I have both a 7mm Rem Mag and a 300 WM and would not hesitate to use either to go elk hunting with. The 7 kicks a bit less and is the more accurate rifle of the two. That being said, I think the shot placement on the animal is the most important thing. Plenty of elk get killed by smaller calibers (my wife put one down at 350 yards with a 7mm-08).
Help me fill a gap, 7mm rem mag or 300 win mag, or…
- Thread starter Adam0321/0306
- Start date
jxb
Gold $$ Contributor
+1, while I don't agree with shooting game that far out when most simply take more stalking to get closer, I'd say if you are going to then shoot something that will have plenty of punch at that range. Most 7Mags have 9.5 twist so you're likely limited to 175gr and with that while 400yrds is fine on elk...
In the end with either it's all about shot placement. That 300WM won't ruin any more meat than the 7mag if you have proper shot placement. I'm more a fan of 7mag and 338WM, never liked the 300WM, just too punishing for me but it sure can get the job done.
I find the 7mm requires less concentration than the .300. The 300 is just enough more recoil that it gets my attention whereas the 7mm is alright. That said, I hunted with a 300WM as my sole rifle for many years. The effect on game was noticeably more than 7mm in my experience. No, I can't quantify that.
I suggest the 7mm and slippery bullets.
I suggest the 7mm and slippery bullets.
Elk are on my short bucket list, I was planning on using my '06 BUT a friend of mine made me a helluva deal on his barely used (20 rounds) Model 70 SS in .300WM. Everyone I know that has hunted elk claim they are tough; I'll be erroring on the side of bigger engine.
I have a M70 Extreme Weather. It shoots well and I like everything about the rifle except pulling the trigger. We are planning to head to Montana this fall so I will be shooting it a bit more again this summer.
I built my wife a 280AI and I am seriously considering doing the same for myself, we will see how this summer goes. I object to recoil more and more as I age.
XTR
F-TR obssessed shooting junkie
Personal opinion, unless you have already tagged deer with 3 or 4 of your other rifles, and you just want to shoot a particular rifle, I personally don't see the need to ever take a magnum in the field for white tails. They can be reliably harvested with just about anything that goes bang. As for elk, wisdom from places other than long range critter sniper boards says that your 280 and 30-06 are both fine for elk with the usual "at reasonable ranges" caveat.
That said I'd get the 300WM. Personally I have both a 300 and a 7, and living in the east neither ever comes out of the safe in hunting season.
Hntnhrd
Silver $$ Contributor
After 20 years of outfitting elk hunts and being In On somewhere around 350 elk kills( we did a lot of private land cow elk hunts also) in that time frame , I’ll will give you a little advice. This advice is free so you get what you pay for! 
.
You will be carrying your rifle 99.999 percent of your hunt and shooting for less then to.001 percent of the tIme. As nice shooting as the senderos are they are heavy. With newer backpacks these days theat have a rifle carrying spot that does negate a little of the weight issue. I had a hunter on a private land bull hunt show up with a 14 pound 300 rum. We glassed mainly from the truck and the longest stalk was less then half a mile. He struggled carrying that gun on any of the stalks we made. If your hunting in the mountains on horses big heavy barreled long range guns do not fit in a normal rifle scabbard. I have seen some crazy long range rifle set ups show up at the trail head, in my younger days , resulting in some serious head scratching on how we were getting this thing into camp.
Elk are big but not necessarily super hard to kill a well constructed 150 to 180 grain bullet behind the shoulder within 500 yards does the trick. I have seen calibers from .243 to 45/70 to 375h&h used to shoot elk. They all did great and they also all performed horrible. It was bullet placement or lack thereof that was the deciding factor. In buying a new rifle need should never come into play, it should be want! I have a whole safe full of rifles I didn’t need, but I damn sure want them! Lol
Now back to the question of 300 mag or 7 mm mag. The 300 mag with a 180 grain bullet and the 7mm with a 165 are both excellent. The deciding factor is which will you shoot more over the summer before your trip? If the recoil from the 300 stops you from practicing with it as much as you can then go with the 7mm. If you reload make reduced loads for shooting all summer. If you don’t , there are factory reduced loads. In the weeks before your trip step back up to quality bullets and full loads and know your bullet drop out to your max comfortable range. When that elk of a lifetime turns broadside your guides job is done and the outcome rests on your shoulders. Make sure you have prepared yourself the best you can to make that shot and bring your dream hunt to a successful end!
Congratulations on the retirement and enjoy every aspect of your elk hunt!!!
. You will be carrying your rifle 99.999 percent of your hunt and shooting for less then to.001 percent of the tIme. As nice shooting as the senderos are they are heavy. With newer backpacks these days theat have a rifle carrying spot that does negate a little of the weight issue. I had a hunter on a private land bull hunt show up with a 14 pound 300 rum. We glassed mainly from the truck and the longest stalk was less then half a mile. He struggled carrying that gun on any of the stalks we made. If your hunting in the mountains on horses big heavy barreled long range guns do not fit in a normal rifle scabbard. I have seen some crazy long range rifle set ups show up at the trail head, in my younger days , resulting in some serious head scratching on how we were getting this thing into camp.
Elk are big but not necessarily super hard to kill a well constructed 150 to 180 grain bullet behind the shoulder within 500 yards does the trick. I have seen calibers from .243 to 45/70 to 375h&h used to shoot elk. They all did great and they also all performed horrible. It was bullet placement or lack thereof that was the deciding factor. In buying a new rifle need should never come into play, it should be want! I have a whole safe full of rifles I didn’t need, but I damn sure want them! Lol
Now back to the question of 300 mag or 7 mm mag. The 300 mag with a 180 grain bullet and the 7mm with a 165 are both excellent. The deciding factor is which will you shoot more over the summer before your trip? If the recoil from the 300 stops you from practicing with it as much as you can then go with the 7mm. If you reload make reduced loads for shooting all summer. If you don’t , there are factory reduced loads. In the weeks before your trip step back up to quality bullets and full loads and know your bullet drop out to your max comfortable range. When that elk of a lifetime turns broadside your guides job is done and the outcome rests on your shoulders. Make sure you have prepared yourself the best you can to make that shot and bring your dream hunt to a successful end!
Congratulations on the retirement and enjoy every aspect of your elk hunt!!!
CaptainMal
Silver $$ Contributor
Another thing to think about is what caliber do you want AFTER the hunt? Both the 7MM Rem Mag and the 300 mag will work on elk quite well. In the 7mm use the longer bullets today in a bonded version for good results. If you can build it yourself, try to get a 1-8 twist in the 7mm to easily use the longer bullets ... 170gr + or - in weight.
Just saw Christenson Arms will now make a super light rifle with brake for just UNDER $900. Contact them and see what twist they can put in a 7mm mag. The new Ruger American Gen 2 is light, comes with a brake, is very inexpensive and has a reputation for great accuracy.
By now you might have figured I like the 7mm mag better. Yes. I have a couple and they are super for me. Only hunted elk once and successfully. Used my 338 win mag but that's another story. Have never used it again and doubt I will.
Get a light 7mm mag.
Just saw Christenson Arms will now make a super light rifle with brake for just UNDER $900. Contact them and see what twist they can put in a 7mm mag. The new Ruger American Gen 2 is light, comes with a brake, is very inexpensive and has a reputation for great accuracy.
By now you might have figured I like the 7mm mag better. Yes. I have a couple and they are super for me. Only hunted elk once and successfully. Used my 338 win mag but that's another story. Have never used it again and doubt I will.
Get a light 7mm mag.
Elk country has a lot of demands that aren't planned for when you dream about your hunt - overall preparation is key to your success. A handy easy to shoot rifle that you can accurately shoot quickly may mean the difference between success and failure. Fast and light approach gets you further into the backcountry and a better chance of success. A magnums don't guarantee success. I hunt with a 280AI 24" barrel loaded with 162 ELDX, shoots less than half inch with very little drop out to 500 yds. It weigh a smidgen over 8.5#s and balances well, carries well. I have complete confidence in the rifle and would shoot any game with it in my home state of Idaho. Good luck this fall. The real work starts once you pull the trigger and after the photos.
Upgrades & Donations
This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.
Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.
You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.
To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.
Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.
You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.
To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.