caliber choice choice with reasoning

[SoDak636]

Ok so i managed to pick up a magnum bolt face Savage 111(long action for those who don't know) that I'm looking at building a semi-custom/custom over the course of the winter. Here's the general plan, nothing is set in stone:

-xlr chassis
-28" mcgowen prefit most likely either Douglas 7-W or Savage Varmint contour
-Rifle Basix trigger
-EGW 20moa base
-Burris extreme tactical rings
-Badger FTE brake

My dilemma is I'm having trouble deciding what caliber. I'm looking primarily at 4 choices: .300 Win Mag, .300 WSM, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm RSAUM. I'm also open to other option but those are the main 4 I've been looking at.
My question for the board is which would you choose and why. The rifle will be a multi-use rig for hunting game up to elk at 800yrds or less and shooting steel as far as i my skills allow me to.

[deathwobble]

.300 win mag :mutiple bullet choices, capable of launching heavy high b.c. bullets at respectable speeds, good brass selction, higher case capcity. a friend of mine shoots a .300 wih 230gr bergers and it will shoot though a 1/4 steel plate at 1000 yards. cons : heavier recoil than the other choices, uses more powder, long action if that bothers you.
... just my opinion

[SoDak636]

The long action aspect isn't a problem as i already have the rifle and it is a long action. I was thinking of building a short action and do one of the short action mags but i got a good deal on this long action so I picked it up. I left the short mags in the options because i know alot of people build em on long actions so they can seat the bullets out farther without having to worry about magazine restrictions.

[HARPERC]

Originally Posted by deathwobble

.300 win mag :mutiple bullet choices, capable of launching heavy high b.c. bullets at respectable speeds, good brass selction, higher case capcity. a friend of mine shoots a .300 wih 230gr bergers and it will shoot though a 1/4 steel plate at 1000 yards. cons : heavier recoil than the other choices, uses more powder, long action if that bothers you.
... just my opinion

Pretty well covered it-might add decent barrel life.

[BountyHunter]

WSM, can run with the win mag and better (2-3x) barrel life.

[deathwobble]

.300 wsm is a sweet one too but it wont out run its big bro. .300WM should run a full 200 fps faster. Kinda like comparing the 30-06 to the .308. also the shorter fatter case makes it inherently more sensitive to minor changes in loads also may not feed as reliably due to the sharp profile of the case.... Also theres after market bottom metal available that should fit big heavy bullets seated long ...any way good luck with your build all the choices you listed are all very capable of doing what you want.

[winmag]

Originally Posted by deathwobble

.300 wsm is a sweet one too but it wont out run its big bro. .300WM should run a full 200 fps faster. Kinda like comparing the 30-06 to the .308.

I don't know where you got your "misinformation" but it's wrong.
My custom Model-70 Long Action 300WSM is out running my factory 24" barreled Winchestermodel-70, 300Wby!
3100+ fps with the WSM & 3062 fps Max with the Wby with 180 Accubonds.

Now, I will concede that the nod goes to the WinMag for case capacity for launching heavies, but I'll be willing to bet its by a few FPS not anywhere near 200 fps.

All my homework has shown 2900+ fps to be about where I'll wind up launching 200gr Accubonds. Which is about what every 300WinMag I've played with has pushed them to.

Don't get me wrong, my next rifle I build will be a 300WinMag. I love that cartridge, but it will basically be a twin to my 300WSM ballistically. I guess I just have a love affair with 300's.