7mm mag vs 300 mag vs 300 ultra

[matt_3479]

Hello, im looking to get things moving in my first custom. For those who dont know i will quickly fill in. This rifles main purpose is moose, but will also be taken very often on Elk, Caribou, Black bear, Whitetail and antelope. Shots will be 800 yards and less! some shots will be 40 yards and less (moose hunting can be close). I have a very accurate 7mm mag remington 700 BDL that will be my base to work with. I am 99% sure i will be going with kevin at MCR rifles due to the fact he is close by and does amazing work as well as helped my through a lot with decisions and information for this build.

I would like to keep powder burning to a minimum due to cost wise and thats why my original posts were only between the 7mm mag and the 300. mag. Recently i had someone tell me to take a real hard thought into the 300 RUM and that is the purpose of this thread. I know the 7mm mag and 300 mag are more then capable and speeds reaching 2900-3000 fps aren't unrealistic from the 7mm mag with 180 grain bergers and 2850-2950 from the win mag with 210 bergers. I have heard of a few people only getting 3000 fps from the 300 RUM which is burinng more powder without the upsize in ballistics.

What is your opinion in caliber?

 

[WildRose]

With those criteria and 800yds being an absolute max I'd say go with either the 300wm or 300Rum.

You don't have to laod the Rum to the Max, but it's nice to have that extra power available if you decide on an 800yds Moose or Elk.

Actually if I were in your shoes I'd think long and hard about a 325wsm.

 

[Korhil78]

My father purchased a Browning X-bolt in 325 WSM and it shoots the 200 gr Accubonds scary good. I did the break in for him (he is getting a little...old ) and the load development. It shot really well with H4350.

 

[angus-5024]

if LR moose and elk are on the table I would rule out the 7mm. not that I think it cant kill well at those ranges I would just opt for a little more "umph". I am one to lean more towards overkill than not but for me I think I would go for a 300 win. I feel that the 300 ultra is too much extra cost for the performance, especially if your going to shoot it alot. dont get me wrong, i really like the 300 Ultra but for a one gun guy... which it sound like you are, I would opt for efficiency.

 

[texan79]

I am 7mm guy, but with moose on the menu, hands down 300. I would go with the win mag personally.

 

[chucknbach]

I went with the 7 mag and sometimes think it's alittle overkill but it's hard to draw a line when there's alway's something with a little more, alittle bigger this a little better that.

 

[jrw1976]

I am also a 7mm guy and from what I am gathering from your post that the moose will more often than not be your closest kill and the deer and elk are more apt to be the longer range kills. With that being said my vote is with a 7mm rem, 7mm-300 win mag, or 7mm stw. If it were me going with the 7mm rem or 7mm-300 I would chamber it a 28 inch barrel and for the stw I would go with 29-30 inches. The reason for the long barrel length is to milk the most efficient powder burn out of each caliber. I currently have a 7mm rem mag chambered in a 28 inch barrel and running the matrix 168gr bullet with a bc of just over .700 scooting out at 3080 fps. With such a high bc bullet at that speed it is still packing a 1260 ft-lb punch at 1000 yrds. So if you are concerned with the amount of powder burned in relation to efficiency I would strongly look at the 7mms with high bc bullets and run the numbers and make an educated decision. But remember no matter which one you go with you will still have fun im sure.

goodluck, Jason

 

[HARPERC]

Tough to tell exactly what you're looking for, but I'll put in my 2cents. Caliber wise any you've listed will work. If I were building a specialty long range rifle I'd choose 300 RUM. If I had a very accurate 7mm in a general use rifle I'd stay with it. If I was starting from scratch on a general use type rifle it be 300 magnum of whatever type you liked. I like the H&H.
Given what you posted I'd keep the 7mm, for general use, and put together a 300RUM long range set up. Choosing between good choices is always a pain.

 

[4xforfun]

I'll take a left turn....300 WBY....worked for me forever.....both huntin and 1KBR.....very close to a rum...very close to a winny...right in between them!

I feel that the 300 win/wby is about the overbore limit!!!

 

[matt_3479]

See my original caliber choice was the 300. Win mag and I think I'm goin to stick with it. 210 vlds at a hopefully close 2900+ fps should hammer moose at any range within 800 yards. Doesn't need the extra powder, don't need to go out and get everything to reload since I ready have the components. I'm still pondering around the 300 rum or the 7mm mag since I love that caliber but for now it's going be the 300. Win mag. Keep keep them coming

 

[Northerner]

I love my 300RUM. Other than a trigger job it is untouched and groups under an inch with everything I have fed it. With the factory 26" barrel I am getting 3005fps with 92gr of Retumbo and the 210 Bergers. If you don't want to load that much powder you can down load the RUM to Win Mag specs if you want. All the RUM's I have been around group well. I think it is an inherently accurate round. I can not say that for all the Win Mags I have been around. Not that they can't be made to shoot, but from what I have seen the RUM seems better off the shelf.

 

[Limbic]

Why not a 338 Edge?

 

[matt_3479]

Why not a 338 Edge?

Back to the excessive powder, more reloading components and fire forming. See I love the 7mm mag and I know with 168-180 gr Bergers at 3000fps it's plenty fast, and had more then enough energy out too 1000 let alone 800 to tackle a moose. I also love 30 cals and took a liking to the 300. Wsm/300win mag and recent likin to the 300 rum. I have everything I need for the 300 win mag but the gun. I know with this caliber it will have close to the same energy if not more depending on speeds with a bigger bullets to help for those long range kills.

I love the 300. Rum but I can't see myself usin this caliber to full potential. If I was open to 1000 yards + I would take this caliber everytime. More powder means more power in this case which allows me more energy an I get that but for 800 yards or less with a properly placed shot the other 2 calibers are cheaper, and do it just as well. When I mean 800 yards is my longest I mean it. I don't know where I can shoot past that at ranges so game is out of the question. Also where I hunt moose the longest range I have found in one of my honey holes is 768 yards. With most being between 550-700. I really like the RUM just don't feel the need for it

 

[load]

one vote for .300 wm. not to big not to small! 225 hornadys and 230 burgers over 74.5 grains retumbo!