you like best, I have only the above to consider really, they both will do the same job.

Cheers.
 
MagnumManiac said:
I had 2 BAR rifles in 300WM & 338WM prior to 1996 when our semi-autos were stolen from us.
If they shoot with similar accuracy to these, I would suggest the 7mm for less recoil. I am by no means a fan of the 7RM, hold it in the same regard as a 243 Turdchester, yet the 300WM in those rifles will most likely boot quite a bit. Mine certainly did…
Choose which one you like best, I have only the above to consider really, they both will do the same job.

Cheers.
Click to expand...
I had a BAR Safari in 338 WM. Recoiled like a 308 with the BOSS brake. I think the OP is talking the lever gun BLR though here. I looked on the keyboard and the letters "A" and "L" are on the far ends, so most likely not a typo. Lol
 
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Brathany said:
I had a BAR Safari in 338 WM. Recoiled like a 308 with the BOSS brake. I think the OP is talking the lever gun BLR though here. I looked on the keyboard and the letters "A" and "L" are on the far ends, so most likely not a type. Lol
Click to expand...
Both rifles are very similar in weight, that was all I was getting at.
Mine didn't have the boss, but both were Safari models.

Cheers.
 
Comme ca blr zeiss.JPG
 
johngibbs222 said:
Choice will be dictated by a combination of recoil, weight, can I get ammo in Turkey and a big splash of personal preference.
Click to expand...
I do not want to assume anything, but are you going with an outfitter? If so, ask if you can send them ammo or a recommendation from their local sources.
 
Last edited:
Not that I ever want to discourage someone from buying another gun, but honestly, your 81 in 308 will be more than enough for even the largest European boar.

You said they will be being driven, so follow-up shots will most likely be necessary. Follow-ups with a .308 will be much faster than with a 7RM or 300WM.

I realize that this is not a European boar, but pig anatomy isn't really different between American feral pigs and European pigs. This is a big GA boar that was shot at 264 yards with a 7-08. It went 35 yards after the shot.
IMG_1817.JPG
 
Not to talk you out of a new rifle, but a 308 is a much better driving caliber than any magnum, and you can be confident they will have the ammo available for you when you get there as well. Even Tikka's rifle configuration specifically marketed for European game drives is a 308.

To take it a step farther, if your main deer hunting rifle is a repeater in a common caliber then you'd be even better served just taking it with you instead.

Wild boars in turkey are like wild boars all over the world. Including the ones people hunt successfully all over the south with 223's. Animals aren't magic, and bullets will work just as well no matter where your travels take you.
 
johngibbs222 said:
I'm in a bit of a fix, beating myself up over which to choose, BLR in 300wm or 7mm rm, it won't really be for LRH more short range driven boar in Europe.
Both guns are used and both very affordable to an old fart on a fixed income.
I shan't be reloading so it's factory ammo. I have one BLR 81 in 308 and I love it to bits but need a little more oomph as my next hunt is in Turkey and the boars there reach prodigious sizes.
I have a little experience of the 300 winmag and have shot a group with a rem 7 mag but they were both bolt guns with a huge scope mounted, I'll be using a zeiss 1.5x6 by 42 scope as maximum range will only be 200 meters or so, stretching a 308 but withing the capabilities of the 7mm and 300wm,
Choice will be dictated by a combination of recoil, weight, can I get ammo in Turkey and a big splash of personal preference. TBH I'm leaning toward the 300wm for no other reason than I got ****ed off with the 7mm rm cal for just about killing off the 264 wm which was my favorite back in the day.
Am I leaning the right way? FWIW, other cals are not open to me as to get a variation on my firearms permit takes months.
Oh and monolithic bullets are more or less mandatory.
I need to sort this PDQ before Israel v Iran boils over.
Click to expand...
A BLR is a light rifle. In 300 Win the recoil could be an issue.🥵
 

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