The .280 AI will never equal the 7MM Rem Mag. I can easily get 3100 FPS using 160 grain Partitions with a 24" barreled 7MM Rem Mag. I get 3000 FPS with 175 Partitions. 3200 FPS is no problem with 150 Ballistic Tips. All of my reloads shoot safely in my rifle. The reality is the velocity advantage of the 7MM Rem Mag vis-a-vis the .280 Rem & .280 AI add up to zero. My 7MM Rem Mag ain't gonna kill any deader than a .280 Rem. The .280 Rem ain't gonna kill any deader than the .270 Win
There is no practical advantage of the 7MM Rem Mag vis-a-vis the .280 Rem or .280 AI.
There is magic in .284 caliber sectional densities. They'll shoot farther than 99% of hunters are capable of shooting & they'll penetrate the heck outta big game they hit.
The only problem is .284 caliber bullets don't kill any deader than .277 caliber bullets of the same construction; e.g., Partitions.
Were I given a hunting rifle do-over, I'd buy one good-quality (Sako) .280 Rem and never need another rifle. Except for the legendary penetration of the 175 grain .284 caliber bullet, it ain't a better cartridge than the .270 Win.
I could kill all the big game I intend to hunt, including huge bull elk, with one of my .270 Win rifles. There ain't a better Rocky Mountain mule deer cartridge than the .270 Win.
I love my Sako 7MM Rem Mag. But it's too damned heavy to carry over high ridges of the Rockies.
From here on out, it'll be done with one of my .270 Win rifles.
In the end, it's all preference. The reality is a .308 Win carbine might run at the top of best North American big game rifles, provided you know how to close distance and get within 300 yards of what you intend to affix a tag.
Good post Trumpster.
Hard to argue with anything you said . . . except maybe "There ain't a better Rocky Mountain mule deer cartridge than the .270 Win."
