Why the 7mm Rem Mag?

[Daysaroonie]

The outfitter I go with in Colorado dislikes the 7mm-to many wounded elk prefers to see guys with a 300wm all day long.

Let me rephrase: prefers to see .30 caliber rifles over 7mm

 

[Blueman]

The slight bit of recoil reduction makes a huge difference, better bc bullets (for weight class), easy to get ammo and components

 

[Skimbleshanks]

I went with a 7 mag because I wanted something in between my 06 and my 300 RUM. I also didn't own any 7mms and the 7 mag is a real goldilocks cartridge. Plenty of, speed/flatness, bullet selection, light enough recoil for most, decent barrel life.

 

[beto]

Shoot much heavier bull.

 

[FlyGuy11]

The 7 mag pre dates the 300. So why the 300 when we already had the 7?
They all have a place and it's all just personal preference.

Marketing

 

[beto]

Shoot much heavier bullets.

 

[beto]

Shoot much heavier bullets

 

[Buckys]

Lets say you had a new buyer into the game and starting anew.

Well, in that case, they are probably from Texas like me and probably have no need for a 300wm. I'd tell that guy to buy a 280AI. He'll be able to kill a lot more deer since we're all down to our last few precious grains of powder.

 

[CONatureBoy]

When there exists the 300 WM? Just curious. Might need a nudge

Wow you got beat up for asking a basic question. Oh well.

Both calibers use the same case, just with a different neck size. So powder capacity isn't the difference. That leaves bullet size and exterior ballistics. Look at the range of bullet weights that a given bullet manufacturer markets for each caliber. In Bergers (for example) the 7mms go up to 190 grains, if you're willing to use a barrel with a fast-enough twist rate to stabilize them. The 300 WM goes up to 250 grains (same twist-rate caveat), though as a practical matter you don't get any benefit in (even long range) retained energy with anything above 210-230 grains, at least with a SAAMI-standard chamber. (My 300 RUM shooting a 210-grain VLD is flatter and retains more energy than a 230-grain Berger from the same rifle, out to over 500 yards. The differences are still almost theoretical out to 1,000 yards.) The differences in trajectories are modest; a skilled shooter could do about as well with either, properly loaded, at longish range. So the difference is the marginal extra bullet mass and retained energy at longer ranges, trading a little more kick for a little more oomph.

That's a boring, engineering-facts type answer. My personal-preference answer is, I've hunted a 7mm Rem. Mag. and a 300 RUM (which might be 50-100 fps faster than the 300 Win. Mag.). I like having a little more mass and energy downrange, and I don't mind the kick. (I currently also hunt a 280 AI, shooting a 180-grain 7mm bullet at 7mm Rem. Mag. speeds. I like that even better than the 7mm Rem. Mag. I get 3,000 fps, and it kicks less and uses a bit less powder.) Now that the 190-grain bullets are available, if I had to do it over again, I'd probably build a fast-twist 7 around the Berger 190-grain bullet.

 

[Ninering62]

The 300wm rattles most peoples teeth. The 7RM does not. The 7rm is slightly flatter and less wind drift out to normal hunting range. Cost less to shoot, more fun and pleasant to shoot.

You laid it out perfectly & completely. Well done sir.
I got a Browning A-Bolt ll in 7mm Rem mag. With the BOSS brake. Absolute tack driver. The only issue is - using the right bullet for what you are shooting. IMHO The 7mm mag took the versatility & effective range that the wonderfully famous 30.06 has & took every aspect into the next level. It will take varmints & small critters - groundhogs with the lightest bullets & it will handle any large game at extended ranges very well. I always loved the fact that my 100yd zero was still on point at 300yds. I'm a huge fan of the .30 cal, but that 7mm is as versatile & utilitarian as any gun ever made. I got a 300 WM IN ANOTHER a-Bolt & found out very fast that it was so far beyond " overkill " for anything I was ably to do, expensive to shoot too. I sold it inside a yr. When I started learning the ballistics aspects of the two, the 7mm won out there too for me.

 

[arch408]

Shoot both of them and decide for your self. Or get both and see which one you use the most. Put that type of question out in a forum and you will get many opinions. I don't have a .300 WM, but I have a .300RUM, two .300SAUMs, 30 Gibbs and .30-06s. I also have two 7mmRMs, and two 7mm STWs. Which one do I use the most? My titanium .300 SAUM. It weighs less than 6 1/2 pounds with the scope (unloaded). 7mm RM, .300 WM, both have their pros and cons (according to their fans). Step up and make your own choice. Compare ballistics and use that as the basis. Don't use us because we have many differing opinions.

 

[mercerbear]

7 mm RM is a great sheep/goat cartridge for the ballistic reasons mentioned in earlier posts. You can spend decades waiting to draw a tag, multiple weeks scouting and hunting and tens of thousands of dollars to finally put crosshairs on a trophy in conditions that will not permit stalking to closer range. In that case, you will need the rifle that you carried on your back up and down mountains to be the most capable to reach out and touch them and will want every last advantage of inches and fps.

Other than that, give me the 300 wm, Africa, elk, whitetail... But why choose either or. Just get a bigger gun safe, that's always the right answer.

I'd rather have a 264 Win Mag for long range shots on lighter game.

264 / 300 Win Mag. Good combo.

 

[Biebs]

The 264 gives up the versatility of heavier bullets that the 7 mag can handle for bigger game.

 

[William W.]

Why does either one exist when we have the 6.5 Creedmoor

Just maybe you aren't smart enough to own firearms?