7 wsm or 7 rem mag

[Deleted member 25294]

My buddy wants to put a long range 7mm elk rifle together, and I'm thinking since its a custom then why not build a 7 wsm on a model 700 long action and avoid dealing with belted magnums.

Hornady is making 7 wsm brass now and it's getting good reviews so that's a plus.

I've got a 7x300 wsm and it's the most accurate rifle I've ever shot (1/4 moa @ 200 yards).

If you were looking for the best accuracy, and ease of loading which would you choose.. 7 wsm or 7 rem mag?
180 grain bullets will be used, and the barrel will be throated appropriately..

 

[MudRunner2005]

What issues with belted magnums? Own lots of them, never once had any of these issues I keep reading about on the interwebz...

Also, if you want to avoid the belt, and this is a long range elk rifle, I'd just go ahead and step up to the .28 Nosler pushing 195 Elite Hunters.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I have a 7 RM that works great for me with 180's and I'm not stuck with Hornady brass. If there was better brass readily available I would definitely own a 7 WSM .

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I'm shooting a 7WSM on a short magnum action. No problem with bullets up to 180gr although a long action would allow for bullets to be set out farther and increase case capacity. I have a good supply of Win brass which I paid top dollar for when no brass was available. The Win brass shoots quite well with a little sorting and some prep work.
I was always hopeful that Norma, Lapua, Nosler, etc would make brass for this cartridge but it just never happened. Hornady's new brass may breath some life into this cartridge whose only shortfalling was brass availability.

 

[Barrelnut]

Why not do a 28 Nosler? No belt, good brass, flatter shooting than both the others. For a 7mm something Long Range elk rifle, it would be hard to beat.

 

[Deleted member 25294]

What issues with belted magnums? Own lots of them, never once had any of these issues I keep reading about on the interwebz...

Also, if you want to avoid the belt, and this is a long range elk rifle, I'd just go ahead and step up to the .28 Nosler pushing 195 Elite Hunters.

It's not that the belted magnums are bad, but I've owned them and it does take extra care when reloading.

I remember having issues with hard bolt closure when headspacing off the shoulder, and I've had case head separation after 3 firings.

I don't know maybe I suck at handloading..
But I've never had those kinds of problems, even with wildcats..

28 nosler brass is way too pricey for the minimal performance gain.

 

[highdrum]

7mm blaser is a great option, as is 7mm sherman short. Nothing wrong with standard 7mag either, built one for my brother as Christmas gift last year. Bertram and Nosler making 7wsm brass, Hornady ammo on shelves. 7mag is the most popular selling mag cartridge in the country. Does great on deer down. However with elk, I'd step up to stw or 28 nosler in a 7mil case. 300win will do all a very well.

 

[MudRunner2005]

It's not that the belted magnums are bad, but I've owned them and it does take extra care when reloading.

I remember having issues with hard bolt closure when headspacing off the shoulder, and I've had case head separation after 3 firings.

I don't know maybe I suck at handloading..
But I've never had those kinds of problems, even with wildcats..

28 nosler brass is way too pricey for the minimal performance gain.

Actually, it would be a significant performance gain. Don't let folks lie to you. They are pushing 195's up to, and in some cases over, 3,100 FPS MV. The 7mm RM can't begin to touch that, and neither can the WSM. 7mmRM is one of my favorite cartridges, and I have been hunting with one for over 16 years, but facts are facts. Also, the Nosler is a ballistic twin to the STW (of which I have 2, and have also been shooting for 16 years), and there is a very noticeable performance jump over the 7mmRM. Yes, brass is pricey, but Nosler brass lasts. It's also extremely consistent, and produces some very low ES and SD numbers right out of the pack. Most of them are within 0.2 grains of weight with each other in each pack. Nosler puts out an excellent product. It's worth the money, IMO.

I wouldn't begin to build a dedicated long rang elk rifle without starting somewhere around the .28 Nosler or 7mm STW with 180-195 grain bullets. Just personal opinion.

 

[Deleted member 25294]

Actually, it would be a significant performance gain. Don't let folks lie to you. They are pushing 195's up to, and in some cases over, 3,100 FPS MV. The 7mm RM can't begin to touch that, and neither can the WSM. 7mmRM is one of my favorite cartridges, and I have been hunting with one for over 16 years, but facts are facts. Also, the Nosler is a ballistic twin to the STW (of which I have 2, and have also been shooting for 16 years), and there is a very noticeable performance jump over the 7mmRM. Yes, brass is pricey, but Nosler brass lasts. It's also extremely consistent, and produces some very low ES and SD numbers right out of the pack. Most of them are within 0.2 grains of weight with each other in each pack. Nosler puts out an excellent product. It's worth the money, IMO.

I wouldn't begin to build a dedicated long rang elk rifle without starting somewhere around the .28 Nosler or 7mm STW with 180-195 grain bullets. Just personal opinion.

Yeah I hear you bigger is better with elk,
However my buddy and I have been stacking bulls just fine with 6.5 and 7mms.
The 7wsm and 7 rem mag are the only chamberings considered, we like to pack light and hike hard.
Here's the bull my friend just shot with his 6.5 creedmoor, 280 yards 143 eld-x

 

[highdrum]

If those are the only choices, build a 7mm wsm on a long action, cut at least a 200 freebore, run 180 hybrids in a 26" tube, should be over 3k fps with RL26. Buy a bunch of Bertram brass weight sort the good stuff and sell the rest, 100 cases should burn the barrel out.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Nothing wrong with the 7RM. I have one that pushes a 180 Hyb @ 2996fps w. H1000. I had up to 3060, but best accuracy (which is outstanding) is at 2996. I am working on a 184 Hybrid load over RL26 around 3070fps too. All this from a 26" barrel.

The 28 Nosler will push the same bullet around 3200, and a 195 up to 3165 (depending on who you have build it) from a 26" barrel.

Either one will kill an elk a long way out there.

 

[FURMAN]

Of the two I prefer the WSM on a long action and throated accordingly.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

7mm blaser is a great option, as is 7mm sherman short. Nothing wrong with standard 7mag either, built one for my brother as Christmas gift last year. Bertram and Nosler making 7wsm brass, Hornady ammo on shelves.

I checked Nosler's web site and did not see 7WSM brass listed. Is there a place you could direct me to that has Nosler 7WSM brass available?

 

[highdrum]

I checked Nosler's web site and did not see 7WSM brass listed. Is there a place you could direct me to that has Nosler 7WSM brass available?

My bad I meant Hornady is making brass but it's probably not the best. Bertram is stout, it needs weight sorted tho. 100 good cases will probably out last the barrel. A guy tested one piece of their 300 norma to 25 stiff loads before it failed. Have you considered 7 saum? ADG is going to have brass on market soon, it'll run withiw 50fps of 7mag when set up properly.