Big 7s vs Big 30s final decision

Based on the OP, it seems like recommending a mark 19, javelin missles, or a tracking point might be a better fit.




I guess you and I have a different interpretation. According to the OP, he had narrowed it down to 4 chamberings ...
Hi all! Kinda of narrowed it down to 4 cartridges that are pretty similar but just looking for any experiences or reasons to go towards one over the others

The 4 I'm looking at are the 28 Nosler, 300 Norma Mag Improved, then the 7 and 30 RBH from RBros.
 
The 4 I'm looking at are the 28 Nosler, 300 Norma Mag Improved, then the 7 and 30 RBH from RBros.
I chose a 28 Nosler build for my all around go to rifle. My biggest problem was I waffled about what bullet to use and wasted some barrel life. After trying 175gABs and 195g Bergers, I settled on the 177g Hammer Hunter at 3150fps. This fall my son used it to kill a dandy Wyoming Rocky Bighorn, and a month later, I used it to take a very good bull elk. I'm happy with my decision.
 
I chose a 28 Nosler build for my all around go to rifle. My biggest problem was I waffled about what bullet to use and wasted some barrel life. After trying 175gABs and 195g Bergers, I settled on the 177g Hammer Hunter at 3150fps. This fall my son used it to kill a dandy Wyoming Rocky Bighorn, and a month later, I used it to take a very good bull elk. I'm happy with my decision.
What are you using to push that 177gr HH?
 
Long range hunting doesn't jive well with "5 shots a year to make sure it's still shooting good after summer".
Take a step back and think about the skills you need to hone before taking 1000 yard shots at our Western game.

A heavy for caliber bullet like the 195 or 230 bergers need at least 1800 fps for reliable expansion to put anything in North America on the ground.
You'd be better off focusing on a cartridge that will propel those bullets to said expansion velocity at 1k, and spending more time behind the trigger.
A 28 or 30 Nosler would be fantastic choices, don't worry about barrel life with either that's the cheap part
I couldn't agree more with this post. I shoot a lot and have for years. Still working my way up to 1000 and I practice at that distance quite frequently. I made a kill last year at 850 and it made my head swell so I tried a shot at 916 and wounded and lost an animal. Made me sick and certainly made me think, **** I need a lot more practice at 1000 before I attempt that again.
 
Hi all! Kinda of narrowed it down to 4 cartridges that are pretty similar but just looking for any experiences or reasons to go towards one over the others

The 4 I'm looking at are the 28 Nosler, 300 Norma Mag Improved, then the 7 and 30 RBH from RBros.

This is for a gun that would be a North American game rifle, built around 10 pounds when field ready. After it's broke in and I'm comfortable with the rifle it would be lucky to be shot more than 5 times in a year. Simply only used when I pull a tag out west(which is hardly an annual thing), and to make sure it's still shooting straight after the summer. So barrel life and case life is not really a factor to me, it will take enough time before I need one that a new barrel or a new set of brass would be fun to shop for at that point. The rifle would be a longer range(up to 1000 yards)hunting gun for elk and mule deer mainly.

I would be pushing all these rounds pretty hard: 28 Nos would be using the 195 and going about 3150, 7 RBH would use the 195 going 3200-3225, the 300 NMI would be using the 230 going 3100-3125, and finally the 30 RBH would use the 230 going 3150-3175

Again, any experience with any of these, advice with them, or reasons one may be a little more of a pain to deal with than the others is helpful
Long-range hunting and 5 rounds a year is a CONTRADICTION in TERMS! You may want to RETHINK THE whole idea of Long Range all-TOGATHER !! just my .02 cent's !
Don't complicate it unnecessarily; pick one and go for it. And do NOT let anybody, including myself, talk to you about your want/need.
 
You running a brake, and great ear protection? If yes I would look at the 30 cal. You want to be able to reach out to 1,000 yards in a hunting situation I would recommend you burn a few barrels out practicing at 1,000 yards preferably at different ranges. Practice enough until first round of the day is within 10 inches of your point of aim then you are starting to get ready.

Maybe you are a wind savant and can read the wind exquisitely and only need to know that your POI and POA are the same and 5 rounds per season would do that. I have burned quite a few barrels out on the 1,000 yards line and I am not up to the point where I feel I can put every first round close enough to my point of aim that I would shoot at big game at 1,000 yards, I am responsible, both good and bad, for what every bullet leaving a gun of mine when I pull the trigger and I don't want to wound an animal and have it suffer more then 10's of yards.

Granted I am not a wind savant or wind whisperer. The more I shot at 1,000 yards the less comfortable I became about hunting at that range as I learned just how tricky the wind can be. Also you need to keep in mind that shooting at a known distance (KD) range is a lot easier than shooting for the first time across a mountain meadow with different wind indicators.

You did not mention what range finder you are going to carry, bipod/rest, scope, and how about a spotting scope. There is a lot more to a 1,000 yard shot than just a gun that the POA and POI match.

If I had to make killing shots at 1,000 yards I would probably go with the 338 Lapua as I have had my best luck with cold bore shots out of a 338 Lapua I built and passed on to the customer and they liked it. The cold bore accuracy may just have been unique to that build than to the 338 Lapua cartridge.

I imagine this is more than you wanted and probably not what you wanted to hear.

wade
 
I made a kill last year at 850 and it made my head swell so I tried a shot at 916 and wounded and lost an animal. Made me sick and certainly made me think, **** I need a lot more practice at 1000 before I attempt that again.
Your honesty is commendable
I spoke with a hunter around hells canyon a few years ago that was bragging about a 340 bull he'd killed at 1200 yards.
He went on to say he totally missed the first two shots and dropped him with the 3rd, I'm not going to pretend that I haven't made a poor shot that I regretted but that BS made me cringe.
 
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