What would be a better cartridge for a deer/elk rilfe? Probobly will be using 140-175 grain bullets w/ some 120's thrown in for varmints. What would be a good rifle and barrel length for these calibers?

AvidHunter,

Having no experience with either of these cartridges I won't try to say which would be better....but if I were trying to make the same decision, then I would go with the Ackley and a 25 inch barrel on either a Win 70 or CZ550 action---unless someone gave me a Rem 700 action. I had a 300 WSM for awhile and it shot accurately. Those cartridges have a cool look to them, but short and fat never has been one of my favorite cartridge shapes--22 PPC excepted. Just my 2 cents worth (which may not be worth quite that much!)

I like to have at least two long range rifles. One will be light and will have a moderate cartridge that compliments the rifles barrel length and weight. The other will be a long range hammer for those places where you must have the ability to hit hard at long range.

When the hunt is planned if you have both rifles with you then one or the other is selected depending on the circumstances.

The alternative is the traditional 8.5 to 9.0 lb 24" barreled .300 Mag that will indeed do it all. The problem will such a rifle is that almost all of the time we are walking around hunting deer or some other game at reasonable ranges and such a rifle is heavy and clumsy.

So a rifle like a 22" "featherweight" that goes 8.0 lbs or less complete with a scope is the common sense first choice. There are a lot of good cartridges that will fit in such a config. Not to pick one over the other for you but the list includes the 30/06, 270 and the 308. This is where to start. Perhaps a short mag could be found or made that would be handy. In anycase the light rifle is the primary rifle.

Then we all want a long range rifle. This is a want and not a need as we can, in theory, always get closer.

I will let others pick such rifle but I have had a .300 Mag for a long time with a 26" barrel plus .375 Mags. These rifles go around 9.0 lbs and up and hit harder than a light rifle. An even longer range cartridge can be selected. There are many.

Good luck.

Better for deer and elk? There isnt any real difference between them as far as deer and elk are concerned. Both are the same as far as hunting goes. It doesnt matter what you launch a 7mm bullet from, bullets at simalar speed have a simalar effect. You just need to decide if you want to handload for a wildcat, or get a new short mag.

Thanks for all the input. I'm really stuck on a 7mm. I think I will go with the 280 Ackley, not a firm believer in the short mags yet. I have on more question, with heavier bullets will the 280 Ackley perform better then the WSM? The action will probobly be a Sako or a Tikka, a 26" fluted barrel. I already have a few 300's and 338's but no 7's so I have been itching to shoot an accurate 7mm.

I think you're making a good choice. The elk will never know which one hit him, but the .280 will be easier to make feed properly and will provide you with probably two more rounds in the magazine than the WSM. It should be a little less expensive all around to build and load for. Besides, if you use a Sako, the "medium" action isn't quite long enough for the WSM, so if you have to use the same long action for either cartridge, where's the advantage to being shorter and fatter?

If your going to carry that heavy of a rifle around with a 26" barrel you might as well chamber it for a 7mm STW. I think the 7mm RUM is over the top capacity wise.

I don't understand the mention of magazine capacity. The champion of the 7mm RM, Les Bowman, hunted with just one cartridge. I hunt with single shot rifles out of choice. My 7mm WSM holds four shots I think but I never load more than three in my repeaters.

Both rounds will have sim. perf. If you are going semi-custom, then it doesn't matter. If you are looking for a factory rifle/ammo, then it would have to be a 7WSM. Either will push a premium 160gr bullet @ 3000fps, a decent elk round IMHO.
If you are using a std. length action, then why not go 7mm Dakota? You can easily reach 3250fsp w/ a 160gr bullet & no belt.

[ 03-29-2003, 00:47: Message edited by: fredj338 ]

I would also go with the 280 Ackley over the short magnum. However, if you want a "short magnum" go with the 7mm Dakota, as mentioned above. This is the best of the best of the mag 7's.

Just a thought, but you may want to consider the 7mm SAUM, it is identical in capacity to the 280 Ackley so I've heard. It has less capacity then the 7mm WSM, so will be maybe 100 fps slower, nothing noticeable. It's longer neck may handle the heavier bullets better than the WSM, but not as well as the longer 280 AI. I'd go with the 280 AI.