7mm or 30 cal? Just for curiosity’s sake

[wdlittell]

Question says it all. The 22s, 6mm, 6.5, and .338 bore are all pretty common here but it I think it's safe to say the big 7mms and 30s are the unchallenged all range all purpose hunting versatility kings. I bet pretty much everyone on here has at least one 7mm or 30 caliber rifle.

im a 30 guy myself, .300 win mag being my favourite cartridge to play with, .30-30 being what I learned to shoot centerfire rifle with.

but I only bought my first .300 because my other rifle was a .270 win and I wanted a more significant difference in performance than what a 7 would gain. No regrets. But if I didn't already have a 270 I may have gone 7mm mag and had no reason for a .300 or a 270, who knows?

the 7mms are objectively the best of all worlds for long range hit probability. The 180 eld m for example has a bc of .79. There are no similar bc bullets of lesser diameter that I'm aware of and to exceed this bc significantly starts at the 250 atip or such. That's a huge jump. Not to many 30s, if any, will be launching a 225-250 grain at comprable speeds to a 7stw or 28 Nosler with that 180, and if they do it won't be in as portable or pleasant to shoot package.

that said, I maintain the big 30s hit and affect big game very noticeably harder than the 6.5, .270, and 7mm cartridges so they get the nod from me

Now for the just for fun question. If you could only own and shoot either a 7mm or a .30, not both, which would you choose?

I do love my 7mm Rem, killed lots of elk. I still like to shoot my father's old model 70 308.

 

[whitetailjunkee]

I would choose a .30 if forced to choose one of the 2 choices you gave. Specifically a 30-378 Weatherby. Its the best of both worlds with its flat trajectory and you can load heavier bullets [200 plus] and have plenty of weight to handle the largest of bears if needed.

 

[mnoland30]

My first rifle purchase was a .270, which did everything I ever needed. Then I caught magnumitis, and bought a 7mm Rem Mag. I looked at all of the available bullets and at the recoil I was willing to tolerate. The 7mm had the best B.C. at a resonable weight. I simplified years ago, so 7mm is what I shoot in all of my rifles. I now use a Browning Ti in 7mm WSM. I have used it for everything, and I've never found it wanting. I weighs 6.5 lbs. with scope and sling.

 

[Brian_Smith]

30 for me.
300 RUM specifically - of course that is if I can only have one. But that is absurd. You can't have just one.

Only need one more than you already have.

 

[Pauleye]

I have a 300 weatherby and 300wm. However, I just got a 280 ackley to see how it compares. Also a 28 Nosler but haven't hunted with it

 

[skookum]

I grew up shooting 30s and in a hunting camp where the general rule of thumb was that elk calibers started with the number 3. Granted, the 30 caliber i shoot now is a totally different animal than the 300 magnums and 30-06s in camp then. A 180gr bullet going 3000fps was a cannon and still does hit animals with a certain authority i have not seen from a 7mm. Likely too much but I don't like hunting for animals twice.

I voted 30 cal but only for big animals. A 225 ELD going 2900fps is way too much gun for a deer in my opinion, especially inside a couple hundred yards, but for elk and larger there's not a lot of concern whether or not the animal is going to die after the infamous "WHOP" of lead being introduced to meat at a high rate of speed.

All this being said, I do now have a 6.5 PRC and almost went with a 7 SAUM but factory ammo was more available when that barrel was ordered.

 

[PredatorSlayer45]

Question says it all. The 22s, 6mm, 6.5, and .338 bore are all pretty common here but it I think it's safe to say the big 7mms and 30s are the unchallenged all range all purpose hunting versatility kings. I bet pretty much everyone on here has at least one 7mm or 30 caliber rifle.

im a 30 guy myself, .300 win mag being my favourite cartridge to play with, .30-30 being what I learned to shoot centerfire rifle with.

but I only bought my first .300 because my other rifle was a .270 win and I wanted a more significant difference in performance than what a 7 would gain. No regrets. But if I didn't already have a 270 I may have gone 7mm mag and had no reason for a .300 or a 270, who knows?

the 7mms are objectively the best of all worlds for long range hit probability. The 180 eld m for example has a bc of .79. There are no similar bc bullets of lesser diameter that I'm aware of and to exceed this bc significantly starts at the 250 atip or such. That's a huge jump. Not to many 30s, if any, will be launching a 225-250 grain at comprable speeds to a 7stw or 28 Nosler with that 180, and if they do it won't be in as portable or pleasant to shoot package.

that said, I maintain the big 30s hit and affect big game very noticeably harder than the 6.5, .270, and 7mm cartridges so they get the nod from me

Now for the just for fun question. If you could only own and shoot either a 7mm or a .30, not both, which would you choose?

I've killed almost every North American animal with a 7mm-08. It's everything you want. It has energy, flat shooting, low recoil and accurate. 140 partitions

 

[josherin69]

Voted 7mm as its all I need for my hunting, the three 7mm's and only one 30 says it all .

A .28 nosler with 195 will kill anything in North America all they way past 1000yards. Myime is being built now. My friends are Guides in NM and have kills on a mule at 1075. Lots of kill at 750-800. So the 7mm is my vote. Tones of energy past 1000yards. Less recoil. So why go to bigger with more recoil. Only downside to a 28 is barrel life.

 

[CCAguns]

I love hunting with my 280AI. That said, if I could only have one hunting rifle, it would be a 30-06. Easier to find ammo. Really cutting hairs to show 280, 280AI and 7mm Mag are better ballistically. And a 30 caliber gives larger entrance and exit holes, leaving a better blood trail for finding the animal. This is often forgotten when comparing hunting cartridges, but very important when elk, moose or other long-haired critters are considered. Thus, in my opinion, the 30 caliber is better for hunting.

 

[Brian_Smith]

I would choose a .30 if forced to choose one of the 2 choices you gave. Specifically a 30-378 Weatherby. Its the best of both worlds with its flat trajectory and you can load heavier bullets [200 plus] and have plenty of weight to handle the largest of bears if needed.

I worked with a customer with a 30-378, though with higher forward velocity, come faster rotational velocity, for the gain in velocity for the amount of powder used and burnt past the muzzle, unless a guy is running a 30" pipe, it is too much case capacity for gain. IMO

 

[hpmag308]

Well being I am gun poor, done have a 7mm so I might put one in the stable just to say I have one.

 

[Calvin45]

Really depends on barrel rate of twist. To really utilize the potential of even the old stand by cartridges with new heavy for caliber, high BC bullets, twist rate has to be correct. Generally, the 300 Win and 7mm RM won't stabilize heavys with "standard" twist rates.

Don't know how much heavier you need to go, at least for the 30. My pet load right now is a 225 eld m in a 10 twist 300 win mag. That's not a tighter than normal twist, it is capable of one ragged hole type shooting (see picture below), took my whitetail with it last season.

 

[Tyrel19]

Question says it all. The 22s, 6mm, 6.5, and .338 bore are all pretty common here but it I think it's safe to say the big 7mms and 30s are the unchallenged all range all purpose hunting versatility kings. I bet pretty much everyone on here has at least one 7mm or 30 caliber rifle.

im a 30 guy myself, .300 win mag being my favourite cartridge to play with, .30-30 being what I learned to shoot centerfire rifle with.

but I only bought my first .300 because my other rifle was a .270 win and I wanted a more significant difference in performance than what a 7 would gain. No regrets. But if I didn't already have a 270 I may have gone 7mm mag and had no reason for a .300 or a 270, who knows?

the 7mms are objectively the best of all worlds for long range hit probability. The 180 eld m for example has a bc of .79. There are no similar bc bullets of lesser diameter that I'm aware of and to exceed this bc significantly starts at the 250 atip or such. That's a huge jump. Not to many 30s, if any, will be launching a 225-250 grain at comprable speeds to a 7stw or 28 Nosler with that 180, and if they do it won't be in as portable or pleasant to shoot package.

that said, I maintain the big 30s hit and affect big game very noticeably harder than the 6.5, .270, and 7mm cartridges so they get the nod from me

Now for the just for fun question. If you could only own and shoot either a 7mm or a .30, not both, which would you choose?

I grew up shooting 30 caliber. I love both guns, the .32 special and the 30.06, but my 7mm is a dream.

 

[wilkup]

I voted 7mm, but really feel it splitting hairs for the area I hunt and shoot. My most used rifle is a little custom Marlin in 30-30AI I will grab for everything. The 280AI will take care of anything else I hunt and with less recoil than a 300WM.