In my neck of the woods there are many diverse opinions on these two calibers.Many people say one is better than the other but personnally I think the .300 Mag is a best caliber because it can easily take almost all game. And Ive owned one for 15 yrs and had no problem with it . What is your alls opinion???

I have a 7mmRM and had a 300WM but sold it in a fit of stupidity.
My take is that on deer sized game (thats all I've shot with both) that you'll find little if any terminal differences from a 7mmRM 175gr. and a 300WM 180gr. The 300 has the advantage with heavier available bullet weights.
I personally like the 7mmRM better than the 300WM but thats just my opinion.If I want to hunt heavier game than I feel my 7mmRM is up to then I'll use my 338WM.

Again, it gets down to the type of game to be hunted, and the terrain involved. If hunting mainly deer in open country with the odd moose/elk hunt . then the 7mm cal is best due to the excellent loads of 140 gr bullets on deer. The 175-160 gr will be more than adequate for large game. If you hunt a mixed bag of Elk/Moose on a regular basis in timbered/mixed cover then the 300 with a 180-200 gr bullet really shines and outperforms the 7mm. If I was limited to one caliber to do all my hunting in Alberta I would choose a 300 win or WBY.

BR

Before the 7MM Rem Mag came out the late gunwriter and outfitter Les Bowman concluded that the very worse shooting was done by customers with .300 Magnums. Les felt that the recoil of a cartridge like the 7MM Rem Mag was about all that good shooting could be done with and he spearheaded the development and introduction of it.

The .300 Mags have a mean recoil. Of course so do similar cartridges.

This is the modern version of which is better, the 270 win (7 RM) or 30-06 (300 WM). The 7mm shoots a bit flatter, the 300 is a bit more versatile etc, etc. But you probably don't need both. Over the years I have owned three 7 rem mags and two 300 win mags. Both are wonderfully effective in the field...but, I have accidentally resized 7mm brass in a 300 win mag die and that is a little scarey. The cases look so much alike to my old eyes. No you probably don't need both.

But maybe a 270 win for the antelope/deer/sheep class and a 300 mag for bigger and/or meaner stuff. That would be a pretty good and foolproof battery. I can tell the difference between a 270 and 300 mag without even looking at them...Phil

I'll stick with the .300 Win mag. It has served me well, the one my grandpa bought years ago has slain more animals than I probably ever will. I stoke mine with 200gr Noslers at 3000fps, that combo will work on anything I'll ever hunt.

I shoot the 200 grain Noslers in my 300 Win Mag. I believe this is the ideal bullet weight for moose hunting. I started out with 180 grain Failsafes but I never could get really great accuracy out of my boss equiped M70 ss classic at the recommended "sweetspot". The 200's shoot almost as flat, drift less in the wind and hit like a freight train. Most importantly, with the boss at the recommended setting this rifle shoots the 200 grain Nosler Partitions into tight sub MOA groups. So I'm in total agreement with AKBman!

I'm shooting the 165 Hornady SST's in my 300 win mag, about the same trajectory as the 140 gr. 7mm. I really don't feel it has much recoil, mine's a BLR Lightning and I was pleasantly surprised at the level of felt recoil. By the way I'm not a big bore shooter, my other hunting rifles are .308, 30-06, .270, 275 Rigby. I was really worried about being able to shoot the 300 but to be honest it's no worse than the 06 shooting from a sitting position. Now the 20.5" barreled .338 Win Mag I bought in December is a whole other story in recoil.

I have always shot a .300 Magnum, first 300WM and now a 30-338, and my brother has always shot a 7mmRemMag. We have hunted in Africa together for many years. I shoot all the time, and consider myself a good shot. My brother hardly ever shoots during the year; he practices with a .22LR about a month before a trip; and shoots maybe a box of loads through his rifle before a trip.

I have seen no appreciable difference in the number of shots per kill between the two rifles and shooters on animals ranging from oribi to zebra. I have concluded that a 7mm is the better choice for the person who only shoots a couple of times a year, and the person who want one rifle for everything.

The .300 mags are frequently chosen by persons who are in awe of their paper balistics, but forget that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. These "pilgrims" too frequently misuse their new magnums, using over powered loads at ranges that are close enough for a lesser cartridge. They develop magnum flinch; misplace shots; end up with messy kills and blood shot meat. They would be better served with a 308 or 30-06.

The secret with magnums is using the right loading for the animal you are hunting and the range at which you will be hunting. In my humble opinion, a magnum should always be used with medium to heavy bullets for the caliber. If you are going to shoot a 140gr or 150gr bullet, use a 7x57 and 30-06.

If you need or want a magnum, both the 7mmMag and the .300Mag are extremely capable, and equal in ability in my opinion, with a nod in the direction of the 7mm if you are recoil sensitive or don't shoot a lot. Ku-dude

Ku-Dude,

Good summary.

For extreme range shooting (over 300 yards) the .30 Mags just have to do more work when the velocity falls off but I just shot a .300 Mag all last summer for fun and by the end I dropped the load back to a 165 gr bullet.

I just don't need that kind of power the way that I hunt. Neither do I need to punish myself with recoil but some do I suppose.

I consider Bob Hagel and Warren Page to be the last word on this topic. Nothing written since has done nothing but affirm what they knew. Both of these riflemen shot the 7MM Mashburn Super with 175 gr Partitions and that load is quite stout and is just about the same as a .300 Win Mag with 180's for that matter.

Most of us are better off with a 7MM Rem Mag, 7MM WSM, 30/06 or .270 but to each his own.

TrapShooter,
I have a 7mm Rem Mag, a Win 300 Mag, and a new 300 Wby Mag. I think they're all very, very good cartridges. In long distant shooting (past200 yards) for thin skin game (non-dangerous), I'd take my 7mm Rem mag for I can place the shot better W/that particular rifle-cartridge combination. If the shot was around 200 yards, or closer, for the same taste of game, I'd probably take my 300 Win mag. I'm still getting used to my new 300 Wby and the recoil. I did however shoot a respectable .823" three shot group at 100 yards off the bench the other day W/it though. I'm getting used to it.....smile
Dennis

Being a .300 Mag fan myself, I'll readily admit there's not a lot of difference to be noticed in the field. What a 7 RM can't do would be "limit" for the .300 WM too. In the same power range, the 7 RM is what I'd recommend to a recoil sensitive shooter.

I bought a 300 mag a year ago and dreaded to shoot it the first time. I finally went to the range after a week or so. When I touched the first round off I was surprised at the recoil. I had a 30-06 that was worse. I have never shot a 7mag,but have watched some shoot them. Iseen one guy shoot his 3 times and pack up and go home. He said his shoulder was already sore. Another young fellow shot his once and wanted to know if I would be interested in a 7mag. I said no. At the time I had no interest in anything bigger than a 30-30. I find that one make gun will kick more than a gun of another make in the same caliber. If you could shoot the caliber gun you think you want and if recoil is a factor maybe it would save you disapointment if you tried a friends or someone at the range that might let you shoot.
I think the 300 win mag is fun to shoot,but I'll make a bet that the 7mmag is just as much fun.
From the topics I read they both kill very well.
I have shot gallon jugs of ice at 200 yds with the 300. Realy shatters it, looks like snow cone ice.

I had a 7RM and sold it to get a 300win. The trajectory is basicly the same. In the same stock/weight the 300 will kick you more. The 300 handles heavier bullets and makes a bigger hole. I bought the 300 because i hunt elk.

I have used my 300 Winchester on large African animals and it works fine I will choose it, but in the end there is not that much of a difference, even the 270 works well anouth for me.

Percieved recoil is as much a function of rifle weight and stock design as anything else when comparing cartridges that are not too different from each other (like the 7mm RM and 300 WM).

I don't have a 7mm Rem., only a .30-06 and a .300 WM. My 300 WM is a Sako 75. With a scope, it weighs right about 9 1/4 lbs. The Sako 75's stock is, for me, one of the best fitting designs out there. The result is that its recoil is no more bothersome than my Howa .30-06 with a Weatherby style composite stock and Pachmayr Deccelerator pad.

Your mileage will vary.

Which is "better"? For what?

If the quarry is smaller, like deer or antelope, the 7mm Remington CAN provide flatter trajectory and less recoil and still yield fully adquate energy to down your game. In this instance it would be "better".

If the quarry is larger, like elk or moose, the .300 CAN provide a heavier bullet with more downrange energy, which would be useful on such game. Under these circustances, it would be "better".

Either is fully capable of taking anything from 400 yard antelope to 25 yard moose.

Just as an aside, factory 7mm Remington seems to be rather severly underloaded, and may not provide the velocity or energy you are expecting, at least with the standard (non "high energy") ammunition. I have never used any factory .300 Winchester, so I don't know if it suffers the same problem. Shooting factory ammunition is like having a date with your sister.

At one time I had owned a 7 mag, but no longer do. I prefer a 280 or a 270 over the 7 mag or just go to a 300. The 7 mag always reminded me of the 357... alot of bark for results I could get elsewhere. I think there are VERY few people who are recoil sensitive and can shoot a 7mm realy well but not a 300... when people say things like this I oftan wonder what the hell they have been smoke'n. Many of these statements probably come from hillbilly bob shooting a 7 mag and a 300 at the local range 3 times each, and then going home and dreaming up new experiances he has had, what BS.

I asked this very same question to myself when deciding on a new rifle this summer. My brother had just scoped his Rem ADL Synthetic .300 Win Mag and thought the world of it. I wanted a .300 Win but since I was basically fixed on a Rem M700, the closest I could get in a left-hand action at a price I could afford was a 7mm Rem Mag. Looking at the various bullet weights and calculations for downrange energy, I thought for sure I would feel outgunned by my little brother. Now that I have the rifle, a Rem M700 BDL-LH Custom Deluxe in 7mm Rem Mag, I have to say I don't. The differences are just too little to piddle over. The 7mm has a little less recoil, the .300 a little more energy. Perhaps more bullet weights available for the .30 cal, but I have never had a shortage of options for my 7mm. Right now I don't think there is a single animal on this continent that a properly loaded 7mm couldn't handle, except maybe big Alaskan bears, in which case I wouldn't feel properly armed with the .300 either. So in all seriousness, I have to say I doubt it matters which one you get--just get good with it and happy hunting.
O and don't let anybody sway you with this voodoo talk on belts and short necks. My brother and I are both headspacing off the shoulder. We are getting every bit of the case life and accuracy of our dad's .30/06. We have seen none of these so called problems associated with the belted magnums or with the .300's short neck. I have to say that while the belt may not be necessary these days, it isn't a curse, doesn't make the round obsolete, and most of the "problems" you hear are most likely overexagerated and based mostly in advertising hype designed to direct your attention to newer and supposedly more flashy technology.

Both are excellent cartridges. Back in the mid 60's, I built a custom 7mmRemMag, and my dad built a custom 300WinMag. Both were built on Mauser 98 actions, with beautiful Fajen stocks. I now own both rifles.

I prefer the 7mm for the same reasons now that I had when I built mine. I knew this rifle would be used more for deer hunting than for elk. For a deer rifle, the 7mmRemMag is already more than what is really needed. I feel a little silly using a 300Mag for deer, when the majority of my shots over the past few decades have been well under 200 yards.

If I need more punch than can be afforded from the 7mmRemMag, I believe it's also time for a bigger cartridge than the 300. You just don't gain that much more going up from one cartridge to the other.

Neither are hard kickers, but the 7mm is a little more pleasant to shoot for long periods.

For my own use, I've alway viewed the 308, 30-06 as sort of a base line. Other than blast and recoil I don't see what the 300 WM brings to the game. I limit shots at big game to 300 yards so the flatter trajectory means little to me. If you want more power, I firmly believe that if you need a bigger bullet. If an 308 or 06 just can't handle the chore then it's time to look at the 338wm or 375h&h

TrapShooter,
I've had both and found them both to be excellent. They killed things dead quickly, and I don't know of anything better than that. Of the two, The .300WM is probably the more flexible because of the wider slection of bullets. However I prefer the 7mm RM. Maybe I'm a whimp but the recoil of the .300WM was a little unpleasnt off the bench. This is very much like the same arguement over the .270 Win and the .30-06. Both are very good and anyone who talks against either one does so out of a personal bias.But ain't it fun. Good luck.

Trapshooter:

My preference is for the 7mm Remington Magnum with 26" barrel using 175 grain bullets. The combination of bullet sectional density and felt recoil are right for me.

B

I have a Browning A-bolt composite in 7mm rem mag
and I barely notice the recoil from any position.
It's light weight is what attracted me and that
occasional 400 yd shot that is not out of the question with this rifle. If I ever get the chance
to go after elk or bear I will be looking for a .338 but until then the 7mm is my favorite. I
reload for varmints, deer and hogs and don't have
any trouble with killing power out to 400 yds. I
have a .243 and a .270 that work just as well at
closer ranges. Again I feel that the rifle needs
to be what each individual is comfortable with
and can shoot accurately. I can never remember
worrying about recoil while hunting or target practicing. If it ain't fun; try something else!

SmallFry,
No disrepect intended but why do you feel that people who say they can shoot the 300 mags accuratly are making it up, or they're only shooting them a couple of times at the range? Last range session I went (01-15-03) and shot my 300 Wby 18 times, and my Ruger 300 Win Mag 32 times. These were all close to Max loads, and I was shooting W/just a camo short sleaved shirt, off the bench. YES, my shoulder was hurting and my groups started to open up, but it can be easily done. They started around an inch and a half, and ended up to about four inch, 3-shot groups....all at 100 yards. At about the remaining 15 shots I had to put a wash cloth sized towel between my shoulder and my Ruger 300 Win mag butt plate for the pain started to really set in. remember, I just had a camo short sleaved shirt on before. It doesn't provide very much protection from recoil.

I am going to change the stock of my Ruger 300 win mag for the stock just seems to hurt too much. Believe it or not, my Wby Vanguard is more comfortable to shoot than my Ruger in 300 Win Mag. Boy does stock design make a difference!!!!

Man, it's too bad the 7mm Rem Mag didn't work out for you. I have one of them too and like it alot. My 13 year old boy is starting to shoot it and I plan on him using it for Deer season when the time is right....

TrapShooter,
buy which of the two calibers you believe you will be able to shoot accurately for both are great calibers.

BTW,
Here's a Pic of my new Wby Vanguard in 300 Wby. Check them out at Walmart!!!! for around 553.00 OTD !!!!

http://community.webshots.com/photo/59948877/59951180VQOCWm

Happy Sporting to all,
Dennis

Comparing the 7mm Rem and the 300 Win is like comparing apples and oranges to my way of thinking. I've owned 3 7mm mags and 4 300 Win mags. The best groups came with the 300's from the bench. They are both excellent killers but the 30 cal bullets are available in more bullet weights. Whatever the 7mm can do at practical hunting ranges, the 300 can do somewhat better. I really love the 300 Win mag and will likely always have one in my safe. I used to think the 300's had alot of recoil until I began shooting the 416's, 458's and 470's. The 300 is quite pleasant to shoot when compared to the bigger bores. All that said, I haven't heard of an elk or deer being able to tell the difference between the two when hit properly. Whatever each hunter is most comfortable with is what they should use.

Good Hunting,

Dmacsimum... No offense taken... What I was trying to say in my post was that, People oftan say they can shoot a 7mag really well but can not shoot a 300 mag at all (or not very well). I believe this is BS, if you can shoot a 7 mag well you are probably enough of a rifleman to shoot a 300 well also. People who gripe about recoil between a 7mag or 300mag (or at this level in general) are probably inexperianced. Unless they have some physical limitations.

I'd take the 300WinMag, and did. I feel like the 300 is more versatile, like of the people here. The option of heavier bullets available to the handloader is the biggest part of that opinion. I can load up 220gr and feel quite prepared for a big mean bear. Or I can cook up a 150gr at modest fps and not feel like I've got too much to be shooting at deer. The 168gr Match bullets are great to play with as well.

As for recoil, I use a Past pad and with that I can sit at the range all day. It reduces recoil to a dull thud, instead of a sharp punch.

There's nothing the 7RM can do that the 300 can't. But there's some things the 300 can do better than the 7RM.

I couldn't help myself. There's really no reason not to buy either one of these.

SmallFry,
Oh boy did I have your previuos passage bassackwards, heheheheee! Yes the recoil of both is close of them....... I too favor the 30 cals fellers. I'm most fond of my 300 Wby..... Loooooooovveeee it!
Dennis