7rm or 300rum

[WildRose]

Agreed. I do believe the famous line on this sight and other is "you pay to play." You can have all the speed, energy, ballistics, that you could imagine in todays technology of rifles, equipment, and wildcats. It's all about how much you want to pay.

I am a big advocate of the 7-300win. Some 180's, or event he 195's, would be pretty impressive, somewhat cost efficient. That would also be on my short list of "guns I absolutely need to have." If that trips your trigger, and you are into it's ballistics, there is some good stuff out there too. Seems like when I was looking into it, the 28 Nosler did pretty good with the 195's, 7STW is always a good choice, and I can only imagine how sweet one 7mm Allen Magnums would be. Once again, how much you want to spend? lol

I too am a big STW fan but have never owned one. I am starting to think I am the guy always looking for the next best thing until he has it, and then just wants the next next best thing. hehehe

Good luck on your choices. Can't go wrong with any of them.

I currently own three of them and there's always room for another STW in my cabinet. If I were starting over from scratch today I'd probably just go with the 28 Nosler for simplicity's sake.

Fortuntely I have a lifetime supply of STW Brass and now that there are a couple of different manufacturers producing it, it wouldn't be difficult or overly costly to buy a lifetime supply for each new STW as you add them to the collection. One thing I really like about the cartridge is that unless you just get completely stupid running at or over max the brass tends to hold up pretty darned well. I also think that for most applications if you stick to the 150-180gr projectiles you'll get the best combination of performance and barrel life. I'm well passed 1,200rds through my original STW and it still has a lot of life left in it.

 

[mrb1982]

I would probably have to be first in line if they made some Sendero's in the STW again. Maybe if we get lucky in the next 30 years, some of the manufacturers will notice the push for heavy bullets and bring it back in something other than a sporter. I am not holding my breath on that though.

On a side note, when we talk about recoil. It should be noted that the used of muzzle brakes, specifically side discharge for prone shooting, more or less mitigated the conversation on recoil. I don't know much about the 338's, but I can say that they are great on anything 300 RUM or smaller and make it much easier to shoot. I have one on my 7 RM, not because I "need" it, but it is fantastically fun to shoot with pathetically little recoil.

 

[WildRose]

I would probably have to be first in line if they made some Sendero's in the STW again. Maybe if we get lucky in the next 30 years, some of the manufacturers will notice the push for heavy bullets and bring it back in something other than a sporter. I am not holding my breath on that though.

On a side note, when we talk about recoil. It should be noted that the used of muzzle brakes, specifically side discharge for prone shooting, more or less mitigated the conversation on recoil. I don't know much about the 338's, but I can say that they are great on anything 300 RUM or smaller and make it much easier to shoot. I have one on my 7 RM, not because I "need" it, but it is fantastically fun to shoot with pathetically little recoil.

I'd tend to agree with you at least as far as my shooting goes but there's a portion of recoil that you just can't mitigate at all and how each shooter perceives recoil is a very individual thing.

I know people who think that a sporter weight 700bdl 7mm RM shooting 140-150gr bullets is a heavy recoiling rifle (without a brake) and others who will shoot heavies in a .338 Rum all day and never complain.

One thing I've noticed over the years is that a large percentage of shooters automatically start flinching with anything that has "magnum" in the name and will swear up and down that the same caliber, bullet wt, charge and all kicks less without the word magnum attached.

Cracks me up.

 

[redds]

There are so many good options out there with different rifle manufacturers and calibers. it makes for a hard decision. Whatever i go with will have a muzzle break on it regardless. I do not have any components for anything other than the 7rm so would have to start from scratch so that is kinda a key factor here i hate worrying about trying to find things. Excuse me if i am off hear but i am just trying to get things clear in my head about this. Within the .284 range seems like the velocity's range around 150 fps of each other. But i would like to go with the heavier bullets like 180ish just for the energy advantage . Same goes for the 30s but would go with the 200 plus and think thats the only way the 30 would have the advantage over the .284s. I also think if you hit your mark any will do the job but some with more authority. 1000 yrds at this point is pushing it for me because of my experience but i am comfortable at 800 with my current set up. But want to extend my comfort zone thus comes the new rifle and possibility of new caliber. I shoot on average 30-40 rounds a week weather permitting. I really value all the comments and suggestions everyone gives me and please keep them coming. Sorry if i sound like a cry baby. I wish there was just the perfect caliber.

 

[ruby76]

I have sort of been in the same boat as you wanting more punch. I've shot a 280AI for quite a while but have been wanting more energy since my main target animal is moose. My ackley has shot its share of moose but i wanted more and spent a lot of time considering options for bigger. Of course there are many options and considerations but in the end I went with a 300 wm. Main reasons why the 300 wm have already been mentioned in this thread as well as the 300wm vs 30 Nosler thread. I'll be shooting 212 Eldx's because if I am going up in caliber it only made sense to use a bigger pill. I'm getting more into long range shooting and although the 280AI is good, the 300wm can do better. The ackley will go on a diet and become my packing gun mainly for deer.

 

[mrb1982]

Don't feel alone on caliber deliberations. We are all in that boat. People who build/buy lots of guns are always trying to decide what their next gun is, and people that only buy a few are ttying to decide what the few they have need to be. Just nature of the beast.

You are kind of rekindling my desire for a 7mm of some sort for some 195's! Speaking of caliber deliberation......

 

[WildRose]

I have sort of been in the same boat as you wanting more punch. I've shot a 280AI for quite a while but have been wanting more energy since my main target animal is moose. My ackley has shot its share of moose but i wanted more and spent a lot of time considering options for bigger. Of course there are many options and considerations but in the end I went with a 300 wm. Main reasons why the 300 wm have already been mentioned in this thread as well as the 300wm vs 30 Nosler thread. I'll be shooting 212 Eldx's because if I am going up in caliber it only made sense to use a bigger pill. I'm getting more into long range shooting and although the 280AI is good, the 300wm can do better. The ackley will go on a diet and become my packing gun mainly for deer.

You may want to look at the 200 and 220 instead of the 212 which is designed for single shots. Unless you have a longer than standard factory magbox it may well be too long for you. It is a very long bullet.

 

[BigSky112]

Having both calibers, it would be certainly hard to choose. Both are excellent. One thing to consider is RUM brass is very difficult to find. Rumors are Remington dropped the RUM out of their line up, thus reducing companies making the brass. True or not is doesn't change the availability of the RUM brass.

 

[ruby76]

You may want to look at the 200 and 220 instead of the 212 which is designed for single shots. Unless you have a longer than standard factory magbox it may well be too long for you. It is a very long bullet.

Will do for sure, thanks. Looks like I have a bit, actually a lot more, homework to do on bullet selection for what is best for my application. It's a savage 114 dbm with a factory 24" 1:10 twist stainless barrel. First thing I was going to do once it's in my hands was measure the box length.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I have rifles chambered in both cartridges you are asking about. Both have their place and usage. My .300RUM is strictly an elk rifle. Too much for deer in my opinion and what I have seen on game. It is a heavy rifle pushing a 215 Hybrid at 3100fps. I witnessed two people take elk last year with it. 1 @ 858 yards, elk dropped at impact. 1 @ 437 yards, again, dropped at impact. It have taken several other elk from 90 to 700+. Unfortunately, only one by me, back in 1999. I have not drawn an elk tag since. I do not know where people are saying brass is hard to find, I see it almost weekly on store shelves from Norma and Nosler. And it is far superior to Remington brass too. But I am still using my 110 pieces of factory Remington brass that I boutique in 1997. Always loaded pretty hot. About 7-8 firings on it so far. Still tight primer pockets.

My 7RM is a hand-me-down from my late father-in-law. It pushes a 180 Hybrid or 183 SMK right at 3000fps. Again, I have watched it take an elk at only 75 yards. My 14 year old daughter used it to take the first elk ever harvested with the rifle last year. It is a 9.5# re-worked sporter. Recoil is nice with the brake.

 

[redds]

Thanks for all the feed back you guys have given me. i think I have narrowed it down between the 7mm-300 and the 300wm. But i have a friend trying to sway me to the 28 Nosler but the cost for brass is equal to the 300 RUM. I believe anything out to a 1000 all will do just fine. Anyone have any thoughts about these 2 or should i sway towards my friends idea

 

[WildRose]

Thanks for all the feed back you guys have given me. i think I have narrowed it down between the 7mm-300 and the 300wm. But i have a friend trying to sway me to the 28 Nosler but the cost for brass is equal to the 300 RUM. I believe anything out to a 1000 all will do just fine. Anyone have any thoughts about these 2 or should i sway towards my friends idea

Between the 2 I'd go with the 300wm. The 7x.300wm isn't going to match it ballistically and will have significantly shorter barrel life and there are better 7mm Options available.

 

[mrb1982]

All personal preference. I am a big 7-300 fan. The 28 Noslers will get you even more spunk. The 300 win will do all the same things the other 2 do. Can't go wrong with any. 300 brass is cheaper, but if you neck down to the 7 it is added work the first time around. If you do go with a 7 of some sort, I would look at the 195 grain bullets in the calibers you are looking at. A little extra spunk to get you closer to the energy of a 300 win.

 

[WildRose]

All personal preference. I am a big 7-300 fan. The 28 Noslers will get you even more spunk. The 300 win will do all the same things the other 2 do. Can't go wrong with any. 300 brass is cheaper, but if you neck down to the 7 it is added work the first time around. If you do go with a 7 of some sort, I would look at the 195 grain bullets in the calibers you are looking at. A little extra spunk to get you closer to the energy of a 300 win.

You're giving up a whole lot of velocity going to the 195's so I don't think it's worthwhile.