What cartridge to chose..................

[Guest]

Planning to rebuild/customize one of my Ruger "1 next winter, and finding it hard to decide what cartridge to chose. The rifle is chambered for a belted magnum, so it`s best to keep it that way.
Can`t decide between 300 Win mag and 7 mm Rem mag, though.......

The rifle will be used for moose, elk and maybe an occasional wild bore-hunt.
Either of the cartridges will be loaded with the heavier bullets, 160/175 gn for the 7 mm or 200/220 gn for the 300. For hunting I use Nosler bullets exclusively. They hawe nwvwe failed me.

Velocity is ok, but not crucial, as the normal shooting distances is out to about 100 meters. Maybe a little more.

I know both cartridges is efficient, flat shooting, and has the knock-down power. Maybe that`s why it`s so hard to decide.......

I`we always wanted a 7 mm of some sort, and there`s also the benefit of less recoil than the 300 cartridge.

 

[Guy Miner]

Balto - How's life in Norway this summer? Someday I'll get back there! Maybe to hunt or fish!

I've had both the 7mm Rem mag and the .300 Win mag. Right now I've got a 7mm Rem mag and a .300 Rem Ultra mag. I think highly of both the 7's and the .30 cal magnums. The .300 Win mag tosses a heavier bullet and hits harder. I think for elk & moose I'd prefer it, and would likely use the 200 grain Nosler Partition. All that considered, frankly I shoot the 7mm Rem mag better, and took a dandy 6x6 bull elk with one shot from it, using a 175 Nosler Partition. Performance couldn't have been any better.

I don't think there's all that much difference in the field between the two. Get the one that makes you happier.

Regards, Guy

 

[Powerstroke]

Ummm........is the 7-STW not a belted round ?

 

[Guest]

Thanks for answering guys !
Not a great summer this year. Norway and most of western Europe has been litterally flooded in rain.
Southern Europe is all sun-dried, extreme temperatures.

All the same, looking forward to hunting season. A new dog this year, a little young, but he`ll have a go at the moose anyway.
In American this breed would be called "Norwegian black moose-dog". That should explain it all !
The "Norwegian black moose-dog" is kept in a line when hunting, fastened to a special belt that the hunter wears. The thing is to let the dog lead you to the game! You could either hunt alone, or post hunters on strategic places in the terrain.

At present I`m living up north in Norway, not much hunting here. But I`ve got me one week of moose-hunting here. And I will make a trip down south to hunt Roe Deer also. (Small european deer).

 

[buckfever]

Can't go wrong with a 7 mag. :grin:

 

[Guy Miner]

Had a few beers in a small town near Bodo several years ago. All in the interest of a furthering the Norwegian-American military bond. The company was outstanding! We almost understood each other. Out walking one day some of your "elk" (looked like moose to me) scared the heck out of me when I accidentally jumped them from a thicket.

Great country. We ate reindeer for breakfast! :grin:

 

[Guest]

You`re right. We call the moose "elg".
And the elk is called "Crown deer".

 

[JD338]

Tough to beat the 300 Win Mag for everything.

JD338

 

[Savage99]

I hunted for years with a #1 7mm RM. To me the 300 mags kick too hard and are not fun to shoot at the range.

Ruger had put a 1-10" twist in that bbl and it would not spin long bullets so now its a 30-06.

Suppose you could just change the extractor to go to a standard head size. Ruger did it for me.

Mine is a 1A with a 22" barrel and is not too heavy. To be frank I don't like heavy hunting rifles.

 

[tjen]

balto

Why would you need a magnum for shooting moose at less than 200 yards? If you need a cartridge that will shoot 300-400 yards and with plenty of power at those ranges by all means a 7mm mag or 300 mag would be great . But at less than say 250 yards you would be better served with something like the 280rem, 30-06, 358win, or 35whelen. Speicaly the 35 cal cartridges with 225gr or 250gr bullets for moose. The 358 cal 250gr Partition at 2500fps hits with more walop and will go through a moose from end to end. And with less felt recoil too. Just a thought.

 

[JD338]

The 35 Whelen is a thumper for sure out to 300 yds.
I call mine my Sailen Whelen. :lol:

Good choice for Moose. :wink:

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

300 win or 300 wby

 

[Guest]

why not a 9.3? they work excellent and bullets are readily available over there?

 

[Guest]

You know, you could chamber for one of the short magnums from Winchester, as well, as they are .532 at the casehead, I believe. (Somebody check that, I am in a hotel tonight, and don't have my usual supply of manuals to go to.) I personally like the 7mmWSM, as it can be loaded to just about 7mmWby velocities (a bit faster than the 7mmRemMag). Overall, a great round. I have a custom built in my head in this round, that one day I will build outright.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for sharing opinions and experience ! Yes, as suggested, I thought of the option of changing the extractor. The mentioned 35 Whelen or maybe 338-06 ? The mentioned 9,3X62 is frequently used here, and its a real thumper for moose in the timber.
Hmmmm.........
Still I think, as long as the extractor and other "machinery" works fine, don`t touch it.
For instance Ruger triggers can vary. On this particular rifle the trigger is just fine. Nice crisp pull, no creeping, and not to hard.

I`we been thinking (again); for magnum performance long barrels are most often recommended. But there are few rifles available with 26" barrels. Most common maybe 24", og even 22" in ultra light rifles.
Besides lower velocity, are there any trade-offs ?
Let`s say a 7mag would perform more like a 280 Rem. OK, so you accept that, but will you also get more noice and muzzleblast ?