Lots of 7mm cartridges worldwide, some good and some better. To start this thread off, my question is this,
"What does this bore size offer that the 30cal doesn't?" Does the 280 really do anything any better than the 270? Does a 7mm mag. offer anything that a 300mag cannot?

May as well dismiss the notion that there exists a great advantage in any of theses calibers over another. They are all of the same GENERAL killing power when appropriate projectiles are employed, with an edge in bullet weight going to the .30 calibers and an edge in shootability going to the .277 & .284 calibers.

The .270, with first quality projectiles is quite capable of taking game routinely associated with the .30 caliber Magnums. Conversely, any .30 caliber Magnum can be loaded to shoot as flat as any .270 loading. One caliber may most certainly be deemed "preferable" to the other for a specific application but NOT to the exclusion of the others.

As the "shootability" of the .277/.284 class of cartridges constitutes a valid field advantage over the .30 caliber Magnums in the eyes of many, there are others who feel the extra bullet weight offered by the .30 calibers provide a discernable performance advantage on the heavier animals.

It has always been my feeling that a total caliber differential of a mere .031" can not possibly provide sufficient variance in general killing power to arbitrarily exclude any of them from consideration. Personal preference should and usually does prevail.

[This message has been edited by Nickudu (edited 07-23-2001).]

I think the main issue on the 270-7mm Mag Vs 300 mag is recoil.

For many shooters the 270-7mm Mag is at a threshold, especially when testing their guns under rifle range conditions.

In my opinion most shooters will and do get better results with the 270 to 7mm mag group, rather than the 300 magnums.

Mike

I agree with Mike on this one. From the figures I have seen, the two most used big game cartridges in America today are .30-06 and 7mm Rem mag in that order. The major selling point of 7 Rem Mag was that it produced better trajectories and energies in factory loaded ammo than .30-06 and did it with the same amount of recoil.

Most of us don't like to admit it but none of us enjoys getting pounded everytime we sqeeze the trigger. Every shooter has a recoil treshold, and for me it's hot loaded .300 Mag in an 8 lbs rifle. Anything beyond that and I want a heavier rifle or a muzzle brake. For shooters like us 7 Mag is a "better" hunting cartridge.

Although I am a true .30 cal fan, and I believe that it is the best all round calibre for big game hunting (except for the "really big" game), I still admire the 7mm cartridges, specially 7x57 and .280 Rem. They will do anything a comparable .30 cal would do, and will do it with less recoil.
BB

I could also ask what do the .30's do that the 7mm don't especially now we have premium bullets??? Same horse, different jocky as we
say over here!!:-)

Well, I personally would dismiss any 7mm cartridge except the 7x57, otherwise known as the 275 Rigby Rimless.

Ballistically, I enjoy looking at the various 300 and 7mm magnum on paper. Beyond the 7x57 and 280 (or 7x64 Brenneke) and the 300 Winchester or H&H, I don't think there is much to be gained unless the bore size increases.

regards,

redleg

Nickudu and Mike375 I agree.

For me, more and more I stray from the 300s and shoot a 280 and a 270. I just find them more agreable. They shoot as flat as the 300s and kill everything in that class of cartridges I care to use. I can do without any of the 7 mags and in that case would just rather pick up a 300.

I just rebarreled a 7MM Rem that has been my rifle of choice for most hunts for deer sized game. I have shot over 10,000 rounds through the old barrel. I used it for maybe 100 animals and a dozen years before an animal ever required a second shot, and that animal was a coyote. I've never had a 270, and until recently the only 30 caliber I've had was a couple in 30-06. I've never shot an animal with one of the 30's, but my wife has used the one as her rifle of choice for several years. While I was rebarreling my 7 MM, I also rebarreled another action to 300 Win. I doubt the 300 will replace the 7 MM.

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JD

There all about the same from 7-08 thru 30-06, so what difference it makes I couldn't say....

I will say this the 7x57 is the lightest recoiling rifle, that I would hunt any animal on this earth with.....which ought to be worth something in its favor.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

I have to agree with my friends Nick and Mike above.

There are lot of people who do not seem to be able to tolerate recoil like some of us who are probably brain dead.

I have many rifles - ranging from a 308 to a 458, which I have got from people in part exchange for smaller calibers.

The overwhelming majority seem to pick a 243 Winchester.

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saeed@ emirates.net.ae

www.accuratereloading.com

Yep, Mike, Nick, & Saeed are probably right. A guy that want's "magnum" on the barrel, but doesn't care for recoil can do pretty well with a 7 mag.

Still, I have a bias against any "magnum" under 30 cal, so I prefer the smaller 7mm's. I've owned the 7-08, 7x57 and 280... all are excellent, though I particularly like the 7-08, though it's hard to argue against a 280 as an "all-around" rifle. I really doubt the 7 Mag will do anything much more than the 280 in reality (vs "on-paper").

Brad

John,

Thanks for posting another interesting topic.

I have just posted some computer results of a comparison between an improved 30-06 and the standard 7.21mm Remington Magnum in the RELOADING page.

Basically it shows that the 7.21mm Remington Magnum was a great marketing ploy.

For big game hunting in Africa I prefer a .308" inch bullet of 180 grains+.

Good Hunting !

I've long felt that Americans have an almost irrational love of the .308 caliber dimension, foresaking all others! No other caliber can POSSIBLY compare!

Seriously- does a 180gr bullet shot from a 3006 kill any better than a 175gr from a .280? Or a 165gr in the 3006 and a 160gr in the .280?

Gatehouse,

Seriously,

Nope!

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Ignorance is curable, but stupidity is terminal.

I made the longest shot of my life using a 7x57 on an antelope hunt in eastern Montana...one shot and I won't tell you the distance but it was from a solid rest at an antelope standing broadside with no wind.

I'm kind of in there w/ Gatehouse. I have never been a .30 fan. I think all of the 7mm are easier shooting than their .30 cousins, w/ sim. downrange results. If I want something bigger, then a step up to a .338-06/.338 mag or .35 Whelen seems more logical.
I know that there isn't any real diff. between the .270 & .280, I've just never liked shooting what everyone else has in hunting camps. I will hunt in africa again & would definetely take my .280/160gr NP as a light rifle.

[This message has been edited by fredj338 (edited 07-27-2001).]

[This message has been edited by fredj338 (edited 07-27-2001).]

7mm: 5th Wheel On The Wagon?? I THINK NOT!!!

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Larry

As far as the 7mm Rem Mag goes, I am a firm believer in it. I have killed many animals, from coyote to a couple of very large Eland. Whether it is better than the .30-06 or .300 Win mag, I highly doubt it. Any of them will do anything the others will. If you want a real jump in performance, you pay the price with a real jump in recoil, rifle weight, muzzle blast, and cost.

Stick with what you have and what you know how to shoot, and only get a big thumper if you really need it. If you do really need it, you are in a pretty good place in life.

Joel

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Slate & Associates, LLC
The Safari Specialists
http://www.slatesafaris.com

Welcome aboard Joel!

We are all singing with the choir. The big blaster ka-boomer boys won't dare post anything in here.

Amen Kudu King.

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Slate & Associates, LLC
The Safari Specialists
http://www.slatesafaris.com