.300 Ultra Mag vs. 7mm Ultra Mag

[BigDsDuty]

I'm new to the forum and hope that y'all can help. I'm looking to build a long range hunting rifle primarily for medium sized to large sized game, but with the main focus on whitetail. Anyway I have it narrowed down to these two calibers and was wanting any and all opinions, and if you can give the reason for your opinion I would greatly appreciate it. I would also like to know what bullet, weight and muzzle velocity you are getting out of these calibers if you have them.

Thanks for all of your help.

Jason

 

[firstcoueswas80]

Jason, my dad has a remington model 700 RMEF edition 7 ultra, the gun has a synthetic stock and a SS barrel. i love it! it has nothing done to it but a trigger job. it pushes 140 accubonds at speeds either 3400 or 3600 FPS using between 86-87 grains of H4831sc. the gun is really accurate and did one hell of a job on his last deer. i really like this gun, except for when it comes time to reload. that is a lot of powder to stick in one shell!
how ever, with the 300 RUM, i feel you have a wider variety of bullets and can push a 120 grain bullet **** near 4,000 fps. in a pinch, i would take either rifle, both of them interest me and i like the both!

 

[Varmint Hunter]

The guys on this board will be very helpful in acquiring good information to make your selection. However, you should define "longrange" as it pertains to your intended use. (It means something different to everyone)

What game, larger than whitetails, are you considering?

Either cartridge that you mentioned will likely work quite well, in an accurate rifle, providing that you use the right bullet for the task and that your shot placement is good.

 

[BigDsDuty]

Whitetail, mule deer, elk, caribou, moose and bear. I plan on visiting Alaska a couple of times in the upcoming years. I don't want to go out and look for long shots, I just want a gun that can do it if the opportunity presents it self and I have proven myself at the range on on other targets. When it comes to game I normally don't go much beyond 300 to 400 yards, but I have had many opportunities where I could have gone beyond those distances to get game that I couldn't get closer to. Like I said I'm not looking for those shots, I just want a rifle that can do it if need be and if I'm proven enough to take the shot.

Thanks

Jason

 

[Idaho_Elk_Huntr]

I have killed 6 deer 2 elk and a 450 lb bear with my 7 Ultra. Only one deer took a step after the shot, the rest looked like they were hammered to the ground. I also have the 338 and the 375 and havent shot them at game yet. I have a 30 on the way and havent had any experience with it. I would say the larger the bore the longer it will last. If you plan on shooting it a lot I would go up to the 300. If you dont mind rebarreling around 800 shots the 7 will be fine. I dont know how many shots you will get in the 300. Like I said I havent got to find out yet.
All animals I have taken have been with 154 grain Hornady Interbonds and 93.3 grains of RL25. I havent had the first pass thru and shots have been 70 to 512 yards. All bullets have been under the skin on the off side.

 

[BigDsDuty]

Thanks for the info.
Keep them coming.

 

[MagMan]

My vote is for the 7mm RUM.
I've shot deer, elk, caribou, and also those stinkin little pigs in Texas. One of the caribou was a 720 yd shot in Quebec with a 160gn Accubond and H-1000.

 

[BigDsDuty]

MagMan,

You don't happen to know what speed you were getting out of that load do you?

 

[bailey1474]

I'm not gonna tell you one is better than the other. I shoot a 300 RUM and get 2850 fps out of a 240 gr bullet and about 3190 out of a 210 gr. Both pack a serious thump!! If your going to go w/the 7 RUM, build it around the 200 gr WC and you'll have a serious long range hammer!!!

 

[davewilson]

go with the 300. easier to load for,less finicky,a little more killing power.you're really not talking much difference here.

 

[BigDsDuty]

Well that's kinda my problem. I need to know what people are sending out of their barrels bullet wise and speed wise. By my ballistics software and what I think the muzzle velocity would be, the .300 has the slight edge out to 400 yards but after that the 7mm starts to walk away from the .300.

 

[MagMan]

BigDsDuty,

That load would average 3190. It was a factory LSS. It would shoot 1 1/4", any faster opened up to 2.25" all at 200 yds.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I vote for the 300 RUM. I have shot quite a few loads from the 125g btip, which is quite worthless at 3950 unless you want to rebarrel aftera couple hundred rounds. I have shot the 150's at 3650fps, which is still to fast for deer. I have not tested 165's. I have tested 180's to 3450fps. I have shot 200's at 3200fps, I have shot 210g VLD's at 3000fps, with great accuracy out of a stock rem LSS out to 1150 yards, and I have also shot the 220g SMK to 3000fps. I dont recomend a bullet lighter then 180g for 300 RUM. Less than that and your handicapping the cartridge. A 180g at 3350 or so still hits very very hard, a 200g at 3200 hits a litle harder, while the 210g and 220g at 3000 hit a little harder yet. I have about 1000 roudns down my barrel and I know its need a new barrel. I have killed 2 elk at ranges of 250 yard, and 512 yards. 1 big bear at 250 yards, and several coyotes with the longest being 775 yards. The 300 RUM is a very accurate cartridge, and I'm sure the 7 RUM is also, but have no experience with it. My particular 300 RUM is a LSS that has had nothign more then a trigger job and glass bedded and in its prime could shoot 3.5" and 4" groups at 800 yards. There is nothing wrong with the 7 RUM, but for long range killing power, the 7 RUM just cant compete with the bigger brother, the difference is marginal, but wouldn't you rather have that little bit of edge at LR? The heavier 30 cal bullets along with the frontal diameter and more ft lbs will help. JMO.

 

[BigDsDuty]

I will post the ballistics that I'm going by tomorrow and y'all can tell me where my numbers might be wrong. As far as the info (ballistics) I have they are pretty close from 0 to 400 yards with the 300 RUM having the upper hand, but once you go past 400 yards the 300 RUM drops more and more in fps and energy and the 7mm RUM starts to really shine. I'll let y'all take a look at that in the morning.