Ok magnum hunters, recommend me one.

[bpl]

Tell him to get a 30-06 (hint, hint) or a 7mm REMINGTON Magnum or maybe a 300 WINCHESTER Magnum and be done with it! The 270 WSM, 300 WSM, whatever RCM, something SAUM, XXX ultra mag, etc. may or may not go the way of the DINOSAUR, but are currently quite expensive, much less widely available, have much less bullet selection and are more expensive to reload. They are also a bit ridiculous for deer hunting!

 

[jbkebert]

They are also a bit ridiculous for deer hunting!

Not picking on you by any means this seems to be a growing trend. Yes a .300 win mag is a little much for deer. I agree whole heartedly. On the other hand a .243 not matter how much I love the caliber is pretty light for elk. Yes the mag's kick a little harder but it seems people think they destroy the animal shot by them. No they do not bullet selection is key to any caliber of gun. The last deer I shot with my .300 mag did less damage to the meat than the deer my son just shot with a .243
So if someone wants a magnum rifle and that is the only rifle they want or can afford. A 7mm mag, .300 win mag will let you run any animal North America has to offer with authority.

 

[blackops]

Not picking on you by any means this seems to be a growing trend. Yes a .300 win mag is a little much for deer

I agree completely. I love my 270 it is perfect for deer and if I wanted to get into elk I know it would down em.

 

[X-Rap]

For a general purpose rifle especially if you are gonna push some distance the 300WM is far from to much for deer any more than a 270 is to small for elk.
If I had my choice of just 1 the 300 would win every time.

 

[IndianaBoy]

I am fortunate that I was cured of magnumitis by reading, and not by wasting money on a lot of extra recoil and expense for 150 fps gain.


I think since you will be doing the reloading for him, you are in the drivers seat. Tell him that 30-06 is sufficient, and if he wants a wonky boutique caliber, that he can pony up the cash for factory ammo.

 

[oneounceload]

killzone, chas08, oneounceload, deepsouth, mc gunner, and blackops:

What in the holy living hell is aQuote:"7 mag"

WE, Doc - to some of us, there is only ONE 7mm magnum cartridge - the original, made by Remington, introduced nigh over 40 years ago.....

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Then then that's all the more reason that you should give credit to REMINGTON by calling it by it's name, which contains the word REMINGTON, so that people don't mistakenly assume you mean one of the many many other 7mm magnums.

 

[schlockinz]

I never knew that there were other 7mm mags, 'cept for the 7mm ultra mag

 

[chas08]

Then then that's all the more reason that you should give credit to REMINGTON by calling it by it's name

To us early sufferers of "Magnumitis" 7-Mag is synonymous with 7mm Remington Magnum. All the others are wannabes Doc, you should read less and get out more.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

The reason people say 7mm WSM is better than .270 WSM for elk is a matter of bullet selection. You can get 175 grain bullets for 7mm, I don't think you can get them that large for .270. But I have heard that the bullet has to be seated too far down on the heavy bullets for 7mm WSM and takes away considerably from the powder capacity. That would make me lean towards a 7mm Rem Mag instead of the WSM. Just my opinion.

 

[MCgunner]

Well, the only other magnum of note in 7mm is the Weatherby and the ballistics are near identical to the Rem Mag. I just don't like to type and everyone who's anyone in the gun world knows what a 7 Mag is. I mean, if I didn't have the internet or read gun magazines in the last dozen years, I'd never have heard of any ultra get down, slam bang magnums, short, stubby Winchester wannaby magnums, etc.

I agree completely. I love my 270 it is perfect for deer and if I wanted to get into elk I know it would down em.

Nah, there's no finer whitetail caliber than the .257 Roberts....

I bought the big 7 with elk in mind, but never got to hunt elk over the years. I've shot some whitetail and a LONG range for me (350 yards is near my limit) mulie with the 7 mag (REMINGTON MAGNUM for the gun slang challenged). It killed 'em all quite dead. Funny thing, I shot a 60 lb big boar Javelina and hit him too far back at 50 yards (didn't understand his anatomy at the time) and wound up blood trailin' that piggy for 400 yards or some and had to finish him off when I got there. So, hey, if you don't put it in the right spot, even the 7 mag won't work on a 60 lb pig. Blew the HELL out of his ribs and guts, though. Wasn't a big chore to gut him. ROFLMAO!

Now, I have a little light weight, very accurate, easy to carry M7 in .308, the original short action elk caliber. I may never use that 7 mag again, but I ain't gonna sell it. It's accurate, don't sell guns that are accurate.

 

[GregC]

I hunt with various rifles from .30-06 down to .223, but my favorite for whitetail is 270 WSM. Almost all the deer I have shot with it acted like they were struck by lightning using 130gr balistic tips. Recoil is reasonable and in my A-Bolt, it is very accurate. I have no doubts that it would be adequate for elk with either 140gr or 150gr bullets. (My local Academy and Wally-World stock at least 2 of the 3 most of the time.) However, if the 300 Win mag or WSM is what floats your boat, more power to you!

 

[bang_bang]

Hell with people saying that a 300 Win Mag or 7mm Rem Mag is too much for deer....I shoot groundhogs with my 300 Winnie. Bullet selection and shot placement is key here. If you want to eat the backstraps from a 85 pound doe, you'll learn to put that bullet where it needs to go, rather than just shooting at anything brown. I've seen a .270 do outstanding damage on some large deer, even more than what I have done with my magnums.

Like I said, it's bullet selection for the most part. A bullet designed to penetrate deep is not going to explode when it smacks a rib or shoulder on a small deer. Imagine throwing a water balloon and a brick at a window....

I'd stick with the long-action for a magnum. Those WSM seem to be a bit pricey. Should be able to get factory ammo for either the 7mm Rem Mag or 300 Win Mag for around $20/box or less.

 

[Yellowfin]

I agree with the above people, stick to the vastly more common stuff like .300 Win or 7mm Remington Mag if he absolutely must have a magnum. There's really nothing that anything else can do that they can't. I too also think there's really very little reason not to just stick with the .30-06 and save your ears and shoulder and wallet unnecessary punishment.

 

[lgbloader]

My all-time favorite do-it-all magnum is the 30-06.
Oh wait! It's not a magnum.

But it does do it all, without kicking my fillings out..

rc

I agree with RC on this one. 30-06 is the best do it all rifle. Magnums are cool and all, I have more than my share of Magnum rifles but I have yet to crack a windshield shooting off a trucks hood with 30-06. I did this with one of my 300 WBY's.

I can't Imagine what the 375 RUM would have done to it.

LGB

 

[GooseGestapo]

Ditto MCGunner;
Just remember that you're either preaching to the choir, or arguing with idiots regarding either the .257Roberts or "Magnumitis".

Don't get me wrong, I've got several "magnums", however, when I went to Wyoming last month, I took my Rem M7 7mm08, and Colt Lt Rifle in .30/06. Only shot I got was ~250yds. Didn't take it. My tags are still good till end of Jan and better bulls will be easier and lower elv. Glad I was toting my 7lb guns instead of 11lb "magnum".
At "over" 50, at 9,000', 3lbs is heavier than it was even just 6yrs ago.
I'm even contemplating taking the 6lb "Roberts " if I go back. It did just fine back in '93 on a muledeer. Got some Nosler 120's on the bench........
It's shot plcement that kills, not ft/lbs. A magnum gives you perhaps another 75yds point-blank range. Not enough to justify the extra baggage IMO. To include a medical kit in the case of my .300RUM. (It draws blood on both ends....both times I've shot it at game from "field" shooting positions).

 

[lefteyedom]

Tell him to get a 338 Win Mag. With bullets from 180 grn to 300 grn it will handle everything from Whitetail to Polar Bear. The recoil inline with a 300 win mag but with much better performance when the bullet hits the bone.

Then sell him on the idea that he really needs two rifles and sell him on the 25/06 or if his penis is as short as mine a 257 weatherby.

 

[BlayGlock]

I vote for the 7mm mag because it is available in a wide variety of rifles, ammo is easy to find and not as expensive as the other WSM, ect.

 

[Arkel23]

If he wants a .300 mag I'd suggest the .300 Weatherby mag over the WSM, especially if you're reloading.

 

[qajaq59]

My 06 has dropped everything from wood chucks to moose. But if he wants a magnum at least talk him into one you wont mind loading for. Or better yet...teach him to load.

 

[kentucky_smith]

I can't think of anything on North American continent that a 7mag will take out that a 7mm-08 won't, except for maybe shoulders or fillings.

 

[BushyGuy]

whats wrong with a magnum handgun for hunting? what ever happened to that challenge, i would suggest a .460 XVR S&W magnum over any of your grand daddy calibers- u can carry it in a holster then in a sling and you can walk around all day without lugging a long rifle around theu the bushes.

Try it and it will change your minds ,makes less noise while your walking thru brush. thats where the big buck are in the deep thick brush they hide anymore not out in the open much.

 

[X-Rap]

All kinds are knocking the want for a magnum as some kind of mental illness or something.
I find it pretty much undeniable that a 300M shooting a 180gr. bullet is going to perform better than a 30-06 just as you would expect the 06 to perform better than the 300 savage all shooting the same bullet.
With that in mind make a rational choice for the game, terrain, and distance you intend to hunt, simple as that.
In my family we shoot a broad spectrum of calibers and firearms on big game from 6mm to .338 and are happy with the results when considered with the above criteria.
I will say that results are usually more favorable when shooting down a level than when trying to push a lighter caliber to do greater things. That would be my primary logic for advising someone to go with the mag. especially if it was to be more of a do all gun.

 

[okierifleman]

If I didnt have to worry about losing or forgetting my ammo, I would say 7STW, I have one and love it, but I also have a 7 Weatherby, a 7 Rem Ultra, and a 300 Win mag. I like my STW the best though, it doesnt eat quite as much powder as the ultra.

 

[ASCTLC]

I responded on another forum speaking to a similar topic. I Got my elk again this year (last Wed). And another nickle sized exit out the other side of a broadside shot behind the shoulder. 30-06, 180 gr Partition just punches through those elk (6x6 and spike) and they haven't made it more than 5 yards yet. ~100 yards shots both years.

My hunting partner shoots a 300 Win Mag using the 180 gr Partition too. Last year and this, the same results as mine (5x5 and large 6x6). ~150 yards shots both years.

Quality bullet construction is to be commended and (IMHO) counters today's popular "must have super large caliber" agruement.

I realize this doesn't specifically speak to Wankerjake's original question directly but think the ammo popularity may be about as good as a criteria as any when searching in the "magnum" class of caliber for large game hunting. Other than costing more per trigger pull, my friend's 300 Win Mag isn't doing anything more than my 30-06.

my 2 cents,
Andy