Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles The 7mm Rem Mag vs. the 300 Win Mag

For those of you that have hunted with these cartridges, did you notice a difference in their performance on game at all? I can see pros and cons for each cartridge.

The 7mm uses a bit shorter case that gives you a bit more room to seat a bullet out further. 7mm bullets have all the numbers to make people think they are God's gift. It also seems to kick a bit less.

Then again, any bullet the 7mm pushes, the 300 will push one 10 to 20gr heavier at the same speed with more frontal area. I have to stomp bullets in fairly far to fit in the magazine of my M70. But, there doesn't seem to be an issue as far as accuracy with that rifle. It shoots great regardless of how much the bullet jumps.

As far as purpose for comparison, let's make believe that this rifle will be used to hunt antelope out to 400 yards and then hunt animals the size of moose at those ranges or as close as the sphincter allows.

If Moose are in the equation, I want the larger frontal area and hole of the 30 or even larger. I consider the 300WBY to STILL, after all of these decades, to be the best of the all around belted magnum bunch by a good margin.

There is no need to get analytical.....the .300 kicks harder, therefore, it is better.

For the reasons you stated,I think the 300's are more "powerful" cartridges.I agree with safariman on the 300 Weatherby, which is likely my all-time favorite 300 magnum.

I have seen them flatten elk at what I consider to be "long range",bounce an Alaskan brown bear,and have driven 180 and 200 gr bullets 3/4 the length of bull elk at about 450 yards and at under 100.I have also seen them give very spectacular kills.Across the board, they are more potent cartridges.

Have done pretty much the same things with the 7mm bullets.


Does this always translate to quicker kills? No, not in my experience....I have noticed that the spectacular kills occur on any game only when they are properly hit. An elk hit poorly with a 300 magnum will give you just as big a problem as if you had slopped one into the edges with a Big 7mm.I see no advantage of the Big 30's over the Big 7mm's in that regard.

Across the board, I think the 300's are more potent,but "good" heavy 7mm bullets at magnum velocities start to nudge you into 300 magnum territory.A lot has to do with what bullets you use, so that if you gave me a choice between (say)a 300 Win Mag with a standard 180 gr bullet, and a 7mm Rem mag with a 160 gr Bitterroot....for anything...I would take the 7mm load every time.There isn't anything in North America, including moose and grizzly, that I would hesitate to shoot with that load.

You could certainly load an equally good bullet in the 300's, and you'd have a more "potent" package.But again, unless you hit game exactly right,you will have a problem and the extra power of the 300's won't make up for that.

I have noticed that every single time I have seen a spectacular kill with either cartridge, the animal was precisely well hit.....and every time I have seen a rodeo with either cartridge,the animal was NOT well hit.It is really tough to overemphasize this bullet placement thing.

We can play mind games with this stuff all day long...but let me ask(because I don't know the answer what does a 180 gr 30 cal bullet, started at 3100 fps do, that a 7mm bullet weighing 175 gr and started at the same velocity,not do?Assuming equal placmement,and assuming they both expand to .60 to .65 caliber and penetrate equally? (I know the 30 has a frontal area advantage while flying through the air...does this always hold true after they hit game?)

Dan BTW,you can get around the deep seating issues with your M70 300 Win Mag by swapping mag parts,having ejector and bolt stop modified for H&H length. You can also throat with a dummy with 180 gr bullet seated to base of cartridge neck.I hunted years with a 300 Win Mag set up that way and it worked really well with 180 Partitions and 165 Bitterroots loaded to 3140 and 3240 or so.

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We can play mind games with this stuff all day long...but let me ask(because I don't know the answer what does a 180 gr 30 cal bullet, started at 3100 fps do, that a 7mm bullet weighing 175 gr and started at the same velocity,not do?Assuming equal placmement,and assuming they both expand to .60 to .65 caliber and penetrate equally? (I know the 30 has a frontal area advantage while flying through the air...does this always hold true after they hit game?)

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Excellent post Bob, the only thing I'd add or have noticed different is that the 180/30's will stay in game from time to time and I've never caught a 175 Preme bullet out of a Big 7. I'd say if one wants a 7 bullet to comp to a 180/30 I'd be looking more like a 150 of which I've only caught one of any sort.

2 holes is a big deal to this kid and less recoil is a bigger deal to me now than it ever was. So for those reason I'd go with a Big 7 each and every day over a 30.

Dober

Dober: I feel the same way, while not doubting the effectivness of a 30 cal magnum, but just wanting a lighter package and a bit less recoil.

300 Win Mag is better, cuz the 7mm is metric and 30 cal is American! Honestly I think its a 6 of one, half dozen of the other kinda thing.

Amen to that!

Dober

175's @3000

200's @3000

Both stellar killers, take your pick on rifle configuration, or to be a little different than the rest of your battery.

Gunner

edit: spelling

Have a short parallel comparison of 7mmWSM and 300WSM in Africa, eland to warthog. 160gr Barnes TSX 7mm and 168gr TSX 308, both run at about 3100 fps. I know they're not the same but the ballistics are comparable, with the 300s just adjust the yardage to match. Both bullets were recovered under some circumstances, both bullets exited under some circumstances, each provided one shot kills, each in some cases required follow up shots. And in no case was any game lost. Worst case was several follow up shots at kudu. Shot with 7mm, but I was not familiar with the anatomy of kudu, which are built like a knife blade. This one probably went 200 yd. I don't feel either one was inadequate, and wouldn't hesitate to repeat the hunt with either one.

I grab my 7RM alot more than my 300win. Recoil from the 7mm is a winner. Venison gonna taste the same. If I had to choose for a build, 300 wby would be the one.

Have taken elk and deer with both. Same results and to be honest cannot tell difference in recoil. Both are fine hunting rounds.

Dan, your 300 win mag will suffice for any hunting you want to do in NA. I used one for years and it works like it is susposed to, it has a little bit of an edge over the 30-06 (something I've also used for years) for the longer ranges. Pick a good bullet for the 300 win mag like the 180 partition and you will have most of your bases covered. I've used bullets ranging from 165 (mine loved the 165 nosler solid base bullet, can't get those anymore ), 180 partition, and loaded down 200 accubonds for some rifle comps I used to attend back when I only had one rifle to my name and they wouldn't allow anything over 2700 fps on their steel targets , (I still took home the money but was playing with an extreme handicap as my 180 partition load was much more accurate, but running around 3,100 fps)......No flies on the 300 win mag especially if you are talking about your pre 64 model 70. I'd hunt that bastid and never look back........Hey by the way, you are going to have to update us on that pre 64 if you still have it.....

You should have thrown the 338 win mag in there just for a more rounded comparison...

I still have it. I'm not going to get rid of this one. I loaded up a bunch of loads for it over the last few weeks but haven't had the weather or time to get to the range. I loaded 180gr Partitions with H4831 in 1/2 grain increments from 71gr to 73gr. I also loaded up some 150gr TTSXs with H4350 in the same way with the same charges. I figured I'd shoot 2 5-shot groups with each load and check velocity along the way. If one load seemed to group better than the others, I'd mess with OAL to find the right spot.

My Dad doesn't want me to refinish the rifle due to what it is. My problem is that there are some small spots on the metal where the finish is worn to the white. The finish on the stock has been partially re-done. If I'm going through the trouble of refinishing the stock for protection's sake and touching up the metal, why not go with a complete re-finish?

A "complete" refinish may hurt the resale value of the rifle, but if you plan on keeping it forever it wouldn't hurt anything........It's your rifle so you should be able to make your own choices as to what you do to it. Either way, you've got one dandy and I'd hang on to it too if I were you. Nothing wrong with the 300 win mag either.....

Isn't this just the .270-30-06 discussion revisited????

No, I think we have that figured out. If you are gay or coming out of the closet then you use the 270, if you are a real man then you opt for the 30-06.......

.280 vs .30-06