7mm rem mag for long range hunting?

[thebbc]

First off the 7mm Rem Mag will most likely hit harder at 800 than the 300 WSM. Why? the 300 is bigger? yeah. but the 7mm has a way better BC. It retains energy and hits harder at longer ranges. If you reload your 7mm with a 180 VLD it will leave a 300 WSM in its tracks. Especially since they both start off at a similar velocity. That load is more than capable of killing anything in North America a lot farther than almost anybody has business shooting. If your 7mm is a shooter I say go for it. Being comfortable with your rifle and knowing you can make the shot is the most important aspect.

if it is a factory rifle, then loading a 180 vld will most definitely not work. The twist rate will not even be in the same ball park and the bullet will never stabilize.

 

[thebbc]

looked up the specs and the new BDL's come with a 9.25" twist. Sierra calls for a 8" twist for their SMK's. Berger calls for a 9" twist so you may get away with using a 180 berger hunting bullet. guess you'll just have to shoot one and find out.

 

[solitude]

I shoot sub MOA with both the 168 and 180 Bergers using a Remington Sendero. Excellent performance on elk and deer out beyond 600. I shoot a Sauer 202 Elegance 300 Win Mag as well with sub MOA results. Personally, for long range hunting the 7 mag is much easier to shoot… less recoil and better BC's. Despite my personal preference, both the 7 rem mag and 300 win mag are excellent choices. But if I were in the market for a new 300, I'd probably go with the 300 RUM.

 

[jonesse91]

That is actually not true, a factory rifle can stabilize berger 180's with the right twist rate. My old ruger M 77 original has a 1:9.25 twist that will shoot them into 1/2 MOA. The only thing done to this rifle is a glass bedding job. Also, the spec of 2800 something for the 7mm 180 grain max is off. That is what is found in a lot of lawyer approved books. I have personally loaded the 180 to 2990 fps in a 24 in barrel out of a 7mm mag. No pressure whatsoever, and could go faster but it shoots great. You can load it to as fast as a 300 win mag if you know what you are doing. In that case, you get less recoil, same velocity, more energy, and less muzzle blast. Don't get me wrong. I'm a huge .30 fan. I just am not a fan of the 300 win. mag. Its a 30-06 of steroids, the 06' will do everything a 300 will do, as will the 7mm. Btw. Love the 30-06. Surprised it doesn't get more attention at long range b/c of better ballistics than the .308.

 

[WildRose]

Im not trying to pick sides without having my palm pilot in front of me with exball but yes the 300 win might be able to launch the same size bullet faster but I've never seen a 180gr. 30cal bullet with bc's that are the same as the .284 180gr. So it may out run it at 800 even with energy if it slows down enough more than the 7rem

Some awfully good bullets for both calibers in that range.

Swift Scirrocco 180gr .30 has a BC of .520.

 

[cstilt]

So what what happens if we load the 300 up with 210gr bergers or smks? Seems to be a fairer comparison to me. May as well compare bullets with equal sectional densities.

 

[matt_3479]

i want this build to be as light as possible without sacrificing recoil. I think i am going to go with 300. win mag. Brux 26-28" barrel, blue printed action, fluted bolt, bedded into a Mcmillan A-3 i think?? with a jewel trigger. The barrel will be throated for 210 bergers

 

[WildRose]

i want this build to be as light as possible without sacrificing recoil. I think i am going to go with 300. win mag. Brux 26-28" barrel, blue printed action, fluted bolt, bedded into a Mcmillan A-3 i think?? with a jewel trigger. The barrel will be throated for 210 bergers

Man I wish you were close by where I could let you shoot my 300 Rum before you get committed.

The nice thing about the Rum vs the WM is if you want to go bigger with more punch you can and if you don't want to you can shoot loads ballistically and recoil wise which are identical to the WM.

I've shot the 300WM in sporter platforms and the bucked a lot harder than my Rum does.

Hell my wife only weighs about 130lbs and the recoil from the Rum with the 180's loaded at 3,250fps doesn't even bother her.

I spent a lot of time wrestling with this myself before buying the RUM and I wouldn't go back and change it for anything. I just love having an endless list of options and encourage others to not limit their's whenever possible.

 

[Tumbleweed]

Both shooting the 180 grain bullets with max loads.
7 mag 2830 fps 3202 ft/lbs .659 bc
800 yards 1837 fps 1848 ft/lbs top game weight 301 lbs.
300 wsm 3123 fps 3900 ft/lbs .474 bc
800 yards 1719 fps 1181 ft/lbs top game weight 247 lbs
nither one good at this range for bigger than deer.

Wow! Curious. Where have you come up with the formula to suggest these top game weights of 301 and 247lbs at these distances? I think this is severly limiting potential at least for the 7 mag load you have listed. Everybody has a choice and a preference, I was just curious. In my set up, if I've got 1100-1200 ft.lbs of energy, I am very confident on elk, I mean no hesitation if the shooting conditions are good enough. This is between 1150 and 1225 yards for me.

 

[andrewb1369]

Man I wish you were close by where I could let you shoot my 300 Rum before you get committed.

The nice thing about the Rum vs the WM is if you want to go bigger with more punch you can and if you don't want to you can shoot loads ballistically and recoil wise which are identical to the WM.

I've shot the 300WM in sporter platforms and the bucked a lot harder than my Rum does.

Hell my wife only weighs about 130lbs and the recoil from the Rum with the 180's loaded at 3,250fps doesn't even bother her.

I spent a lot of time wrestling with this myself before buying the RUM and I wouldn't go back and change it for anything. I just love having an endless list of options and encourage others to not limit their's whenever possible.

Hey bud I have a question for you. Ive been racking my brain between a 300RUM a 300WSM and 7mm Mag. My use is deer to elk to bear. from 100 to 750 yards MAX. I know at longer distances the RUM is better. But im looking for a general do it all gun with the capability of 750yd shots. But would a RUM just completely destroy a deer at more normal ranges like 150 yds? And what about the whole ear protection thing? whats your opinion on this? For my use what do you recommend?

 

[Joe King]

Hey bud I have a question for you. Ive been racking my brain between a 300RUM a 300WSM and 7mm Mag. My use is deer to elk to bear. from 100 to 750 yards MAX. I know at longer distances the RUM is better. But im looking for a general do it all gun with the capability of 750yd shots. But would a RUM just completely destroy a deer at more normal ranges like 150 yds? And what about the whole ear protection thing? whats your opinion on this? For my use what do you recommend?

At those ranges I would pass up on the rum, 7mag and 300wsm are completely adequate. Plus you'll get less recoil, less noise better case life. As far as the 300rum blowing the crap out of something, that's in your bullet choice more than case capacity. I would go look at many rifles in every cal your considering and go with the 1 rifle that speaks to you, you never know you might find your huntin partner sitting on a shelf at some pawnshop looking like hell warmed over covered in 3 layers of dust. Thats how I came to own my 270, I bought it in college working at a gasstation/gunshop, every time I looked at it for 4mo it talked to me. (psst hey take me home I'll put em down without fail) beat up and unsightly as it is, it kills game. lol I buy into that superstition that there are rifles that kill and rifles that won't ever kill a damned thing but paper

 

[andrewb1369]

hahaha sounds good Joe, thanks for the reply.

 

[Enzo]

Wow this has been a great tread to read. I have a 300 WSM composite stalker A-Bolt with Boss , viper vortex LR . I have found it's sweet spot and shoot 190 bergers , h414. Gun punches the same hole at 100 yrds. and a 3'' group at 600. But whe I shoot at 850 groups open up to 8 -10 inches. Is this normal is this a good group at that range? Is my bullet not stabilizing? I am still new at this LR game . I was thinking of 210 bergers , But i don't think i can get it any more accurate and am thrilled to this point even too shoot a 10'' group at 850, any suggestions.

 

[Joe King]

it's your windage skills, play with a ballistic calc some and just vary the windage only by 2-5mph and see what happens. For instance you call your wind for 2 shots at 5mph when in reality for shot #1 it's 3mph and for shot #2 it's 7mph.