7mm vs .300 Win

NDGuy

WKR
Joined
Feb 13, 2017
Messages
3,887
Location
ND
I am going to pick up a Bergara B-14 Hunter since they are on sale for 629.99 at Cabelas.

I've decided on a Magnum between these two chamberings.

I believe most prefer .300 but have been reading that the 7mm will shoot flatter within 500 yards and has the benefit of lighter recoil. But ammo cost and selection is better for the .300.

Anything else I should consider between the two?
 

FURMAN

WKR
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
1,793
Inside 500 I would pick the lighter recoiling rifle. Will you reload?
 
OP
NDGuy

NDGuy

WKR
Joined
Feb 13, 2017
Messages
3,887
Location
ND
Inside 500 I would pick the lighter recoiling rifle. Will you reload?

I just bought a reloader this summer but haven't started to yet, no place to set it up in m Apt :(
 

FURMAN

WKR
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
1,793
I really think you could flip a coin and be satisfied. If I knew reloading was in the future and shots were under 500 I would lean towards the 7mm. Without reloading I would go 300 and start with ABM 215s(which are currently very difficult to find).
 
OP
NDGuy

NDGuy

WKR
Joined
Feb 13, 2017
Messages
3,887
Location
ND
I really think you could flip a coin and be satisfied. If I knew reloading was in the future and shots were under 500 I would lean towards the 7mm. Without reloading I would go 300 and start with ABM 215s(which are currently very difficult to find).

That is the gist I am getting, it's like 30-06 vs .270

I currently have a 6.5 CM and 30-06, not sure if that matters much in the selection. The 7MM is between the 06 and .300 right?
 

awaldro7

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 6, 2016
Messages
194
I think that you would be happy with either one. There is a lot of options for factory loads in either rifle. If you mostly hunt bear, moose, elk go with the 300. If you hunt a mix of deer, antelope, elk, and moose go with the 7mm mag.
 
OP
NDGuy

NDGuy

WKR
Joined
Feb 13, 2017
Messages
3,887
Location
ND
I think that you would be happy with either one. There is a lot of options for factory loads in either rifle. If you mostly hunt bear, moose, elk go with the 300. If you hunt a mix of deer, antelope, elk, and moose go with the 7mm mag.

Yes will never be hunting bear, moose is a long shot as well unless I draw my once in a lifetime ND tag (HA). Would be hunting mostly deer, antelope and elk down the road. I know my -06 can do it all but that Bergara is a nice rifle for the money.
 

GKPrice

Banned
Joined
Sep 27, 2014
Messages
2,442
Location
Western Oregon
according to ammo, dies and component sales for many years running the 7mm Rem Mag is the most successful and popular BELTED cartridge EVER - I've shot both a lot, loaded for both a ton - BOTH are great cartridges with outstanding performance for their class - I see "recoil" mentioned then "215" grain bullets mentioned too (in 300) which seems counterintuitive to me - At 66 with OA I've become noticeably sensitive to recoil and have been CONSIDERING going back to a 7mm RM and shooting 140 Etips, Accubonds, TTSX or TSX, 150 Scirocco maybe - Just me but this seems like it meets the noted criteria out to 600 or so pretty well - there has been discussion after debate about heavy vs. not so heavy, I've come away with the distinct impression that there are simply 2 schools of thought that arise again and again ... monolithic/bonded core VS. frangmenting bullets (which I'd guess means more is better) - I've used both albeit bonded core the most, I'm gonna stick with those personally because for my uses they work better and "cleaner" - if I were trying to make a point it would be that the recent bullet technology, no matter which school of thought or application one chooses, have advanced immensely in the past few years making the OLD school although not irrelevant, at least worthy of re-thinking
 
OP
NDGuy

NDGuy

WKR
Joined
Feb 13, 2017
Messages
3,887
Location
ND
After researching some more today I believe I will go with the 7mm. Seems like a nice balance and I can always load my -06 with 200gr if need be.
 

Owenst7

WKR
Joined
Jun 19, 2017
Messages
513
Location
Reno
FWIW, I carried my 7mm Rem. in Alaska for black bear. I would not have hesitated to take a good shot on a brown bear had we had some distance between us and I had 175s chambered (I almost always had 150s in there). I lived there and bears were a shot of opportunity rather than being invested in a hunt, so a good and safe opportunity would have been the criteria for brown bear no matter what I as carrying. I have no experience with the .300 other than friends I respect saying good things about it. I don't think you could go wrong with either. Most important is to know your weapon and be confident in its abilities. I actually bought that rifle for a moose hunt that got canceled BTW.

You mentioned just getting in to handloading. Do you have a mentor? If you know someone who shoots or is knowledgeable about .300 or 7mm, I'd go with what they know. I wouldn't recommend using another person's load in a different firearm, but sometimes working with a familiar chambering can help some people when they are teaching. One of the people I've worked with taught me on their equipment so when I went to do it alone, I just had to work out getting those exact results on my equipment. Less variables that way.
 
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
993
I think their is little recoil difference between the two. I own both. Buy what you want but recoil in these 2 guns should not be a factor in my opinion.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

FURMAN

WKR
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
1,793
Unless you are a large guy you WILL notice a difference in recoil unless you are shooting the exact same weight bullet with all else being equal. If you do intend to shoot the same weight bullet i.e. 180s in both then that would make me choose the 7mm without a doubt and no thoughts about the 300 at all. Shooting the same weight bullet the 7mm will have much better ballistics. Let us say you shoot 180s in the 7mm and 215s in the 300 with a 7lb rifle the 300 will have 30% more recoil. That is huge and if you are recoil sensitive at all it will make shooting the 300 more difficult.
 

boom

WKR
Joined
Sep 11, 2013
Messages
3,185
they kick the same to me.

since you already have a 30..go for the 7mm. my brother has a 7mm that has been so damn effective. he did supplement the arsenal with a 300WSM so his 7mm gets less time. but that 7 took out an elk in the trees..he threaded the bullet and toppled that thing. it was a great shot.
 
OP
NDGuy

NDGuy

WKR
Joined
Feb 13, 2017
Messages
3,887
Location
ND

FURMAN

WKR
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
1,793
I can not say how others react to recoil. It does not bother me much but physics is physics. More powder and bigger bullet means more recoil. I have two identical rifles chambered in 28 and 30 Nosler. It is far easier to spot shots with the 28.
 
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
993
I’m 160 soaking wet and 5’6”, I don’t feel much difference. (Especially hunting). On paper, I’m sure their is a a difference but I do not feel it in the field shooting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Top