If'n a man gave his brother...

[ligonierbill]

...the 7 mm Mag his Dad gave him so he could hunt elk, and he wanted to use this as an excuse to get a new rifle, what should that man buy? I'm thinking 300 yards, maybe 400, but no more. I could take the 6.5X55 (you bet I'm going, too), but at 400 it has only about 2/3 the energy of the 7 (1200 ft-lb vs 1700+). And we dream of Alaska. The classic choice is the .338 Win Mag, and we also have the new .325 WSM and the classic .35 Whelen. The thing is, at 400 yards, only the .338 has an energy advantage over the 7 mm. Guess it's the .338--talk me out of it

 

[olyinaz]

.300 Weatherby magnum? They're not out of sight price wise in a Vanguard no?

I'm not sure of the energy diff at 400 yards but there are some really great bullets to be had in thirty cal!

Best,
Oly

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

If energy at 400 yards is your primary concern (it's the only criteria you mention) then the 300 Ultra Mag firing 180gr Level III ammo is your answer. 2487ft/lbs at 400yds.


However, if it were me and I had other considerations besides energy at 400 yards, which I do, then I'd most likely buy a 7mm-08 and most likely a Browning with the "feather trigger".

 

[azredhawk44]

And we dream of Alaska.

Are your dreams of grizzly carpets?

Or are they of Dall sheep?

What game are you looking for?

If you dream of griz, then I'd say to go up to .375 H&H. You're not going to get a 300-400 yard shot on one, from what I understand, anyways.

If you're looking for tasty nimble critters, then no need for anything terribly powerful. 6.5 would be a neat choice.

 

[fisherman66]

And we dream of Alaska. The classic choice is the .338 Win Mag, and we also have the new .325 WSM and the classic .35 Whelen.

I agree with AZ. The H&H is the classic. Everything else is "new kid on the block".

I'd be willing to bet you'd shoot the 6.5x55 better.

If you are set on a dangerous game rifle then the 9.3x62 would be a more shoulder friendly cannon.

Energy looks great on paper....doesn't mean all that much in the field.

 

[ligonierbill]

Alaska: bears and big moose. I used the 7 mag energy at 400 as a standard because my first elk was poleaxed by that rifle at about 400 yards. I mentioned the 6.5X55 because it's now my primary rifle. A new one has to better the 7 mm, else I would just get a new 7. I know, it's not just the KE, size matters and big bears = big bullets. I should have mentioned the .375 H&H or the new .375 Ruger. Overkill?

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

I should have mentioned the .375 H&H or the new .375 Ruger. Overkill?

Yes.


Actually, the 300 Ultra Mag with it's power level ammo may be a good option if there's a serious chance of ever using it in Alaska. The mid range loads are more than sufficient for anything else....

 

[csmsss]

Sorry, but I don't buy into the notion that there is such a thing as "overkill" when it comes to hunting game with fangs and claws and outweighs you by 4x and might just want to make dinner out of you. If you can handle a rifle and its recoil well, and accurately place your shots, then there's no such thing as "too much" when it comes to dangerous game.

 

[flyboy14]

Go buy a 338 win mag. There I did it. Your welcome. flyboy

 

[azredhawk44]

Okay, then .375 H&H. Or, on a different yet equally valid philosophical wavelength, .45/70 or .450 Marlin, both of which are predominantly offered in a levergun format.

 

[ligonierbill]

Thanks flyboy, guess I will. Good discussion, and cheap. I did expect to see the odd calibers out (.358 Norma magnum?) but I guess there is less interest in middle bores.

 

[Jimro]

Since you already have a 6.5x55 the 338 or 325 would round out your long guns nicely. I would think long and hard between the 325 and 338, they are both good choices, and the real decision maker would be which rifle you like better.

Jimro

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I love the old classic cartridges, 22 Hornet 6.5 X 55, 7 X 57, 35 Remington, 375 H&H, 416 Rigby, etc.... & as much as I love my 375 H&H ( in Browning Stainless Stalker format ) I also have a 338 Win Mag in the same format.... in both guns using the same ammo Federal Premium Safari with Trophy Bonded Bear Claw bullets, the 338 clearly out penitrates the 375... ( I have my own rifle range, & my "old" 200 yard backstop used to be a very large chest freezer stuffed solid with sheetrock ) I never had issues with the backstop, with any caliber I shot, until I started consistantly blowing through it with the 338 Federal TBBC load... I've since upgraded to a bigger & better backstop, & pushed it out to 300 yards, but that freezer was a full 2ft thick, & packed solid, & not chowdered out enough that i was the freezers fault...

 

[tINY]

There's a lot to like about 338 Federal. But I like shorter actions when traveling far in the wilderness...



-tINY

 

[smee78]

338 Lapua?