which 7mm catridge would be the best chocie for elk and deer?

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What do you think about the 7 wsm?
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From a ballistic standpoint, the WSMs are just as good as the standard rounds whose performance they duplicate, with costs that don't seem to be all that much higher.

In theory the short, fat case of the WSMs will be more accurate than the longer rounds they duplicate, but it will take a very high-precision, top notch target rifle to notice a difference.

The greatest virtue of the WSMs - at least in the eyes of the manufacturers - is that by being the latest new thing, they create a reason for some people to buy a new rifle.
 
The best elk cartridge is the one you shoot well. It takes much practise to consistantly hit a 6 inch target at 200 meters from make shift field positions. Practise means buying ammo and some cartridges such as the Weatherby's are quite costly indeed.

Premium bullets have increased the lethality of so-called marginal elk cartridges such as 7mm-08 and 280 Remington. Both cartridges are very good choices and have toppled animals larger than elk as well.
TR
 
I'm another 7MM Rem. mag. fan & everthing I've ever shot with it only needed 1 shot to put it down, right then and there. Talking elk, deer antelope & I wouldn't hesitate to take anything that walks with it. I remember one elk that was about 150 yards and started running as I made a rest on a rock with my pack. Anyway she was broadside and I put the crosshair in front of her shoulder and touched the trigger and she flipped head over heels and did the death kick. Wish I had that on tape it was so cool. Anyway when I field dressed her her heart was completelly pulverized (I like to eat their hears by the way).

Remember when game is spooked their adrenaline may give them more stamina than normal and an elk in the high country is all muscle & strong as steel. Also I remember a mulie that was running & shot witht the same load that also flipped at the shot & was dead before it hit the ground.

My load for my 7mm Rem. mag is 162gr. Hornady SPBT. The rifle is a Herters sporterized 98 Mauser with thumbhole stock. Also I hunt with 7x57, 30-06 & 30-30 as well but I would never hesitate to recommend the 7mm Rem. mag for deer & elk because of what it has shown me it can do.
 
For elk, .280 remington, definitely. Maybe remmag if you're a masochist.

For deer, 7-08.

For both, gotta run with the bigger one - .280 Rem!
 
I would disagree that the WSM's equal their conventional counterparts. They can equal them but only wih light for caliber bullets, at least the .300 and .338 as I recall. I only shoot 180 and 200 gr. loads in my 300, and 250's in the 338, I don't recall the WSM's being quite up to the oldies with those bullet weights due to the bulet length impinging on powder capacity. I think, but haven't tried, that the standard weight Barnes TSX, which I am beginning to like, would be a little long for the WSM cases also.

I am old school admittedly, I like high BC, heavy for caliber bullets and not everyone will agree that is best.
 
Thx again for your answers. I done some more investigations, and I will buy an sako 75 hunter rifle in 7x64 brenneke. I can get the ammo and the rilfe at a very good price.

Thx again for your great tipps and I will report when I have got my gun.:)
 
For elk, .280 remington, definitely. Maybe remmag if you're a masochist.
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It's heavy to carry, but the recoil ain't that bad on my rem mag, no worse than a .30-06 and it's got a little flatter trajectory than the 06. I really like the rem mag. I've found the 160 grain Federal Premium ammo with the 160 grain Nosler Partition a very accurate load in my Savage. I can't handload the caliber much better than this factory load. It'll take an Elk about as far away as I'll ever shoot at one. The STW is excessive. So what it's flatter shooting? I ain't shootin' at game at 500 yards, I'll get closer, thanks. To many variables to risk a wounded animal at long ranges. I'll keep my shots preferably under 200 yards, but might stretch it on a big bull at 300-350 if the wind is calm and I have a good, solid rest and I ain't shootin' up or down hill too much. IOW, the shooting conditions have to be ideal before I'll go much over 200 yards for a shot, so I don't see the STW as advantageous to me.

I've owned a 7x57 before in an old military surplus gun. A light hunting rifle in this caliber would be sweet to shoot and powerful enough at all, but excessive ranges for Elk. The 7 mag puts down a lot more energy on target, but the Mauser round has enough and enough bullet to go with it. It's a better round for the heavies than the 7-08 IMHO.

The three I'd pick would range from 7x57 to .280 Remington to the Rem Mag. When I bought my Rem Mag, I was thinking about a .280, but figured, heck, if I don't like the recoil, I can always load it down, can't load the .280 UP to match the big magnum. And, they're both only available in long actions of 06 length. My Savage ain't pretty, but it sure does shoot! Pretty is as pretty does. And, it ain't the cannon at the butt end you'd think it would be. Heck, though, I'm used to poppin' half a box of 3" 12 gauge loads in a morning on Ducks. Compared to that, the rem mag is a .223. LOL! You feel it off the bench, but I have a Past pad for that. Out hunting, it's not bad at all. My biggest buck was taken with that rifle, though it ain't exactly a record book buck. He was quartering away at about 150 yards and I slipped the 150 grains Sierra Game King perfectly behind his right shoulder off my shooting sticks. He dropped where he stood.
 
How about .280 Reminginton (I.e., 7mm Express), Ackely Improved? Close to magnum velocities with less powder, fewer feeding problems, holds more rounds in mag, and you can shoot standard factory .280 Rem in it in a pinch. Also, component costs are cheaper.
 
How about .280 Reminginton (I.e., 7mm Express), Ackely Improved? Close to magnum velocities with less powder, fewer feeding problems, holds more rounds in mag, and you can shoot standard factory .280 Rem in it in a pinch. Also, component costs are cheaper.
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Why go to all that expense? 7 Mag is popular and ammo is available everywhere. You don't have to "improve" it. As for feeding, I've had no problems in my Savage and as for holding more rounds, it should only take you ONE to get the job done. The three rounder my Savage has is excessive. And, shooting factory ammo in an "improved" chamber will give up some performance and more than likely some accuracy.

But, .280 is a neat round and I was tempted when I was looking and bought my 7. ;) I think if I got a .280, though, I'd leave the chamber alone. I've read a lot about the .257 Roberts Ackly Improved, but I don't wanna mess up a fine old gun "improving" it. :rolleyes: Figure if every I should think I need more than the Roberts, I should just move up to a .25-06. Similar applies to the .280.

Oh, I just realized, nobody mentioned the 7mm Weatherby Magnum. For all intents, it's no better than the more popular Remington Magnum, though.
 
I have a Weatherby in 7mm Remington Magnum. I bought it 3 years ago and have used it since for deer. I use a 150 grain for deer, but would step up to a 160 grain for elk.

In the 3 years I've been using it, I have no had one deer take a single step from where it stood. One did roll down a hill though (gravity :banghead: ).

Great cartridge in my opinion, I highly recommend it.
 
my uncle shot a mule deer at 50 yards with a 7 rem mag blew its back leg off still ran 50 yards before it died bullet went threw
 
I suggest 7mm STW. :evil: It really is deadly. Lots of down range energy.

VERY HARD HITTING>might be too much on deer at close range.:evil:
 
Thx again for your great tipps.I will buy rilfe soon, mayby next monday. I hve compared the ammo prices, and form the 7mm mags, the 7 mm rem mag would be the cheapest, but I have got a buddy who would sell me his wheatberby mark VI Ultra Lightweight rilfe in 7mm wheatherby mag. What do you think about that rifle and caliber? Shall I buy it?:confused:
 
@MCgunner Thx for your answer Too bad, he would sell me his rifle at a very price, but I am not a reloader, and I am sure that it is difficult to find 7mm why mag rounds here in austria, I will buy an styr mannlicher classico rifle in 7mm reg mag.

ps: which bullet weight in 7mm reg would your recomend for deer and elk? and is there an alround bullet type that would work well for deer and elk?
 
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I would use the 160gr accubond or nosler partitions on both. Would be rough on deer but perfect for elk. Id stick with the 7mm mag. 7mm mag is perfect for elk, don't let anyone tell you it's not enough.
 
Additional "weaknesses" of Weatherby

I always found, over the course of many years of using Weatherby rifles/calibers (.257 Wea, .270 Wea, .300 Wea) that it has a severe "weakness"--the brass is comparitively soft. When I used Federal or Remington brass I could reload more times, and use higher CUP pressurers than with ?Weatherby" which was Norma brass. I don't know if that still happens.

As already noted, there no longer exists the velocity differential. This is due to the fact that Weatherby (for the sake of accuracy) no longer "free-bores" their rifles. Rather, they use a standard rifling up the entire barrel like all others. This increases accuracy, preassure and decreases velocity. Ergo, for example, the .300 Wea. when laoded with a 150 Gr. bullete used to exist at 3,600 FPS when free bored. now, with current more standard boring, the same load now exits at 3,450ish FPS.

The same happens with the 7MM (Rem. V. Wea.) Magnums. Caustion. Note that Weatherby FIXES the velocity game by limiting barrel length. This is the reason I will nolonger purchase a Weatherby. If you purchase a Wea. Mag, you get a 26 inch barrel. If you purchase a NON-Weatherby magnum, you get a 24 inch barrel, save for the Wea. Accumark.

There are alternates on the market such as the Remington M700 Sendero in 7MM Rem. Mag that is ultra-accurate, and has a 26 inch barrel for blistering velocity.

I say, Rem. 700 Sendero in 7MM Rem. Mag.

Doc2005
 
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I say, Rem. 700 Sedona in 7MM Rem. Mag.
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You mean sendero? I have one in 7mm mag and it don't kick as hard as my '06. Id say you would be messing up if you did not get a 7mm rem mag dude. It is the perfect combo of flat shooting, hard hitting, mild recoil compared to the ultra and stw. It will allow a bullet for anything in N.A. including 100-120 grain for varmints, 140-150 for deer, 160-175 for elk/bear, 200 for anything else in N.A. You cant go wrong with it. I would recommend it 100 times over the other rifle you were looking at.
 
Thx again for your answers. I have done some investigations and I think I will buy an remington model 700 serderno in 700 rem mag or 7mm rem ultra mag. Is there a big differnce between the two caliber???
 
ultra mag will just bruise your shoulder more, lol. I'd prefer the .30-06 as itss like 2nd best for elk, but the 7mm Rem Mag is perfect in N. America for elk, buy a recoil pad tho, seven to ten shots will bruise your shoulder
 
Thx again for the answers. I will buy rifle on friday in 7 mm. rem mag. I will report when I have got my new rilfe.
 
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