Author Topic: 7mm mag Vs 300win mag (Read 2675 times)

Gregory · « **Reply #30 on:** March 06, 2006, 12:39:32 PM »

Quote from: deerslayer15

Would a 30-06 shooting heaver bullets be enough for elk and mule deer?

Yes, without a doubt the 30/06 is enough. Get yourself a 30/06 this time and then shoot it for a year or so and after you are proficient with it, go get yourself a 300 Winny or even a 338! Always a good idea to progress upward in recoil just to find your limit.

What rifle calibers are you comfortable shooting now?

nasem · « **Reply #31 on:** March 06, 2006, 01:14:30 PM »

Im gonna go with victorcharlie here-

If your going for elk / deer and such, you really do not need the 7mm mag or 300 win mag esspecially for shots under 300 yards.

Look at it this way, a 30-06 has very good knockdown power on mostly EVERYTHING that walks north america (other than 1000 lbs bears), but I don't think your going bear hunting cause if you were, You would not be talking 7mm mag or 300 win mag, you'd be talking .338 win mag and up.

I tell this to everybody, a well placed shot is a million times more powerfull than any magnum, you just need to practise shooting alot.....30-06 is cheaper to shoot than both the 7mm and the 300wm, AND it generates less recoil......

So lets see, a round than can kill an elk just as fast as a 7mm mag or 300wm, generates less recoil, has a reputation of "the best hunting round in the world", oh, and costs less to shoot

..... I think a 30-06 is your new best friend

as far as rifle goes, I personally love, JUST LOVE semi-autos, so I tell you this, get your self a browning BAR in 30-06, you'll love it..... I have mine in .338 win mag and let me tell you, it kicks like a mule, but everytime I go to the range everyone's like "is a semi-auto .338 win mag ?".....

My first rifle ever was (still have it and shoot with it all the time) is my remington 7400 in 30-06, I wouldn't give it up for anything becuase it got me hooked on this sport

nomosendero · « **Reply #32 on:** March 06, 2006, 03:30:09 PM »

Victorcharlie
I guess I will hold off letting my Granddaughter shoot my Sendero as she is 16 months old!

What kind of 300 do you shoot or have shot alot in the past. Just curious as the recoil varies alot from gun to gun.

About the 30-06
I see these broadbrush statements alot & it doesn't really matter, I guess.
Like I said before, many factors enter into this picture & I had a light 30-06 that was quite punishing to shoot, just saying you should get a certain caliber just because it will kick less is not accurate unless you say that all
of the factors are the same other than caliber, but no biggie. I have a 30-06 that I use alot also, but I think the question was should he get a 7mm or 300WM. It was not about 30cal vs 7mm, on one extreme some will feel you should just use a 7X30 Waters or 30-30 up close to avoid the dreaded "long shot" & another extreme may think you must have a 30-378 or 7RUM, but that was not the issue.

victorcharlie · « **Reply #33 on:** March 06, 2006, 04:59:39 PM »

Quote from: nomosendero

Victorcharlie

What kind of 300 do you shoot or have shot alot in the past. Just curious as the recoil varies alot from gun to gun.

I've fired several different 300's......I think the one that was the most unplesant was a Remington 700 in .300rum. I owned a winchester model 70 in 300 winchester magnum.

I owned a 7mm Remington magnum while a young man in the army stationed at Ft. Bliss, El Paso Tx. I traded a very nice .243 winchester for a Winchester model 70 and was planning to mule deer hunt in west Texas and southern new Mexico. I thought the possibility would exist for some long range shooting but got transfered to the land of heated floors and sliding doors before I ever got a chance to hunt the gun. Upon my return to Tennessee I found myself without a good groundhog gun and thought I could get away with using the model 70.........It was probably the most beautiful rifle I've ever owned. It liked to beat me to death.......a lot like my ex-wife.......I really hated to trade it but just caused me to much pain when I could do anything I needed to do with much less.

Heck....when I was younger I owned a 71 super bee 440 six pack......I had a 69 Camaro.......couple of hopped up 65 mustangs.........they made lots of noise........had unbelieveable torque........would burn a pair of tires to the rims............was definately a friend of OPEC.......a flasher car than the 69 Camaro has never been built.....a thing of awsome beauty........and tremendous power.......

I very much understand the quest for bigger, faster, harder, quicker and more powerful as well as spent a fair amount of money in my quest for it.

I really enjoyed it.......but looking back on it all I know why my dad just stood there and shook his head.........

Nothing but spinning my wheels..........well, I've made the whole circle now and find much more pleasure hunting with the 100 year old 35 remington.....it killed good a hundred years ago, and it still kills good in 2006. If I were to go on that red river mule deer hunt I think I'd take my .270........success to me is doing more with less.......

I don't expect you fellows to agree with me.......I had to learn the hard way too!

OH YOUNG MAN, REJOICE IN THY YOUTH......I sure did.......

deerslayer15 · « **Reply #34 on:** March 06, 2006, 05:27:12 PM »

Thakns for the replies on the 06. I'm not to worried about the recoil of the 06...My dad has a 30-06 and I can shoot it comfortably....I would just go ahead and use his(means he doesn't use it)like I have for the past few years...But means it's an old mauser in very good condition he wants to put it up...So I have to get another rifle.

I think I'm going to go with the 30-06 for now because: The ammo is cheaper than the magnums, I know the the cartirdge and how it preforms, and after hunting with a 30-30 handi rilfe last year I had a ton of fun having to shoot at closer ranges...I was geting burt out on gun hunting(mostly bow hunted) and had stoped shooting does and only hunted bucks, then dad sugested hunting with the 30-30 for an up close and personal style of hunting(like bow hunting). So I did it and it brought back the fun I had befor I started long range hunting with the 22-250...I want a gun that is more versatile than the 30-30...The 06 sounds like the gun of choice for me. Latter on I will get a mag...Hey that gives me an excuse for 2 new guns

Thanks alot guys :toast:

nomosendero · « **Reply #35 on:** March 06, 2006, 05:34:12 PM »

victorcharlie
Good post, I enjoyed that & related to it as well when you spoke of the muscle cars. I have toned down my driving but I still like power when I need it though not quite the old big block power.

I use the 300 in some Western Hunts, Mainly Elk. Having the ability to shoot further with a precision instrument has given me the necessary edge a few times. Is this important? to me it is as it was the difference in bringing back game or not & with the cost of Western Hunts, that's a big deal to me as I am not rich. This edge is the same reason we use scopes instead of irons, good bullets instead of round ball, on & on. It is a matter
of taking advantage of additional opportunities, no matter how good a
hunter a person is (Bowhunter since early teens). But a person can enjoy
hunts with different shooting limits/shooting opportunities. I sometimes use long range rifles for Whitetail hunting here in AR., only in hunting 3
of my stands that offer a long range shot. This allows me to see several trails at once. Would I be a better hunter if I sit in a stand that allows me
to see fewer trails that are under 200 yards? Of course not & we can all
enjoy the sport the way we like as long as we shoot within our abilities.

Good Shooting

nasem · « **Reply #36 on:** March 07, 2006, 08:15:16 AM »

You know, my opinion is this, get REALLY used to the 30-06, when your very comfortable, get something bigger, and I dont' mean "bigger .30 caliber"...... I mean bigger as .338 win mag (this is my fav round).

a .338 is a 30-06 on steroids, thats all.... you probebly don't "need" it, but its lovely to have

Here is another thing, You can get similar balistics from 30-06 to mimic a typical 7mm mag, you just have to use some hot loads.....Some Hornaday's light magnum loads give VERY nice ballistics on a 30-06, very close to a 7mm mag(if not the same)

Like I said to you before, you just can't go wrong with a 30-06

nomosendero · « **Reply #37 on:** March 07, 2006, 02:15:12 PM »

The 30-06 is a great round & I would feel a little odd not owning one. I
started out in my early teens with a old surplus 303 & then a Mauser 7mm
because that was all I could afford, I am talking about crude rifles. Then I
bought a 742 (hate to admit that) in 30-06 because the older Deer hunters
thought that was the ticket. It did not take me long to sell that thing &
buy my first serious hunting rifle, a Mod. 700 in 30-06 with a 2.5X8 Scope.
That was in the early 70's & I used it for Varmits & up. It is not the very
best for anything that I can think of, but for alot of things it is decent &
I plan to allways have one. Some say it will do what a 7mm Mag will do, in
energy it is close because of heavy bullets, in trajectory it will not do as
well as a 7mm Mag. & not close in wind drift. It is far short of a 300 in energy or trajectory & wind drift, but until you can utilize that difference through some major trigger time it does not really matter.
Good luck with your choice.

Norseman112 · « **Reply #38 on:** March 07, 2006, 03:04:19 PM »

Hey,

I still have my old brit 303 :grin:

John

nomosendero · « **Reply #39 on:** March 07, 2006, 04:36:30 PM »

Hello John
I am not putting down the 303 or the gun, but these first 2 guns had been put through the mill. It was a different time & I appreciate the quality guns
that I have been blessed with since then.

killdeer · « **Reply #40 on:** March 08, 2006, 09:22:47 AM »

Recoil like optics choice is very subjective.
Anything less than major bruising after a couple rounds is fine with me.
Short barells, ill fitting stocks, junk recoil pads, and poorly designed lightweight rifles, are the main causes of discomfiture.
Swapping out a rifle you can't handle comfortably ain't no big chore.
Largely a state of mind/technique less the big boomers.
KD

Norseman112 · « **Reply #41 on:** March 08, 2006, 04:05:18 PM »

Hello Nomosendero,

I to used the 303 when I was a boy, My grandfather used and then my brother, then I did. The 303 I have still looks nice and shoots ok, but I havnt used it for hunting since I was an early teen. I kept it though because it was my grandfathers and one my sons did take his first deer with it. Kinda brought back some nastagial. I have also been blessed with good quaility guns to since the days of the 303 and so did my boys :-) . Sorry for getting of track here.

JOhn

countryrebel8174 · « **Reply #42 on:** March 13, 2006, 08:41:12 PM »

my personal choice would have to the 300 mag....id get the 300 win mag though im not a big fan of the weatherby mag. mine is a ruger m77 mkII in 300 win mag with a harris bi pod. my gun doesnt really kick its more of a push. i can shoot that gun all day long and not go home with bruises so i wouldnt worry about the recoil to much. i dont know much about the 7mm mag so i cant comment on it but the 300 win mag is a pleasure to shoot , and you have the benefit of knowing if you make a good shot on an animal its going to die....and you probally wont have to walk very far to find it. for dear i like the 150 grain....elk or bear i like the 180 grains. i also like the 180 grains for jack rabbits....now thats something worth watching :twisted:

country rebel

jim21 · « **Reply #43 on:** April 19, 2006, 05:59:00 PM »

I wish I could coment on this, but to tell you the truth I dont know how to say this.I got a Howa 1500 in 7mm and it shoots great over 200yards.I
also got the Remington 710 in .300magnum and it shoots great over 200
yards.Have fun decideing.

7.62X63 · « **Reply #44 on:** April 22, 2006, 11:24:31 AM »

I guess I dont have say my choice of calibers for an "all -around lower 48 states" caliber.You can get a variety of factory loaded rounds from 110-220 grains(never tried the 55 grain REm accelorator) and if you handload your options are even greater.As stated before by several others,with good marksmanship skills and the right load the 30/06 can due almost anything ask(may not be the best at everything but its not to awful bad at most things).If your on a limited budget the 30/06 shines even more because of ammo cost.IMHO get the 30/06 and figure the difference in ammo and rifle cost of the magnums and either get more ammo or upgrade to a LEUPOLD if you didnt get one to start with.I dont think you'll be going wrong.