300 or 7mm mag?

[riffer]

So right now Im looking into buying a new gun for elk and moose mostly, and I got it narrowed down to the 300 mag and 7mm mag can you guys give me a hand choosing which one?

And as far as model Im thinking of getting a Browning A-bolt

[Alberta Bigbore]

just saying.......... there is a minty 300Wm in a browning on CGN in the EE forums right now!!

[The Rog Man]

I hunted with a 7mm mag for over 20 years and found it to be excellent overall.
The only complaint i ever had was on occasion if a straight through shot didn't touch any bone even though the animal was done for it still ran away on me.
Very frusterating watching a good as dead deer run away and have too give chase.
This happened a few times over the years.
Through a series of events i wound up with a .300 win mag and have used it ever since, it shoots excellent and i have since gotten used too the extra knock down power this bullet has.
I haven't had a deer run away since.
Both calibre's are excellent in my opinion but i do like the fact that everything I have pointed my .300 at has fallen down on the spot (knock on wood).
I would still shoot a 7 mag in a heartbeat but i am all tooled up for .300 and I find it to be an excellent although slightly overkill rifle to go after game with.
The only other thing I have noticed is that i could shoot my 7 mag at the range all day long and not flinch.
The .300 however does pack a punch and there is no doubt when squeezing the trigger. But both are excellent for big game hunting.
Shoot both calibre's several times before you decide what to invest in.
Nothing worse than buying a rifle only to be afraid of it or just plain dislike it.
my two bitts worth.

[riffer]

I hunted with a 7mm mag for over 20 years and found it to be excellent overall.
The only complaint i ever had was on occasion if a straight through shot didn't touch any bone even though the animal was done for it still ran away on me.
Very frusterating watching a good as dead deer run away and have too give chase.
This happened a few times over the years.
Through a series of events i wound up with a .300 win mag and have used it ever since, it shoots excellent and i have since gotten used too the extra knock down power this bullet has.
I haven't had a deer run away since.
Both calibre's are excellent in my opinion but i do like the fact that everything I have pointed my .300 at has fallen down on the spot (knock on wood).
I would still shoot a 7 mag in a heartbeat but i am all tooled up for .300 and I find it to be an excellent although slightly overkill rifle to go after game with.
The only other thing I have noticed is that i could shoot my 7 mag at the range all day long and not flinch.
The .300 however does pack a punch and there is no doubt when squeezing the trigger. But both are excellent for big game hunting.
Shoot both calibre's several times before you decide what to invest in.
Nothing worse than buying a rifle only to be afraid of it or just plain dislike it.
my two bitts worth.
I dont know anyone with either of the two so I really wont be able to try either of them.
Right now I'm shooting a 270, can you give me an idea of how much of a boot they give compared what Im shooting now?

thanks

[Alberta Bigbore]

Recoil Table (http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm)





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[whitetailhntr]

I personally am a fan of the 7mm caliber myself.I shoot a .280 rem an absolutly love it.but.....I defeniltly think that elk an moose are .30 cal worthy.Not sayin that a 7mm won't do it , and do it well i might add, but moose and especially elk are tough s.o.b's.Having shot both species with 7mm and 33 calibers i would go with the 30 cal if i have to choose.this only my opinion.

[The Rog Man]

I dont know anyone with either of the two so I really wont be able to try either of them.
Right now I'm shooting a 270, can you give me an idea of how much of a boot they give compared what Im shooting now?

thanks

where do you live???
The young fella i just got into hunting wanted a big bad ass rifle but i insisted he go to the range and try some different calibre's first.
He was thinking .338 ultra mag but i told him he was way offf !!!
I took him to the range along with some friends and he shot everything from a 30-30 all the way up. He bought himself a 7 mm Rem mag and he is very happy with it.
Generally guys are pretty friendly at a rifle range in my experience.
If you tell em yer story i'm sure you'll get too squeeze a few rounds off??
If you don't know a single person that has rifles I am sure a posting on the forum will get you some hands on time??
If yer close buy i have no problem lettin you squeeze a few rounds out of my Tikka .300 win mag.
Depending on your location call a few indoor ranges and see if you can shoot any house guns., Phoenix on the south end of Edmonton does that for pistols, maybe they do it for rifles aswell??
I still say fire the calibre's yer interested in before buying but thats just my ywo bitts worth?

[Solothurn]

Either will kill any animal in North America, I know this from having done this with both calibers over the years.
Bullet placement is more important that bullet diameter.
1 thing I see commonly is guys buying 300s and then shooting 180 grain or lighter bullets out of them, if that is the plan, buy a 7 Rem Mag and shoot 160s or 175s.
The 300 Win Mag has the advantage over the 7 Rem Mag in that it will propel 200 plus grain bullets extremely well, which in turn increases your potential energy transfer (killing power) at longer ranges.
If you are looking for good killing power out to 800 yards the 7Rem Mag will work just fine, to stretch the nevlope to 1100 yards the 300 has superiority.
Most guys feel 300 to 400 yards is a long shot, and for many it truly is, in this type of distance the differences between the 2 calibers is moot.
Personally I would NOT buy a Browning Abolt, they are pretty but will transfer more recoil to the shoulder than some other brands will due to their stock design. The mag system is clumsy as hell and their triggers suck, other than that they are well made.

[rembo]

I'm with ATR on this one...I've killed more game with the 300 Winny than all my other cartridges combined.....and every animal could have been taken with a 30-06 (what I carried today) or even a 308. I've seen quite a few elk taken with a 280 and a 7 Rem Mag....they were just as dead as the two I shot with the 300.....if I had to pick just one, it would be the 7mm Rem Mag pushing a good 160 at 3100....and the rifle would weigh no more than 8-1/2 lbs...even an 8lb 7Rem Mag would be bearable.......recoils less than a 300 Win and shoots flatter past about 350yds..if you shoot that far on a regular basis...I dont'.
As a matter of fact I think the 7mm Rem Mag is the best, yes, better than a 30-06 , cartridge for the average hunter who goes after elk and moose as well as deer. It can be made quite light and it won't knock you over...and shoots very flat with 140-160's...I'd work up a good load with a good 160, use it on everything, and never look back

and don't get an ABolt.....get a Kimber Montana......there's a nice light 7Mag....

[riffer]

Either will kill any animal in North America, I know this from having done this with both calibers over the years.
Bullet placement is more important that bullet diameter.
1 thing I see commonly is guys buying 300s and then shooting 180 grain or lighter bullets out of them, if that is the plan, buy a 7 Rem Mag and shoot 160s or 175s.
The 300 Win Mag has the advantage over the 7 Rem Mag in that it will propel 200 plus grain bullets extremely well, which in turn increases your potential energy transfer (killing power) at longer ranges.
If you are looking for good killing power out to 800 yards the 7Rem Mag will work just fine, to stretch the nevlope to 1100 yards the 300 has superiority.
Most guys feel 300 to 400 yards is a long shot, and for many it truly is, in this type of distance the differences between the 2 calibers is moot.
Personally I would NOT buy a Browning Abolt, they are pretty but will transfer more recoil to the shoulder than some other brands will due to their stock design. The mag system is clumsy as hell and their triggers suck, other than that they are well made.

Thanks, you know much about the Ruger m77 Hawkeye?

[brewski]

i have also had both calibers, i keep the .300 and shoot my elk and moose with that, it seems to knock them down quicker at the longer distance, just my personal experience though, like others have said, u need to shoot both calibers and find what is right for you.