7mm or 30 cal? Just for curiosity’s sake

Question says it all. The 22s, 6mm, 6.5, and .338 bore are all pretty common here but it I think it's safe to say the big 7mms and 30s are the unchallenged all range all purpose hunting versatility kings. I bet pretty much everyone on here has at least one 7mm or 30 caliber rifle.

im a 30 guy myself, .300 win mag being my favourite cartridge to play with, .30-30 being what I learned to shoot centerfire rifle with.

but I only bought my first .300 because my other rifle was a .270 win and I wanted a more significant difference in performance than what a 7 would gain. No regrets. But if I didn't already have a 270 I may have gone 7mm mag and had no reason for a .300 or a 270, who knows?

the 7mms are objectively the best of all worlds for long range hit probability. The 180 eld m for example has a bc of .79. There are no similar bc bullets of lesser diameter that I'm aware of and to exceed this bc significantly starts at the 250 atip or such. That's a huge jump. Not to many 30s, if any, will be launching a 225-250 grain at comprable speeds to a 7stw or 28 Nosler with that 180, and if they do it won't be in as portable or pleasant to shoot package.

that said, I maintain the big 30s hit and affect big game very noticeably harder than the 6.5, .270, and 7mm cartridges so they get the nod from me

Now for the just for fun question. If you could only own and shoot either a 7mm or a .30, not both, which would you choose?

I would go with 7mm, I don't plan on going after brown bears so no need for more. That would be the only reason for me to get a 300 Win Mag or larger.

I just bought a Tikka t3x hunter stainless fluted in 7mm mag, but I have a good ol 30-30 that I've killed more deer with than anything else I own

Tried to vote for both but elections I guess the forum doesn't use the dominion voting system so it didn't work.

Heaven forbid I could only have one I would go 30 thank God this is not the case cause I do love the sevens

Got six different magnum cartridges, like them all but must say my 7mm Weatherby mag is my hands down favorite.

I'm a 30 guy cause that's what I was raised on. Oddly enough now my dad likes a 7mag and shoots it more than anything else.

I have 2 30s currentlay and no 7s. But i plan on a 7 being my next one. I'm thinking 7wsm, 7max. Something along those lines.

I'd go 7mm Rem mag, 8-8.5 twist and 180 scenar or 195 EOL. The ELD was too soft for me.

KurtB said:

I'd go 7mm Rem mag, 8-8.5 twist and 180 scenar or 195 EOL. The ELD was too soft for me.

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It was just a point of reference with crazy high bc for weight. I've used the 225 eld in my 300
Win. But I don't know if I can meaningfully say how soft it was having used it to spine shoot one deer so far. Results on a large frozen pumpkin indicates they're very violent indeed. Blew up harder than a 180 nbt moving quite a bit faster.

Calvin45 said:

Question says it all. The 22s, 6mm, 6.5, and .338 bore are all pretty common here but it I think it's safe to say the big 7mms and 30s are the unchallenged all range all purpose hunting versatility kings. I bet pretty much everyone on here has at least one 7mm or 30 caliber rifle.

im a 30 guy myself, .300 win mag being my favourite cartridge to play with, .30-30 being what I learned to shoot centerfire rifle with.

but I only bought my first .300 because my other rifle was a .270 win and I wanted a more significant difference in performance than what a 7 would gain. No regrets. But if I didn't already have a 270 I may have gone 7mm mag and had no reason for a .300 or a 270, who knows?

the 7mms are objectively the best of all worlds for long range hit probability. The 180 eld m for example has a bc of .79. There are no similar bc bullets of lesser diameter that I'm aware of and to exceed this bc significantly starts at the 250 atip or such. That's a huge jump. Not to many 30s, if any, will be launching a 225-250 grain at comprable speeds to a 7stw or 28 Nosler with that 180, and if they do it won't be in as portable or pleasant to shoot package.

that said, I maintain the big 30s hit and affect big game very noticeably harder than the 6.5, .270, and 7mm cartridges so they get the nod from me

Now for the just for fun question. If you could only own and shoot either a 7mm or a .30, not both, which would you choose?

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.30 cal for me. I have two 7.62x39, .30 CAL M1, .30-06, .30 Gibbs, two .300 WSMs, three .300 WMs, and .30 LARA.

I've been a 7mm fan for awhile...I own and have owned many 30s...but always found a 7mm did almost everything my 300 could do, usually with less recoil--and my 338 Norma will far exceed what a 30 cal with a heavy bullet tries to accomplish

sierracharlie338 said:

I'm a 30 guy cause that's what I was raised on. Oddly enough now my dad likes a 7mag and shoots it more than anything else.

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I deviated from tradition and community norms
by getting a .270 as my first gun when I was 14. the budget was for a savage 111 package gun. I settled for the .270 because they didn't have one in .30-06 in stock at the cabelas my dad took me to and I wasn't waiting another day to get my first gun! No regrets, still have that .270, love it. No other family members or friends had one at the time.
I learned to shoot centerfire rifle with dads 30-30, an uncles .303 British, another uncles .308 win, and a family friends .30-06. The only other popular cartridge around where I grew up was the .243 win, but understood to be a fine choice for women, children, and the frail elderly. 30 was really the only caliber to consider. There was one guy had a rem 700 in 7mm magnum, and was viewed as a hunting guru with an exotic cartridge haha.

I would go 7mm. My 28 nosler is just a bit more pleasent to shoot then my 300 wby without a break and also a better BC in similar bullet weights. I havent noticed any difference in how they kill elk or moose.

I voted 30, since I have 3 hunting rifles and a comp rifle in 300WM, it's my favourite.
Also have a 7STW, but I have never been a 7 fan TBH.
Bought 3 Sendero's and 1 custom 5R and the choices were 300WM, 300RUM or 7RM. Bought 2 300WM, a 5R and a Sendero, a 300RUM Sendero and a 7RM Sendero all for custom builds.
Re-chambered the 7RM to STW, just have never liked the RM, and wasn't looking to go 7 Practical or Nosler, so the STW fit the bill best.

Cheers.