I have a choice to make... This rifle will fill a gap between the 6.5mm that I use for deer at home (UK) and my .375H&H, so it would be used as my main rifle for overseas hunting, e.g. up to elk sized game where I would want a bit more reach or flexibility over the heavier .375

The flexibility to maybe source factory ammunition as a backup is a consideration. Other considerations would be recoil in a lighter rifle, high BC bullets for lessening wind drift, downrange energy, etc. So much as I like a friend's .280AI and my old .270 and .30-06, I don't have the same freedom to own multiple rifles that you guys in the USA do, so my choice probably boils down to these two:

7mm Rem Mag e.g. 160gr Accubond (0.531BC) @ ~3000fps and 175gr Partition (0.531BC) @ ~2850fps;
or
.300 Win Mag e.g. 180gr Scirocco (0.520BC) @ ~2950fps and 200gr Accubond (0.508BC) @ ~28000fps

(approximate velocities taken from Nosler data)

Question:
Which would you choose?

Choices:
7mm Rem Mag
.300 Win Mag

 

I own both, and think the flexibility and recoil are very similar. It's just that you get a little edge power-wise from the .300 Winchester. Most of the time you don't need that little edge, but then sometime you might.

Still, they are in ways two peas in a pod. Flip a coin; it will be as useful as gathering other folks opinions to apply to YOUR situations.

I have both but I picked the 7mag because of the slightly lighter recoil. If where I hunted had stuff that could bite me, I'd have gone with the the 300WM for the bigger bullet. I have no interest in taking a light for calibre bullet and seeing if I can launch it at some boyhowdylookwhatIcan do velocity in either one.
Folks that own only one of them, love to crunch numbers and argue about which is best but IMO there isn't a best.

Flip a coin

I just went through this debate myself. In the end, I am now selling my 25-06 and getting a 300 Win Mag. That's my recommendation.

Close call,but the 7mm. Rem. Mag.with a 150 grain well designed bullet at 3100 fps. might have an edge on recoil, and range and still deliver totally adequate killing power.

Either way though you can't go wrong. roger

If you need more power than your 6.5 then by all means go for the larger .30 caliber magnum. Regardless of the data you might select from whatever source, you can push a 180 from a .300 Winchester at least at the same velocity as a 160 from a 7mm Rem. You also have the option of going to a 200 grain bullet with the .300 if game is "uncomfortably" large for a 180, an option which doesn't exist with the smaller bore.

The truth is that one will generally do what the other will in most circumstances, but the .300 better fills the gap between your 6.5 and .375.

As you already have a .375, i'd go with the 7mag. That's what i did, and its worked out great.

Although I'm not a fan of either chambering, I'd pick the .300. Since you say you already have a 6.5, why add a 7mm to the collection?
Just my opinions tho.
Bear in Fairbanks

I hunted caribou with both,shot many and saw that the 300WM is a far superior.The 140gr bullets for the 7mmRm are too light for it.The 300WM has an endless choice of bullets and the 180 grainer is matched just right for it,IMO.The BIG seven has a shorter barrel life also.It is very hard on the throat.I would be looking at the 300WM vs the 338WM instead.The 338WM downloaded slightly could be the best choice.

Much as I love my 7mm, I voted 300WM. An eland may step out in front of you when you've left your .375 back at the bakkie. I'd much rather have the .300WM pushing a 200gr bullet in this situation than the 7mm.

I have both and the 300 gets my vote. Recoil is similar and the 300 lets you go with heavier bullets.

I picked the 300 Mag but if you have a 30/06 why do you need a 300?
But buy a 300 if you want/need one!
7 Mag I am not a fan of.

7mm Rem mag is a great cartridge but, considering the hole you are trying to fill in your collection, I too would go with the 300WM. It's versatile in that it will handle both lighter and heavier bullets well. My Browning X-Bolt likes 180gr partitions (haven't tried lighter bullets) but 200gr bullets work equally as well with respect to accuracy. It is probably my favorite rifle.

I shot a beautiful Browning BLR in 7mm for years and took many Deer with it. I also have shot several .300 Winnys for Deer-Elk-Caribou-Brown Bear. The .300 is so versital from 130 grain bullets up to the 220 Partition. I took a 91/2 Brown Bear and got a one shot kill and have taken many Elk as well as 15 Caribou. The .300 is in my opinion by far the more rifle. Good shooting.

Both the 7mmRM and the 300WM are great cartridges; I happily have both but if I had to make a decision between the two would select the 300WM. It does what both of these classic cartridges do well - just that much better.

Both cartridges are very good, but I also voted the 300 Win.
It is clearly the better choice for what you want it for.

Can you handload 250 grain TTSX bullets for your 375?
If so, you don't need another rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by 416Tanzan:
Can you handload 250 grain TTSX bullets for your 375?
If so, you don't need another rifle.

Don't be a spoilsport
I was planning to buy a 300 WSM myself, but when looking at what I can get with the 250 grain TTSX bullet in my 375 Ruger, I found out I didn't need a new gun anyway

quote:

Originally posted by Norwegianwoods:

quote:

Originally posted by 416Tanzan:
Can you handload 250 grain TTSX bullets for your 375?
If so, you don't need another rifle.

Don't be a spoilsport
I was planning to buy a 300 WSM myself, but when looking at what I can get with the 250 grain TTSX bullet in my 375 Ruger, I found out I didn't need a new gun anyway

375 Ruger is a very special calibre. Enjoy it.

A 300 would better split the difference between a 6.5 and 375. The 7mm seems a lot of overlap with the 6.5. The 300 would just seem to round out the three better.

180gr Accubond, TTSX or Sciroccos in the 300WM get my vote.

I personally use the Accubonds reloads in my 300WM.....LOVE THEM !!!!

Actually I use the Accubonds in all my calibers

quote:

So much as I like a friend's .280AI and my old .270 and .30-06

You have a 270 & 30-06 and you are contemplating a 7 mag and 300 mag? You do not "need" either.

But if you want one or the other, the 300 is the way to go.

The 300 is more "powerful",but results would be the same with either one,if we shoot straight.

Dead animals.

quote:

Originally posted by Eastcoaster:
The 300 is more "powerful",but results would be the same with either one,if we shoot straight.

Dead animals.

But when the animal turns at the break of the trigger, or some wind between you and the animal moves things a few inches, or that grass right in front of the animal, then the extra weight and diameter may make the difference between a long tracking job and recovering an animal.

I remember a warthog out around 250 yards that started to move exactly as the trigger broke. Just the barest hint of movement and then 'kaboom'. We found his stomach on the ground after 400 yards, and the animal after another 150 yards. My son and I discussed it and we were very glad that the shot was taken with the 338WM and not the 270Win. We've taken many a warthog with the 270, but the 338 does have extra power for the marginal situations.

A gut shot animal is a gut shot animal what ever caliber you use.

quote:

Originally posted by SDhunter:

quote:

So much as I like a friend's .280AI and my old .270 and .30-06

You have a 270 & 30-06 and you are contemplating a 7 mag and 300 mag? You do not "need" either.

But if you want one or the other, the 300 is the way to go.

I no longer have the .270 but the .30-06 could be made to work... I was looking to get another rifle though for travel and rougher use

quote:

I no longer have the .270

That's blasphemous.

Another 30-06 perhaps? If that is not allowed, the 300 is you huckleberry.

I don't believe that the 300 is a step up from your 30-06 unless you are anticipating shots in excess of 300yds. Rather than looking at a faster cartridge why don't you look at a larger one: 338wm, 35 whelan, or 9.3x62.
If you hold me to those two choices I'd opt for the 300 but if you aren't satisfied with the 30-06 than I doubt that the 300 will be what you are looking for.

I think England has funky gun laws about owning multiple rifles chambered for the same cartridge?

Please correct me if I am wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by JabaliHunter:

I no longer have the .270 but the .30-06 could be made to work... I was looking to get another rifle though for travel and rougher use

You bad boy, you. Go to the blackboard and write "I'm going to get my .270 Win. back" 1000 times. Honestly, some people's kids.

Bear in Fairbanks

quote:

I was looking to get another rifle though for travel and rougher use

The natural rifle for that is the little Ruger Alaskan 375Ruger, but you already have a 375HH.

My Vote for the Never Ending Struggle for the Hearts and Minds Bi-Monthly Questions Is..

There is so little difference between these two that I don't think any animal shot with either one ( with proper placement) would die any differently.

I voted 7mmRM because I like the performance and it doesn't seem to recoil quite the same.

My thought is the same as several others though. If you have a .30-06 and a .375 then you really just need to scratch the new rifle itch.

I really like the .338WM. I have one that shoots incredibly well, and will work on anything I'd bump into in N.A. But it really isn't better that the .375. Really the magnums you're looking at don't outshine the '06 until your out to about 350 yards.

The one rifle I feel like buying now that I don't have would be a .300WM with irons, 26" bbl, in SS, with QD scope mount. Not a true need, but it seems to be a hole in my accumulation. Nate

Well, I have both and when a magnum is needed for a hunt, it sems the 7MM Rem. Mag. always stays home. I like using either the 200 gr. Speer Hot-Core for shots past 200 yards or the Nosler Partion 200 gr. for shots closer in. The last elk I shot with the .300 was laser measured at 530 yards and that Speer 200 gr. bullet put her down right now. That was 8 years ago. I just can't seem to draw a tag to get anothe one.
Another cartidge I would recommend is the .35 Whelen pushing the 225 r. Barnes TSX. I shot my New Mexico cow elk with mine and she went down like immediately if not sooner. Maybe old Elmer Keith knew something after all. If I don't draw again this year i'll go to New Mexico and do another landowner hunt. I'm down to just a few bundles of hamburger.
Paul B.

I fill the gap between my 6.5x55 and .416 Rigby with a .300 Win Mag. Lately I have been contemplating replacing the .300 WM with some kind of 7mm magnum or the STW.

I guess I got a little too carried away re the paper performance of the higher BC 7 mm bullets. Truth is that when hunting, I will very seldom shoot beyond the 300 meter mark as I'm just not good enough at getting the wind right, consistently. And, it's usually possible to get closer.

Like you, I'm UK based and have a restriction on the number of guns I can buy. But, I also prefer to have fewer guns that I use regularly.

The deciding factors for me are that 1) I can get good heavy 200+ grain bullets for the .300 WM, which deliver a lot of energy at shorter ranges and 2) it makes a bigger hole.

I voted .300 WM becaus I think it is a little more versatile if you are the kind of person who will hunt around the world.

The question I've got now is how to set up (barrel, stock, scope etc.) my .300 WM to best suit the wide range of applications I need it for, but, that's the topic of a different post.

Good luck.

My 7mm/300 win mag answers the question I think. It works really well.

.300 Win hands down. With the 6.5 you have (I prefer a .270 Win), a .300 Win and your .375 H&H you've got nearly 99% of hunting covered.

I have no use for a 7mm Rem or .30-06 and prefer the .270/.300 Win combination.

quote:

Originally posted by FMC:
...

I have no use for a 7mm Rem or .30-06 and prefer the .270/.300 Win combination.

The 270 covers a lot of ground.

And when someone really needs or wants more than that, I find the 338 bullets more appealing than 30 cal. why go just a teenie weenie bigger?

I'm happy with the 338WM, but it they really need over 3000 in 338 bullets, then the Lapua, Ultra, etc., are also available.

.270 Win deer
.300 Win elk
.340 Wby moose/bear
.375 H&H just because